“SETTLED AND SATISFIED”..

"SETTLED AND SATISFIED"..

Agreement and Alignment with God through His Holy Word, is the key to thriving, overcoming and reigning victorious in 2023!!

If you don't make sure that the reigns of your heart stays in your control, as you keep your hands in His Hands, He will alleviate the stress and pressure associated with lack of clarity, focus and fear!

CONTENTMENT

One dictionary defines contentment as "the state of being mentally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are." Today it is rare that we find anyone who is truly content with his or her condition in life. The Bible has a great deal to say about contentment—being satisfied with what we have, who we are, and where we're going. Jesus said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?" (Matthew 6:25).

In essence, Jesus is telling us to be content with what we have. Moreover, He has given us a direct command not to worry about the things of this world. Then He adds, "For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:32–33). From Jesus' words, we can deduce that lack of contentment is sin and it puts us in the same category as those who do not know God.

The apostle Paul was a man who suffered and went without the comforts of life more than most people could ever imagine (2 Corinthians 11:23–28). Yet he knew the secret of contentment: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:12–13). The writer to the Hebrews adds, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5–6).

Yet people continue to seek after more of the things of this world, never contented with their lot in life. The bumper sticker that reads "He with the most toys wins!" epitomizes the world's cravings for more and more. Solomon, the wisest and richest man who ever lived, said, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless" (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

"Be content with such things as you have" means that believers should put their trust and confidence in God, knowing that He is the Giver of all good things (James 1:17) and that He uses even the hard times to show that our faith is genuine, "being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world" (1 Peter 1:7, NLT). We know assuredly that God will cause all things to work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

To worry means we do not trust God. The key to overcoming our discontentment and lack of faith is to find out who God really is and how He has been faithful to supply the needs of His people in the past. Such study will grow one's confidence and trust for the future. The apostle Peter said it succinctly: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6–7). ally or emotionally satisfied with things as they are."

SATISFACTION

Satisfaction is the state of being content, the feeling that one's needs or wants are met. Satisfaction seems to be a rare condition in our world today, as many people express dissatisfaction with their jobs, their marriages, their circumstances, and themselves. The Bible teaches that finding satisfaction in life depends on having a relationship with God through Christ.

One expression of satisfaction is the pleasure we feel at reaching a goal or achieving a measure of success. God designed human beings with a great capacity for joy, as He Himself possesses (Genesis 1:27). He placed within us the ability to set goals and achieve them; then He demonstrated what healthy satisfaction looks like in Genesis 1. By the third verse, the Bible is already recording that God saw what He had made and that it was good. We understand that feeling. When we have labored to create something good, we feel satisfaction.

To be satisfied means we are not yearning for something else. When our hunger is satisfied, we don't want any more food. When our thirst is satisfied, we don't crave more water. When we are in right relationship with God, our souls are satisfied. "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psalm 73:25–26).

In some ways, the human heart is like a whining toddler who, if left to himself, will never be satisfied (Matthew 15:19; Ecclesiastes 6:9; 9:3; Jeremiah 17:9). We tend to constantly demand more, bigger, better, flashier. Much of advertising today is designed to destroy our satisfaction and to make us think we need more than we have. But when our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit, the demands of our hearts can be brought under His control (Galatians 5:16–17). We recognize that God has provided all we need for our present happiness and we can, therefore, experience satisfaction. Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).

Godly satisfaction is not to be confused with self-satisfaction. Godly satisfaction is the state of being pleased and grateful for God's provision and work in our lives (1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:20). Self-satisfaction is a form of pride. Self-satisfaction considers the pleasurable state the result of our own efforts and is pleased to draw attention to that fact. Jesus gave an example of the self-satisfied in Luke 12:16–21. In this parable, a rich man was quite satisfied with his abundance, and his life revolved around fulfilling his wants and desires. Jesus reminded us that none of us should become so satisfied with this life that we disregard eternity.

We find satisfaction in life when we uncover our true purpose in being here. As long as we pursue our own ideas of what will satisfy, we never quite find it. Like a child chasing soap bubbles, we are convinced that, if we could only get our hands around that beautiful dream, we would be forever content. And then we catch it. And it's gone. But, look, there's another bubble! So on we go wasting our lives chasing soap bubble dreams of happiness while, all the time, our Creator waits with the instruction manual in His hands.

Paul lived for decades with beatings, stonings, imprisonments, and rejection. He summarized earthly satisfaction in Galatians 2:20 when he wrote, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." When we, with Paul, are willing to daily crucify our flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24) and allow the Holy Spirit to live through us, we find a greater fulfillment than the soap bubbles of this world could ever promise.

Life is simplified when we recognize that our purpose is simply to reflect the glory of God in the unique ways He designed us to shine (1 Corinthians 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:20). When we make it our goal to live for Christ, the result is a satisfaction that carries into eternity. Even when earthly needs or wants clamor for attention, our souls know this state is temporary and our eternal satisfaction is just ahead. "You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand" (Psalm 16:11; cf. Matthew 6:19–21).

"THE KEYS" TO THRIVING, OVERCOMING, and REIGNING VICTORIOUS:

#1 — REMEMBER WHAT YOU PRAYED FOR..

#2 — DETERMINE "WHEN"TO BE SATISFIED..

#3 — SUBMIT ALL YOUR DESIRES TO GOD, EVERY SINGLE TIME THINGS CHANGE..

#4 — STOP GAGING YOUR HAPPINESS ON SOMEBODY ELSE's LIFE..

#5 — DON'T SHUT OFF YOUR HEART TOWARDS GOD, WHEN SOMEBODY YOU ACTUALLY PRAYED ABOUT HURT YOU..

Walter L. Smith III

Founder/President

Pure In Heart Int'l Ministries, Inc./

The Center For Kingdom Advancement 

Corporate Line: (424) 359-9180

www.PIHIM.org

www.AskPastorWalter.com

California Office

Walter L. Smith III

1732 Aviation Blvd #945

Redondo Beach, CA 90278-2810

**Leadership Greater Rochester, Class of 2018!

**Gallup Strengths: Positivity, Learner, Connectedness, Responsibility, & Activator

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