Is it possible to have peace? I mean to be content
in the midst of adverse, challenging, and uncertain
circumstances. The Bible would say yes. The question
is how? And that's today. Welcome to this weekend
edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.
The mission of this daily program is to intentionally
disciple Christians through the insightful Bible
teaching of Chip Ingram. You know, over the past
few years, I'm sure we've all experienced times
when peace felt unrealistic or unreachable. So
today, as we revisit another program from our
current series, I Choose Peace, Chip will challenge
us to shift our perspective. Stay with us to
learn a few valuable principles that'll help
you hang on to God's gift of peace, even when
your world seems like it's falling apart. Well,
with that, if you have a Bible, go to Philippians
chapter 4 as we join Chip for his message in
difficult circumstances. Webster, if you're wondering
exactly what contentment is, says that contentment
is happy enough with what one has or is, not
desiring something more or different. In other
words, you're satisfied. When you're content,
it's not just you're happy with what you have,
you're happy with who you are. You wouldn't want
to be three inches taller or seven inches shorter
or, you know, you're content. You would say,
it's enough, it's good. And I want you to think
back to what is it you believe would really help
you be content. And the clearer that you can
get on that, I believe the more powerfully God
is going to speak to you. Because in human terms,
the problem with contentment is that the horizon
is always moving. I mean, there's a time in your
life where you say, you know, if I ever get a
car, any kind of car, a beat -up junk or just
a car, then I'd be happy. You know, then you
get that car and you want one that really runs.
And then you get that car. And then pretty soon
you want one that runs and looks nice and you
get that car. And pretty soon now you want two
cars. And, you know, it goes on and on and on
and on. The horizon always keeps moving. If I
ever get married, God, I'd never ask for another
thing. Three years later, oh, God, if you could
ever work out this marriage, I'd never ask for
another thing. God, if you'd give me, give us
a child. Oh, Lord, how did you bring that last
one, you know? The horizon keeps moving. And
so being human nature what it is, philosophically,
people over the ages have tried to solve this
contentment issue in two drastic ways. One group
has taken that contentment will be found by conquering,
achieving, acquiring until satisfied. But we
kind of know from our personal experience that
that doesn't work. Sure, it's nice to have nice
stuff. It's nice to have a better job than the
one you used to have, et cetera, et cetera. But,
you know, that horizon keeps moving. And so in
philosophic thought, one group of people thought
that's not the way to go. It's not about getting,
getting, acquiring, and having because there's
no end to it. A group called the Stoics turned
it around and said, we're going to desire less
and less until it doesn't matter. The only way
to have peace is get less and less and less.
And then when one of their children died or something
happened, it would be, it can't impact me. I
like the quote of T .R. Glover said, the Stoics
made the heart a desert and called it peace.
And I don't know about you, but we got a little
problem here. If getting more, more, more, more,
can never bring contentment. And if desiring
less, less, less, then the question is, how can
we be satisfied today? And the answer to that...
It's from the Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy
Spirit, and he's going to tell you and he's going
to tell me how you actually can be content. Not
when this, this, this. You can be content today.
You can actually live your life in a way empowered
by the Spirit of God so that when things are
great or when things are terrible, you can say
and mean it, it is well with my soul. And you're
going to learn it today. In fact, when I got
thinking about this, we should have charged people
to come in. I mean, it can have such a profound
impact in terms of the whole world's looking
for happiness. And today, God is going to teach
us, his children, how you can experience a it
is well with your soul 24 -7, 365, 24 hours a
day. Now, it's a journey. It doesn't happen all
at once. Well, let's find out where that answer
is found. Philippians chapter 4, 10 to 13. If
you have your Bible, you can... Track along with
me, but I put the text in so we could be in the
same translation. Here's the occasion. The occasion
is the Apostle Paul is in prison. So you've got
to remember he's writing a letter, and this church,
the Philippian church, they've got this great
relationship, and it's the theme of this whole
letter that he writes to them is about joy, and
it started in such a way where there's not a
lot of problems in this church. One made a little
relational problem toward the end, but he's built
this bond with them. And things have gone a little
bit south for him. He's ended up in jail. He's
in a Roman prison. And I'm not exactly sure what
all that, but I know that every four to six hours,
a new guard is chained to him. The food is not
real good. He's got scars on his body. He's had
a very difficult life. This is toward the latter
parts of his life. So you got bad food. It's
cold. It's damp. There's rats. There's probably
the smell of excrements. I mean, his situation
is really bad. But Epaphroditus, one of the...
church guys found out finally, because they lost
track of one another, where he was, and they
came and brought him a gift. And what you're
going to read is his literal thank you note.
He's just writing a thank you note. So listen
to what he says in verse 10. He says, I rejoice
greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed
your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned,
but you had no opportunity to show it. And circle,
if you were, that word renewed. This word renewed
is used for when a flower or a plant that has
been dormant is now beginning to bloom. And the
Apostle Paul is saying, you know, we had those
great times together and God birthed the church
and we were that band of brothers and sisters.
And then I ended up in prison. We lost track
of one another. I knew you cared about me, but
now you have opportunity. And it's like the relationship
has bloomed again. And notice the phrase, I greatly
rejoice. I'm happy. I'm sitting in this prison,
but I greatly rejoice in the Lord. And then notice
he's going to clarify his motives, because I
don't know about you. You know, sometimes if
you've helped someone, this is the only church
we know of early on that financially supported
Paul. It was the first one. And so he wants them
to know, now this is not like one of those thank
you letters. Thank you for this great contribution
to the ministry. Now let me tell you how much
money I need next. He says, my motives are just
from the heart. Picking it up in verse 11, he
says, I'm not saying this because I'm in need.
For I have learned to be content whatever the
circumstances. He goes on to say, I know what
it is to be in need. 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.
Now, would you go through and take the word learned
and put a box around it and then skip down where
he says, I've learned again? It's very interesting.
This isn't a tense of the verb. It's not present
tense. I am learning to be content. This is a
tense of the verb that's punctiliar, seeing something.
He basically is saying, in this journey with
God, I've had mountain peaks and low times. I
remember when I had a lot. I was a young man.
Some say he may have been the most brilliant
mind of his time. He got his MBA and his doctorate
at Harvard Business School of his day and graduated
number one. He was a Pharisee. He came from an
upper crust family. He was a Roman citizen. He
was from this place called Tarsus. Barnabas,
early friend, was very, very wealthy. He knows
what it's like to drive the nicest cars, have
the nicest clothes, be esteemed by people, live
in a nice house, go to any restaurant whenever,
and have a fat 401k. He knows what that life's
like. But he says, I've had plenty. But he also
says, the ups, I've also had downs. Night and
a day in the deep. I've been beat within an inch
of my life, the 39 lashes, three times. I've
been left for dead once. In this current situation,
one of his closest friends named Demas betrayed
him and left. He's by himself. His body is marked
with the scars. He's been times where he has
had no food for days at a time. He's lived as
high as you can live in his day and he's lived
as low as you can live and in the ups and downs,
there's a thread that connects all of them and
it's a supernatural relationship with Jesus and
he says, he looks at that whole thing and he
says like he's taking a photograph. Snap, I have
learned. Now this is what he's saying, like I
learned to ride a bike, okay? I'm not learning
to ride a bike. If you put a bike up here, Trust
me, I can get on it and I can ride it. I can
get better, but I have learned to ride a bike.
You know what he's saying here? I've learned
to be content. It means it's possible. I've learned
to have a ton of money in the bank, go to the
finest restaurants, have everything going my
way, and I've learned when my physical body didn't
work, when my closest friends betrayed me, when
people walked out on my life, and when it seemed
like things could not be any worse, I have learned
already out of my relationship with Christ to
say and to actually experience it's well with
my soul. No fake, no artificial. And then in
verse 13, he tells us how it occurs. He says,
I actually can do everything through Christ who
gives me strength. So this is by way of an overview
of what's happening and by way of conclusion,
contentment is not a thing to be achieved, but
a secret to be discovered. As we're here today,
you can actually discover a secret. There is
a way. He said, I've learned the secret. And
he says, I've got it. I am content. It's not
something to be achieved. There is a... pattern
of things that you can learn that you could walk
out that door or one of those doors out of this
and you could start a journey and you could come
to the point in this life that regardless of
your circumstances, you could be fully satisfied,
content, not want for anything else and be satisfied
and content with who you are, where you are,
what you're doing. You're listening to Living
on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We'll get back
to today's message in just a minute. But first,
if you're wanting to do a deeper study of Philippians
chapter 4 with Chip, check out his popular book,
I Choose Peace. You'll discover how to willfully
and purposely choose the peace that only God
can offer. Stick around after the broadcast to
learn more. Well, with that, here again is Chip.
And this word means, the word content means self
-sufficiency. This is not the removal of, I love
what one commentator says, he learned the secret
of deep peace based on detachment from his outward
circumstances. And then he goes on to say, this
is not a fatalism which cuts the nerve of ambition
or smooth endeavors, no. It is a detachment from
anxious concern about the outward features of
this life. This kind of contentment doesn't mean
you, well, I'm going to lay back on the couch
and, you know, this is pressing on, being all
you want to be. And in the midst of the ups and
downs of life, a veritable peace in your heart,
a satisfaction that's supernatural. And the question
I want to ask is, how do you get that? I mean,
Paul knew it was a moving target. Paul knew from
his experience that getting more and more and
more wouldn't do it. Paul knew, I mean, the philosophers
of his day, there were multiple Stoics. He knew
pretending that relationships don't matter and
saying less and less isn't it. And the Apostle
Paul on this morning, on this day in your life
and mine is going to say, I'm going to share
the secret. I will show you in this text, he's
saying to us, how you can be content. So let's
dig in. Four principles and four practices. Okay,
this isn't idealistic. This isn't like one of
those messages somewhere someday. He's going
to walk you through and walk me through four
specific practices that there's a principle behind
them that if you understand the principle and
start to progressively begin to practice it,
you can come to a day in your life where you
could say, I've learned to be content. Just like
you can say, I can ride a bike. Just like you
can say, I've mastered. This or that, you can
learn to be content. It's pretty exciting. The
question's how. Contrary to the lie that I'll
be content when my circumstances align with my
desires, the first secret of contentment is learning
our contentment principle number one is not dependent
on our circumstances. See, unconsciously, what
you've been taught, what I've been taught, what
the world teaches us, what each commercial says
is Here's your circumstances over here, and here's
your desires. Someday, someway, through lots
of things, when your circumstances and desires
align, then you can be happy. Then you can be
satisfied. I call it the when -then syndrome.
Here's the when. When I get married, then I'll
be happy. When I have a great job, then I'll
be happy. When my marriage is on all cylinders,
Then I'll be happy. When we have a child, when
we have more money, when we have a second house,
when we remodel the bathroom, when I make the
cheerleading squad, when I finally score this
on the SAT, when I get into this college, when,
when, when, then, then, then, then. It's a lie.
The people that have the then are not happy.
And yet we, like cats chasing their tail, just
increase the speed. of the when -then mentality.
Paul says the answer is to break the power of
this lie, and he gives us the practice. Be grateful.
Be grateful. Be thankful. Put another way, develop
the discipline of thanking God for what you do
have instead of focusing on what you don't have.
You understand that billions of dollars each
year coming across the screen in every magazine
ad are designed specifically to make you what?
Discontent. In other words, that set of clothes
will make you. So I got to go get that. This
food will make you. This drink will make you.
This job will make you. This surgery will make
you. This diet will make you. When? Then. When?
Then. Paul says. Human nature is we focus on
what we don't have, don't have, don't have. He
says, here's what I've learned. I habitually,
relentlessly, obediently thank God moment for
moment for what I do have. And this is not like
a sort of a nice suggestion, you know, power
of positive thinking. Jot down, if you will,
1 Thessalonians 5, verses 16 through 18. 16 says,
rejoice always. 17 says, pray without ceasing.
18 says, for giving thanks in all things, for
this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
The giving of thanks in all things and for all
things, it's God's will. What's your situation?
What relationship, what issue in your life are
you constantly focusing on what you don't have
instead of thanking God for what you do have?
The Apostle Paul says, if you want to experience
contentment, it is well with your soul, practice
number one, be grateful. Second, secret to contentment
dispels the myth that contentment is a future
event. Notice what the Apostle Paul says, principle
number two, contentment is an attitude we learn.
Not a thing that we achieve. You say, well, where
do you get that? Well, look at verse 11, I have
learned. Look at verse 12, I have learned. You
might circle those if you haven't. Contentment
is not out there, external. Contentment is God
doing something in you, through you, so it's
in here. Epicurus said, to him who little is
not enough, nothing is enough. The practice,
be teachable. Be teachable. You know, if you
really want to learn to ride the bicycle of contentment
as a way of life, you learn to practice gratefulness,
thankfulness, and then be teachable. Ask God
what he wants you to learn in your present circumstance
instead of telling God what you want him to change.
Wouldn't it be interesting if we put a little
recorder under your pillow or some place where
you pray if you pray out loud? Or we could record
your mind and we could listen to your prayers.
My prayers. I wonder how many of our prayers
are totally about, God, I want you to change
my boss. I want you to change my wife. I want
you to, actually, I'd like to change something
because I don't have a wife. I want you to change
this. I want you to change that. I want you to
change this about me. I want you to change this
about that. God, here's your agenda. I know you're
the great self -help genie and your whole goal
of being the creator of all that there is is
to make me happy, fulfilled, warm and fuzzy every
day in every way. So here's my list. Take care
of it, will you? See, unconsciously, that's the
lie we've believed. People that are content first
say, thank you, Lord. And then they're teachable.
God, because of these circumstances, what do
you want to teach me? Instead of asking you to
do something out there, what is it you want me
to learn? This is Living on the Edge with Chip
Ingram. And you've been listening to part one
of Chip's message, In Difficult Circumstances,
from our series, I Choose Peace. Chip will be
back shortly to share some helpful application
for us to think about. What does it mean to be
at peace? Is it having a thriving career, happy
household, financial security? While many strive
for these goals, they often bring only short
-term satisfaction, leaving us seeking more.
In this 12 -part study in Philippians chapter
4, Chip explains where this attitude of discontentment
comes from and the ways it steals our peace.
Stay with us to learn how to move beyond temporary
calmness and develop a lasting peace -centered
life that comes from God. If you've missed any
part of this series, catch up anytime at livingontheedge
.org or wherever you listen to podcasts. Well,
before we go any further in this program, here's
Chip. I'll be right back in just a minute to
give some final application to today's message.
But I just want you to know that peace is possible.
And I don't mean just circumstance get better
or some of your dreams come true. The peace of
God. is a part of the Spirit of God living inside
of you. And I think we're settling for far too
little instead of gaining all God wants us to
have. We tend to redefine peace as I finally
meet the right person or I have enough money
or I got a new car or my life's working right
now. And we go from sort of circumstance to circumstance
and things are kind of hard and I lose my peace
and then things are great and I feel peace. Here's
what I want you to know. Life will always have
its ups and downs. But God is teaching us in
this series that His peace can be yours. A calm,
a serenity, regardless of circumstance. And the
book that I wrote from this series, I Choose
Peace, is how you can have calm in the midst
of stress and anxiety and the demands of this
world. I want to encourage you to get a copy
of this book and read through it slowly, or better
yet, at the end of each chapter, there's some
questions. You could discuss it with a friend
or with your mate or get four or five people
together and say, hey, let's go through this
together. Your peace matters to God. It's not
elusive. It's not out there. God has provided
it, but you need to learn how to access it. And
I Choose Peace is the doorway for you to experience
it on a regular basis. Good word, Chip. Well,
to learn more about this practical and insightful
resource, visit livingontheedge .org or call
888 -333 -6003. If you're desperate to quiet
the worries of your heart and the anxieties of
this world and experience genuine peace, you
got to check out this book. So go to livingontheedge
.org or call 888 -333 -6003 to get your copy
of I Choose Peace. As we wrap up today's teaching,
I want to begin practicing with you the process
where you'll learn to be content in every circumstance.
There's two practices that I've learned over
the years. In fact, I learned them from the Apostle
Paul. And number one is to be grateful. I mean,
this isn't something that, you know, I learned
once and I put in a message. This morning, the
Lord awakened me very early. I have a lot on
my plate. You know, all that jumbling in your
mind demands, right? And I opened my journal
and I just started thinking, okay, God, I want
to thank you for. And then I listed a moment
my wife and I had yesterday. Then I listed a
little time with my son and my granddaughter.
And then some staff members who were just so
gracious. But it was just thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you. And I put a little star
by each one of them. And what I want you to know
is the jumbled emotions began to settle. As I'm
grateful for what I have, as I'm grateful and
look at that through the lens of gratitude, it's
amazing what God does in your heart. The second
step that we learned is be teachable. In other
words, when you're going through difficulty and
when you don't understand things or when you're
frustrated or even when you're angry at someone,
here's the question, Lord, what do you want to
teach me in this? Show me how you want me to
respond instead of, God, I want you to do this.
God, I want you to do that. God, I want you to
do this. And if you don't do that, if you can
surrender that demanding spirit and ask him for
help. As we learn to choose peace, we do some
positive things, gratefulness, teachability.
Then we eliminate some negative things. Too much
TV, Netflix, and social media. See if the Spirit
of God doesn't use that starting today to bring
you peace. Really timely advice and challenge,
Chip. Thanks. Just before we close, I quickly
want to thank those of you who regularly give
to Living on the Edge. You're making a big difference
in helping Christians live like Christians. But
if you're benefiting from our ministry and haven't
started giving yet, let me encourage you to join
the Living on the Edge team. You can do that
by setting up a recurring donation at livingontheedge
.org or by calling us at 888 - 888 -333 -6003.
Again, that's 888 -333 -6003 or visit livingontheedge
.org. App listeners, tap donate. And thanks for
doing whatever the Lord leads you to do. You've
been listening to a selected program that we
wanted to share from this past week. To hear
more from Chip's series, I Choose Peace, go to
livingontheedge .org or the Chip Ingram app.
Until next time, I'm Dave Drewy saying thanks
for listening to this weekend edition of Living
on the Edge.