The Secret of Contentment

Let's stand together for this reading from God's Word from Philippians 4. Begin reading in verse 10 and read through to verse 20. 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.

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know in the early days of your acquaintance with the Gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving except you only.

For even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. I have received full payment and even more.

I am amply supplied now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. We are in Philippians chapter 4. We are considering contentment.

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have. Godliness with contentment is great gain. What is contentment?

It's an inner satisfaction. An inner satisfaction. There's two children in the nursery.

Babies. And one's wiggling and upset stomach and maybe a wet diaper and crying for mommy. And it's a picture of discontent.

There's another baby. It's just had its diaper changed and nursed and burped and laying on mommy's breast.

Absolute picture of contentment. Satisfied. Everything's just right. Well, we have these pictures then of satisfaction, contentment of heart.

We live in an age of discontent. Perhaps never in history were a people more blessed with so much and yet so discontented. We might think, if I just had more, I would be content.

More of this. More of that. If I just had different circumstances, well, then I'd be content. That's the lie of discontent. The truth is, the more we have, the more we grow to expect more and even demand more.

The more we have, the more we want. And so, the less content we are. I dare say the barefoot boy in Africa playing with a stick and a ball is more content than many young people in America playing with their latest version of the Xbox.

Our prosperity has led to our sense of discontent. We always must have something more. But discontent is not a modern disease.

Writing in 1648, Jeremiah Burroughs entitled his excellent book, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment.

The Rare Jewel. Contentment is a jewel. It's a precious thing, but it's a rare thing. And I say if this jewel that beautifies the Christian life was rare in 1648, what must we say with regard to 2007?

Precious few have this contentment. Do you? Do you have contentment in each and every circumstance?

Have you learned the secret of contentment? We're going to talk about a secret this morning. Paul shares it with us because without contentment, you'll not be able to obey the many other commands that are given in this book, like do everything without complaining.

You can't keep that command unless you are content. Or like rejoice in the Lord always. Or don't worry about anything. It also has a lot to do with gentleness.

Letting your gentleness be evident to all. The content person is the gentle person. And so the Apostle Paul has some important things to say here in chapter 4 on contentment.

And they come to us in this last major section of the book. It's a thank you note. Verses 10 to verse 20.

The Philippians had sent a generous gift with Epaphroditus, their messenger. And he had brought it to him some 800 miles away in prison in Rome. And Paul has received it and now he sends a thank you note.

Children, do you say thank you when others have given you something? Paul did. He writes to tell them how their gift has enriched his life.

And it's in the midst of this thank you note that Paul makes mention of this contentment. Verse 10. I greatly rejoice 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. But then lest they thought that he was dependent upon their gift for his joy. Lest they think that he would have been discontent.

Had they not given their gift. Or that he's somehow digging for a gift. He immediately adds in verse 11. I'm not saying this because I am in need.

For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Now let's draw these lessons on Christian contentment. First of all.

Christian contentment doesn't depend on pleasant circumstances for survival. Some babies are content as long as everything is just right.

Some adults are content as long as everything is going just right for them. But when circumstances change for the worse. Discontentment takes over.

This is not the contentment that Paul is experiencing. He's content whatever the circumstances. Now think of his present circumstances.

Even as he's writing this. There he is in prison. Chained. Even as he's writing. A shackle around his wrist. Chained to a Roman soldier.

Prison food. Surely was nothing to write home about. Probably a cold and damp place. Yet in spite of all this. He is a prisoner yes.

But he's a contented prisoner. I'm sure that that soldier had never met one of those before. A contented prisoner. may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may may Live or die.

His future is all unknown. As he looks over and sees the Roman soldier. There's a sword on his side. And he doesn't know. But that such a sword. Might sever his head. From his body.

Future all unknown. But he is content. Content. Whatever the circumstances. Maybe you're. Facing some questions.

That leave your future unknown. Own. Maybe it's your schooling. Your job. Maybe it's. Whether you marry or not. Or when and who.

Maybe it's your health. Paul was content. Whatever. The unknown future. Had for him. He was unable to be out preaching. As he wanted to be.

And as he used to be. In other words. His freedom had been curtailed. Maybe some of you. Are no longer able to do. What you once did. And some of your freedoms. As you grow older.

Are falling. By the way. And. You can no longer do. What you'd like to do. Are you growing old. Contentedly. Like Paul was.

Content. Whatever. The circumstances. Now just hearing those words. We might think. Come on Paul. You don't really mean that. Well just in case.

We think that. He says it again. Drawing on his own experiences. Verse 12. I know what it is to be in need. And I know what it is to have plenty.

I've learned the secret of being content. In any and every situation. Whether well fed or hungry. Whether living in plenty. Or in want.

Yes I meant. Whatever the circumstance. He now repeats it with a double statement. Content in any and every situation. Situation. Paul's circumstances change.

Like the weather in northern Indiana. You never know whether you should. Go swimming. Or ice skating. In the spring. We've had such fluctuations. Paul's circumstances.

Fluctuated from one extreme. To the other. He says. At one time. There he is. He's. He's. In poverty. He doesn't have enough. Money.

To buy proper food. In clothing. And then. There he is again. In plenty. Fullness. More than enough.

Sometimes. He's well fed. Pushes back from the table. With a. Sense. That it's full. Other times. His stomach. Is still growling. It's through his writings.

That we see these. Various kinds of circumstances. That Paul went through. Second Corinthians 11. He says he was imprisoned. Severely flogged. Exposed to death.

Again and again. Five times. The forty lashes. Minus three. Three times beaten with rods. Once stoned. Three times shipwrecked. Spent a night. And a day.

In the open sea. Constantly on the move. In dangers from rivers. In dangers from bandits. In dangers from his own countrymen. The Jews. In dangers from the Gentiles. In danger in the city.

In danger in the country. In danger at sea. In danger from false brothers. I labored and toiled. And have often gone without sleep. Are you content when you go without sleep?

I have known hunger and thirst. And have often gone without food. Are you content when you go without food? I've been cold and naked. Besides everything else. I face daily the pressure of my concern.

For all the churches. Glory. Dishonor. Bad report. Good report. Though his circumstances changed like the weather.

His contentment did not. His contentment was undisturbed. He was as content on his good days as he was in his bad days. As content when his stomach was growling as when it was full.

As content when he was praised as when he was criticized. And right away we come to see what a special and rare thing this contentment is.

This is a breed apart from most. Most isn't it? That it literally survives in any and every situation.

He really means that. Wonder how far we got this past week before our contentment was lost. Maybe we made it through the Lord's day. Maybe it was Monday morning.

Some circumstance hit us and it was gone. No longer content. Complaining. We have something to learn from this man, Paul.

Paul. I believe Paul's made an example to us. He says the same in 1 Timothy 1. That he, the persecutor, violent man, was made an example.

God saved him so that anyone else out there who might be fearing whether God could forgive you your sins. Might see how God showed the extreme patience on me and saved me and forgave me.

So that you might not lose heart but come to this Savior. Paul's life was made an example. I believe his daily life, that long list of all the circumstances of his life was an example to us.

If this man can find contentment in his circumstances, certainly I can in mine. There's hope then. One, Christian contentment does not depend on pleasant circumstances.

And some of you need that hope because you're not facing pleasant circumstances. It's here. Number two, Christian contentment is learned.

It's learned. Even the Holy Apostle admits this much. He stands before us as a mature Christian and he says, verse 11, I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances.

Verse 12, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Now that says at least this much to me, that Paul was not always content.

There were times when he was not content in each and every circumstance. But now he has learned it. He's learned it. He had to learn it.

He wasn't born with it. He had to go to school for this. It wasn't a course in the university. It wasn't learned in a classroom. As Matthew Henry says, it was not learned at the feet of Gamaliel, but at the feet of Christ.

It was learned in the school of hard knocks, if you will. The school of life experiences. Not in a crisis event. Not in one crash course. But a learning process with repeated lessons.

I have learned to be content. Wow. There's such a curriculum out there. There's such a school where someone can learn this contentment.

It's not just that Paul was born with it and I'm a discontented sort of guy. No, I can learn contentment. I want to know. I want to know about this school. I want to know about these lessons.

What did they look like? Well, there he is and he's being slandered. He's having a bad report spread about him. People are lying about him. You know what that Paul's all about?

He's out for your money. Contentment 101. Contentment does not depend upon the praises of man, Paul.

He's in school, you see. And now we see him and his plans are being frustrated. He wanted to go and do this, but he was hindered. Wasn't able to. Next we see he's financially strapped.

And now he's bobbing up and down on the Mediterranean Sea. Spent a day and night. This is the contentment curriculum.

And now we see him in prison. Several times in prison. And now he's being stoned. And now he's being whipped.

Now he's being flogged. Beaten with rods. This is senior. Course in contentment. Tough homework.

Rough lab. Serious tests. But it's in this way that God is teaching Paul to be content. In each and every circumstance.

Bringing his mind to calmly bow to God's will. Whatever it be. To find satisfaction in God. Rather than in what's happening.

To him and around him. And we realize then, don't we? That contentment is learned. Not by surrounding us with uninterrupted prosperity.

And shielding us from all troubles. That's not how we learn contentment. It's just the opposite. There's plenty of trials and afflictions.

And things that don't feel good. In the core curriculum. Of contentment. And God is teaching me.

Not to find my contentment. In things. And in people. And in circumstances. Things that are so unpredictable. And changeable. But to find my contentment.

In God himself. Who does not change. Like the shifting shadows. Who's the same yesterday. Today. And forever. There's enough in him. To find satisfaction.

To find contentment. In every situation. That's what Paul's telling us. And he says. He learned it. If he learned it. You can learn it. I can learn it.

In the school of Christ. He's to be my all in all. I'm to live upon him daily. I'm to orient all my life around him.

Whatever I'm doing. It's to be connected to him. I'm to taste his goodness. In all of his gifts. I'm to rejoice in his kindness. In all the mercies that I enjoy.

I'm to see his hand. Behind all my circumstances. Ordering all things. For my good. As his child. Lord. You have assigned me my portion. And my cup.

Psalm 16. Verse 5. I need to see that. Everything. Is to be oriented around him. But it's easy to forget the Lord. In prosperity. Isn't it? The wise man.

Agar knew it. He said. Give me neither poverty. Nor riches. But give me only my daily bread. Otherwise. I may have too much. And what happens? What's the propensity. Of having too much?

And disown you. And say. Who is the Lord? We easily forget the Lord. When we have too much. And we have too much.

In 21st century America. In Indiana. It's easy to become taken up with the gifts. And to forget the giver.

To make too much. Of things. And to neglect him. So what does he do? He brings us into trying circumstances. And he keeps turning our attention. Back home.

Back to him. Don't forget me John. Find your satisfaction in me. Not in that thing. Not in that person. Not in this situation. Come back to the fountain.

Rather than. The broken cisterns. That cannot satisfy. Then I realize. That every day. This school is in session. Isn't it? There's always.

The greater lesson. Behind. All the frustrations. Big and small. All the agonizing trials. That we face. Many lessons. No doubt. But the big.

The big lesson. Behind it all. Is this. God is teaching us. To be content. In him. That's what God's up to. In your life. Brother.

There's nothing meaningless. Happening about your life. That. That. That thing that hurts. It's meant. To say. Come here. Come to me.

Come along close. Come closer to me. And you'll find in me. All that you need. All that you need. To satisfy you. I need to be weaned. From the idols of my heart.

With which I. Without which. I will not be content. Not content. Because I don't have this. It's an idol. In my heart. And I need to be.

Weaned from it. And I come to see. That it's not my circumstances. That need changing. It's me. It's me. I need to be changed. And that's what God is about.

You see. In my trials. He's teaching me. Contentment. In Christ. Alone. And that's no small lesson learned.

You get that lesson learned. Oh. You have a rare jewel. And it will beautify your life. And bring glory to God. And when you've learned it.

You'll find that you need. Continual refresher courses. For we sometimes fail the tests. And it's seen by complaining.

That comes out of our mouths. Wonder. How many of you. Remember we had that lesson on. Do everything without complaining. Chapter 2 verse 14. That's been about three months ago.

Did that one lesson. Do it for you. Did that fix it. Have you never complained. Since three months ago. Or have you found. No. There's still something.

That I need to learn. About contentment in Christ. So that I do not complain. So that I don't have. A discontented spirit. And Paul.

By his own experience. And shows us. That some of the harder lessons. In contentment. Come. Can come later. In life. Later in life. Old age.

Old age. Has. Some hard lessons. In contentment. But you see. Each lesson. Prepares. The heart. For the next one. Be in the school.

Of contentment. Be a learner. In the school. Of contentment. And so the question comes. Will I learn more this week. About contentment in Christ. Or will I miss the whole thing.

Because I'm so preoccupied. With the circumstance. Third. Last lesson. There is.

A secret. To this contentment. There's a secret. To this contentment. Verse 12. I have learned the secret. Of being content. In any.

And every. Situation. Kids. I have a secret. For you. What do you do? I lower my voice. And you lean your ear up. Usually. Secrets.

Are only known. To a few. Aren't they? On the inside. That's why they're called. Secrets. You know. There's a people.

In the world today. Who know the secret. To contentment. They're the people. Who in the midst. Of the storms. Of their lives. Have a joy. And a peace. And a contentment. They know something.

The rest don't know. They know the secret. They've learned the secret. And the reason. It's known. To a few. It's not that. Paul's hiding it. It's too good to hide.

He wants to tell us. And so. He tells us. Right now. The secret. You want to know. The secret. To being content. In each. And every situation. I'll tell you. I can do everything.

Through him. Who gives me strength. Verse 13. That's the secret. That's the secret. I can do everything. Through him. Who gives me strength.

There is one. Who is unseen. Your eyes. Have not seen him. You cannot see him. But he is nevertheless real. And he is infusing. His strength. In me.

And that's why. I can be content. In each. And every situation. That's why. I can be content. In this prison. Are you kidding me? Me content.

In this prison. Has nothing to do. With me. Has everything to do. With him. Giving me. Strength. The Sunday school hour.

We. We looked at the sun. Didn't we. Last week. Or the week before. I'm not sure which it was. On the video. We saw the sun. And if I. My memory serves me right. Sun.

Sun has so much power. It releases. More power. In one second. Than the human race. Has ever. Produced. In the history of mankind. Every second.

That much power. Being released. And yet. There's enough power. In the sun. To burn for five billion years. I can't remember it.

It was five hundred billion years. It was. It was a long time. And. And my savior. Spoke. And it came into being. Amen. His mighty power.

This savior. And I can be content. In each and every situation. Through him. Who gives me. Strength. Do you find being content.

In every circumstance. A hard thing to do. It is not only hard. It is impossible. Left to yourself. In fact. It is only possible. If almighty Jesus.

Infuses you. With his strength. That's how hard it is. But that's what he does. He does just that. Trouble. Disappointment. Sorrow.

Hardship. Pain. Lost. Trials. What do these things do. They leave us. Sat. They leave us. Weak. And I don't just mean physically. I mean emotionally. And I mean especially.

Spiritually. We feel. Spiritually spent. No spiritual strength. To. To persevere. To remain. Joyful. To remain. Hopeful. To remain.

At peace. And contentment. In each and every. Circumstance. To be satisfied. With God alone. We don't have it. We don't have the strength. It's Christ's strength.

That I need. And that's what he gives. Colossians 1. 10. Being strengthened. With all power. According to his. Glorious might. So that you might.

Have great. Endurance. And patience. There's spiritual strength. You see. Infused into you. To do what? Just to take.

The next step. To put one foot. In front of the other. To do the next duty. The next thing on the list. To be a faithful mother. A faithful father. Faithful spouse. Faithful worker.

Faithful churchman. Just to go another step. To live another day. Unto the glory of God. In the circumstances. To which. He has appointed you. He has strengthened you.

With his glorious might. That you might have. Great endurance. Oh you talk about. Endurance. See our savior. See him.

Going to the cross. If ever there was someone. Who should have. Just turned and ran away. It was. Jesus from this task. To go and to take.

The sins of his people. And to be damned. In their place. To have his father. Turn his eye away. From him. That father. That had loved him. For all eternity. To be. Separated and abandoned.

He's going to the cross. Oh. What steadfastness. What. Such his face. As a flint. Not to be moved. To the cross. He goes.

But. Comes to Gethsemane. And he looks at the cup. What's coming on the morrow. Father. Shall I pray. Take it away. But for this reason. I came to this hour.

Glorify your name. And on he goes. And he drinks the whole cup. Power. Great endurance. Perseverance.

And that's what he gives you. He infuses you with his strength. So that you have great endurance. And patience. Strength and not quit. It's Christ strength.

That makes me more than equal. To any circumstance. That he will ever bring into my life. You say. Okay John. That's what I need. But how does it work? How does his strength.

Get into me? Well it is faith. Brother. It is faith sister. That fetches. The strength of Christ. And brings it into our heart. And into our situation.

Faith is the instrument. That brings this power of Christ. Into my heart. Faith looks away from self. You see. Faith looks away with.

No confidence in self. And it looks away. And fixes on Christ. And that fullness of grace in him. And it sees that. All I need is in him. I saw his strength.

As I look in the gospels. And see what he has done. I say Jesus. That's what I need. And I look away to him. And he infuses. Me with his strength.

Look to the Lord. In his strength. Seek his face. Always. Psalm 105. 4. That's the activity of faith. It's a look. It's a look.

Of expectation. It's a look. Of trust. A look of leaning. Lord. Give me strength. So our difficult circumstances.

Are a call to faith. Aren't they? Call to faith. To apply our faith afresh. You say. Well that's my problem. My faith is so weak. I don't even have strong enough faith.

To look to Christ in my trial. Then look to Christ. With your weak faith. And then looking. You will live. And he will strengthen. Your weak faith.

And he will infuse. His power. Into you. He has strength. You see. Strength for you. Seek it from him. A believing sight of Christ.

Is what you need. Get to Christ. By faith. There's David. And he's living. Among the Philistines. And now the Philistines.

Are going to war. Against Israel. And King Saul. David and his men. Live in one city. In the Philistine territory. And so they're going up. With the Philistine army. To fight against Israel.

And the rulers say. No no. What if he turns on us. In the midst of the battle. You've got to go home. David. And so David. And all his men. Have to go home. A day or two. Walk back home. And when they get home.

They. They see in a distance. Smoke. Rising into the sky. By the time they get there. It's nothing but ruins. Their whole city. Has been burned to the ground.

There's not a soul around. All their wives and children. Have been stolen. Taken away. By this marauding band. David himself.

Lost his family. He's at a particularly low point. In his life. The Bible says. That the men wept. Until they had no strength.

Left to weep. You talk about. Being sapped. Being drained. And not just physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. He was drained.

And then his own men. Talked about stoning him. It's your fault David. That we got into this mess. The next words in scripture.

But David found strength. In the Lord his God. I want to know how that works. David. Found strength. In the Lord.

His God. He found strength. Not looking deep within you kids. Like they might tell you. At school. That you can do anything. You've got it all within you. Just look in. No. He looked out. He looked to the Lord.

In his strength. And he found strength. In Jehovah. He saw who he was. This God.

Creates a son. With a word. He can come and help me. He saw his works. His ways. His attributes.

His promises. And he found strength. There's the apostle Paul. He's got a thorn in the flesh. We don't know what it is. But kids. Have you ever been pricked by a thorn?

It's not pleasant. And it wasn't pleasant to Paul. And it was causing troubles in his ministry. And he wanted to get rid of it. And he pleaded with the Lord. In three separate seasons. To take it away.

But he said to me. My grace. Is sufficient for you. My grace is enough for you. For my power. Is made perfect in weakness. There is enough power in me.

Jesus was saying. To meet your every need. Paul. And your weakness. Is the stage. Upon which. I will act. Oh. Well if that's the way it is. Paul says.

Well then. I will boast. All the more about. My weaknesses. So that Christ's power. May rest on me. That's why for Christ's sake. I delight in weaknesses.

And insults. In hardships. And persecutions. And difficulties. For when I am weak. Then I am strong. He learned the secret. The secret.

Of contentment. Of looking in his weakness. To Christ's power. To rest on him. I can. Do everything. Through him. Who gives me.

Strength. Well that's a very familiar. Well known promise. Isn't it? Early promise. Perhaps. That you've memorized. I can do all things. Through Christ.

Who gives me strength. The context. Is one that refers. To contentment. I can go through anything.

I can suffer. Anything. That God sends. I can do without. Anything. That God withholds. I can do. Any duty. That God commands. And I can do it. With contentment. Because Christ. Is the one.

Who gives me strength. Never forget. That connection. When you hear. Philippians 4. 13. That's where it belongs. Right beside. Verse 12.

And verse 11. Now I believe. The application. Is wider than that. Yes. God gives strength. For all sorts of things. But we must give. Its proper weight.

To its. Own intended. Context. Its own application. Paul is saying. The only reason. I can be content. In every situation.

Is because. Christ. Is strengthening. Me. Now listen. To this man. Speak. With such confidence. And optimism. I can do.

Everything. He says. He meets. Every circumstance. Every situation. With this confidence. I can. I can. I'm able. That's what the word means.

I'm capable. For this. I have sufficient. Resources. For this. I can. Because of what. He. Does. He infuses me. With strength. Christians.

Are to be. A can do. People. Were to meet. Any. And every circumstance. With this confidence. In Christ. That I can. I can.

If God has brought. This situation. To me. I can. Too often. The words. That describe us. Are. I can't. Here comes.

A command. Of God. And we say. I can't. It's too costly. I can't afford it. Can't obey that. Here comes. A trial. I can't.

I don't have. The strength. I don't have. The fortitude. It's. It's. It's more wisdom. And patience. And love. Than I have. I can't. Can't be content.

In this circumstance. Not my circumstance. I can't. I can't. I can't. But Paul says. I can. And you say. But I'm not Paul. But Paul's Christ.

Is your Christ. If you are in him. And if the all sufficiency. And power. Is Christ. Then you can. As well as.

Paul can. John Calvin says. Christ will not be less strong. And invincible. In us also. If conscious of our own weakness. We place reliance. Upon his power alone.

Not less invincible. In you. Than it was. In. Paul. Such is the power. Of Christ. So let's be done. With this defeatist language.

That. It's unbelief. That expects so little. I can't. Well. Jesus does say. Apart from me. You can do nothing. But brothers and sisters.

We're not apart from Christ. We're in him. Like a branch is in the vine. And all the power. Of his strength. And mighty power. The sap of his grace flows to me.

The branch. And so I can. I can do everything. Through Christ. The word there could even be translated. In Christ.

In Christ. Because that's what I am. I'm in Christ. And I can do everything. As long as I am. Attached. To this. Life giving. Vine.

So that's how. We become. Content. In every. In any. Circumstance. Well I must ask you.

How far have you got. In the school of contentment. I tell you. After studying. The apostle Paul's. Life. And words of testimony here. I wonder if I'm out of kindergarten.

But I also. Have been encouraged to say. I can. I can. Learn to be content. In each and every. Circumstance.

Don't be discouraged. By your weakness. Don't be discouraged. By your circumstance. You have a greater savior. And you're more than conquerors. Through him. Instead of fighting his plans.

For you. Instead of trying to. Get out from under your circumstance. Seek his power. To glorify him. In the circumstance. That his wisdom and love.

Has. Handpicked. For you. At this time. In your life. Contentment. Not found in circumstances.

But found in Christ. Be content. Be content with what you have. Because God has said. Never will I leave you. Never. Will I. Forsake you.

There's the key. You have Christ. So. Though others leave you. And others forsake you. I will never leave you.

So be content. God says. So people. Are wrongly thinking. And speaking evil against me. Jesus is with me. So I'm bobbing up and down.

On the Mediterranean Sea. The Lord is with me here. So I'm going down. Into the valley. Of the shadow of death. He is here with me. And as long as he abides with me.

And I abide in him. I can do all things. Through Christ. Who gives me strength. Let's sing that. In our response. To his preached word. In number 335. Thank you Lord Jesus.

That you are this savior to us. Thank you that there really is enough. In you to satisfy us. In each and every situation. All other cisterns.

Or broken cisterns. That cannot hold water. But we do find you. To be the fountain. From which all. Satisfying living water comes. Lord.

If you would abide with us. And if you would strengthen us. Then. The world would see this text. Lived out in our lives. And that's what we want. We want in good times and bad.

To show that we have a wonderful savior. That satisfies us. And so wherever you've put us. And whatever. Situations you've ordered for us.

Come and give us your strength. Thank you for such a promise as this. We would go out the door. Saying I can. I can be content.

In this situation. In my situation. Because Jesus Christ. Has forever married me. Drawn me to himself. And is ever infusing me.

With his grace and power. To his glory and praise. We ask. Amen.