CONTENTMENT
Opening Prayer
Bring your attitude to money before God.
Read 1 Timothy 6:3–10
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Do you find it more blessed to give or to receive?The false teachers in Ephesus should have been easy to spot. They were conceited and loved arguments; they produced envy, tension and distrust amongst the church; they were motivated by money; and they consciously rejected Jesus’ teaching (3; 3:16). It seems bizarre that any Christian would ever have followed them. But cases of churches teaching something other than “the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ” (3) are too numerous to think this could never happen to us. A trusting community and the power of a personality can result in false teaching taking hold within a church or a movement.
Common today is the “prosperity gospel,” where mega-church pastors drive Bentleys and boast about their private jets! This is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Humility, gentleness, and generosity are the kinds of characteristics we should expect from Christian leaders (6:11; 2 Tim. 2:25)—still with the backbone to stand against false teaching (2c). For ordinary Christians the principles are just as important—is your desire for God to be glorified and all people to come to know him (2:3–6)? Is your character growing in the opposite direction to these false teachers’ characters (3–5)? Is your contentment resting in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, rather than in pursuit of financial gain?
Apply
One of my pastors has said, “Show me your bank account and I’ll show you where your heart is.” Where does your account say that your heart is? Does it need some shifting?
Closing prayer
Father God, may my desire be for You, and may my contentment rest in Your love.
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