[Biblemat] ARTICLE - Contentment"

[GLClair at aol.com]

CONTENTMENT 
Editor 

The great malady that affects so many people today is a lack of real 
contentment. Now, contentment is the quiet acceptance of unchangeable circumstances 
and conditions of life that we receive naturally and a willingness to change 
[i.e. use our free-moral-agency] those conditions and circumstance that are 
themselves under our power to change.  
The lack of contentment therefore in many cases is caused by our own 
unwillingness to change that which we are capable of changing. There are many people 
who could make their lives better by increasing their degree of contentment 
with life changes and modifications that will not do so. To these people we 
urgently suggest that they examine the reasons for their unhappiness and discontent 
and come to a radically new decision – put forth an all out effort to change 
the situations that are causing you discontent. The individual who suffers 
from unhappiness and lacks contentment may be able to become contented with their 
life through a change in relationship with their Creator [i.e. God]. 
The concept that a change in man’s relationship with God will give them a 
sense of contentment is grounded, not only in common sense but also in the 
teachings if the Bible [i.e. God’s instructions to mankind]. 
Please observe the following Biblical information in this regard: 
1.         GOD KNOWS WHAT MAN IS AND WHAT HE NEEDS: 
God is the Creator, not only of mankind but of man’s environment - Genesis 
1:1-3, “1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 And the 
earth was waste and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep: and the 
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the water. God created man, Genesis Gen 
2:21-24, “21 And Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he 
slept; and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof: 22 and 
the rib, which Jehovah God had taken from the man, made he a woman, and 
brought her unto the man. 23 And the man said, This is now bone of my bones, and 
flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 
24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave 
unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” ASV 
2.         GOD PROVIDED EVERYTHING FOR MAN SO THAT MAN MIGHT BE CONTENT: 
Even though God made man perfect, man was given the ability to choose between 
 
good and evil. This human quality was given to man so that man might 
voluntarily  
choose to obey God, thus glorifying him.Man has always possessed the ability 
to  
choose to serve God or to reject God, this quality is necessary for man’s 
very survival.  
Someone may say, “Why, then did God make us so that we could commit sin?”  
This 
is a good question but simple to answer from God’s perspective, if God had 
created  
man to automatically [i.e. robot fashion] to obey him, what glory would that 
have been?  
If man had been made like a robot his responses to God’s instruction would 
have  
been automatic – Since God made man with “free-will”, man has the ability to 
 
individually submit self to the instruction of God thereby glorifying God – 
cf. 1 Peter 4:11, 
“if any man speaketh, (speaking) as it were oracles of God; if any man 
ministereth, (ministering) as of the strength which God supplieth: that in all 
things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, whose is the glory and the 
dominion for ever and ever. Amen. “ASV 
Indeed, God has provided everythingman needs to survive this world and  
eventuallygo toheaven if man chooses correctly with his innate ability. 
Please observe the  
following Biblical references: 2 Peter 1:3-4, “3 seeing that his divine power 
hath granted unto  
us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of 
him that called us  
by his own glory and virtue; 4 whereby he hath granted unto us his precious 
and exceeding  
great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine 
nature, having escaped  
from the corruption that is in the world by lust.” ASV 
3.         MAN IS UNABLE OF HIMSELF TO FORMULATE A PROCESS THAT WILL SAVE HIM 
FROM HIS SINS: 
Now, sin is a transgression of Divine Law – Sin is a failure to comply with 
Divine  
instruction – sin is a missing of the mark [i.e. pattern] set by God, etc. 
Man may know what  
God’s instructions for his well being are by seeking His guidance via the 
Written Word of  
instruction [i.e. the Bible]. Jeremiah 10:23, “O Jehovah, I know that the way 
of man is not in  
himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” ASV Since man 
cannot know 
without God telling him, man must go to God’s Book and seek knowledge and 
wisdom  
about surviving happily this life [i.e. physical death]. 
Many people today are wandering from place to place, from relationship to  
relationship, from church to church, seeking peace and security. Only God is 
able to give  
this to us, we must seek wisdom from above [i.e. from God’s Book] so that we 
might gain  
that which we so need in our life here, contentment” [i.e. peace]. Notice 
carefully  
the wording of the following passage from the Bible; Philippians 4:7-9, “7 
And the  
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and 
your thoughts in  
Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever 
things are honorable,  
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are 
lovely,  
whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be 
any praise, think on  
these things. 9 The things which ye both learned and received and heard and 
saw in me, these  
things do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” ASV 
4.         EVERYONE WILL EVENTUALLY DIE OR BE CHANGED FROM MORTAL TO IMMORTA: 
That this statement is true cannot be denied by the student of the Bible, for 
the  
following passages say that death is sure; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, “50 Now 
this I say,  
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither 
doth corruption  
inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not 
sleep, but we shall all  
be changed , 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: 
for the trumpet  
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be 
changed. 53 For this  
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on 
immortality. 54 But when  
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have 
put on immortality,  
then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in 
victory. 55 O  
death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? 56 The sting of 
death is sin; and the  
power of sin is the law: 57 but thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory 
through our Lord  
Jesus Christ.” ASV 
5.         WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL THAT NO ONE DECEIVES US, LEADING US INTO A 
FALSE WAY. 
The powers of evil will go to great lengths to turn the honest and honorable 
seeker of  
truth to a false doctrinal concept and cause one to follow error instead of 
follow the truth –  
Matthew 24:23-24, “23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the 
Christ, or, Here;  
believe (it) not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, 
and shall show great  
signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” ASV 
Mark 13:22, “22 for  
there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show signs and 
wonders, that they  
may lead astray, if possible, the elect.” ASV 
CONSIDER THIS: 
With seriousness the person seeking heaven must be careful about dealing with 
those that would teach them about righteousness. Many are misguided and are 
spiritually blinded, for this reason one must seek truth that comes from God’s 
Written Word properly interpreted. One ought to seek out a good, word for word 
translation of the Holy Scriptures so that they will know what the Bible 
teaches and not what some person thinks it teaches. Matt 15:12-14, “12 Then came 
the disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were 
offended, when they heard this saying? 13 But he answered and said, Every plant which 
my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they 
are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit.” 
ASV 
Honest truth seekers, be careful to check your sources – John 8:32, “and ye 
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Indeed, all men seek 
contentment,  
[i.e. peace].
 
_glclair at aol.com_ (mailto:glclair at aol.com) 
considermagazine.com
April 6, 2007



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