100:00:01,000 –> 00:00:08,000Keep your life free from the love of money.200:00:08,020 –> 00:00:15,900And be content with what you have. It is personalized to each and to every one of us in the very300:00:15,900 –> 00:00:19,940different circumstances of our life.400:00:19,940 –> 00:00:24,400Welcome to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m david pick. And Colin this is500:02:25,199 –> 00:02:37,160He says, There’s a secret to this. He says, I’ve learned the secret of having plenty and600:02:37,160 –> 00:02:41,399of facing hunger, of being in abundance and even in great.700:02:41,399 –> 00:02:44,839So I mean whenever you read a statement like that, you say, please, please, Paul, are you800:02:44,839 –> 00:02:47,320going to tell us the secret? And he does.900:02:47,320 –> 00:02:53,699It’s in Philippians Chapter four, and verse 13. I can do all things through Jesus Christ1000:02:54,580 –> 00:03:00,600That’s what I’ve found, he says, I’ve proved it in my experience that Jesus Christ1100:03:00,600 –> 00:03:07,600gives me strength for whatever I face at precisely the time that I needed it.1200:03:07,699 –> 00:03:13,660That strength was infused into me. Jesus Christ strengthens me. That’s how I can face the1300:03:13,660 –> 00:03:18,520different circumstances of life and what I’ve found is that the strength that I have in1400:03:18,699 –> 00:03:25,160Him is enough, that His grace is sufficient for me.1500:03:25,160 –> 00:03:32,160It has just struck me thinking around the congregation situations that folks have faced1600:03:32,160 –> 00:03:39,160that many of you would never have imagined that you would face in your lifetime. If God1700:03:40,460 –> 00:03:45,979had said five years ago this is what you are going to face, how is it going to be with1800:03:46,000 –> 00:03:50,059you if you face that. You would have said I couldn’t possibly cope, what in the world1900:03:50,059 –> 00:03:57,059would I do. Yet around the congregation there is testimony after testimony that when we2000:03:57,080 –> 00:04:02,820came to a circumstance that stretched us in ways we have never been stretched before and2100:04:02,820 –> 00:04:06,199we would have never thought that we would have been able to survive it at all but God2200:04:06,199 –> 00:04:12,580somehow infused grace into us and gave to us sufficient unto our need. Paul says this2300:04:12,720 –> 00:04:16,720is how I’ve learned contentment. I’ve proved this over and again so many times that I’ve2400:04:16,720 –> 00:04:21,540come to rely on it, I’ve come to count on it that God is there for me, that he does2500:04:21,540 –> 00:04:27,420not forsake me, that although I may face some extremely difficult things in life, whatever2600:04:27,420 –> 00:04:34,420they’re going to be I have found that his grace is sufficient for me. We’ve proved that2700:04:36,059 –> 00:04:41,839in our experience and Paul says it is at the very heart of being content.2800:04:42,440 –> 00:04:48,339And I want us to turn in this last reflection on this great subject today to Hebrews in2900:04:48,339 –> 00:04:54,540chapter 13. I think perhaps the most wonderful passage of all on this subject, it is certainly3000:04:54,540 –> 00:05:01,540very, very special. Hebrews 13 verses 1 to 6, very special for Karn and myself. This3100:05:01,839 –> 00:05:07,299was the passage of Scripture that was read at our wedding and so it’s very special in3200:05:07,380 –> 00:05:13,779our lives. And particularly notice verse 5 and 6, after all the themes that it touches,3300:05:13,779 –> 00:05:16,079it comes to this theme of contentment.3400:05:16,079 –> 00:05:25,079Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.3500:05:26,579 –> 00:05:33,579For God has said, He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.3600:05:34,220 –> 00:05:41,220So we can confidently say the Lord is my helper.3700:05:41,540 –> 00:05:47,540I will not fear what can man do to me.3800:05:49,279 –> 00:05:54,459Now very simply today, there is obviously a command here.3900:05:54,459 –> 00:05:59,100There’s wonderfully a promise here. And then very, very briefly at the end,4000:05:59,100 –> 00:06:03,399just in a few sentences, we’ll see that there is a response here.4100:06:03,440 –> 00:06:06,179First of all, then the command, verse 5.4200:06:06,179 –> 00:06:18,679Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have.4300:06:19,000 –> 00:06:25,179Now notice, friends, that this is a direct command from the mouth of God.4400:06:25,179 –> 00:06:29,239He does not say, you know, once in a while you might like to have a series4500:06:29,239 –> 00:06:30,880and think about this matter of contentment.4600:06:30,880 –> 00:06:33,559You know, at least it should be on your radar screen.4700:06:33,559 –> 00:06:39,179No, discontent, we learned, is a hellish sin.4800:06:39,179 –> 00:06:43,059And God calls every one of us to be done with it.4900:06:43,059 –> 00:06:45,799The love of money is the root of all evil.5000:06:45,799 –> 00:06:52,660A root of all evil, and would God calls us very specifically here in Hebrews, in Chapter 13.5100:06:52,700 –> 00:06:57,940Keep your life free from it.5200:06:57,959 –> 00:07:03,540And so, with good reason, we have set our minds and we have set our hearts to pursue5300:07:03,540 –> 00:07:08,640this clear calling, this commandment of God, and it comes to every one of us.5400:07:08,640 –> 00:07:16,579Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.5500:07:16,579 –> 00:07:23,679It is personalized to each and every one of us in the very different circumstances of5600:07:23,679 –> 00:07:24,739our lives.5700:07:25,500 –> 00:07:32,600Now, I want you to notice today that there is a very strange enigma about Christian contentment.5800:07:32,600 –> 00:07:40,899Jesus Christ means more than all the world to a Christian, and so for that reason, a5900:07:40,899 –> 00:07:50,739Christian is a person who would not be satisfied even if he or she had the whole world.6000:07:50,739 –> 00:07:54,700Listen one more time to Burroughs from whom we’ve learned so much in this series.6100:07:54,700 –> 00:08:01,559He says this, Men of the world seek after wealth and think that if they had this much6200:08:01,559 –> 00:08:02,839or that much, then they would be content.6300:08:02,839 –> 00:08:12,619I quote him, if I had, perhaps, some man thinks, only two or three hundred a year, I would6400:08:12,619 –> 00:08:13,619be well enough.6500:08:13,619 –> 00:08:17,160You know, he’s writing in the 17th Century when he said, I’ll be happy with two or6600:08:17,160 –> 00:08:22,619three hundred a year, but then he says, another man says, if I had a thousand a year, then6700:08:22,679 –> 00:08:25,799I would then be satisfied.6800:08:25,799 –> 00:08:34,219But a godly heart says, if I had ten hundred thousand times as much every year, it would6900:08:34,219 –> 00:08:37,559not satisfy me.7000:08:37,559 –> 00:08:44,200So to borrow a phrase from James Bond who doesn’t often get on the pulpit here, for7100:08:44,200 –> 00:08:47,919the Christian, the world is not enough, right?7200:08:48,280 –> 00:08:49,520That’s an Amen moment.7300:08:49,520 –> 00:08:52,559For a Christian, the world is not enough.7400:08:52,559 –> 00:08:55,919You could gain the whole world, Jesus says.7500:08:55,919 –> 00:09:00,099If you lose that which matters most, if you do not have God, you could not possibly be7600:09:00,099 –> 00:09:01,520satisfied with it.7700:09:01,520 –> 00:09:06,219All of this world could not satisfy you if you’re a Christian, and you know that.7800:09:06,219 –> 00:09:10,340You know it in your heart of hearts.7900:09:10,340 –> 00:09:15,260The Christian therefore can say, I would not be satisfied with all the world, and yet,8000:09:15,260 –> 00:09:17,280I am content with what I have.8100:09:17,359 –> 00:09:18,739Isn’t that a strange enigma?8200:09:18,739 –> 00:09:21,099There’s a mystery in that.8300:09:21,099 –> 00:09:30,239I would not be satisfied with all the world, and yet, I am content with what I have.8400:09:30,239 –> 00:09:33,760We live in a culture that says to us, love the world.8500:09:33,760 –> 00:09:38,380Love the world with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.8600:09:38,380 –> 00:09:39,619Love life.8700:09:39,619 –> 00:09:43,880Love life with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength.8800:09:43,880 –> 00:09:47,080If you follow that path, you will never be content.8900:09:47,080 –> 00:09:48,719You cannot be.9000:09:48,719 –> 00:09:49,719Why?9100:09:49,719 –> 00:09:53,979Because you were made by God, and you were made for God.9200:09:53,979 –> 00:10:00,000And that is why by definition, for creatures made by God and for God, this world can never9300:10:00,000 –> 00:10:01,799be enough.9400:10:01,799 –> 00:10:07,359And that is why the life that we as Christians follow flows from a very different love.9500:10:07,359 –> 00:10:12,239We are called to love the Lord, our God, with all of our heart, and soul, and mind, and9600:10:12,239 –> 00:10:13,239strength.9700:10:13,679 –> 00:10:18,039Now what Paul says for me to live is Christ, and Christ gives me strength.9800:10:18,039 –> 00:10:23,539With him I have found that I can face any, and every, of life in this world.9900:10:23,539 –> 00:10:29,919And that is why I am content because I know that if I had God and nothing else, I would10000:10:29,919 –> 00:10:32,080have all that I need.10100:10:32,080 –> 00:10:37,960And if I was to have everything else but not to have God, then I could not possibly be10200:10:37,960 –> 00:10:38,960satisfied.10300:10:39,380 –> 00:10:47,559God gives us Himself, the gift of infinite and indescribable value.10400:10:47,559 –> 00:10:52,239The gift to which no other gift in this world could ever be compared.10500:10:52,239 –> 00:10:57,440Your love says the psalmist, is better than life itself.10600:10:57,440 –> 00:11:03,880Whatever life throws at me, what matters to me is that I have you, O Lord my God.10700:11:03,880 –> 00:11:07,179Think about this.10800:11:07,359 –> 00:11:16,700If God is not enough for you, nothing will ever be enough for you.10900:11:16,700 –> 00:11:27,580If God is not enough for you, nothing and no one will ever be enough for you.11000:11:27,580 –> 00:11:36,440If you are not content with Him, you will not be content with anything or with anyone,11100:11:36,440 –> 00:11:40,260which is why the Great Saint Augustine said to God,11200:11:40,260 –> 00:11:47,580Thou hast made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless,11300:11:47,580 –> 00:11:50,619until they find their rest in Thee.11400:11:50,619 –> 00:11:54,380That’s the only place that contentment is ever to be found.11500:11:54,380 –> 00:11:57,380You’re listening to Open the Bible, with Pastor Colin Smith,11600:11:57,380 –> 00:12:00,239and a message called, Contented in Christ.11700:12:00,239 –> 00:12:02,440It’s part of our series, The Art of Contentment,11800:12:02,440 –> 00:12:05,299and I hope you’ll stay with us because in a moment we’ll come back11900:12:05,299 –> 00:12:08,440and look at how you can grow in contentment.12000:12:08,440 –> 00:12:09,840If you’ve missed any of the series,12100:12:09,840 –> 00:12:11,940or if you want to go back and listen again,12200:12:11,940 –> 00:12:17,700they’re all available online at our website, openthebible.org.uk.12300:12:17,700 –> 00:12:21,179Also as a podcast, on all the main podcast sites,12400:12:21,179 –> 00:12:24,299search for Open the Bible UK on the podcast site,12500:12:24,299 –> 00:12:26,739or follow the link on our website,12600:12:26,739 –> 00:12:31,479and the website address again, openthebible.org.uk.12700:12:31,479 –> 00:12:32,359Back to the message now.12800:12:32,359 –> 00:12:35,080Here again is Colin.12900:12:35,080 –> 00:12:36,479Be content with what you have.13000:12:36,479 –> 00:12:38,960Let me offer two practical suggestions today13100:12:38,960 –> 00:12:41,419for pursuing this contentment.13200:12:41,419 –> 00:12:45,359First enjoy what you have been given.13300:12:45,359 –> 00:12:47,780Burress makes this point, I think, very helpfully13400:12:47,780 –> 00:12:51,179that contentment does not come by adding to what you have,13500:12:51,179 –> 00:12:55,520but by subtracting from what you desire.13600:12:55,520 –> 00:12:57,780The world says you will find contentment13700:12:57,780 –> 00:13:01,359when your possessions rise to the level of your desires.13800:13:01,359 –> 00:13:04,039This is what I want when I can get my possessions up13900:13:04,080 –> 00:13:06,520to the level of my desires, the world says14000:13:06,520 –> 00:13:09,359well then, you will be content.14100:13:09,359 –> 00:13:11,580But the Christian knows and has found14200:13:11,580 –> 00:13:14,440another way of contentment.14300:13:14,440 –> 00:13:18,340It is not bringing possessions up to desires.14400:13:18,340 –> 00:13:23,340It is bringing desires in line with possessions.14500:13:23,599 –> 00:13:26,200Find joy in what God has given to you.14600:13:26,200 –> 00:13:28,059So just out in the foyer the other week14700:13:28,059 –> 00:13:31,400during this series, a lady in the congregation said14800:13:32,179 –> 00:13:34,059this is really a very, very wonderful thing.14900:13:34,059 –> 00:13:35,299She said what you are talking about15000:13:35,299 –> 00:13:37,219I experienced just earlier today.15100:13:38,020 –> 00:13:39,539She said I was at my friend’s house,15200:13:39,539 –> 00:13:41,440it’s a huge house, a fantastic house,15300:13:41,440 –> 00:13:43,659way grander than anything that we have.15400:13:43,659 –> 00:13:47,140And she said I came home and I went into my own house15500:13:47,140 –> 00:13:51,320and I said, you know, I love the house that I have.15600:13:51,320 –> 00:13:54,479And that’s contentment, to find joy15700:13:54,479 –> 00:13:57,479in what God has given you.15800:13:57,479 –> 00:13:59,380Rather than to spend all of your time15900:13:59,659 –> 00:14:03,200looking at what God has given to someone else16000:14:03,200 –> 00:14:04,780enjoy what you have been given16100:14:04,780 –> 00:14:09,000and remember to make the right comparisons.16200:14:09,000 –> 00:14:11,440Now of course we all know that making the wrong comparisons16300:14:11,440 –> 00:14:14,640is a major source of discontentment in life16400:14:14,640 –> 00:14:17,219and we instinctively and often look at people16500:14:17,219 –> 00:14:19,840who have more, people who enjoy blessings16600:14:19,840 –> 00:14:22,460that were not given to us and now why do they have that16700:14:22,460 –> 00:14:25,760and why is that not been given to me?16800:14:25,780 –> 00:14:29,460But a wise writer by the name of Thomas Watson16900:14:29,460 –> 00:14:32,119is very helpful on this and says that17000:14:32,119 –> 00:14:34,919if we make the right comparisons17100:14:34,919 –> 00:14:37,520it will actually help us in cultivating17200:14:37,520 –> 00:14:40,280this art of contentment that we have set17300:14:40,280 –> 00:14:43,559our minds and our hearts upon.17400:14:43,559 –> 00:14:45,559You’ll pick up as I just go through very briefly17500:14:45,559 –> 00:14:47,599some of his suggestions17600:14:47,599 –> 00:14:50,580that he was writing again in a century17700:14:50,580 –> 00:14:52,919when many Christian leaders in England17800:14:53,440 –> 00:14:57,359were being imprisoned on account of their ministry.17900:14:57,359 –> 00:15:00,080And so finding contentment in relation18000:15:00,080 –> 00:15:02,719to being in prison was an issue for them18100:15:02,719 –> 00:15:04,799as it was for the Apostle Paul18200:15:04,799 –> 00:15:08,239even when he wrote the letters of Philipians.18300:15:08,239 –> 00:15:10,619Here are Watson’s suggestions.18400:15:10,619 –> 00:15:15,020He suggests five comparisons that help us to be content.18500:15:15,020 –> 00:15:19,119He says compare your condition with what you deserve.18600:15:19,119 –> 00:15:21,359There’s a good comparison.18700:15:21,359 –> 00:15:23,219When it comes to kindness and mercy,18800:15:23,219 –> 00:15:26,960God has given me far more than I ever deserved,18900:15:26,960 –> 00:15:29,239and when it has come to trouble and hardship,19000:15:29,239 –> 00:15:33,200He has given me far less than I have deserved.19100:15:34,260 –> 00:15:39,260He says this, has God taken away our estate?19200:15:39,260 –> 00:15:41,619He might have taken away Christ.19300:15:42,580 –> 00:15:45,000Has He thrown us into prison?19400:15:45,900 –> 00:15:48,599He might have thrown us into hell,19500:15:48,640 –> 00:15:50,859so compare your condition19600:15:50,859 –> 00:15:52,880with what it is that you actually deserve,19700:15:52,880 –> 00:15:54,479and when you know yourself to be a sinner,19800:15:54,479 –> 00:15:56,880as every true Christian does,19900:15:56,880 –> 00:15:58,919that actually greatly helps you20000:15:58,919 –> 00:16:00,320in the pursuit of contentment.20100:16:00,320 –> 00:16:04,400Second, compare your condition with others who have less,20200:16:04,400 –> 00:16:06,119and his point here is simple.20300:16:06,119 –> 00:16:08,479We easily look to those who have more20400:16:08,479 –> 00:16:10,679and feel discontented.20500:16:10,679 –> 00:16:12,900Instead, we should be very, very thankful20600:16:12,900 –> 00:16:15,000for what God has given to us,20700:16:15,000 –> 00:16:17,239and I love his comment on this,20800:16:17,239 –> 00:16:19,799speaking, no doubt, to believers in prison,20900:16:19,799 –> 00:16:23,799he says, am I in prison?21000:16:23,799 –> 00:16:26,880You just imagine a Christian pastor,21100:16:26,880 –> 00:16:28,679and he’s saying, what in the world’s going on?21200:16:28,679 –> 00:16:31,219I’m in prison, and just for faithfully preaching21300:16:31,219 –> 00:16:32,359the gospel in England?21400:16:32,359 –> 00:16:33,919I mean, how can this possibly be,21500:16:33,919 –> 00:16:37,340and the temptation to be discontent,21600:16:37,340 –> 00:16:40,440and here’s Thomas Watson’s exertion.21700:16:40,440 –> 00:16:42,719Am I in prison?21800:16:42,719 –> 00:16:46,359Was Daniel not in a worse place in the lion’s den?21900:16:46,520 –> 00:16:47,919I really like that.22000:16:47,919 –> 00:16:49,760Oh, thank God I’m only in prison.22100:16:49,760 –> 00:16:51,239I’m not in the lion’s den.22200:16:51,239 –> 00:16:54,599I like, you get where he’s going with this.22300:16:54,599 –> 00:16:56,919I looked at the internet a couple of times,22400:16:56,919 –> 00:16:59,280only a couple of times, in relation to contentment,22500:16:59,280 –> 00:17:02,539all kinds of quotes, most of them completely useless.22600:17:02,539 –> 00:17:07,540But I found one that had thousands of likes,22700:17:07,599 –> 00:17:09,719where everything else seemed to have a dozen or so,22800:17:09,719 –> 00:17:12,619and I can see why it was so popular.22900:17:12,619 –> 00:17:15,339Someone has said this, I moaned23000:17:15,380 –> 00:17:18,079because I had no shoes23100:17:18,079 –> 00:17:21,040until I met a man who had no feet,23200:17:21,040 –> 00:17:23,640until I met a man who had no feet,23300:17:23,640 –> 00:17:24,520it catches something.23400:17:24,520 –> 00:17:27,800Number three, compare your condition23500:17:27,800 –> 00:17:29,599with Christ’s on Earth.23600:17:29,599 –> 00:17:31,439Are you unhappy with your home?23700:17:32,880 –> 00:17:37,599Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests,23800:17:37,599 –> 00:17:40,660the son of man had no place to lay his head.23900:17:41,520 –> 00:17:44,640Are you unhappy about your appearance?24000:17:44,640 –> 00:17:48,439He was disfigured, almost beyond recognition.24100:17:49,599 –> 00:17:51,520Have your friends let you down?24200:17:52,380 –> 00:17:55,439His disciples all forsook Him and fled.24300:17:56,540 –> 00:17:58,459Whenever you’re facing difficulty,24400:17:58,459 –> 00:18:01,439it will help you to see how somewhere24500:18:01,439 –> 00:18:04,800in His own experience, your Lord and Savior24600:18:04,800 –> 00:18:09,000knew more about it than you will ever do.24700:18:09,000 –> 00:18:12,180Number four, compare your condition24800:18:12,180 –> 00:18:14,000with what it once was.24900:18:14,040 –> 00:18:16,579Think about what your condition was25000:18:16,579 –> 00:18:18,979when you were born into this world.25100:18:18,979 –> 00:18:23,520Spiritually, we were heirs apparent of hell.25200:18:23,520 –> 00:18:25,479That was the truth about me when I was born.25300:18:25,479 –> 00:18:27,859It’s not the truth about me as a Christian now,25400:18:27,859 –> 00:18:29,459but when I came into the world,25500:18:29,459 –> 00:18:31,520that was what was true about me.25600:18:31,520 –> 00:18:33,920That was my condition, it was desperate,25700:18:33,920 –> 00:18:35,599but by the grace of Jesus Christ,25800:18:35,599 –> 00:18:37,060that is not true of me now.25900:18:38,140 –> 00:18:40,040And what about materially?26000:18:40,040 –> 00:18:41,800How much did I bring into this world?26100:18:41,800 –> 00:18:43,280Well, of course, Paul speaks about this26200:18:43,280 –> 00:18:45,079in 1 Timothy, in chapter six.26300:18:45,079 –> 00:18:48,319We brought nothing with us into this world.26400:18:48,319 –> 00:18:49,920What did you have when you came into this world?26500:18:49,920 –> 00:18:51,300Absolutely nothing.26600:18:51,300 –> 00:18:52,939So however little you’ve got right now,26700:18:52,939 –> 00:18:53,979you’ve got an awful lot more26800:18:53,979 –> 00:18:56,079than you brought with you into this world.26900:18:57,099 –> 00:18:58,900Number five, compare your condition27000:18:58,900 –> 00:19:00,219with what it soon will be.27100:19:01,560 –> 00:19:03,520There is a time coming very, very soon27200:19:05,119 –> 00:19:08,000when everything that you have ever owned27300:19:08,000 –> 00:19:09,780and everything that you ever have wanted27400:19:09,780 –> 00:19:12,420in this world would be no use to you whatsoever.27500:19:13,500 –> 00:19:15,540When we die we must leave this world27600:19:15,540 –> 00:19:18,900and all that is in it behind.27700:19:18,900 –> 00:19:20,500We brought nothing into this world27800:19:20,500 –> 00:19:22,300and we will take nothing out of this world27900:19:22,300 –> 00:19:24,4001 Timothy chapter six in verse seven.28000:19:24,400 –> 00:19:26,560That is why the scripture says to us,28100:19:26,560 –> 00:19:30,819so set your mind on things above where Christ is seated.28200:19:30,819 –> 00:19:31,660Why?28300:19:31,660 –> 00:19:35,339Because your life, your real life is hidden28400:19:35,339 –> 00:19:38,959with Jesus Christ in God,28500:19:38,959 –> 00:19:41,839so here’s this command, and it’s really important,28600:19:41,839 –> 00:19:45,119let it be set in our minds and in our hearts28700:19:45,119 –> 00:19:48,640from this month in which we’ve focused on this together,28800:19:48,640 –> 00:19:53,599keep your life free, keep it free at all costs28900:19:53,599 –> 00:19:56,439from the love of money,29000:19:56,439 –> 00:20:01,439and be content with what you have.29100:20:01,660 –> 00:20:02,599There’s the command.29200:20:05,239 –> 00:20:08,239And then secondly, there’s a very very wonderful promise.29300:20:09,319 –> 00:20:11,560Notice the word for that connects29400:20:11,599 –> 00:20:13,719the two, keep your life free from the love29500:20:13,719 –> 00:20:18,280of money and be content with what you have far.29600:20:19,680 –> 00:20:22,660So here’s a how statement, here’s a reason,29700:20:22,660 –> 00:20:26,479here’s a motive, here’s a way in which you can29800:20:26,479 –> 00:20:29,920fulfill what God has just commanded you to do.29900:20:29,920 –> 00:20:31,239Here’s the how.30000:20:32,359 –> 00:20:37,359For he has said I will never leave you30100:20:37,599 –> 00:20:41,140nor forsake you.30200:20:41,739 –> 00:20:46,060Now this is a marvelous example30300:20:46,060 –> 00:20:49,459of what we call gospel motivation30400:20:50,520 –> 00:20:54,219that is peppered all the way through the scriptures30500:20:54,219 –> 00:20:56,319Old Testament and New.30600:20:57,280 –> 00:21:00,979Notice, God does not say to us,30700:21:00,979 –> 00:21:03,400he does not say to his children30800:21:03,400 –> 00:21:06,619keep your lives free from the love of money30900:21:06,619 –> 00:21:11,060and be content with what you have, or else.31000:21:11,060 –> 00:21:13,339He doesn’t say, that’s not how he speaks.31100:21:14,219 –> 00:21:15,560How does he speak?31200:21:16,660 –> 00:21:20,979He gives a command and he follows it31300:21:20,979 –> 00:21:24,540with a wonderful promise and to feel the power31400:21:24,540 –> 00:21:27,619and the freedom and the life that is in this31500:21:27,619 –> 00:21:30,939is life changing, keep your life free31600:21:30,939 –> 00:21:33,099from the love of money and be content31700:21:33,099 –> 00:21:36,180with what you have for, he has said31800:21:36,180 –> 00:21:40,959I will never leave you nor forsake you.31900:21:42,020 –> 00:21:47,020So the motive and the power for obeying the command32000:21:48,000 –> 00:21:50,739lies in believing the promise.32100:21:50,739 –> 00:21:55,739We obey God’s commands by believing his promises.32200:21:56,239 –> 00:22:00,040That’s how you live the Christian life.32300:22:00,040 –> 00:22:04,119And friends what a marvelous, marvelous promise this is.32400:22:04,119 –> 00:22:07,140I will never leave you.32500:22:07,579 –> 00:22:11,979God says I will never32600:22:11,979 –> 00:22:14,180forsake you.32700:22:14,180 –> 00:22:15,739You’ve been listening to Open the Bible32800:22:15,739 –> 00:22:17,540with Pastor Colin Smith32900:22:17,540 –> 00:22:20,780and a message called Contented in Christ.33000:22:20,780 –> 00:22:23,859Part of our series The Art of Contentment33100:22:23,859 –> 00:22:26,859and what a promise to leave this broadcast on.33200:22:26,859 –> 00:22:29,859Jesus has promised that I will never leave you.33300:22:29,859 –> 00:22:31,439I will never forsake you33400:22:31,439 –> 00:22:35,359and because of that, we can grow in contentment.33500:22:35,359 –> 00:22:37,319If you’ve missed any of the series so far33600:22:37,319 –> 00:22:39,280or if you want to come back and listen again,33700:22:39,280 –> 00:22:41,920they’re all available online at our website33800:22:41,920 –> 00:22:44,920openthebible.org.uk33900:22:44,920 –> 00:22:46,579and also as a podcast34000:22:46,579 –> 00:22:49,119and those were on all the main podcast sites.34100:22:49,119 –> 00:22:51,000Search for Open the Bible UK34200:22:51,000 –> 00:22:54,160or follow the link from our website.34300:22:54,160 –> 00:22:56,619I’m with Open the Bible’s executive director,34400:22:56,619 –> 00:22:59,880John Martin with some news about Colin’s book34500:22:59,880 –> 00:23:01,880Fly Through The Bible.34600:23:01,880 –> 00:23:03,719Well, David, I know that you’re a pilot,34700:23:03,719 –> 00:23:06,400your aeroplane features in the trailer we filmed34800:23:06,400 –> 00:23:08,160for Fly Through The Bible.34900:23:08,160 –> 00:23:10,000You’ll know that when you’re up in an aeroplane,35000:23:10,000 –> 00:23:12,160the view from above is majestic35100:23:12,160 –> 00:23:13,420and that’s what it’s like35200:23:13,420 –> 00:23:15,099to fly through the Bible.35300:23:15,099 –> 00:23:16,520Written by Colin Smith,35400:23:16,520 –> 00:23:17,619Fly Through The Bible35500:23:17,619 –> 00:23:19,979takes you on a high altitude journey35600:23:19,979 –> 00:23:21,520through the Bible story.35700:23:21,520 –> 00:23:24,260What can people expect from this study course?35800:23:24,260 –> 00:23:25,319On this journey,35900:23:25,319 –> 00:23:28,079you will meet five people from the old Testament,36000:23:28,079 –> 00:23:30,939explore five events from the life of Jesus36100:23:31,540 –> 00:23:32,839and discover five gifts36200:23:32,839 –> 00:23:34,979that God gives to every Christian.36300:23:34,979 –> 00:23:37,680It’s a journey you can discover by yourself,36400:23:37,680 –> 00:23:40,959with others in your church or with a friend.36500:23:40,959 –> 00:23:42,760Each chapter ends with questions36600:23:42,760 –> 00:23:44,400for reflection and discussion.36700:23:44,400 –> 00:23:47,719The book is designed to be short, simple and shareable.36800:23:47,719 –> 00:23:50,060So the book is one way to take the journey.36900:23:50,060 –> 00:23:51,319What else is there?37000:23:51,319 –> 00:23:54,359There’s other free resources on our website too.37100:23:54,359 –> 00:23:56,119You’ll find short videos of Colin37200:23:56,119 –> 00:23:58,359taking you through each chapter,37300:23:58,599 –> 00:24:00,780where you can download a free small group guide37400:24:00,780 –> 00:24:04,359if you want to go deeper or take the shortest journey37500:24:04,359 –> 00:24:08,880by downloading fly, our free interactive app.37600:24:08,880 –> 00:24:10,439So this course would suit somebody37700:24:10,439 –> 00:24:12,880who’s quite new to studying the Bible.37800:24:12,880 –> 00:24:15,040Even if you’ve never opened the Bible,37900:24:15,040 –> 00:24:17,680this short flight will introduce you to God’s word38000:24:17,680 –> 00:24:19,800and leave you marveling at how38100:24:19,800 –> 00:24:23,520the big picture landscape of God’s story fits together.38200:24:23,520 –> 00:24:26,359Full details of Fly Through the Bible38300:24:26,359 –> 00:24:27,599are on our website.38400:24:27,640 –> 00:24:29,800openthebible.org.uk.38500:24:31,140 –> 00:24:33,359And this month we’re offering the book38600:24:33,359 –> 00:24:36,119Fly Through the Bible as our thank you gift38700:24:36,119 –> 00:24:38,760if you’re able to begin a new direct debit38800:24:38,760 –> 00:24:40,479to the work of Open the Bible38900:24:40,479 –> 00:24:43,280in the amount of five pounds per month or more,39000:24:43,280 –> 00:24:46,500or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more.39100:24:46,500 –> 00:24:48,699Full terms and conditions of this offer39200:24:48,699 –> 00:24:51,380and to give online come to our website.39300:24:51,380 –> 00:24:54,339openthebible.org.uk.39400:24:54,339 –> 00:24:56,699If you’d like us to send you this free gift,39500:24:56,699 –> 00:24:59,640it’s important that you don’t give anonymously39600:24:59,640 –> 00:25:02,040and that you leave your full address.39700:25:02,040 –> 00:25:04,560For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,39800:25:04,560 –> 00:25:08,439I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time.39900:25:08,439 –> 00:25:13,439How can you draw strength from one of God’s promises?40000:25:18,339 –> 00:25:20,819Find out next time on Open the Bible.