The Hellish Sin of Discontent, Part 1

Exodus 17:1-7
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Today, we consider the transformative journey of embracing contentment. Pastor Colin begins a four-week series entitled “The Art of Contentment” by exploring an eye-opening perspective: lack of contentment as a formidable sin. Inspired by Thomas Boston, a revered Scottish pastor, Colin challenges us to view discontent as a grave sin that not only stems from pride, rebellion, and unbelief but symbolically connects to a hellish experience.

The series aims to nurture a profound understanding of the essential transition from discontent to peace, from frustration to satisfaction, and from anxiety to trust. In an increasingly restless world marked by anger and public agitation, Pastor Colin invites us to cultivate inner tranquility and true satisfaction through a deeper reliance on God’s grace.

100:00:00,660 –> 00:00:08,040We will only get serious about pursuing contentment if and when we are200:00:08,040 –> 00:00:13,360convinced that the lack of it is a hellish sin in our lives.300:00:13,360 –> 00:00:17,799Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, and Colin, I’ve got to say that’s a400:00:17,820 –> 00:00:22,820quite a bold statement. Lack of contentment is a hellish sin.500:00:22,820 –> 00:00:26,959Well, I first came across that from one of my Scottish heroes, a man by the name of600:00:26,980 –> 00:00:31,660Thomas Boston, a marvelous pastor of an early century and I found a sermon that700:00:31,660 –> 00:00:37,139he preached called the hellish sin of discontent. And I thought really I mean I800:00:37,139 –> 00:00:40,060can think of a lot of sins that you might call hellish, but discontent900:00:40,060 –> 00:00:44,160honestly… It’s not the first one that comes to mind, is it? Not the first one that comes to mind.1000:00:44,160 –> 00:00:47,060But you know as I looked at the Scriptures I came to the conclusion1100:00:47,060 –> 00:00:51,820he was absolutely justified in describing it that way. This actually1200:00:51,820 –> 00:00:56,540comes from hell. It leads to hell, and it gives the experience and the taste of1300:00:56,540 –> 00:01:00,980hell as well. And here’s what I’ve found in my life. That coming to see that1400:01:00,980 –> 00:01:05,760discontent is a serious sin has actually brought me to the place of saying I1500:01:05,760 –> 00:01:09,559therefore have to deal with that when I see it rearing its ugly head in my life.1600:01:09,559 –> 00:01:14,260And that’s the point of the message today. We want to be able to name sins1700:01:14,260 –> 00:01:18,139for what they are in order to come against them more strongly and to seek1800:01:18,139 –> 00:01:21,900the grace of God to overcome them. Let’s get into the message then. We’re in1900:01:22,419 –> 00:01:25,500Exodus 17 as we begin the message, the hellish sin of2000:01:25,500 –> 00:01:27,879discontent. Here is Colin.2100:01:28,379 –> 00:01:30,419Today we begin a four-week series that is2200:01:30,419 –> 00:01:35,459entitled, the art of contentment. And if you are wondering why we would devote2300:01:35,459 –> 00:01:41,220the whole month of May to this one subject that are two reasons. There is2400:01:41,220 –> 00:01:47,339always both a personal and a public element to the ministry of God’s Word.2500:01:47,339 –> 00:01:51,699That is it must come from the heart of the one who speaks according to what2600:01:51,699 –> 00:01:56,980that person has been taught in the scriptures and it must relate to the2700:01:56,980 –> 00:02:01,820lives of the people. That’s at the very heart of what the ministry of the Word2800:02:01,820 –> 00:02:07,419is and with regards first to the personal element, some years ago I came2900:02:07,419 –> 00:02:17,199to a place of wanting a greater sense of peace in my own life. I have been3000:02:17,240 –> 00:02:23,300privileged to serve for 36 years two very wonderful churches both of them in3100:02:23,300 –> 00:02:33,080the suburbs of world class cities, London and Chicago and there is as all of us3200:02:33,080 –> 00:02:39,039know a relentlessness about life in our cities always chasing after the next3300:02:39,039 –> 00:02:46,199thing and I have to say I like that. I like it because I want to live flat out3400:02:46,199 –> 00:02:51,039for the glory of God but some time ago I came to a place of saying I have to3500:02:51,039 –> 00:02:57,300find a way of living flat out for the glory of God from a greater sense of3600:02:57,300 –> 00:03:03,539internal peace and so for some time now some years the subject of contentment3700:03:03,539 –> 00:03:09,619has been a focus of my own thinking my own reading my own praying and learning3800:03:09,619 –> 00:03:14,759and I hope at least to some extent growing. The second reason is the public3900:03:14,860 –> 00:03:22,539one. We are in a season in our culture where anger is increasingly4000:03:22,539 –> 00:03:28,139characterizing public life. Someone said to me, an older person said to me4100:03:28,139 –> 00:03:33,479recently I don’t think I can remember in my life a time when so many people were4200:03:33,479 –> 00:03:41,720angry for so much of the time. People are frustrated. We don’t seem to be able4300:03:41,860 –> 00:03:46,919to subdue the threat of the terrorists. There doesn’t seem to be a clear vision4400:03:46,919 –> 00:03:50,440around which people can unite and as a result there’s a growing sense of4500:03:50,440 –> 00:03:55,160anxiety that you can feel spreading from day to day. I put these three words4600:03:55,160 –> 00:04:05,020together. Anger, frustration, and anxiety. And think about it this way contentment4700:04:05,020 –> 00:04:10,759is moving from anger to peace. It is moving from frustration to4800:04:10,820 –> 00:04:18,019dissatisfaction. And it is moving from anxiety to trust. And so this series not4900:04:18,019 –> 00:04:23,600only comes out of a personal journey of seeking the Lord it also speaks to I5000:04:23,600 –> 00:04:29,059think a moment in which we find ourselves in public life in our own5100:04:29,059 –> 00:04:34,540experience it speaks I believe to an issue that we desperately need to come5200:04:34,760 –> 00:04:42,000terms with today. Now my own journey with regards to contentment began as I said5300:04:42,000 –> 00:04:47,239some years ago when I came across and I remember when it really began. I came5400:04:47,239 –> 00:04:53,920across a sermon by one of my heroes of the faith a 17th-century pastor by the5500:04:53,920 –> 00:04:58,480name of Thomas Boston and I found this sermon that Boston preached and he5600:04:59,220 –> 00:05:08,679the hellish sin of discontent and I looked at that the hellish sin of5700:05:08,679 –> 00:05:16,880discontent. My first thought was really? I mean a hellish sin of murder maybe but5800:05:16,880 –> 00:05:24,820discontent? Was Thomas Boston exaggerating when he used this title or5900:05:25,239 –> 00:05:32,380justified in his description? Well I’ve become convinced that he was entirely6000:05:32,380 –> 00:05:37,959justified in his description and that is why I am using his title for this6100:05:37,959 –> 00:05:44,059message today. We are beginning the series with a focus on the sin of6200:05:44,059 –> 00:05:49,179discontent and its nature for this reason. That we will only get serious6300:05:49,179 –> 00:05:54,179about pursuing contentment if and when we are convinced that the lack of it is6400:05:54,239 –> 00:06:00,679a hellish sin in our lives. And so my single aim for today is that by God’s6500:06:00,679 –> 00:06:05,059grace every one of us will come to the place by the end of this service of6600:06:05,059 –> 00:06:11,480saying I never before saw my anger, my frustration and my worry as a hellish6700:06:11,480 –> 00:06:19,079sin, but I do now. And seeing that this discontent is a hellish sin, by the6800:06:19,079 –> 00:06:23,779grace of God I am going to set about pursuing a greater contentment in my6900:06:23,880 –> 00:06:27,859life, I am going to seek to take this journey from anger to peace, from7000:06:27,859 –> 00:06:33,140frustration to satisfaction, from worry to trust, and I am going to set about it7100:06:33,140 –> 00:06:41,500by the grace of God and with the help of God in this month of May 2016. Now I7200:06:41,500 –> 00:06:45,380want us to begin in the book of Jude and this is perhaps the only time you will7300:06:45,380 –> 00:06:50,540ever hear me say this from the pulpit, I do not want you to look it up. We’ll get7400:06:50,540 –> 00:06:56,660there in a moment, but I want first to play fill in the blanks so go with me7500:06:56,660 –> 00:07:01,579on this just for a moment. Jude speaks about the judgment of God that will come7600:07:01,579 –> 00:07:08,260upon the wicked and he says this, behold the Lord comes with ten thousands of his7700:07:08,260 –> 00:07:15,700holy ones to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of their7800:07:16,660 –> 00:07:21,779ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way and of all the7900:07:21,779 –> 00:07:28,359harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. Now four times in8000:07:28,359 –> 00:07:34,940these two verses you have a reference to the ungodly God comes to execute8100:07:34,940 –> 00:07:40,940judgment on the ungodly, when judgment comes God will bring it to the ungodly8200:07:41,079 –> 00:07:46,059and he will convict them of their ungodly deeds and of what they have done8300:07:46,059 –> 00:07:51,619in an ungodly way and of the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against8400:07:51,619 –> 00:07:55,059God. Now when you get the same word four times in two verses you know what it’s8500:07:55,059 –> 00:08:00,679about it’s about the ungodly and the judgment of God that comes upon them. Now8600:08:00,679 –> 00:08:02,459here’s the fill in the blank.8700:08:02,799 –> 00:08:08,359Jude then tells us who the ungodly are.8800:08:08,359 –> 00:08:20,700These, that is the ungodly, are blank. What do you think belongs in the blank? The8900:08:20,700 –> 00:08:28,899ones on whom God comes to execute judgment? These are the murderers, for9000:08:29,299 –> 00:08:40,000sure. Adulterers, thieves rapists terrorists, for sure, but none of them are9100:08:40,000 –> 00:08:53,900mentioned here. These, the scripture says, the ungodly, are grumblers, malcontents9200:08:54,299 –> 00:09:00,000following their own sinful desires. Now, you should look it up and make sure that9300:09:00,000 –> 00:09:07,340that’s really what it says and I promise you that it is. The ungodly are the9400:09:07,340 –> 00:09:17,739malcontent, the malcontent. So here is the first reason that discontent is9500:09:17,760 –> 00:09:23,979rightly described as a hellish sin. Discontent is a hellish sin because dude9600:09:23,979 –> 00:09:30,659says very clearly it directly leads to Hell. Hell comes because of this. God9700:09:30,659 –> 00:09:35,200comes to execute judgment on the ungodly who are the ungodly, they are the9800:09:35,200 –> 00:09:42,940grumblers and the malcontents. I looked up malcontent in my online dictionary9900:09:42,940 –> 00:09:47,440and got from Miriam Webster two definitions. The short one malcontent a10000:09:47,440 –> 00:09:54,520person who is always or often unhappy and the longer one a person who bears a10100:09:54,520 –> 00:10:02,580grudge from a sense of grievance or thwarted ambition. So let’s describe what10200:10:02,580 –> 00:10:09,219that is this discontent, this malcontent. What is it? Others seemed to have more10300:10:10,119 –> 00:10:15,940than you do. Better gifts, better looks, better opportunities and you are not10400:10:15,940 –> 00:10:22,640happy with what God has given to you. You may be frustrated in your marriage or10500:10:22,640 –> 00:10:27,460with your children. Other people seem to have compliant children and somehow you10600:10:27,460 –> 00:10:33,500have one who is not so easy and you’re not happy about that. Your friend has a10700:10:33,500 –> 00:10:37,320home that is larger than yours’, vacations that are more exotic than10800:10:37,559 –> 00:10:42,599yours. It all comes from a salary that is much larger than yours and you look at10900:10:42,599 –> 00:10:48,919that and you find yourself saying, why him why her why them why not me? Your11000:10:48,919 –> 00:10:52,479life is not as you want it to be, your family is not as you want it to be, your11100:10:52,479 –> 00:10:56,400work is not as you want it to be, your church is not as you want it to be. You11200:10:56,400 –> 00:11:02,440are not happy, you have a sense of grievance about you and if that gets11300:11:02,520 –> 00:11:08,059hold and takes root in your heart it will lead you to a very dark place11400:11:08,059 –> 00:11:18,440indeed. So you have to say to yourself this is discontent and people are in11500:11:18,440 –> 00:11:26,000hell because of this today and Jesus Christ came to save me from sins that11600:11:26,260 –> 00:11:35,580lead to hell and I must therefore seek his help to deliver me from this hellish11700:11:35,580 –> 00:11:41,320sin discontent is a hellish thing because Jude very clearly says it leads11800:11:41,320 –> 00:11:46,599to hell hell comes because of this we’ve got to pause the message briefly but11900:11:46,599 –> 00:11:50,359we’ll be back shortly you’re listening to open the Bible with pastor Colin12000:11:50,359 –> 00:11:54,619Smith and a message called the hellish sin of discontent it’s part of our12100:11:54,739 –> 00:11:58,619series the art of contentment and if you ever missed one of the series don’t12200:11:58,619 –> 00:12:02,760forget you can always come to our website open the Bible dot org dot UK12300:12:02,760 –> 00:12:06,320and there you’ll find all the messages which have already been broadcast and12400:12:06,320 –> 00:12:10,539Colin’s messages are also available as a podcast all the main podcast sites12500:12:10,539 –> 00:12:16,320search for open the Bible UK or follow the link from our website back to the12600:12:16,320 –> 00:12:22,440message now here again is Colin discontent is a hellish sin because it12700:12:22,799 –> 00:12:33,580comes from hell remember that hell is a place of perpetual discontent people in12800:12:33,580 –> 00:12:42,900hell are always angry and never at piece people in hell are always frustrated and12900:12:43,619 –> 00:12:54,380never satisfied discontent is a defining characteristic of hell itself, and that13000:12:54,380 –> 00:12:58,859is surely the significance of our Lord’s Words. Do you remember how He described13100:12:58,859 –> 00:13:04,200the experience of hell He said there there shall be weeping and gnashing of13200:13:04,200 –> 00:13:12,140teeth What content would you put into the description gnashing of teeth? What13300:13:12,219 –> 00:13:18,859does gnashing of teeth convey? Surely it conveys this, to be always angry and13400:13:18,859 –> 00:13:27,260never at peace, to be always frustrated and never satisfied. Now there are three13500:13:27,260 –> 00:13:32,140sins that lie behind discontent and they are the characteristic and even the13600:13:32,140 –> 00:13:39,140original sins of hell itself. They are pride, rebellion and unbelief and it is13700:13:39,200 –> 00:13:42,820for this reason that I say that discontent not only leads to hell, it13800:13:42,820 –> 00:13:48,479actually comes from hell. It’s characteristic often. Think of this,13900:13:48,479 –> 00:13:53,619discontent first is a manifestation of pride and Jude, in the verses that we14000:13:53,619 –> 00:13:59,039looked at a moment ago, immediately makes this identification. These, the ungodly14100:13:59,039 –> 00:14:03,739are the grumblers and the malcontents. They are following their own sinful14200:14:04,520 –> 00:14:09,619loud-mouthed boasters. So there you are. He goes straight to pride because that’s14300:14:09,619 –> 00:14:18,640at its root. Discontent is at its heart a manifestation of pride because it flows14400:14:18,640 –> 00:14:25,979from a heart that says I deserve better than God has given to me and of course14500:14:25,979 –> 00:14:32,479that was the original sin of Satan and the fallen angels themselves. In fact in14600:14:32,479 –> 00:14:36,340the letter of Jude if you still have that open as I hope you now do in front14700:14:36,340 –> 00:14:42,820of you we have a reference to the angels who like Satan were not content to be14800:14:42,820 –> 00:14:48,219the servants of God. Verse six angels who did not stay within their position14900:14:48,219 –> 00:14:52,820of authority but left their proper dwelling. You see here are angels and15000:14:52,820 –> 00:14:58,520they are given positions of authority in the reign of God itself in heaven but15100:14:58,659 –> 00:15:05,640some of these angels Jude is telling us who way back in the midst of pre-time15200:15:05,640 –> 00:15:09,719said in effect we deserve better than what God has given to us they were not15300:15:09,719 –> 00:15:15,479content with their positions of authority they’re not content now and of15400:15:15,479 –> 00:15:22,280course they never will be. Thomas Boston says this the devil is the proudest15500:15:22,280 –> 00:15:30,400creature of all, and the most discontented because pride and15600:15:30,400 –> 00:15:37,679discontent lodge under the same roof.’ That’s very memorable. Pride and15700:15:37,679 –> 00:15:41,320discontent. They always go together. You always find them in the same place,15800:15:41,320 –> 00:15:47,099always find them under the same roof, and that is why Satan the restless wanderer15900:15:47,099 –> 00:15:52,099never at peace, always discontent. The proudest creature, the most discontent16000:15:52,099 –> 00:16:00,940because the two belong under the same roof. I deserve better than God has given16100:16:00,940 –> 00:16:08,739to me. Now friends, if I catch myself thinking like that, I have to take myself16200:16:09,179 –> 00:16:16,659in hand, and I have to say to myself, I deserve better than God has given to me.16300:16:18,700 –> 00:16:26,080That is the polar opposite of everything I believe. I believe that God has given16400:16:26,080 –> 00:16:33,080me abundantly more than I deserve. I believe that what I deserve is hell on16500:16:33,080 –> 00:16:38,559earth followed by hell in hell. But God has not given me that, he has16600:16:38,559 –> 00:16:44,840loved me. He has given his Son for me. He has blessed me with every spiritual16700:16:44,840 –> 00:16:48,599blessing in Jesus Christ, he has given me all that I need for life and for16800:16:48,599 –> 00:16:52,799godliness. In all things his love surrounds me, and in all things he works16900:16:52,799 –> 00:16:57,200out his great purpose that now has become my purpose, that a true reflection17000:16:57,200 –> 00:17:01,960of the glory of his Son should be seen for my joy, and for his glory forever and17100:17:01,960 –> 00:17:09,260forever in me. Discontent it is a horrible manifestation of pride, that’s17200:17:09,260 –> 00:17:18,300what it is. Second, discontent is an expression of rebellion. In the Old17300:17:18,300 –> 00:17:22,780Testament, as you know well, we have the story of Job. A good and a godly man,17400:17:22,780 –> 00:17:28,780a man wonderfully blessed by God. His family was blessed, his business was17500:17:28,839 –> 00:17:34,540blessed. Job was living the dream as we would say until one day, through a series17600:17:34,540 –> 00:17:40,880of disasters, this good and godly man lost everything. And Job said, you17700:17:40,880 –> 00:17:47,920remember these famous words the Lord gave the Lord has taken away blessed be17800:17:47,920 –> 00:17:55,420the name of the Lord. Now that’s what a godly person says. An ungodly person, a17900:17:55,459 –> 00:17:59,160discontented person says something different. You see the discontented18000:17:59,160 –> 00:18:05,780person says the Lord gave and he should have given more the Lord has taken away18100:18:05,780 –> 00:18:09,000and he should not have done that18200:18:09,000 –> 00:18:15,300which is why Jude speaks about the harsh things that ungodly sinners speak18300:18:15,300 –> 00:18:22,300against God. See discontent is a hellish thing because at its heart it is a18400:18:22,300 –> 00:18:26,699rebellion against God. Any person who believes in a sovereign God and then is18500:18:26,699 –> 00:18:32,420discontent is guilty of rebellion because God is sovereign, over all of my18600:18:32,420 –> 00:18:32,959life18700:18:32,959 –> 00:18:41,199Paul pictures it this way in the book of Romans. He said imagine a piece of18800:18:41,199 –> 00:18:47,060clay saying to the Potter whose hands mold it18900:18:47,660 –> 00:18:55,380why are you making me like this why have you made me like this? Have you ever19000:18:55,380 –> 00:19:00,739said that to God? God you should have done something different and remember19100:19:00,739 –> 00:19:04,359how the Apostle Paul answers that he says who are you a man to talk back to19200:19:04,359 –> 00:19:13,800God? He’s God but you see all this content at its heart is an expression of19300:19:13,920 –> 00:19:18,739horrible rebellion against God it’s a manifestation of pride it’s an expression19400:19:18,739 –> 00:19:25,319of rebellion it is thirdly a fruit of unbelief and this is why we read from19500:19:25,319 –> 00:19:31,920Exodus and chapter 17 this morning it tells the story of how God’s people had19600:19:31,920 –> 00:19:37,300been greatly blessed they had been brought out of slavery in Egypt they had19700:19:37,300 –> 00:19:41,880crossed the Red Sea without getting their feet wet God had given them manna19800:19:42,180 –> 00:19:47,839feed them in the wilderness and here’s something fascinating why is it that19900:19:47,839 –> 00:19:57,140those who are most evidently blessed are often most discontent20000:19:57,140 –> 00:20:02,280maimai this was an overwhelming impression made upon me the very first20100:20:02,280 –> 00:20:08,520time I came to India meeting brothers and sisters who have so much less than I20200:20:08,520 –> 00:20:15,800have in my life so much less than the vast majority of us have and seeing that20300:20:15,800 –> 00:20:20,959there was a far greater general level of contentment among Christian believers20400:20:20,959 –> 00:20:29,599than typically is experienced here why is that that so often those who are20500:20:29,599 –> 00:20:35,239blessed the most are content least why would that be and the answer of course20600:20:35,500 –> 00:20:40,780is that contentment has nothing whatsoever to do with what you have or20700:20:40,780 –> 00:20:47,719what you do not have in life contentment is a condition of heart that is why20800:20:47,719 –> 00:20:52,920adding to what you have cannot bring contentment it just doesn’t work it20900:20:52,920 –> 00:20:56,839doesn’t happen the, world always says to us if you can bring what you have up to21000:20:56,839 –> 00:21:00,160what you want then you will be content it never happens what you want just21100:21:00,160 –> 00:21:09,000moves. Contentment is a condition of heart now at one point God’s people who21200:21:09,000 –> 00:21:12,199had been so greatly blessed they come to a place21300:21:12,199 –> 00:21:17,160where they had no water now that is a legitimate concern and there obviously21400:21:17,160 –> 00:21:22,479are times in life where we may have a legitimate concern as to how God will21500:21:22,479 –> 00:21:29,400supply what we need but what happened was that their legitimate concern21600:21:29,640 –> 00:21:38,920metastasized into unbelief verse 7 of Exodus 17 they tested the Lord by21700:21:38,920 –> 00:21:49,040saying is the Lord among us or not now here are redeemed people God’s people21800:21:49,040 –> 00:21:54,479brought through the Red Sea and within a very short space of time they have lost21900:21:54,479 –> 00:22:01,140confidence that God is with them if you no longer believe that God is with you22000:22:01,140 –> 00:22:06,420you will no longer be confident that he will supply what you need and it will22100:22:06,420 –> 00:22:10,500not be long there for before the grumbling at the complaining begins and22200:22:10,500 –> 00:22:14,800you will find yourself sliding into the hellish sin of discontent because it is22300:22:14,800 –> 00:22:19,560the fruit of unbelief it arises from a loss of confidence22400:22:19,560 –> 00:22:24,199that God is actually with you that he cares for you and that he will as we’re22500:22:24,199 –> 00:22:30,239gonna see later in this series wonderfully supply all that you need22600:22:30,239 –> 00:22:34,500as a word of warning in today’s broadcast it’s the first part of a22700:22:34,500 –> 00:22:39,160message called the hellish sin of discontent contentment doesn’t mean22800:22:39,160 –> 00:22:43,939you’re indifferent to what’s going on in the world or your own circumstances what22900:22:43,939 –> 00:22:48,099it means is you’re not going to be controlled by them moving from anger to23000:22:48,099 –> 00:22:54,699peace from frustration to satisfaction from anxiety to trust the Apostle Paul23100:22:54,699 –> 00:22:59,660wrote that he learned the secret of being content and so can we and that’s23200:22:59,660 –> 00:23:04,660what this series is all about the series is called The Art of Contentment and if23300:23:04,660 –> 00:23:08,380you ever miss one of the series it’s easy to catch up or go back and listen23400:23:08,380 –> 00:23:14,400again online at our website OpenTheBible.org.uk or as a podcast on all23500:23:14,400 –> 00:23:20,560the main podcast sites search for Open the Bible UK. Open the Bible is supported23600:23:20,560 –> 00:23:25,040by our listeners and if you already give to support the work we want to say a big23700:23:25,040 –> 00:23:29,239thank you. If you’ve been considering beginning to support Open the Bible23800:23:29,239 –> 00:23:33,859financially this month if you are able to set up a new direct debit to the work23900:23:33,859 –> 00:23:38,219of Open the Bible in the amount of five pounds per month or more or a one-off24000:23:38,219 –> 00:23:42,760gift of fifty pounds or more we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy24100:23:42,900 –> 00:23:47,339of Pastor Colin’s book Fly Through the Bible. If you’d like to receive that free24200:23:47,339 –> 00:23:53,260gift don’t forget don’t give anonymously and do leave your address. Colin what do24300:23:53,260 –> 00:23:57,920you hope that readers of this book will take away from it? Well the people will24400:23:57,920 –> 00:24:02,880see that the whole Bible is one story and that it all points to the Lord24500:24:02,880 –> 00:24:07,359Jesus Christ. You know I think many folks know some stories from the Bible you24600:24:07,380 –> 00:24:11,319know David and Goliath, Jonah and the whale and so forth and so on. But I find that24700:24:11,520 –> 00:24:16,500often people don’t realize that there really is an overall storyline to the24800:24:16,500 –> 00:24:21,380Bible. It begins in a garden, it ends in a city, all the way through it’s about the24900:24:21,380 –> 00:24:27,040Lord Jesus Christ. So when a person gets an overview of the Bible, that’s the best25000:24:27,040 –> 00:24:31,839way to be introduced to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. This is going to show you25100:24:31,839 –> 00:24:37,660who he is, why we need him, what he’s accomplished, what he offers, what he’s25200:24:37,660 –> 00:24:42,459able to do in the life of any person who turns to him in repentance and faith.25300:24:42,459 –> 00:24:45,959Well we’d love to send you a copy of Pastor Colin’s book, Fly Through the25400:24:45,959 –> 00:24:50,339Bible, if you’re able to set up a new direct debit to the work of Open The25500:24:50,339 –> 00:24:55,099Bible for five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of fifty pounds or25600:24:55,099 –> 00:24:59,280more this month. Don’t forget to leave your address so that we can send you25700:24:59,280 –> 00:25:03,920your free gift. You can find full terms and conditions and you can give online25800:25:04,180 –> 00:25:10,420at our website openthebible.org.uk. For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin25900:25:10,420 –> 00:25:19,199Smith, I’m David Pick and we’ll see you next time.26000:25:19,199 –> 00:25:27,199Discontent can be very costly. Find out why next time on Open The Bible.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Contentment does not mean that you are indifferent to your circumstances. It means that you are not controlled by your circumstances. Contentment is about moving from anger to peace, from frustration to satisfaction, and from anxiety to trust. The apostle Paul says that he “learned” the secret of contentment, and so can you!

Colin Smith

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