The Hellish Sin of Discontent, Part 1 (The Art of Contentment)

Jude 14-16

In this episode, we kickstart a compelling four-week series titled “The Art of Contentment.” Pastor Colin delves deep into the concept of discontentment, boldly describing it as a “hellish sin,” a phrase inspired by the 17th-century pastor, Thomas Boston. Join us as we explore how discontent stems from pride, rebellion, and unbelief, and learn why it’s crucial to address these roots for a more content and peace-filled life.

This message will challenge you to reevaluate how you perceive discontentment in your own life and see it through a biblical lens. Pastor Colin draws from Scripture, specifically Exodus chapter 17, to guide us on a journey from anger, frustration, and anxiety to peace, satisfaction, and trust.

100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:09,760We will only get serious about pursuing contentment if and when we are convinced that the lack200:00:09,760 –> 00:00:14,280of it is a hellish sin in our lives.300:00:14,280 –> 00:00:18,700Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. Glad you could join400:00:18,700 –> 00:00:24,120us today and Colin, that’s quite a bold statement – discontent is a hellish sin?500:00:24,120 –> 00:00:29,320Well I first came across that from one of my Scottish heroes, a man by the name of Thomas600:00:29,840 –> 00:00:33,400Winchester, called Boston, a marvellous pastor of an earlier century. And I found a sermon700:00:33,400 –> 00:00:38,900that he preached called The Hellish Sin of Discontent and I thought really. I mean I800:00:38,900 –> 00:00:41,959can think of a lot of sins that you might call hellish but discontent…900:00:41,959 –> 00:00:44,000It’s not the first one that comes to mind.1000:00:44,000 –> 00:00:47,919The first one that comes to mind. But you know as I looked at the Scriptures, I came1100:00:47,919 –> 00:00:53,480to the conclusion he was absolutely justified in describing it that way. This actually comes1200:00:53,480 –> 00:00:58,099from hell – it leads to hell – and it gives the experience and the taste of hell1300:00:58,259 –> 00:01:03,220as well. And here’s what I’ve found in my life – that coming to see that discontent1400:01:03,220 –> 00:01:07,959is a serious sin has actually brought me to the place of saying – I therefore have to1500:01:07,959 –> 00:01:12,580deal with that when I see it rearing it’s ugly head in my life and that’s the point1600:01:12,580 –> 00:01:17,680of the message today. We want to be able to name sins for what they are in order to come1700:01:17,680 –> 00:01:21,160against them more strongly and to seek the grace of God to overcome them.1800:01:21,160 –> 00:01:27,120Well, let’s get into that. In Exodus chapter 17, join us if you can, as we begin the message1900:01:27,239 –> 00:01:30,839The Hellish Sin of Discontent. Here is Pastor Colin2000:01:30,839 –> 00:01:37,559Today we begin a four-week series that is entitled the Art of Contentment. And if you2100:01:37,559 –> 00:01:42,839are wondering why we would devote the whole month of May to this one subject, there are2200:01:42,839 –> 00:01:50,639two reasons, there is always both a personal and a public element to the ministry of God’s2300:01:50,639 –> 00:01:55,760Word, that is it must come from the heart of the one who speaks according to what that2400:01:56,199 –> 00:02:01,839person has been taught in the scriptures and it must relate to the lives of the people.2500:02:01,839 –> 00:02:08,139That’s at the very heart of what the ministry of the Word is. And with regards first to2600:02:08,139 –> 00:02:17,679the personal element, some years ago I came to a place of wanting a greater sense of peace2700:02:17,720 –> 00:02:25,720in my own life. I have been privileged to serve for 36 years two very wonderful churches,2800:02:25,720 –> 00:02:34,320both of them in the suburbs of world-class cities. London and Chicago.2900:02:34,320 –> 00:02:42,119And there is, as all of us know, a relentlessness about life in our cities always chasing after3000:02:42,119 –> 00:02:49,639the next thing and I have to say I like that. I like it because I want to live flat-out3100:02:49,639 –> 00:02:54,820for the glory of God. But some time ago I came to a place of saying I have to find a3200:02:54,820 –> 00:03:03,600way of living flat-out for the glory of God from a greater sense of internal peace.3300:03:03,600 –> 00:03:09,179And so for some time now, some years, the subject of Contentment has been a focus of3400:03:09,179 –> 00:03:15,539my own thinking, my own reading, my own praying and learning and I hope at least to some extent3500:03:15,539 –> 00:03:16,940growing.3600:03:16,940 –> 00:03:25,059The second reason is the public one. We are in a season in our culture where anger is3700:03:25,059 –> 00:03:32,139increasingly characterizing public life. Someone said to me… an older person said to me recently3800:03:32,139 –> 00:03:38,119I don’t think I can remember in my life a time when so many people were angry for so3900:03:38,119 –> 00:03:46,419much of the time. People are frustrated. We don’t seem to be able to subdue the threat4000:03:46,419 –> 00:03:51,899of the terrorist. There doesn’t seem to be a clear vision around which people can unite4100:03:51,899 –> 00:03:56,800and as a result there’s a growing sense of anxiety that you can feel spreading from day4200:03:56,800 –> 00:03:57,800to day.4300:03:57,800 –> 00:04:06,880And I put these three words together. Anger, frustration, and anxiety. And think about4400:04:06,880 –> 00:04:14,039it this way, contentment is moving from anger to peace, it is moving from frustration to4500:04:14,039 –> 00:04:20,420satisfaction, and it is moving from anxiety to trust.4600:04:20,420 –> 00:04:25,779And so this series not only comes out of a personal journey of seeking the Lord, it also4700:04:25,779 –> 00:04:33,540speaks to I think a moment in which we find ourselves in public life in our own experience.4800:04:33,739 –> 00:04:41,459It speaks, I believe, to an issue that we desperately need to come to terms with today.4900:04:41,459 –> 00:04:47,399Now my own journey with regards to contentment began, as I said some years ago, when I came5000:04:47,399 –> 00:04:50,059across, and I remember when it really began.5100:04:50,059 –> 00:04:57,100I came across a sermon by one of my heroes of the faith, a seventeenth century pastor5200:04:57,100 –> 00:05:02,320by the name of Thomas Boston, and I found this sermon that Boston preached and he called5300:05:02,380 –> 00:05:09,380it, the hellish sin of discontent, and I looked at that, the hellish sin of discontent and5400:05:12,779 –> 00:05:14,140my first thought was, really?5500:05:14,140 –> 00:05:21,140I mean the hellish sin of murder, maybe, but discontent?5600:05:24,140 –> 00:05:31,140Was Thomas Boston exaggerating when he used this title or was he justified in his description?5700:05:32,640 –> 00:05:38,859I’ve become convinced that he was entirely justified in his description and that is why5800:05:38,859 –> 00:05:45,359I am using his title for this message today. We are beginning this series with a focus5900:05:46,179 –> 00:05:52,600on the sin of discontent and it’s nature for this reason that we will only get serious6000:05:52,600 –> 00:05:58,440about pursuing contentment if and when we are convinced that the lack of it is a hellish6100:05:58,480 –> 00:06:05,320sin in our lives. And so my single aim for today is that by God’s grace, everyone of6200:06:05,320 –> 00:06:12,019us will come to the place by the end of the service of saying I never before saw my anger,6300:06:12,019 –> 00:06:19,019my frustration and my worry as a hellish sin, but I do now. And seeing that this discontent6400:06:20,459 –> 00:06:26,839is a hellish sin by the grace of God, I am going to set about pursuing a greater contentment6500:06:26,839 –> 00:06:32,260in my life. I am going to seek to take this journey from anger to peace, from frustration6600:06:32,260 –> 00:06:37,739to satisfaction, from worry to trust, and I am going to set about it by the grace of6700:06:37,739 –> 00:06:44,739God and with the help of God in this month of May 2016. Now I want us to begin in the6800:06:46,239 –> 00:06:50,220book of Jude, and this is perhaps the only time you will ever hear me say this from the6900:06:50,220 –> 00:06:56,119pulpit, I do not want you to look it up. We’ll get there in a moment, but I want first to7000:06:57,100 –> 00:07:03,160play fill in the blanks, so go with me on this just for a moment. Jude speaks about7100:07:03,160 –> 00:07:08,679the judgement of God that will come upon the wicked, and he says this, behold, the Lord7200:07:08,679 –> 00:07:15,679comes with ten thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment on all, and to convict7300:07:16,820 –> 00:07:23,779all the ungodly of their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly7400:07:23,959 –> 00:07:30,239way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.7500:07:30,239 –> 00:07:37,239Now four times in these two verses, you have a reference to the ungodly. God comes to execute7600:07:38,380 –> 00:07:45,380judgment on the ungodly. When judgment comes, God will bring it to the ungodly, and He will7700:07:45,739 –> 00:07:51,519convict them of their ungodly deeds and of what they have done in an ungodly way, and7800:07:51,519 –> 00:07:55,440the harsh words that ungodly sinners have spoken against God.7900:07:55,440 –> 00:07:59,480When you get the same word four times in two verses, you know what it’s about. It’s about8000:07:59,480 –> 00:08:06,480the ungodly and the judgment of God that comes upon them. Now, here’s the fill-in-the-blank.8100:08:06,880 –> 00:08:13,880Jude then tells us who the ungodly are. These, that is the ungodly, are this this. What do8200:08:13,899 –> 00:08:20,899you think is in the blank? The ones on whom God comes to execute judgement, these are8300:08:31,100 –> 00:08:38,099the murderers, for sure, adulterers, thieves, rapists, terrorists, for sure. But none of8400:08:38,599 –> 00:08:45,599them are mentioned here. These, the scripture says, are grumblers, malcontents, following8500:08:58,960 –> 00:09:04,260their own sinful desires. Now you should look it up and make sure that’s really what it8600:09:04,559 –> 00:09:11,559says, and I promise you that it is. The ungodly are the malcontents. So here is the 1st reason8700:09:18,659 –> 00:09:25,659that discontent is rightly described as a hellish sin. Discontent is a hellish sin because8800:09:27,039 –> 00:09:34,039Judah says very clearly it directly leads to hell. Hell comes because of this. God comes8900:09:34,299 –> 00:09:39,340to execute judgment on the ungodly. Who are the ungodly? They are the grumbling and the9000:09:39,340 –> 00:09:46,340malcontents. I looked up malcontent in my online dictionary and got from Miriam Webster9100:09:47,799 –> 00:09:54,7992 definitions, the short one malcontent, a person who is always or often unhappy. And9200:09:55,640 –> 00:10:02,640the longer one, a person who bears a grudge from a sense of grievance or thwarted ambition.9300:10:04,700 –> 00:10:11,700So let’s describe what that is, this discontent, this malcontent. What is it? Others seem to9400:10:12,159 –> 00:10:18,659have more going for them than you do. Better gifts, better looks, better opportunities9500:10:18,659 –> 00:10:25,659and you are not happy with what God has given to you. You may be frustrated in your marriage9600:10:25,739 –> 00:10:31,580or with your children. Other people seem to have compliant children and somehow you have9700:10:31,580 –> 00:10:37,559one who is not so easy and you are not happy about that. Your friend has a home that is9800:10:37,559 –> 00:10:43,020larger than yours, vacations that are more exotic than yours, it all comes from a salary9900:10:43,020 –> 00:10:47,659that is much larger than yours. And you look at that and you find yourself saying, now10000:10:47,659 –> 00:10:54,500why him, why her, why them, why not me? Your life is not as you want it to be, your family10100:10:54,500 –> 00:10:58,599is not as you want it to be, your work is not as you want it to be, your church is not10200:10:59,039 –> 00:11:06,039to be, you are not happy, you have a sense of grievance about you and if that gets hold10300:11:07,140 –> 00:11:13,619and takes root in your heart, it will lead you to a very dark place indeed. So you have10400:11:13,619 –> 00:11:20,619to say to yourself, this is discontent and people are in hell because of this today.10500:11:20,679 –> 00:11:27,679And people are in hell because of this today, and Jesus Christ came to save me from sins10600:11:29,340 –> 00:11:36,340that lead to hell and I must therefore seek His help to deliver me from this hellish sin.10700:11:40,320 –> 00:11:45,260Discontent is a hellish sin because Jude very clearly says it leads to hell.10800:11:46,140 –> 00:11:53,140What a sobering place to pause the message. But we will be back very shortly, so do stay10900:11:53,900 –> 00:11:58,760with us. The message is called the hellish sin of discontent and it is one of the most11000:11:58,760 –> 00:12:04,219downloaded and listened to broadcasts of the last 12 months. We have included it in our11100:12:04,219 –> 00:12:09,700series, Listener Favourites 2026 and you can easily catch up or go back and listen again11200:12:10,119 –> 00:12:17,119Discontent is a hellish sin because it comes from hell. Remember that hell is a place of11300:12:29,020 –> 00:12:36,020perpetual discontent. People in hell are always angry and never at peace. But many people11400:12:40,460 –> 00:12:47,460in hell are always frustrated and never satisfied. Discontent is a defining characteristic of11500:12:51,320 –> 00:12:58,320hell itself. And that is surely the significance of our Lord’s words. Do you remember how11600:12:58,619 –> 00:13:04,619He described the experience of hell? He said, there there shall be weeping and gnashing11700:13:04,659 –> 00:13:11,659of teeth. What content would you put into the description gnashing of teeth? What does11800:13:13,140 –> 00:13:20,140gnashing of teeth convey? Surely it conveys this – to be always angry and never at peace.11900:13:21,599 –> 00:13:28,599To be always frustrated and never satisfied. Now there are three sins that lie behind discontent12000:13:29,440 –> 00:13:36,440and they are the characteristic and even the original sins of hell itself. They are pride,12100:13:37,260 –> 00:13:42,760rebellion and unbelief. It is for this reason that I say that discontent not only leads12200:13:42,760 –> 00:13:49,440to hell, it actually comes from hell. It’s characteristic of it. Think of this, discontent12300:13:49,440 –> 00:13:55,280first is a manifestation of pride and Jude in the verses that we looked at a moment ago12400:13:55,359 –> 00:14:01,320immediately makes this identification. These the ungodly are the grumblers and12500:14:01,320 –> 00:14:06,820the malcontents, they’re following through on their own sinful desire. They are loud12600:14:06,820 –> 00:14:11,960mouthed boasters. So there you are, he goes straight to pride because that’s at its root,12700:14:11,960 –> 00:14:18,960discontent is at its heart a manifestation of pride because it flows from a heart that12800:14:19,940 –> 00:14:26,039says, I deserve better than God has given to me.12900:14:26,039 –> 00:14:32,520And of course that was the original sin of Satan and the fallen angels themselves. In13000:14:32,520 –> 00:14:36,780fact, in the letter of Jude, if you still have that open, as I hope you now do in front13100:14:36,780 –> 00:14:43,440of you, we have a reference to the angels who like Satan were not content to be the13200:14:43,559 –> 00:14:49,780servants of God. Verse 6, angels who did not stay within their position of authority but13300:14:49,780 –> 00:14:54,679left their proper dwelling. You see, here are angels and they are given positions of13400:14:54,679 –> 00:15:01,000authority in the reign of God itself in heaven. But there are some of these angels, Jude is13500:15:01,000 –> 00:15:08,000telling us who way back in the midst of pre time said, in effect, we deserve better than13600:15:08,440 –> 00:15:12,780what God has given to us. They were not content with their positions of authority. They are13700:15:12,780 –> 00:15:19,780not content now and of course they never will be. Thomas Forsten says this, the devil is13800:15:21,780 –> 00:15:28,780the proudest creature of all and the most discontented because pride and discontent13900:15:29,780 –> 00:15:36,780lodge under the same roof. Very memorable. Pride and discontent always go together. You14000:15:40,039 –> 00:15:44,539will always find them in the same place, always find them under the same roof and that is14100:15:44,539 –> 00:15:51,539why satan, the restless wanderer, never at peace, always discontent. The proudest creature,14200:15:51,659 –> 00:15:56,799the most discontent because the two belong under the same roof.14300:15:57,739 –> 00:16:04,739I deserve better than God has given to me. Friends if I catch myself thinking like that14400:16:07,760 –> 00:16:14,760I have to take myself in hand and I have to say to myself, I deserve better than God has14500:16:16,640 –> 00:16:23,640given to me. That is the polar opposite of everything I believe. I believe that God has14600:16:24,080 –> 00:16:31,080I believe that God has given me abundantly more than I deserve. I believe that what I14700:16:31,780 –> 00:16:38,659deserve is hell on earth followed by hell in hell. But God has not given me that, He14800:16:38,659 –> 00:16:45,599has loved me. He has given His Son for me. He has blessed me with every spiritual blessing14900:16:45,599 –> 00:16:50,520in Jesus Christ. He has given me all that I need for life and for godliness in all things15000:16:50,640 –> 00:16:55,400His love surrounds me, and in all things He works out His great purpose that now has become15100:16:55,400 –> 00:17:00,400my purpose, that a true reflection of the glory of His Son should be seen for my joy15200:17:00,400 –> 00:17:07,400and for His glory forever and forever in me.’ Discontent, it is a horrible manifestation15300:17:08,859 –> 00:17:15,859of pride. That’s what it is. Second, discontent is an expression of rebellion. In the Old15400:17:16,579 –> 00:17:22,780Testament, as you know well, we have the story of Job, a good and a godly man, a man wonderfully15500:17:22,780 –> 00:17:29,660blessed by God. His family was blessed. His business was blessed. Job was living the dream15600:17:29,660 –> 00:17:36,660as we would say until one day through a series of disasters this good and godly man lost15700:17:36,900 –> 00:17:41,020everything. And Job said, you remember these famous words,15800:17:41,140 –> 00:17:48,140The Lord gave. The Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Now that’s what a15900:17:49,239 –> 00:17:56,239godly person says. An ungodly person, a discontented person says something different. You see,16000:17:57,619 –> 00:18:03,920the discontented person says, the Lord gave and He should have given more. The Lord has16100:18:03,920 –> 00:18:10,920taken away and He should not have done that. Which is why Job was blessed. He had given16200:18:11,079 –> 00:18:18,079more. And this is why Jude speaks about the harsh things that ungodly sinners speak against16300:18:20,260 –> 00:18:26,160God. See, discontent is a hellish sin, because at it’s heart it is a rebellion against16400:18:26,160 –> 00:18:31,199God. Any person who believes in a sovereign God and then is discontent is guilty of rebellion16500:18:31,199 –> 00:18:38,520because God is sovereign. Over all of my life. Paul pictures it this way in the Book of Romans.16600:18:38,680 –> 00:18:46,859He said, Imagine a piece of clay saying to the potter whose hands mold it,16700:18:46,859 –> 00:18:56,280Why are you making me like this? Why have you made me like this? Have you ever said that to16800:18:56,280 –> 00:19:02,880God? God, you should have done something different. And remember how the Apostle Paul answers that.16900:19:02,880 –> 00:19:11,520He says, Who are you old man to talk back to God? He’s God. But you see all discontent at17000:19:11,520 –> 00:19:18,459its heart is an expression of horrible Rebellion against God. It’s a manifestation of pride. It’s17100:19:18,459 –> 00:19:26,339an expression of rebellion. It is thirdly a fruit of unbelief. And this is why we read from Exodus17200:19:26,420 –> 00:19:35,02017 this morning. It tells the story of how God’s people had been greatly blessed. They had been17300:19:35,020 –> 00:19:41,319brought out of slavery in Egypt. They had crossed the Red Sea without getting their feet wet. God17400:19:41,319 –> 00:19:46,400had given them manna to feed them in the wilderness. Here’s something fascinating. Why17500:19:47,319 –> 00:19:58,560is it that those who are most evidently blessed are often most discontent. Nimai,17600:19:58,560 –> 00:20:05,520this was an overwhelming impression made upon me the very first time I came to India, meeting17700:20:05,520 –> 00:20:11,040brothers and sisters who have so much less than I have in my life, so much less than the vast17800:20:11,359 –> 00:20:20,400majority of us have, and seeing that there was a far greater general level of contentment among17900:20:20,400 –> 00:20:30,000Christian believers than typically is experienced here. Why is that? That so often those who are18000:20:30,000 –> 00:20:37,040blessed the most are content the least. Why would that be? The answer of course is that contentment18100:20:37,040 –> 00:20:44,000has nothing whatsoever to do with what you have or what you do not have in life. Contentment is18200:20:44,000 –> 00:20:52,800a condition of heart. That is why adding to what you have cannot bring contentment. It just doesn’t18300:20:52,800 –> 00:20:57,359work. It doesn’t happen. The world always says to us if you can bring what you have up to what18400:20:57,359 –> 00:21:01,119you want, then you will be content. It never happens. What you want just moves.18500:21:01,599 –> 00:21:04,959Contentment is a condition of heart.18600:21:07,439 –> 00:21:12,479Now at one point, God’s people who had been so greatly blessed, they come to a place18700:21:12,479 –> 00:21:18,640where they had no water. Now that is a legitimate concern. And there obviously are times in life18800:21:18,640 –> 00:21:24,760where we may have a legitimate concern as to how God will supply what we need.18900:21:24,760 –> 00:21:27,680But what happened was that their19000:21:27,839 –> 00:21:33,760legitimate concern metastasized into unbelief.19100:21:34,660 –> 00:21:37,300Verse 7 of Exodus 17,19200:21:45,500 –> 00:21:51,920Now here are redeemed people, God’s people brought through the Red Sea,19300:21:52,319 –> 00:21:57,280and within a very short space of time they have lost confidence that God is with them.19400:21:58,619 –> 00:22:01,859If you no longer believe that God is with you19500:22:01,859 –> 00:22:06,319you will no longer be confident that he will supply what you need19600:22:06,319 –> 00:22:11,000and it will not be long before the grumbling, the complaining begins19700:22:11,000 –> 00:22:14,640and you will find yourself sliding into the hellish sin of discontent19800:22:14,640 –> 00:22:17,000because it is the fruit of unbelief.19900:22:18,280 –> 00:22:21,780It arises from a loss of confidence that God is actually with you20000:22:21,979 –> 00:22:23,839and that he cares for you20100:22:23,839 –> 00:22:26,520and that he will, as we are going to see later in this series20200:22:26,520 –> 00:22:30,140wonderfully supply all that you need.20300:22:31,660 –> 00:22:33,479A word of warning in today’s broadcast20400:22:33,479 –> 00:22:35,020the message is called20500:22:35,020 –> 00:22:37,020the hellish sin of discontent20600:22:37,020 –> 00:22:41,260and we will be back with the second half of this message in the next broadcast20700:22:41,560 –> 00:22:42,900so I hope you’ll join us for that.20800:22:43,359 –> 00:22:45,339If you ever miss one of the messages20900:22:45,339 –> 00:22:47,339you can easily catch up or go back and listen again21000:23:17,400 –> 00:23:18,939if you listen to the program regularly21100:23:18,939 –> 00:23:22,640you will know that Open the Bible is supported by our listeners21200:23:22,640 –> 00:23:24,640and if you already support Open the Bible financially21300:23:24,640 –> 00:23:27,079thank you so much21400:23:27,079 –> 00:23:30,079if giving to support Open the Bible is something you are considering21500:23:30,079 –> 00:23:32,079this month we have a great offer for you21600:23:32,079 –> 00:23:36,239here is Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham to tell us about it21700:23:36,839 –> 00:23:39,020How do we become more loving people?21800:23:39,439 –> 00:23:41,579It’s something many of us long for21900:23:41,719 –> 00:23:43,479but it’s not always easy22000:23:43,760 –> 00:23:47,479The good news is that the more we experience God’s love22100:23:47,479 –> 00:23:51,619the more we are changed to love him and those around us22200:23:52,000 –> 00:23:56,439grow in love by pastor Colin smith is a new 30-day devotional22300:23:56,439 –> 00:23:59,819that explores one of the defining marks of the christian life22400:23:59,819 –> 00:24:05,219through daily bible readings, thoughtful teaching and practical application22500:24:05,219 –> 00:24:07,579pastor colin helps you discover22600:24:07,579 –> 00:24:10,219how God’s love can shape your heart22700:24:10,219 –> 00:24:12,219strengthen your relationships22800:24:12,339 –> 00:24:14,959and overflow into the lives of others22900:24:15,719 –> 00:24:17,500whether you’re new to these devotionals23000:24:17,500 –> 00:24:20,300or you’ve already enjoyed growing faith and growing hope23100:24:20,619 –> 00:24:22,719this final book stands on its own23200:24:22,719 –> 00:24:27,160while completing a wonderful journey through the three enduring gifts23300:24:27,160 –> 00:24:29,239of faith, hope and love23400:24:29,979 –> 00:24:34,079this month Openthebible is offering a free copy of growing love23500:24:34,079 –> 00:24:37,239when you give a one-off gift of at least £6023600:24:37,239 –> 00:24:40,760or begin a new direct debit of at least £5 a month23700:24:41,300 –> 00:24:43,300to donate and get your free copy23800:24:43,300 –> 00:24:46,339visit openthebible.org.uk today23900:24:46,339 –> 00:24:49,459and don’t forget to leave your name and address24000:24:49,459 –> 00:24:52,060well we’d love to send you a copy of Colin’s book24100:24:52,060 –> 00:24:53,160GROW IN LOVE24200:24:53,160 –> 00:24:57,099when you come on board with the many folks who support Open The Bible24300:24:57,359 –> 00:24:59,540full terms and conditions are on our website24400:24:59,540 –> 00:25:02,719that’s at openthebible.org.uk24500:25:02,719 –> 00:25:04,479and you can give online24600:25:04,479 –> 00:25:06,819for Open-The-Bible and Pastor Colin Smith24700:25:06,819 –> 00:25:07,959I’m David Pick24800:25:07,959 –> 00:25:09,260glad you joined us today24900:25:09,319 –> 00:25:12,660I hope to see you again next time on Open The Bible25000:25:24,199 –> 00:25:26,979discontent can be very costly25100:25:26,979 –> 00:25:32,300find 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!

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