Message Notes for August 8, 2021
Series: Contentment Title: What Makes You Content?

What makes you content?
The World’s contentment vs. God’s Contentment?
Ephesians 3:14-1914 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family[c] in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Our contentment doesn’t depend on ourselves or others- which will fail. But on God’s power – He will provide it for us,
When we are rooted in Him, growing, thriving, firm — only then can we understand what Contentment really is.
Philippians 4:11-13 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

God’s contentment leads us in every situation.

Corinthians 12:7-10 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Unmeasurable, undeserved, unearned – grace is all we need, it is the story of God being for us…. When we focus on this when we rely on His Grace and love to get us through, we find contentment. The starting place is Him not us.
What makes you content?

Family/Group Study Notes for August 8, 2021
Series: Contentment, Title: What Makes You Content?

Where have you tried to find contentment in the past: people, places, objects, feelings etc.? How has that worked out for you? – explain. Why do you think people look at so many different things to find contentment?
What is contentment? Why is it so often so elusive to find? Why do you think people are less at peace and less contented now than at almost any other time? What is the source of most people’s contentment?
Read Ephesians 3:14-19 How does being rooted and grounded in the love of Christ help you find contentment? It says that Christ can dwell in our hearts through faith, as we seek contentment why don’t we have faith that He will supply it – why do we look at outside sources?
Vs 18 says may we understand the love of Christ in us, that we gain the fullness of God and understand the breadth, length, heighth and depth of His surpassing love for us. How does our life change if we understand this concept? How does this knowledge bring contentment?
Read Philippians 4:11-13 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – How does changing our focus to God help us find contentment? How does He strengthen us in our lowest points? How easy is it to find contentment when we are at the lowest? Why is that difficult? Contentment doesn’t mean that all is well, it means we must rely on a power outside of us to help us move through the dark times. How does God’s love do this?
How would your view of contentment change if our focus was on seeking Him versus finding contentment somewhere else? What is one step this week you are going to take to move away from the world’s contentment and move toward finding contentment in God’s love?