BY JACK WARD
PASTOR, TOMAHAWK MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat. “Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked.
“Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman.
“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked.
“What would I do with them?”
“You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”
The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”
“You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist.
“What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea.
Hebrews 13:5: “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and content with such things as ye have…”
We live in an increasingly discontented world. People aren’t happy with what they have and they want more. That is, they think that they want more. People think something newer, better and fancier will make them happier.
A man was dissatisfied with his wife and wanted to divorce her for a woman who would fulfill his life and dreams. But first he had to find this perfect woman. He put a description on one of those internet dating sites describing the woman of his dreams. He excitedly went to the computer a week later and had a match. He was so excited. “This woman would be everything I need and could hope for, the perfect woman!”
To his complete dismay and surprise the woman who replied was his own wife! She too had been looking for the perfect man! Needless to say they both had a wonderful chuckle and are now happily contented in their marriage.
God is contented with us. This means we are worth all He has done to save us from our sins. He is contented with Christ; therefore, if you are in Christ, He is contented with you. He is satisfied with being our Savior. But why do so many look elsewhere instead of Christ? Why are we not satisfied with Him?
Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” God rejoices over you with joy. God sings about us! Now I’m not saying that we are deserving of any of this. It is by God’s grace and love that He has chosen to redeem us, but there is no doubt that God has moved heaven and earth to bring us, His most prized possession, back to Him.
This means that God doesn’t need you to DO MORE for Him. God just wants you to follow Jesus in faith and in trust. You can’t do anything for God. You can only have faith in God, and in that faith God will use you to accomplish His purposes.
Hebrews 13:5: “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
God is committed to you. He will never, no, not ever leave thee nor forsake thee.
If God is committed to you, what would change His mind? Malachi 3:6: “I am the Lord, I change not.” Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Nothing can change God’s mind about you! He is committed to you. He is content with all He has done to save you. He is content with you because of your faith in Jesus Christ. The question is: Are you committed to Him? Are you content with Him?
Hear Pastor Jack’s sermons, outlines and more at www.tomahawkmbc.com.