I write this not as a commander surveying the field of battle, but as a soldier in the thick of the conflict. Contentment is something which the soul so desperately desires, and yet the flesh so eagerly rejects. The Spirit needs the sustenance of the Lord, while the flesh desires the sustenance of this world. A man can be fully fed, and yet remain spiritually starved.<\/p>\n
By nature man is discontent. We owe this hereditary trait to the events in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve had every reason to be content. The Lord had given them paradise in which to dwell, and yet the appeal of something more led to a fall into something less. Looking at this, it is hard not to parallel this event with our everyday comings and goings. O, how often we reach for the fruit of the tree of sin, all the while forsaking the contentment of Christ. Man is by his fallen nature, a discontent being.<\/p>\n
The same trick that Satan used in Genesis 3, he uses again in Matthew 4. Satan mistakenly believes that this desire for more that caused humanity to fall will claim Jesus. The exchange goes as follows:<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.\u201d But he answered, \u201cIt is written, \u201c\u2018Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.\u2019\u201d (Mt. 4:3-4).<\/em><\/p>\n In his response, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3 where there is an underlying question which we all must answer; are you living by every word that comes from the mouth of God? Looking back at Genesis 3 we see that Adam failed to abide by this decree. The Lord gave him a command, and he disobeyed. Adam tasted of the fruit and perished; the Israelites tasted of the manna and perished; Adam disobeyed the words which came from the mouth of God; the Israelites disobeyed the words which came from the mouth of God. Jesus is making an assertion which we all must heed; the way of life is found on the path of God\u2019s word. Any time we step off of the path that has been clearly laid before us, we are in danger of discontentment and death.<\/p>\n Now allow me to apply this in my personal life for a moment. Some of us are tempted with a desire for things, others, a desire for power. My struggles have come in the form of loneliness<\/em>. For many years I have allowed loneliness to lead me to believe I am missing something (someone). It is a foolish thing to think that the Spiritual chasm that separates man from his Creator can be bridged with anything found on this earth. And yet there I was (and occasionally still am) doubting the satisfaction that the Lord provides. To put it in another manner; it is akin to a man seeking to swim across the ocean. While for a fleeting moment it may seem as though he will make it to the end of the horizon, the horizon does not end for weeks. Over time this man will lose his energy and drive, and eventually he will drown. I am this man. My discontentment is deep-rooted in a selfish desire. This desire is that I will find satisfaction in the things of this world, just like Adam. I sought to swim across the ocean and failed many times.<\/p>\n Charles Spurgeon once eloquently stated;<\/p>\n \u201cContentment\u00a0is one of the flowers of heaven and if we would have it, it must be cultivated. It will not grow in us by nature. It is the new nature alone that can produce it and even then we must be especially careful and watchful that we maintain and cultivate the grace which God has sown in us\u2026Remember that a man\u2019s\u00a0contentment\u00a0is in his mind, not in the extent of his possessions. Alexander with all the world at his feet, cries for another world to conquer\u2026 But how easy it is for a man to be\u00a0contented\u00a0when he knows that God has promised to be with him in\u00a0all\u00a0circumstances and at\u00a0all\u00a0times.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n If we are to be satisfied, we must cultivate the garden of our hearts by planting the seed of the Word.<\/p>\n I close with this; there is hope. True contentment is found in knowing and savoring Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ is our all, we need nothing else; and if he is not our all, then all that we have will never satisfy us. I cannot say I have arrived, but I can say that I am learning. Satisfaction is not so much a simple equation to be solved, as it is a problem that will need to be worked out. Take to heart the rebuttal of Christ in Matthew 4, for it is only when we feed on the word of God that we will be truly fed. Let this be a cry from the battle field from a fellow soldier of Christ: seek contentment in the word of God, and you will find contentment in the God of the word.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I write this not as a commander surveying the field of battle, but as a soldier in the thick of the conflict. Contentment is something which the soul so desperately desires, and yet the flesh so eagerly rejects. The Spirit needs the sustenance of the Lord, while the flesh desires the sustenance of this world. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":687,"featured_media":3501,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,27,32],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-3500","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-faith","8":"category-gospel","9":"category-theology","10":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/02\/spurgeon-portrait-roney.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5603,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/overcoming-anxiety\/","url_meta":{"origin":3500,"position":0},"title":"Overcoming Anxiety","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"April 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Click HERE for sermon audio Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.\u00a05\u00a0Let your reasonableness[d]\u00a0be known to everyone.\u00a0The Lord is at hand;\u00a06\u00a0do not be anxious about anything,\u00a0but in everything by prayer and supplication\u00a0with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.\u00a07\u00a0And\u00a0the peace of God,\u00a0which surpasses all understanding,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sermon"","block_context":{"text":"Sermon","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/sermon\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/04\/2020_04_08_st-paul3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/04\/2020_04_08_st-paul3.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/04\/2020_04_08_st-paul3.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2023\/04\/2020_04_08_st-paul3.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3628,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/do-not-love-the-world-commentary-on-1-john-215-17\/","url_meta":{"origin":3500,"position":1},"title":"Do Not Love the World: Commentary on 1 John 2:15-17","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"September 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 \u00a0 Introduction \u00a0 We often hear it said that Christians are to be all about love and acceptance. We are to love anything and everything about anybody with no distinctions, no judging, and no nothing. While it is true that Christians are to be known by their love, it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/09\/1571826-city-coast-party-fog-high-rise-river-skyline-china-photocase-stock-photo-large.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/09\/1571826-city-coast-party-fog-high-rise-river-skyline-china-photocase-stock-photo-large.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/09\/1571826-city-coast-party-fog-high-rise-river-skyline-china-photocase-stock-photo-large.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/09\/1571826-city-coast-party-fog-high-rise-river-skyline-china-photocase-stock-photo-large.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3472,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-saints-desire\/","url_meta":{"origin":3500,"position":2},"title":"A Saint’s Desire","author":"Edward Larow","date":"January 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\"I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.\" - Phil. 1:23 Many of us struggle to find purpose in this life. Underlying this search for purpose is a deep desire for fulfillment. Consumerism has taken hold of this truth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Culture"","block_context":{"text":"Culture","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/culture\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/misty_morning-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/misty_morning-scaled.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/misty_morning-scaled.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/misty_morning-scaled.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/misty_morning-scaled.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2018\/01\/misty_morning-scaled.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5839,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/blessed-from-zion\/","url_meta":{"origin":3500,"position":3},"title":"Blessed from Zion","author":"Joshua Jenkins","date":"July 3, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"May the\u00a0Lord\u00a0bless you\u00a0from Zion, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0he who made heaven and earth! (Psalm 134:3) As we come to the Lord\u2019s Table each week near the end of worship, this is one of the ways in which the Lord blesses us, His people. 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This is one of the most astounding acts of God\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Commentary","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/category\/commentary\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/04\/bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/04\/bible.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/04\/bible.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2019\/04\/bible.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1572,"url":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/a-biblical-theology-of-holiness\/","url_meta":{"origin":3500,"position":5},"title":"A Biblical Theology of Holiness","author":"Edward Larow","date":"May 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"SETTING THE STAGE In the beginning God spoke all things into being with the mere utterance of his voice. There was not a thing that was made apart from His sovereign decree. One creature, man, was the pinnacle of God\u2019s creation. For man was created in the image and likeness\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"bible\"","block_context":{"text":"bible","link":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/tag\/bible\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/large_the-essential-warfare-for-holiness-kzsbisil.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/large_the-essential-warfare-for-holiness-kzsbisil.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/large_the-essential-warfare-for-holiness-kzsbisil.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/large_the-essential-warfare-for-holiness-kzsbisil.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/large_the-essential-warfare-for-holiness-kzsbisil.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2017\/05\/large_the-essential-warfare-for-holiness-kzsbisil.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/687"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3500"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3500\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3501"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/joshuajenkins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}