The Foundation of Contentment

“Contentment is not having all you 
want, but wanting all you have.”

Ill-gotten gain always comes with the attached string of eventual guilt. That is why there are many who are increased with goods yet decreased in their ability to enjoy them.

A known principle we see and illustrated by Solomon is: “Contentment is not having all you want, but wanting all you have.” Only the Lord Jesus Christ can give us the capacity to rejoice over what God has given us already. Thank God today for what you have. Contentment and gratitude are opposite sides of the same coin.

One preacher said this about marriage, “If you ever leave your wife, you will not leave her on the same day you are on your knees thanking God for her.” A grateful heart is the foundation of contentment in life.

“I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

Philippians 4:11

–Tim Cruse

Another Spirit

“But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me 

fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.”

–Numbers 14:24

Some things we learn from the life of Caleb:

1. He walked by faith, stood apart from the crowd & looked for the hand of  God in situations.
2. Caleb asked, “Where is God in this?”, “What is He trying to do and to teach me?”. “I must deal with this in faith!”, “We are well able...”.
3. Caleb wasn’t surface, shallow or small-minded. He was a man of content, character and commitment.
4. People with vision truly from God have an uncommon depth to them. Their spirit is resilient, reassuring and refreshing.
5. While others dwell on the giants of life and fall by the way, Calebs dwell on the mountains of promise and keep going.
6. Obtaining the mountain God has for us will involve waiting on God, wading through problems and wanting it more than anything else.
7. When the want for what God wants for us increases, the want for what we want for us decreases.
8. There is no price too great for a reward that is far greater!

–Tim Cruse

With My Whole Heart

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.” – Psalm 119:1,2

With an upright, sincere whole-heartedness, I want to ask the Lord to:

1. Draw Me Nearer – "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." (vs. 10)

2. Give Me Understanding – "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart." (vs. 34)

3. Shine On Me – "I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word." (vs. 58)

4. Help Me to Do Right – "The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart." (vs. 69)

5. Deliver Me – "I cried with my whole heart; hear me O LORD: I will keep thy statutes." (vs. 145)

Sin will keep you from this Book – "They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law." (vs. 150)

This Book will keep you from sin – "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." (vs. 11)

This message can be listened to in its entirety at shininglightmonroe.com or by clicking here

–Tim Cruse