1 Timothy 6:11-12 (NKJV) But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
According to Dallas Willard, “The most important thing in your life is not what you do; it’s who you become. That’s what you will take into eternity.” In achieving success, we must also consider what we have become. Many people live miserably because they define prosperity as only money and achievements. There is nothing wrong with wealth and accomplishments if they are blessings from the Lord. When God blesses us, He adds no sorrow to it. Knowing that God has blessed us materially also keeps us humble.
Godliness with contentment is a great gain. We should desire to live a life that is blessed holistically, which includes having a close walk with God and good mental and physical health. Most importantly, seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness will allow us to experience blessings that are all-encompassing rather than just materially.
We should transform our minds by seeking a new identity in Christ. The Creator of heaven and earth accepts us, and what He thinks of us matters most in our lives. God loves us unconditionally and brings a priceless, quiet contentment that satisfies our hearts. This can coexist with achieving accomplishments. He leads us, and our identity is firmly grounded in who we are in Christ, even though the journey may not be easy. We operate from a position of rest in Him because we have nothing to prove to anyone, nobody to impress, and our entire purpose in everything we do is to glorify God.
The opening Scripture asks us to flee from the pride of life, the love of money, the lust of the eyes, and the world. God has a good plan for us, but we must be patient as He unveils His plan, and fight to resist the ways of the world and the identity the world imposes upon us. Instead, we should hold onto the Word soundly while disallowing the love of money to creep into our hearts.
1 Timothy 6:17b (NKJV) but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.
Do you view God more as a judge than a loving Heavenly Father and the Creator who has created everything for us to enjoy? Because some struggle to believe that God wants us to enjoy life with Him, they have turned away from Him in their pursuit of wealth to indulge in worldly pleasures, thus piercing themselves with many sorrows. The biblical truth is that God delights in our enjoyment of life and our success in work. However, we need to prioritise seeking Him first and trust Him to provide for us, help us in our jobs, inspire our creativity, nurture our careers, and accompany us through difficult times. Walk in the will of God and allow Him to bless you!
Sermon Series: Hopefully Contented
让祂祝福你
提摩太前书 6:11-12 但你这属神的人，要逃避这些事，追求公义、敬虔、信心、爱心、忍耐、温柔。为信仰打那美好的仗，持定永生，你为此被召，也在许多见证人面前做了那美好的见证。
根据达拉斯·威拉德的说法：“你生命中最重要的事情不是你做什么；而是你成为什么样的人。那才是你将要带着进入永恒的。”在取得成功时，我们还必须想想自己已经成了怎样的人。许多人悲催地活着，因为他们只以金钱和成就来定义兴旺。如果是来自上帝的祝福，那么财富与成就是完全没问题的。当神祝福我们的时候，祂并不加上忧虑。知道神已经在物质上祝福我们，这也使我们保持谦卑。
敬虔加上知足的心便是大利了。我们应该渴望活出一个全方位蒙福的生命，这包括与上帝亲密的关系以及良好的身心健康。最重要的是，首先寻求上帝的国和祂的义，使我们能够经历全面的祝福，而不仅仅是物质上的。
我们应当通过寻求基督里的新身份来更新我们的心意。创造天地的神接纳了我们，我们生命中最为重要的就是祂如何看待我们。神无条件地爱我们，这无价的、安静的满足感使我们的心满意。这种满足感可以与取得成就并存。祂引领我们，我们的身份牢牢扎根于我们在基督里的身份，尽管旅程可能不会一帆风顺。我们在祂里面坐享安息，并且以此为运作的支点，因为我们无需向任何人证明什么，也无需取悦任何人，我们所做的一切，都是为了荣耀神。
开篇的经文提醒我们，要逃避的是：今生的骄傲、贪爱金钱、眼目的情欲和世界的诱惑。神为我们预备了美好的计划，但当祂展开祂的计划时，我们必须要有耐心，并要争战，以抵挡世界的方式和世界强加给我们的身份。相反，我们应当坚守神的话语，同时不允许对钱财的贪恋潜入我们的心中。
提摩太前书 6:17b 只要依靠那厚赐百物给我们享受的神
你是否更多地将神视为审判者，而非慈爱的天父和为我们创造万物以供我们享受的创造主？因为有些人难以相信神希望我们与祂一起享受生活，他们在追求财富时远离了祂，沉溺于世俗的享乐，因此以许多愁苦刺透自己。圣经的真理是，神喜悦我们享受生活和在工作中取得成功。然而，我们需要优先寻求祂，并相信祂会供应我们，帮助我们的工作，激发我们的创造力，培养我们的事业，并陪伴我们渡过艰困。行在神的旨意中吧，让祂祝福你！
讲章系列: 希望知足
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