HOW TO OBTAIN TRUE CONTENTMENT #2

We are witnessing a major increase within our society as a whole, of excessive self centeredness.  This societal increase in narcissism is apparent in many homes, and churches.   Today people feel entitled,  this exaggerated sense of entitlement has fed the frenzied overspending which is now drowning so many people in debt. For many today their carnal pleasure has become their treasure.   As  a result many today are, “Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God”  2ND Tim 3:4

    As odd as this may sound  to worship and exalt self, is to worship and exalt Satan.  The more we make it all about us and our carnal desires, the more we make it all about Satan.  We are told that as this age comes to a close, many will exalt their carnal desires above God.  Most People today  desire and love carnal pleasure more than they love God. Today we are witnessing what happens when desires go wild,  The extreme narcissism of our time is energizing the pursuit of carnal pleasure on an unprecedented scale.   The greatest danger is when we began to place self and self love, above the will and way of God,  we lose our ability to be truly content.

John sounded the following warning. “15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 Jn 2:15-16). As we shall see all of the various hindrances that we encounter in this life are linked in some way to the pursuit of these three items, 1. the lust of the flesh, 2. the lust of the eyes, and 3. the pride of life. In order to over comers, when it comes to our personal hindrances and stumbling blocks we must have the victory in these three distinct areas of our lives.

    From the beginning Satan realized that the most effect way to cause us to stumble is by manipulating our desires. Therefore he sought to manipulate Eve’s desires, knowing full well that the wrong choice would follow.  At the heart of these manipulated desires are three items which from Eden up until now has caused the downfall of many.   6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, (#1. lust of the flesh),  and that it was pleasant to the eyes, (#2. lust of the eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise, (#3. the pride of life)  she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. Gen 3:6.    

   The road of discontentment is crowded with those who have made it their lifelong goal to pursue these three items.  These are the three areas where Eve was tempted and stumbled in Eden.  These are also the three areas where Satan tempted Christ, in the wilderness.   We class these three items as #1. The things that feel good,  #2. The things that look good, and  #3. The things that make us look good.  (we call them F-L-M for short).   

   These are the three items which gave Satan power over Eve, and eventually over humankind.   These three items which gives Satan power over us, don't come from Satan, they originate in us.   As we saw earlier  The scriptures speaks of individuals who are consumed with an insatiable urge for carnal pleasures, possessions, and position.   Those who put their hopes of obtaining contentment, via the obtaining  these items will be sadly disapointed.  "They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied.  2nd Pet 2:14, (NLT).