Dr. Jeff Fugate: What it Means to Be Content

[Applause] [Music] thank you very much Philippians chapter 4 you may be seated Philippians chapter 4 thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of the Baptist Leadership Conference as he was talking about time I will tell you there's nobody more time conscious than I am and I am aware what time it is I was telling the folks this afternoon I know by Tuesday evening you were tired by Wednesday evening you were worn out you're neither tonight you're numb and if you've been working all weekend in the conference but I will be mindful of time I'll not cut anything out of the sermon but it will be mindful of the time and not not waste any I'm going to say congratulations for the great day you had on Sunday over a thousand people I want to say it out loud I want to say it loud and clear I'm thankful I'm excited for what God is doing at Parkside Baptist Church I pray for your pastor I pray for your church I pray for the college I pray specifically that God would give you dormitories that the college could continue to grow we need independent fundamental Baptist College is alike a Lone Star Baptist College we need that and I'm grateful for everything that's going on here I cheer for you I'm excited for you and I sure appreciate what you did for the bus ministry tonight we have to keep the bus ministry going everywhere I go folks will make a statement to me something like well the bus ministry is dying and I tell them there's an obituaries in our newspaper every day but just because somebody else died doesn't mean I'm turning myself in to the funeral home we're gonna keep the buses rolling and we had a great day on buses last Sunday we run 26 routes we had 26 buses eight hundred and some-odd mostly odd riders we had 130 visitors of 35 saved eight baptised one bus captain missing but we'll find him and he'll show up before Saturday I believe but anyway I love the bus ministry we're looking forward to a big day this weekend we're expecting more than 1500 on buses and a big push for this coming weekend and excited about not just 1500 but the folks that will be saved and all of them I want to say congratulations to dr. Hamlin as he approaches and celebrates that 40th year and I appreciate the fact so very much of his faithfulness and I've heard him preach many times I've never heard him preach any better than tonight and I appreciate him and his hunger for the power of God an evident display of God using at him I want to welcome those that are watching at this conference a Baptist Leadership Conference by way of Internet and there are many folks that are and I appreciate many friends that are there if you hid in the closet watching it stay tuned we're not finished yet and you may have a few things you want to tweet about before it's over but anyway Philippians chapter 4 and we welcome all of you I'll ask you to stand once again as I read just a few verses here for the message tonight Philippians chapter 4 notice if you will in verse number 10 now may I say verse number 11 is our text verse our text word is a word can hint at the end of verse number 11 I know how preachers think you trying to figure out know what's going to preach I'm go ahead and tell you right now so you'll have to fish in wonder you'll know exactly where we're going and the Bible says in verse 10 but I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last year care of me has flourished again wherein you were also careful but you lacked opportunity not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned and whatsoever so ever state I am therewith to be content I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I'm instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me I want to preach tonight on this subject what it means to be content what it means to be content Heavenly Father I pray that you would bless once again as you have in all of the sessions I've been a part of it today and certainly in the message we've just been challenged by Lord what a shame it would be for us not to be that one that rejoices and recognizes your goodness to us every day and before I preach I pause to pray asking you to fill me with your spirit once again there God I thank you for how good you've been to me but I hunger i hunger for the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit of God as I preached this message tonight have you're willing way in this service in Jesus name I pray amen you may be seated the word content what does a word content mean I want to read a couple of other verses that include that word content helping us to understand what it means to be content Hebrews chapter 13 a familiar passage of Scripture I'll read to you Hebrews 13 five and six let your conversation be without covetousness that means I wish it's not supposed to include but if I had his buildings I could do it if I had his people I could do it if I had that money I could do it let your conversation be without covetousness and be with and be content with such things as you have what do you have for he have said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me Paul wrote to Timothy and his first letter in first Timothy chapter 6 and verse number 6 but godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain that we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment led us there with be content now Paul was a man that dealt with many difficult circumstances no one had more difficult circumstances than the Apostle Paul when Paul went into town he did not ask about the BEST WESTERN Paul asked what kind of jailer do you have because he usually didn't spend this time in a motel he spent his time in the jailhouse when he finished preaching his circumstances were difficult but Paul was never a victim of his circumstances he was never a victim of you never heard him complain about his circumstances but he was a victor over his circumstances I was visiting the hospital some time ago and I was standing outside where the elevators are waiting for the doors open so I can go to whatever floor I was going to and I was reading the bulletin board as you do that's why they're there and the sign was advertising a class learning to cope with common learning to cope with stress learning to cope with anxiety and I'm standing there watching and and reading that and and the Holy Spirit reminded me that I am NOT a koper I am an overcomer God didn't call me to cope with stress he didn't call me to cope with anxiety he did not make me a victim of my circumstances but he made me to be a victor over my circumstance now that's what Paul is talking about here when he says I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content may I say what contentment is not contentment is not complacency Paul was anything but complacent Paul had a burning desire to do a work for God Paul said my heart's desire is that Israel may know God he he said I wish myself accursed he said I I would give anything if my people would come to know Christ as Savior Paul was never complacent so when he said I'm content he's not talking about being complacent at all there there were times that Paul was so injured at one time they they stoned Paul and left him in the street for dead and you can imagine the time it took Paul to recover and as I understand in Paul's journeys he did not take adequate and necessary time to recover before he was right back preaching again Bunyon was in jail and his daughter I went to see him and she said Oh daddy daddy they said if you didn't preach anymore they would let you out of jail if you just promise not to preach anymore they'll let you out of jail and he said to his daughter Bunyan said to his daughter if they let me out of jail today I'll be preaching the gospel on the streets in the morning so contentment is not complacency Paul never became complacent but Paul wasn't content Paul was never apathetic toward the need of those Paul said I am a debtor a Paul that said I press toward the mark he's not casually seeking the will of God but he is pursuing he is pressing toward the mark doing all that he can and doing more than would be expected of a man that others may know Christ as Savior Paul if you don't quit we'll put you in jail then I'll win the then I win the inmates to Christ Paul if you don't stop we're gonna take you to court then our witness to the judge Paul if you don't stop we're gonna take you all the way to the Roman Empire then I'll tell the Roman Empire the gospel of Christ we'll put you we'll lock you between two Roman soldiers is what we'll do then I'll win those two Roman soldiers to Christ Paul was not complacent Paul was not apathetic but he was content now what does that word content mean in my favorite dictionary the Webster's 1828 dictionary that was when men had enough sense to define words as God saw them that's wisdom we're smart today we take Bible words and we try to define them with modern-day dictionaries and that's why what has fellas confused about the Bible throw your dictionary away we don't judge the Bible according to a scientist we judge a scientist according to the Bible we don't judge the Bible according to an educator we judge an educator according to the Word of God the Bible says a fool if said in his heart there is no God I don't want to fool teaching my children the 1828 dictionary Webster's dictionary is my favorite and I found the word contempt one of the words that that defines the word content means to be contained contained you may have heard the words self-contained that would describe an apartment or that would describe a travel trailer they may say now this travel trailer is a self-contained unit now what that means is that travel trailer has everything you need it you can have water you can have electricity there is a restroom there is a kitchen amen there is everything you need inside that trailer to live it is a self-contained unit you may see an apartment that's advertised as self-contained that's different than a sleeping room a sleeping room just would have a I would just have a bedroom and then there would be a common washroom but if you saw something that said self-contained that means that unit has everything it and that you would need I was preaching in New York some time ago and I was preaching in a family conference and the pastor told me he said brother if you get you're going to love where you're staying while you're here with us I said is that right wonderful I said where am I staying he pointed to a log cabin and he said you being from the mountains of Southeast Kentucky you're gonna love staying in that cabin now he said that cabin is primitive the word primitive is opposite of the words self-contained you being from Southeast Kentucky you're going to love staying in this cabin I said buddy that's a Kentucky word it sounds like friend but it's not I said my grandma had electricity by the time she was a teenager my wife had knee surgery three times last year and so I spent time with her in the hospital and recovery and so forth and and we watched Gunsmoke and she said oh there's a there's a shop on tieu to see and it she wants you decorating shows and and that there's one called living off the grid or off the grid I said sweetheart I grew up off the grid I ain't interested in being off the grid I like the grid I like the electricity I like the running water I when I was in New York I stayed in a primitive cabin it was not self-contained and I was not contented now here's what Paul is saying I've learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Paul said in Christ I am NOT self-contained I am Christ contained to make sure you get this he said Christ is all I need in accomplishing the will of God everything I need he gives me to accomplish the will of God I hear some folks say well we just run 15 Church nothing I don't misunderstand I'm not against you running 15 church we have churches just got started I mean we have a brand new church that started two weeks ago they had 26 the first Sunday and I think 6 the second Sunday I understand that so don't misunderstand me but the fellow who says well we have 50 and they're good people and we're content it's not the proper use of the word content lazy may be closer than content content means I have everything I need to reach more people for Christ I have everything I need to pursue to fulfill the will of God Paul said I have learned to be content when you when you pack your suitcase to go on a trip you start thinking through what all you're gonna need now think about this if you have everything you need your content if you have a flashlight with no batteries you have anxiety if you have a cellphone with no charger you have a seizure now now five children three boys two girls three boys are are grown they're married they buy their own groceries glory to God and I'm two girls and our grocery bill is going way down but I'm telling you the cosmetic bill is almost as much as what the grocery bill was now when we go on a trip I'd say my boys are going to be going five days get your clothes packed they come out with a little plastic bag boys we're gonna be going five days I got it I got it next morning hey dad you got any extra toothpaste huh they don't go self-contained I took the girls with me on a preaching trip few months ago and just me my wife and two girls I'm getting the luggage from our room back to the car I have one of those buggies I mean it is completely full I'm standing in the lobby I told the folks we're moving back to the back to Kentucky we don't like it here self-contained now in Christ I'm Christ contained now now we don't need to speak with covetousness and say if I had what he had I could do it wait a minute Paul said you have all you need you have Christ you can boldly say the Lord is my helper that things that he has is not what makes him successful it is his faith in God that makes him successful he is Christ to contain now in this passage of Scripture we find three reasons that Paul defined his contentment first of all he said I'm content because of the Providence of God now I love that word Providence it's a Bible word I I'm not afraid of Providence I'm not afraid afraid of sovereignty I serve a great big God I believe God is in control of all things I believe that the Bible says in verse number 10 Paul said but I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at the last your care of me had flourished again where and you were also careful but you lacked opportunity now I want you to notice Paul is recognizing their care of him but he says here I rejoice in the Lord why would he thank God for something they did because he recognized God used them to meet my need but God is the provider his little boy upstairs upstairs his room he's praying he's yelling his mother went up there and he's pretty soon Oh Lord give me a bicycle Oh Lord give me a bicycle and his mama said what are you doing he said I'm praying said whoa God's not deaf you don't have to yell he said no but grandma is now I fear a lot of times we think others are the ones that provide for us God uses others but he's the provider Paul said I'm Christ contained you see Christ is all I need Christ is all I need all I need you know why he's my provider he's in control I believe in the Providence of God you know what Joseph is a young man he had a dream that God was going to do something great and wonderful and marvelous in his life and he believed that with all of his heart he believed God had done of work and was doing a work in his life and so when his brothers came with hatred that Joseph never lost his dream he believed in the Providence of God they said we'll kill him another said let's not kill him we'll throw him in a pit and Joseph didn't quit on God Joseph stayed in the will of God he went from the pit and Potiphar bought him and God began to bless the house of Potiphar and there came a day that she made a false accusation here we go Joseph's right back to prison he's from the pit now in the prison Joseph why don't you quit why can't conclude God is in control of this he knows what's going on quit measuring the hole of God by one circumstance of life don't measure the hole of God by one trial or one difficulty we have to become spiritual again folks we've got to believe there's a God in heaven and God is in control one of the things I fear about Bible colleges that we become so practical we leave faith in God I am for being practical I am for having a budget and living within the budget but contentment doesn't say where the budget said I don't have the money to buy it so I'm content not to have it that's not the proper use of content the proper use of content is I don't have it but God does and I'm gonna go out of here and I'm gonna find a place in the woods and I'm gonna pray until God answers that prayer I'm not gonna quit running buses because I don't have money God still has the money God still in control Joseph comes to the place in Genesis chapter 50 that his brothers they're the ones that have fear they're the ones that are afraid they did trust in the Providence of God they trusted in their scheming be are their scheming ways you know and Joseph said you meant it for evil God meant it for good you heard me tell the story a couple of years ago and I preached a message can he make it the way and I said one of these days I'm gonna tell you hi mate away for 20 years our church grew a hundred a year 1991 1992 93 94 95 I mean we grow a hundred two hundred three hundred four hundred five it I mean almost a hundred every year until 2011 we're running 2,000 people we came to the place that we were full we weren't just full I mean we're running into one another this past Sunday I said to security I said I heard we had an accident the parking lot east well it really wasn't an accident lady backed out fella got man he just hit her and went on that an accident we had an on purpose window accident to it you only parked one car in a parking place when you try to put two and one it won't work we've got all kinds of those problems 2011 I began to look and search and pray and I did everything I and and the devil fought against me he jumped on my shoulder and he said you're no leader fusion leader you'd already know where you're going you know I already know you'd already have land you'll already have a plan you'd already have a building seven long years I looked I searched I went everywhere finally I found a piece of property on the north side of town 22 acres a large building one side had to double gymnasium in classrooms the other side had just a shelf or a 1,500 seat auditorium I said this is it business men came to hear me preach I didn't know him didn't know who he was don't know much about him he said to me I want to help you called my banker he said I'll put four and a half million dollars in their bank account I want to help him buy that property we were waiting for a foreclosure date to come the date finally came I was on my way to Washington State I stopped in Purgatorio Atlanta Airport for a couple of hours and and and I got the phone call and the lawyer said you didn't get the property as well what do you mean we had the highest bid I've already got the money for it what do you mean we didn't get it they said on preacher look it's over the state bought it it's public school they'd already planned to do it I see you can't do that as it's already done forget it move on I'll tell you that flight from Atlanta to Washington I thought I mean faith and fear inside of me were knocking it out I remember the pilot came on the on the PA system he said we're now flying over the Colorado Rockies I wouldn't jump out the window stewardess came by said could I get you something to drink I thought about that I mean my faith and fear though I mean it was fighting I mean boy hah struggling I got to the airport in Washington the preacher picked me up brother Fugate we're so glad you here thank you for coming we've been working how you doing I wanted to be excited I wanted to be I mean I like being excited I was struggling we had lunch I went to the motel room I mean I was fighting inside I was sick my phone rang fella said I understand you bought property on the north side of town I said didn't work out yeah we didn't get it he saw you may be interested in something I have I've told you out here we go again he said you know where Brandon rode his I said I do how familiar are you with Brandon road I said I live on it it's on my side of town he said you know where 1220 Brannon Road is I said yes across the street he said I got 80 acres there for sale I'm time to tell you the story but I'll tell you this everybody had promised to help me and help our church with that building on the north side of town everybody you know who helped us get the 80 acres it's being developed and just a few weeks away from new building nobody but God I'm gonna stretch a big yellow ribbon and we're gonna stand way back and let God hit it with lightning and cut it in two you know what I found out you know what I found out I found out I'm not in control and the governor's not in control and the cinders not in control but have a God in heaven dear friend he sits on the throne and my God is in control Paul said I am Christ contained because of the Providence of an Almighty God second of all he said I'm Christ contained because of the power of God look at verse number 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me not by might nor strength but by his by his power his power can I tell you something when I operate in his power I'm so glad to have his power be strong in the Lord and the power of his might I'm so glad I have the the power of God is available to me not to do what I want not to consume on my own lusts but to accomplish the will of God dream big in the will of God desire much in the will of God open your mouth wide and the will of God and let him feel it it's not my strength it's not in my mind it's not my power it's his power Paul said I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me you can't shut up the man of God with the power of God in his life they said to John we put a stop to you we put you on an island out here on a rocky island and we'll let you start then rock by yourself John said I was in the spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard a voice behind me as of a trumpet ha and that's where we got the book of the revelation gonna tell you something it's not our power it's his power now listen to me power does not bring anxiety power does not bring stress power brings peace power brings contentment I'm content that I have everything I need to do the will of God I can go to the next town why because of God's power I'm content it's not the little bitty things I don't have it's the great big God I do have I'm thankful for the peace that God gives I got on the airplane oh I don't know it's probably been five or six months ago now I got on first or among the first passengers i sat down I got my Bible and things out ready to work on the first flight then the next group started getting on a lady got on she said I'm beside me she was so nervous and she said it she's I'm so nervous she said to the other people she was whipped she didn't see me didn't speak to me she said to the to the to the stewardess she said you have anything to drink she said yes we have Coke products Diet Coke so four seas no I mean something to drink she said well we haven't she started telling what kind of beer and all and she said I'll take two of those she gets two beers nervous his could be she takes first beer and she just drinks it I mean she just drinks the first beer goes she's sitting there holding the other one then she turned and looks at me she said oh my goodness I've sat down beside the Reverend she said preacher I watch you ever star tonight on television I'm so ashamed of myself here she is red-handed she said I get so scared when I fly I get so nervous you know that describes too many Christians who are looking at the difficulties of life not recognizing the power of God that's available folks ask me about our construction here's what to say we're six months behind my schedule but you wouldn't believe it we're to the day on God schedule I don't know how it works out like this I mean we're to the day on God schedule my sweet wonderful dear wife said I'm glad it rains so much last year you know it rained to 80 inches in Kentucky let me get 35 inches a year work to four weeks in a whole year and it rained us out over and over and over they just built the ark in Kentucky I don't know if you know that I'm glad I thought was gonna have go get in it last year I mean it wouldn't stop raining my wife said I'm glad it rains she said you'd have killed those workers have had to rained he'd worked him death ain't the conviction that comes inside my soul from the Holy Spirit and from my wife she said you know it's not been bad waiting seven years it let us catch up with your vision as I said I hate it when she's right can't tell you something where Christ contained I'm content that doesn't mean I'm lazy that didn't mean I'm gonna stay where I am I am content I'm going to the next town I'm starting the next bus route I'm planning another church I'm building another building I'm winning others others to Christ I'm moving forward content doesn't mean to stay where you are it means to take everything you have in Christ in the move father Paul said I'm content I'll tell you why third of all because of the promises of God look at verse number 19 but my God shall supply all you need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus I believe I really don't believe money as an issue according to that verse God has everything I need there's no need for me to be anxious about what I think I need Christ is all I need two men went to college together graduated together one man was a successful attorney the other man alcohol destroyed his life his business his marriage everything the successful attorney came out of his office one day and saw his friend that he'd gone to school with and graduated with he's standing there with old clothes he looked like a bum and he was his hair was long he was he was unshaven I mean he was a mess alcohol drew and his life he said to his friend he said man he said you you you you got to get started again you got to do right in compassion he took out his checkbook and he wrote him a sizable check and and he said I want you go get you a new suit of clothes I want you to get started I want you to find you a job I want you to start all over again you can do it he thanked him he took the check put in his pocket his friend left and walked down to the bank to cash the check he got to the bank and he looked inside and he saw the folks there and the security guards dressed in their uniforms he saw the bankers in their suits he saw the tellers and their nice clothes he looked at himself and he thought no doubt I smell bad I stink but they're gonna think I stole this chick they're not gonna cash his check for me he wanted of putting his pocket walk back down the street the next day his friend saw him first thing he thought he wasted that money on booze as for Cena thought he said to him he said you cashed that check no man I didn't cash it he said why not he said I went down to the bank but look at me I'm a mess they're not gonna cash cheque for me he said listen it's not who cashes the check that makes it good it's who signed it it's not who cashes the check friend it's by his riches and glory by Christ Jesus I am Christ contained Christ is all I need all I need in the Providence of God the power of God the promises of God I'll take care of you he said I can boldly say the Lord is my helper I'm glad I grew up in a home that was well we weren't poor we just didn't have any money we heated with coal stoves we didn't have thermostats on the wall of our church we didn't need them because we didn't have any air conditioning or furnaces well we did but it was it was on a stick the air conditioner was it had the 23rd psalm Oh him on the side and angled funeral home on the other side that was air-conditioner we had we grew up simple my dad started to church in July 1972 my dad didn't take a salary if there was money left from the offering after the church bills were paid my mom and dad would get enough money to live on and I remember one particular Sunday night we lived in a little single-wide trailer my dad and my mom were in the kitchen with two young men in our church and I remember they they put the offering on the table and they counted it I remember how quiet it was and I remember my dad saying well we'll take care of it some way God God will take care of it the two men quietly left I watched my mother cry and walk away how much to go to the bedroom on the other end my dad my dad got on his knees at the kitchen table I was sitting in the living room I was probably 8 maybe 9 years old and I was just watching and I heard my dad pray out loud Lord I've got a wife to take care of I've got children to take care of oh god I pray that you'd meet our needs this week he cried I cried we went to bed the next day my dad went to the post office they didn't deliver the Melvin I was growing up everybody had the same address general delivery Chevy's Kentucky foreign 7:27 you in post office everything got your mail in exchange for whatever gossip you knew I'll never forget dad came home and came running in with an envelope over his head looking for my mom look what was in the mail today look what was in the mail and he told my mommy sit inside this envelope her two $100 bills I wish God provided like that again again my dad would tell that story he said you know what's the most amazing thing about that story he said I prayed for it on Sunday night God mailed it on last Friday I wonder how many things he's mailed but we haven't prayed for yet and they're stuck in the post office somewhere well I just be satisfied with what I've got I'll just be thankful for my I'll just be content you ain't content you're sour you ain't content your contingence content says he's all I need I may not have it today but I'll have it I'm content because of the Providence the power and the promises of God I'm not gonna stay where I am I'm gonna press on the upward way as he provides stand with me if you will to Heavenly Father thank you so much for how wonderful how powerful for who you are

Channel: Parkside Baptist Church

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Length: 39min 4sec (2344 seconds)

Published: Wed May 01 2019