3 SECRETS TO A GREAT LIFE Philippians 4: 10-13

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1 MESSAGE FOR SUNDAY NIGHT, MARCH 21, 2010 CHRISTIAN HOPE CHURCH OF CHRIST, PLYMOUTH, NORTH CAROLINA by Reggie A. Braziel, Minister 3 SECRETS TO A GREAT LIFE Philippians 4: I N T R O D U C T I O N Just for fun...lets pretend you are a contestant on the GAME SHOW This Is My Life. And you have to pick just one of the following four song titles as the THEME SONG of your life. Which would you choose? - Gloom, Despair and Agony on Me - Make the World Go Away - I m Sittin on Top, Top of the World - I Can t Get No Satisfaction Now I m not going to make you raise your hand and reveal which of those four songs best describes how you feel about your life...but I would say the one theme song that best describes how many people feel about their life is... I Can t Get No Satisfaction. Unfortunately...a lot of people are simply NOT SATISFIED with their life. -They either want things they don t have. -Or they want more than they have -Or they feel slighted, mistreated or victimized.

2 Everybody wants a life of happiness and contentment don t they? But sadly, many people look for happiness and contentment in all the wrong places. Here in V E R S E S of Philippians chapter 4...The Apostle Paul reveals to us the TRUE SECRET to living a GREAT LIFE. As with all BIBLICAL TRUTHS...these things will only help you if you are willing to put them into practice in your daily life...and only you can make that choice! Well let s look at... I. SECRET #1: Don t Allow Your Possessions To Define You vs. 11, 12a 1. Illustration----One of my dearest friends where I grew up back back in Indiana was Terry Dickerson. Terry s dad was one of the wealthiest farmers in our community. And because of his father s success Terry grew up having a lot of nice things. Well, a couple of years after Terry graduated from High School, he married a dear, sweet girl named, Wendi Grevue. As soon as they were married, Terry and Wendi bought a great big farm house near where Terry had grown up. Soon Terry was spending money like there was no tomorrow. He bought a brand new truck...a brand new Suzuki 750 motorcycle...a brand new Allis-Chalmers Tractor.

3 Terry was making the tragic mistake so many young couples make when they first get married...and that is believing the more you have the happier you ll be. But, while Terry was spending and spending and spending......his relationship with Wendi was deteriorating. While he was investing in things he was failing to invest in his marriage...and within two years of when they said, I Do...Terry and Wendi s marriage was on the brink of destruction. Thank God, Terry finally came to his senses and realized all the possessions in the world couldn t guarantee him a happy life...and I m thankful to say Terry and Wendi are still married today. 2. In Luke 12, Jesus tells us The Parable of the Rich Fool who tore down his barns to build bigger ones. He lived for the moment...but made no preparations for his eternal future. Here was a man who DEFINED HIS LIFE BY HIS POSSESSIONS...In this case, BIG BARNS. Jesus called this man a FOOL and then gave the reason why... LUKE 12: 15 Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. 3. The Bible doesn t teach us it is wrong to have things or even to have nice things...but the dangerous trap so many fall into is crossing the line from OWNING NICE THINGS to BEING OWNED BY NICE THINGS.

4 4. Why do we look at people who have lots of money and lots of nice things and automatically think they are happier. -Would you truly be happier if you had more possessions than you have right now? -Would you truly be happier if you lived in a bigger house or drove a nicer vehicle or wore nicer clothes? 5. As Christians we need to understand this very important truth and that is...what BELONGS TO US DOESN T MATTER NEARLY AS MUCH AS WHO WE BELONG TO. 6. The Apostle Paul said in I TIMOTHY 6: I TIMOTHY 6: 6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be content with that. 7. So the FIRST SECRET to living a great life is: DON T ALLOW YOUR POSSESSIONS TO DEFINE YOU II. SECRET #2: Don t Allow Your Circumstances To Confine You vs If ever there was someone familiar with difficult circumstances it was the apostle Paul. Remember that familiar passage in II Corinthians 11 where Paul gives a lengthy list of all the difficult circumstances he had endured while preaching the gospel?

5 Beginning with VERSE 23 Paul writes. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. -Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. -Three times I was beaten with rods. -I was stoned. -Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent night and day in the open sea. -I have been constantly on the move. -I have been in danger from rivers in danger from bandits.in danger from my own countrymen..in danger from Gentiles..in danger in the city in danger in the country..in danger at sea.in danger from false brothers. - I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; -I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food. -I have been cold and naked. And yet this is the same man who said, I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation. Its pretty humbling isn t it?

6 2. How did Paul do it? Paul knew that wherever he was and whatever circumstance he was in, he was still in the will of GOD. -He believed whether he was in prison or a free man, he was in God s will. -Whether he had food or didn t have food, he was in God s will. -Whether he was clothed or naked, he was in God s will. Paul understood this important truth: GOD IS STILL GOD IN GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES AND BAD. Paul s contentment was not based upon his circumstances but upon his knowledge that he was in God s will. 3. Sadly many of us have yet to reach this level of maturity in our walk with Christ. How many of us base our happiness and contentment in life on our circumstances? *I can t be happy until I lose weight. *I can t be happy until I pay off all my debts. *I can t be happy until I get a different job. *I can t be happy until I move into a bigger house. *I can t be happy until I retire. *I can t be happy until I take that dream vacation. *I can t be happy until spring gets here. 4. If you and I put our happiness on hold until all our circumstances are perfect we will never be happy. 5. Yes the second secret to a great life is: DON T ALLOW YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES CONFINE YOU. ************

7 Secret #1: Don t Allow Your Possessions to Define You. Secret #2: Don t Allow Your Circumstances to Confine You III. SECRET #3: Don t Allow Your Limitations To Bind You vs. 13 Philippians 4: 13 I can do everything through Him who gives me the strength. 1. Here in this one little verse, we see three powerful truths! TRUTH #1: I Can! Illustration: When I was in grade school I had a very godly third grade teacher. Her name was Mrs. Olive Canada. Mrs. Canada always used to tell us, Never say I can t, always say I CAN! Strike the word CAN T from your vocabulary! When you look at the life of Paul you see a man who was convinced he could do absolutely anything the Lord enabled him to do. The word can t wasn t even in Paul s vocabulary!

8 How many of us live with an I CAN T mentality rather than I CAN! -I CAN T TEACH A SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS -I CAN T WORK WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE. -I CAN T SING IN THE CHOIR. -I CAN T SING A SPECIAL -I CAN T PRAY IN PUBLIC -I CAN T CONTROL MY TEMPER -I CAN T READ MY BIBLE EVERY DAY -I CAN T STOP SWEARING -I CAN T STOP GOSSIPING -I CAN T STOP TELLING LIES And that list of I can ts just goes on and on, doesn t it? And how many of us allow our own human weaknesses to bind us and limit our potential? TRUTH #2: I CAN DO ALL THINGS. Paul doesn t say, I can do some things. Or I can do a few things. Or even. I can do most things. Paul says, I can do ALL THINGS.ALL THINGS!!!! This truth applies to you and me as well!!! You and I can do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that is within the WILL OF GOD for us to do. -We can do ALL THINGS the Lord commands us to do. - We can do ALL THINGS the Lord calls us to do. -We can do ALL THINGS the Lord desires for us to do. TRUTH #3: I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. CHRIST gives us the strength to endure all circumstances we must face in this life. And CHRIST gives us the strength to accomplish any task God calls us to do in this life.

9 CONCLUSION In answer to the question, "Where is happiness?" Clarence Macartney said, "It's not found in pleasure--lord Byron lived such a life if anyone did. He wrote, "The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone." Happiness is not found in money--jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said, "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth." It's not found in position and fame--lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote, "Youth is a mistake, manhood a struggle, and old age a regret." It's not found in military glory--alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent because, he said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."" Clarence Macartney. If true happiness is not found in pleasure or money or position or fame or power, then where can true happiness be found? Only in Jesus Christ! To have everything in this world but Christ is to have nothing. To have nothing in this world but Christ is to have everything! When you and I build our lives upon Christ the solid rock.. Our possessions no longer define us. Our circumstances no longer confine us. And our limitations no longer bind us. JESUS CHRIST is the secret to a GREAT LIFE!!!

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