I Timothy 6:8-9 - "If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction." NASU
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• 12 Children or $1 Million

I heard John Ortberg speak once and he asked this question. Who is more content, a man with 12 children or a man with a million dollars? He said the man with the 12 children because he doesn't want anymore. While on the other hand, the man with a million dollars would love to have another million dollars.

So let me ask a question. Are we more like the man with 12 children or the man with one million dollars?

Are we content or do we always want more?

We all know this can be a vicious cycle when we always want more. So what can we do to get out of this trap?

• Take Charge Of How You Think

The apostle Paul tells Timothy all he has to have is food and clothing and he will be content. How can he be so sure? Paul knows he can control his behavior by the way he thinks.

I read a book some years ago and the Dr. was saying you should start now to cut back on your salt intake because if you have a heart attack the doctor will tell you you must NOT use salt. Once humans hear we must NOT do something we want to do it all the more.

So the key to being content is to tell ourselves we are happy right now with everything we have and we don’t need anything else. We will want to repeat this over and over again.

• Take Charge Of What You Read & Watch

It is hard to be content in the USA. TV commercials, radio advertisements, and magazines constantly bombard us.

What do they all say?

If we don't have their product there is something wrong with us. We just aren't all we could be without the item they are selling.
 
It is their product that is going to make us happy or content.

Things are not going to make us happy or content.

Happiness and contentment come when we are satisfied with what we already have acquired.
 
What we need is to train ourselves in advance with what is known as "positive self-talk."

It is what the athletes use before their events.

We must listen to what we are saying to ourselves.

If we believe the commercials or advertisements we must have their product before we can be happy or content then we are going to sacrifice our peace and contentment without their product.

If we buy the product we will only have temporary contentment until the next article appears telling us we really need this new item to be content.

We must learn to say NO to our desires.

• Real Contentment Comes From The Lord

Real peace, happiness, and contentment come from the Lord. The Apostle Paul said all he had to have was some food and clothing and he was content.

In Philippians 4:11 Paul says, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be a content in whatever circumstances I am.”

How did Paul learn to be content? By telling himself he had all that he needed and if he needed more God would supply it.

In Heb.13:5 God’s word says, “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”

We can be content BECAUSE God watches over us and He will NEVER desert or forsake us. If we really need something, ask God for it; and if God believes we need it, He will provide it.

How cool is that?

Think About This: 

Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it. - William Feather

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago
Minister of God's
 
FYI:  I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months.    

https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies
 
Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us.

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word
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Rom. 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. NASU

• Where Your Money Goes Your Heart Is Already There.

Jesus said it another way in Matt. 6:21 - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

It isn’t real hard to determine what a person loves. All you have to do is observe what they purchase.  Our money can be spent on good things as well as bad.

I grew up in a house where only my dad worked. What did he purchase with his money? He purchased a house for his family to live in, he bought a car to drive him to work, he bought groceries to feed his family, he bought clothes for his family to wear, and he paid all the utility bills. He even planted a large garden, and tended it when he came home from work.

You might ask, “Why would he do this?” The question can be answered fairly easily. He loved his family, and provided for them. This is what is known as “expressed love”. The items that he purchased or raised in the garden expressed his love for his family.

What are your purchased items expressing love for? Are they expressing love for God, yourself or others?

• Where Is Your Money Going?

All a person has to do is look at their credit card statement, and they can see what they are loving.
 
If you don't believe you are being watched just Google search some item like you're interested in buying it, and see how fast it takes for your FB page to display advertisements for the same item you Google searched.

• If God Were Going To Send You Advertisements

Would they be advertisements for places to go with your family?

Would they be advertisements for yourself and your own pleasures?

Would they be advertisements for spiritual items?

All you have to do is follow the Word of God. Paul said, “…but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is,…”

Renew your mind!
 
Do an inventory check of all the items you have been purchasing, and decide today that you are going to make the necessary changes in your life if they don't help you grow spiritually.

I came across and acrostic years ago for JOY. It stood for Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last.

Think About These:

A Paradox of Life: When young, you spend your health to gain wealth, and when old you spend your wealth to get health.

People are funny. They spend money they don’t have, to buy things they don’t need, to impress people they don’t like.

Stay Pumped,
 
FYI:  I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months.    

https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies
 
Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us.

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Go To  www.SeragosPumpUps.com  

God Wants Us To Do This One Thing.

Luke 5:1-5  Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; …And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”  Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing…

Serago are you trying to tell me God wants me to go fishing. No, not exactly, but I am sure some would not argue with God if that were His command. When reading the Bible background information is very important.

• Background Information Is Very Important

Jesus is teaching the Word of God. He knows the best way to teach is to be separated from the people just a little and this would allow the people to better  hear His voice. He gets into Peter's boat. He asks Peter to move the boat out into the water. His voice will project better and a larger number of people will be able to hear Him.

When His lesson is over He wants to bless Peter for the use of his boat and more importantly He wants to teach Peter a life lesson on TRUSTING GOD. Jesus says, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch."
 
There are lots of things wrong with that statement from a fisherman's point of view.

Peter is a fisherman by trade. Jesus is not. Pete had been fishing when you are supposed to and that is at night. The top of the water is cooler at night and the fish will come up to feed. It is now day and the sun has been heating the top of the water so the fish swim to deeper water where it is cooler. Throwing their nets out now when the water has warmed is not going to help them catch any fish.

Pete informs Jesus, we fished all night, when we were supposed to, and we caught nothing. Now you want us to throw out our nets when we are not supposed to.
 
Pete probably wants to ask Jesus if He had ever fished in His life, but he didn't.
 
Pete is at the crossroads of Dilemma and Frustration. Have you ever been there?

He had pulled in his nets, if they needed fixing he has fixed them and now they are drying, and put away. It is time to go home. It is time to get some sleep because he will be back here later today with his crew and they once again will be going out all night trying to catch some fish.

• What God Wants From Peter and Us

God wants Peter, you, and me to TRUST HIM.

When you and I have done something for the 10,000th time God just might want us to do it a different way. WHAT! Are you kidding me? This will never work in a million years.

Yeah, that is probably what Peter was thinking.
 
Can you just hear Peter talking to himself? He was probably saying, "This will never work. Everyone knows you fish at night, except this guy. If I had only worked faster I could have been off the boat and at home in bed sleeping, but no I had to go back and double-check those nets. I am such an idiot."

Jesus wants Peter to trust him and as we can see Peter did NOT automatically trust God's Son. To help Peter grow in his faith God worked a miracle in front of him.
 
Pete did something different. He fished during the day with his nets and Jesus filled his nets with fish. 

If we will trust God a little He will pour out a blessing from heaven that will be enormous.

• What Is It That God Wants Us To Do Differently? 

What have we been doing the same way over and over again? What is it that God wants us to change?

In what area of our lives does God want us to fully trust Him?

We might want to start where Peter finished and that is by bowing down to pray and telling the Lord that we are sinful because we have not fully trusted Him. 
 
What one thing does God want us to do?
 
Trust Him!

Think About These:
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Never be afraid to trust your unknown future to a known God.

God still speaks to those who take the time to listen.
 
Stay Pumped,

FYI:  I have been teaching on Wednesday nights at Fairway Christian Church. The lessons have been about lesser known Apostles, Overcoming Suffering, and Matthew 24 about the destruction of Jerusalem, and Jesus' 2nd Coming. I am attaching a link for anyone interested in watching the lessons I have taught the last few months.    

https://vimeopro.com/user45356398/wednesday-night-bible-studies
 
Also, these lessons are "Live Streamed" on Wednesday evenings at 6 pm (EST). I would love for you to join us.
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word

Go To  www.SeragosPumpUps.com  

Gen. 2:16-17 - The LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die."        NASU 
​

• God and Coaches Are Similar 

God the Coach, told Adam and Eve, the wrestlers, what to do, "From any tree…Eat Freely." And He also told them what not to do, "From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall NOT EAT."

Now what is so hard about those do's and don'ts?

Wrestling coaches are like God in that they tell their wrestlers what to do, and what not to do. All coaches will emphasize do's and don'ts -"Do get proper sleep and nutrition, Do attend all of your classes, Don't let your weight get out of control, and Don't miss practices." 

Coaches also are at mat-side giving instructions when their wrestlers are in the battle. Your coach wants the best for you exactly like God wanted the best for Adam and Eve. 

• What Was He Thinking 

I have watched a few matches where the thought, "What was he (the wrestler) thinking?" came to my mind. Some wrestlers tried moves that everyone knew would not work.
 
So why did he try it? 

I believe in the heat of the battle you will resort back to old habits when you become impatient or desperate. Even if you know this move will not work you will try it.

I was watching a match once where one wrestler was known for his ability to ride his opponent. What would the other wrestler do when it was his choice?  

Would he take bottom or neutral?

He took neutral. He was better in the neutral position and that was his strength. He went with his strength. He stayed away from the other wrestler's strength. Now wasn't the time to be macho, now was the time to win a championship.

There was no doubt in my mind the wrestler listened to his coach and won the match. 

• Wrestlers Are Like Adam and Eve 

And then it dawned on me wrestlers are like Adam and Eve sometimes. They don't listen to their coaches. Adam and Eve were not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and they didn't listen to God, their coach.

There are some wrestlers today who are going over in their minds, what if. What if I would have done this or what if I would have listened to my coach?

You can't change the outcome of your match now so let me say this, "Use this as a learning experience, listen to your coach the next time, and now it is time to move on in your life.
 
Set another goal and start working to accomplish it." 

• Coaches Aren't Infallible 

Wrestling coaches aren't infallible as God is but they do have an advantage when coaching from mat-side. They're able to see the match from another perspective. I'm not saying all coaches always have the correct advice, but they are there to help you in the heat of the battle.

It all comes down to trust.

Do you trust your coach?

When the pressure on the mat is turned up do you trust your coach? If you don't trust him then why did you ever accept the coach's invitation to come and wrestle for him? You are both going to be frustrated.

Adam and Eve simply didn't trust God. They listened to and believed a lie and lost their match. When the pressure of your life is turned up are you going to trust God, your coach?

If not, why did you become a Christian?

• What Are You Wrestling Against Today? 

Do you have a coach or someone you can trust? Ask them for their advice on how to defeat this opponent you are wrestling at this time.

Have you been coached on how to defeat this problem in your life? Implement what you have been taught.

Think on These:

Confidence is the feeling you have before you fully understand the situation.

A good coach inspires men to have confidence in him; a great coach inspires men to have confidence in themselves. 

Stay Pumped,
 
Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word