An Insidious Thief

[00:00:00] Today we look at something that can consistently rob us of our joy if we let it.

[00:00:07] Stay tuned.

[00:00:08] Hello and welcome to MoMo634, the daily podcast chock full of faithful inspiration and motivation.

[00:00:19] MoMo634, Motivational Moments, just for today.

[00:00:42] A few months ago, in an episode named after the following expression, I introduced you

[00:00:48] to a woman I worshipped with who was known for saying, Satan's not going to rob me of

[00:00:53] my joy.

[00:00:56] Satan is a liar and indeed a thief, but it's one of his favorite methods that is the topic

[00:01:03] of today's episode.

[00:01:06] I often say, as in the episode Satan and the Solicitor, that the devil isn't going

[00:01:12] to come to our door in a red suit with horns and a trident.

[00:01:16] We'd know it was him, so he uses a number of crafty tricks to trip us up.

[00:01:24] One of the most insidious is that of discontentment.

[00:01:29] Rather than being, as the apostle Paul encourages, content in whatever circumstance we find ourselves

[00:01:36] in, discontentment is often the lipstick on the pig.

[00:01:41] He tries to sell you things that sound innocuous initially, like, I work hard so I deserve a

[00:01:49] promotion or raise.

[00:01:51] And that may well be true.

[00:01:54] But Satan doesn't stop there.

[00:01:57] Much as he did in the garden, he takes the veneer of truth and twists it into something

[00:02:03] ugly.

[00:02:04] Let's say that hypothetical raise and promotion go to someone else.

[00:02:10] Concentration, resentment and bitterness creep in.

[00:02:13] Or dissatisfaction with everything and everyone at your workplace.

[00:02:20] Listen to these verses from Proverbs 30.

[00:02:24] The leech has two daughters, give and give.

[00:02:29] There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say enough.

[00:02:34] Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water and fire that never says enough.

[00:02:45] Working hard or even just wanting things isn't what we're addressing today.

[00:02:51] It's that covetous feeling that burrows in deep and colors your perception of everything

[00:02:58] slowly pulling you away from God.

[00:03:02] See if you don't give me what I want, I'm taking my little yellow truck and going home

[00:03:07] attitude toward our Creator that we discussed in the celestial bellhop experience.

[00:03:14] Instead Paul tells us he's been imprisoned, yet he told the brethren to rejoice.

[00:03:22] And said again, rejoice.

[00:03:25] It's the inner knowledge that if you are truly his child, no matter what happens

[00:03:30] externally, internally you know God is in control and he will work things out.

[00:03:37] If not for your physical good here, most assuredly for your spiritual good and the life to come.

[00:03:46] Our meme for today says, contentment is a priceless inner peace.

[00:03:53] If there's something causing a pebble of discontent to rattle around in your shoe,

[00:03:58] how can you flip the script as we discussed in the episode of the same name?

[00:04:04] Comment below.

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