At the beach.

“Enjoy the simple pleasure of being exactly where you are,” is the message I am taking home from reading the Grapevine magazine, (Issue 1 2018) I picked up at the local library here in Kaitaia.

It is also a reminder of the message in the Bible where the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:11:

“…, FOR I HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT, WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.”

In one of his many sermons D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains the precise meaning of the word “content”. It means being independent of circumstances, independent of surroundings, independent of  conditions.

I am especially interested in the meaning “independent of surroundings”.

I really love the story in the Bible in Acts chapter 16, which tells us about what Paul and Silas did in prison.

D. Martyn Loyd-Jones mentions also the story as an example that Paul and Silas were independent of surroundings.

I love especially  verse 25 in the 16th chapter: There it says that Paul and Silas were not only praying, but that they were also singing hymns to God.

And what happened? The other prisoners were listening to them. There are so many prisoners round about us, spiritually speaking. Let us also praise the Lord, that they will listen to us.

Read also Second Chronicles chapter 20. There we find the story of Jehoshaphat. I love that story. Please read chapter 20.

Eckhard Tolle says, “STRESS IS CAUSED BY BEING ‘HERE’ BUT WANTING TO BE ‘THERE.'”