Did you hear about the slightly inebriated man on his hands and knees underneath a street lamp the sidewalk searching for something? A friend came by and said, "Sam, what in the world are you doing out here on your hands and knees?" "I'm looking for my house key," Sam replied. "I lost my house key." So the friend got down on his hands and knees, too. "Show me where you lost it and I'll help you," he said. "Oh, I lost it way over there in the grass," Sam said. "Then why in the world are you looking for it out here on the sidewalk?" "Well, because this is where the light is."

Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day we celebrate the outporing of the Holy Spirit on the Church. This means that we have God’s Spirit to help us, to motivate us, and to teach us. It is the Holy Spirit that moves people’s hearts to come to church because what the church has to offer cannot be found anywhere else, and that is the Chrisitan faith with all it’s benefits, one of which is contentment.

Have you noticed how often the Scriptures speak to our greatest needs, our deepest concerns, our most painful dilemmas? Consider these words from Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (4:12). Something many people have never achieved is a sense of contentment, a sense of peace, serenity, and security.

A few years ago, a revealing study was done of a select group of one hundred graduates of Harvard who had achieved a "successful" life--by most standards almost super-successful lives. Amazingly, a huge percentage said that their lives were filled with futility and despair, primarily because they viewed their lives as meaningless. They had sought and achieved success, but they had not found contentment.

Sadly enough, they are not alone. In a recent mental health survey, only 20 percent of the people interviewed reported that they enjoyed life and were happy. Only 20 percent! We are also told that one out of every seven persons is going to require psychological help before they get to the age of 40. Every day in Canada a large number of young people run away from home. Many marriages end in divorce, and too many people commit suicide. Countless others make it through the day only by hiding behind booze or pills or other less deadly diversions.

Compare their situations with that of Paul. He had been imprisoned, beaten, ship-wrecked, his body battered with stones, hungry, and threatened with death in almost every conceivable way, and yet he was able to write these words: "I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what is to be in need, and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little.” Here is the key line. “I have the strength to face all conditions by the power the Christ gives me.” This from Philippians 4:12-13. (GNB) Paul had learned life's greatest secret. It is a secret that you and I can easily share. It has three parts. Listen carefully and you, too, will have the secret of contentment. In the first place, Paul's goals were in accordance with God's purposes. One of the secrets of successful living is to have goals. Every self-help book in the world will tell you that. There are financial goals, weight goals, leisure goals, housing goals, business goals, psychological goals and the list goes on . Everybody is telling us that we must have goals. And they are right. Goals are very helpful to us, but while we consider our goals for life, we often forget give any thought to God's purpose for our life. What really is the meaning of your life? Why are you here? Is it merely to accumulate things? Or is there a greater purpose? An anonymous poet wrote:

"The folks who spend their days In buying cars and clothes and rings Don't seem to know that empty lives Are just as empty filled with things."

The happiest people in the world are convinced that their life has a purpose, and they tailor their lives to that purpose. But are they fulfilling God’s purpose in their lives? Are you?

Some years ago I had a bag of cement stored in the garage. I had used a portion of it, and put the remainder away for future use. One day I needed some cement for a project. When I reached down to pick up the bag, to my dismay, I discovered it was not soft and limber, as I had expected but had solidified into an immovable piece of cement. Often our lives are like that bag of cement. They take on shapes that were not intended and become hardened in that shape. That bag of cement was meant to become a part of my project but it had become a useless rock in the form of a part bag of cement. God has a project for your life. He wants to make something of your life. Don't let His purpose be thwarted by hardening yourself to Him. or by failing to set goals in your life that include Him. Life does have a purpose. Paul is clear on this when he says, “So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God’s call through Christ Jesus to the life above.” That is the ultimate goal. . .the ultimate prize of the Christian faith. I like the illustration Paul uses here. It has to do with running a race. He is talking about a competition here. Paul seemed to be very familiar with sports in his day, and he might even have been alluding to the Greek Olympics. One thing is certain, he knew the principle of competitive running. The goal was to win, and in the best chance of winning was by running straight toward the finish line. That is the object of our Christian faith. It is never without purpose, and it should always be based o God’s purpose, for at the “finish line” there is a prize of life with Christ for all who have run faithfully.

Paul had a sense of purpose about his life. He probably had his own goals, but he believed that God’s hand was working in his life, and that God could take his feeble goals, his feeble dreams and ambitions, and do a great work to bless the world. How about you? Now God's purpose is not for every person to be a Paul, but it is God's purpose for each of us to make our lives count for that which is good, that which is right, and that which is lasting. Paul found contentment because his goals were in accordance with God's purposes.

Secondly, he found contentment, because he had faith in God's promises. "I can do all things, in him who strengthens me. . ." Paul writes. Later in the chapter he says, "and my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. . ."

E. Stanley Jones once put it this way, "I'm a happy man because my happiness is not dependent on happenings, but upon the joy of belonging to Him, whatever happens." William Barclay wrote, "The Christian joy is independent of all things on earth, because the Christian joy has its source in the continual presence of Christ. That is why the Christian can never lose Jesus Christ."

Now there are many places you can put your faith. In banks, in your health, in education, in the government, in your own ingenuity, in the strength and vitality of the secular way; but all of these have their limitations. Banks fail, governments fall, health declines and education falters. Even our own ingenuity is inadequate in life's most difficult crises. But Paul's faith was based upon God’s promise that He would supply all his needs. Is that your faith as well?

While driving to a speaking engagement in Southern California, a pastor passed through San Juan Capistrano. The line "When the swallows come back to Capistrano" immediately came to his mind, and he began humming that old song. He recalled that for more than 150 years those golden-breasted birds have spent their summers in the eaves of the old mission located there. They always arrive on March 19 and leave on October 23, never missing those dates. Not once have they varied over the years. Even leap year does not change the times of their coming and going. And the swallows invariably start out before daylight on their southern flight.

Now, how would you explain this unusual phenomenon? Nature's guidance? Luck? Coincidence? Well, let me tell you. The swallow's Creator has put within those little creatures an instinct that tells them with uncanny accuracy when to head south and when to return. Their survival depends on this innate sense of timing. What meticulous care God exercises to guide the swallow and all the fowls of the air! But consider how much greater value we are to God than these tiny birds. The One who has so marvelously provided for our feathered friends is certainly interested in many who is made after His own image. How can we help but sing, "For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me!"

Finally, Paul finds contentment in like minded people. “All of us who are spiritually mature should have the same attitude” (3:15). In fact, if that same attitude isn’t present, “God will make this clear to you (or to us)” (Vs 15). How? Simple. If there are varying attitudes among those in a group, how long do you think that group will remain intact. In the end, every Christian’s attitude must be solely based on reaching the goal, which is Christ. Jesus never forces himself on us, but he does come to abide in us as we say yes to him. And saying yes is part and parcel of that attitude Paul speaks about. Without that, the church. . .this church cannot last. You see, church is not only a place for meeting God. It is a place for meeting one another in Christ’s name. Nowadays it is fashionable to speak in terms of support groups, and support groups have their place. But what if the church were our primary support group? If you know that there are people who will accept you and love you and believe in you just as you are, isn’t that where you would want to be? And isn’t that the description of the church?

The Sony Corporation of Japan, built a plant designed to manufacture 700,000 color television sets a year. Now you may have read about the way most Japanese companies treat their employees. They have a real concern for the workers as members of the company family. One assembly line worker said, "Working for Sony is like working for your family." If a big plant can do that, is there any reason why the church can’t? I would hope that we can say the same thing about our church. Our church is like one big family.

Contentment then, means goals in accordance with God's purposes; faith in God's promises; and a like minded attitude. Have you found contentment in your Christian faith? Have you found God's purpose for your life? Are you willing to trust that you can do all things in Him who strengthens you? Will you let your fellow believers in this church family, people with like minded attitudes be your primary support group for acceptance and approval? "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want,” writes Paul. He had learned, in whatever state he was in, to be content. God's purposes. God's promises. God's like minded people. Contentment is that easy.