Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for Your grace and for every blessing You have given us through Jesus Christ. Teach us to be content in You and to use what You have given us to bless others. Open our hearts to Your Word today. Help us to pray, care, and share, and to remember that only Jesus can truly change lives. May everything we learn bring glory to Your name. In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

CHRISTIAN LIFE.

MATTHEW 22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

The Christian life begins with a relationship with God. The greatest commandment is not simply about following rules or accomplishing religious activities; it is about loving God with all that we are. When we truly love God, that love naturally extends toward other people. Love for God produces love for our neighbor. This is important when we talk about contentment. Biblical contentment is not simply being satisfied with what we have; it is being satisfied with God Himself. When God becomes the treasure of our hearts, we no longer need material things to give us our identity, security, or significance.

LUKE 12:19 And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

This is a picture of the opposite of biblical contentment. This man had accumulated wealth and believed he had enough for many years. His plan was simple: take it easy, enjoy life, and live for himself. But God called him a fool because he was rich in possessions but poor toward God. His problem was not simply that he had possessions. His problem was that his possessions had become the treasure of his heart. His life revolved around himself—his crops, his barns, his goods, his future, and his enjoyment. This is the ultimate goal of covetousness: to make life all about ourselves. That is not biblical contentment; that is selfishness and complacency. True contentment does not say, “I have enough because I have everything I want.” True contentment says, “I have God, and God is enough.”

EPHESIANS 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

In Christ, we have already received every spiritual blessing. This changes our understanding of what it means to be blessed. The essence of blessing is not the absence of problems but the presence of God. We can have problems and still be blessed. We can have little materially and still be blessed. We can experience difficulties and still know that God is with us. Our greatest blessing is not merely what God gives us; our greatest blessing is God Himself. That is why we should value spiritual blessing more than material blessing. When we recognize how richly God has blessed us, we no longer live merely to receive. We begin to live to give.

2 CORINTHIANS 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;

God gives us sufficiency, not merely for our comfort, but for every good deed. God's blessings are not meant to stop with us. We receive God's grace so that God's grace can overflow through us. This gives us a different perspective on our possessions, abilities, time, relationships, opportunities, and resources. Instead of asking only, “What can I get?” we begin asking, “How can God use what He has given me to bless someone else?” That is the heart of Christian stewardship and biblical contentment.

MATTHEW 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus gave His followers a mission: make disciples. If God has blessed us, one of the greatest ways we can bless others is to introduce them to Jesus and help them grow in a relationship with Him. We can give people material things, help them financially, encourage them, assist them in their problems, and show kindness. All of these are good, but the greatest good we can do is to help someone know Jesus Christ, because only Jesus can transform a person's life from the inside out. This is why we can summarize our calling in three simple words: pray, care, and share.

PRAY. CARE. SHARE

We pray for the people within our circle of influence---and pray with them. We care for them through sincere acts of kindness, compassion, and practical help. We share what Jesus has done in our lives, share the gospel, and help them know Jesus personally. But we must remember that we cannot change people's hearts. Only Jesus can.

We pray because we are asking the One who can do what we cannot do.

JEREMIAH 13:23 Can an Ethiopian change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

Human beings cannot ultimately transform themselves. We can modify our behavior, make resolutions, develop good habits, and try harder, but the deepest problem of humanity is not merely behavior; it is the heart. We need more than self-improvement. We need transformation. Because we cannot change the heart, we need to depend upon God. That is why prayer is so important.

We pray because of the practice of Jesus.

MARK 1:35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36 Simon and his companions searched for Him;

Jesus intentionally withdrew from the crowds to spend time with His Father. Prayer was not an emergency procedure for Jesus; prayer was His way of life. Even though Jesus was constantly surrounded by people and involved in ministry, He made time to be alone with the Father.

LUKE 5:15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

The crowds were increasing, the needs were increasing, and the ministry opportunities were increasing, yet Jesus withdrew to pray. The priority of Jesus was prayer. If Jesus considered prayer a priority, how much more should we?

We pray because of the promise of Jesus.

JOHN 14:13 Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Jesus gives us an incredible promise concerning prayer. But praying in Jesus' name does not mean simply adding the words “in Jesus' name” at the end of a prayer. It means that we pray as representatives of Jesus, according to His character, His will, and His purposes. The ultimate objective of prayer is the glory of God. We do not pray merely, “Lord, give me what I want.” We pray, “Lord, accomplish Your will through me.” And what is the heart of God?

EZEKIEL 18:23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

God desires people to turn to Him and live. That is why heaven rejoices when someone comes to repentance.

LUKE 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

When one sinner repents, heaven celebrates. Therefore, when we pray for people who do not yet know Christ, we are praying according to the heart of God.

We pray because of the power of Jesus.

MATTHEW 18:19 “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. 20 For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.”

Jesus gives another amazing promise concerning prayer and His presence with His people. We pray because of His practice, and we pray because of His promise. But there is another reason: we pray because of the power of Jesus.

We can pray because God is able to draw them to Christ.

MARK 5:1 They came to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gerasenes. 2 When He got out of the boat, immediately a man from the tombs with an unclean spirit met Him,

Jesus encountered a man whose life had been devastated by demonic oppression. The battle for the souls of men and women is ultimately a spiritual battle. This meeting was not an accident. Jesus went to this place because He intended to meet this man. Jesus is a seeker, and this man needed a Savior.

JOHN 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

Ultimately, it is God who draws people to Himself. This should encourage us when we pray for our family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and others within our circle of influence. We may not know how God is working in their hearts, but we can pray because God is able to draw them to Christ.

We pray because only Jesus can solve the problem of sin.

MARK 5:3 He lived among the tombs; and no one was able to bind him anymore, not even with a chain,

This man was completely broken. People had tried to restrain him, but chains could not solve the problem. Human strength could not solve the problem. His life was being destroyed. It is possible that some of those who tried to restrain him were people who cared about him and wanted to protect him, but even human efforts could not bring lasting freedom.

EPHESIANS 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins

A dead person cannot revive himself. He needs someone outside himself to give him life. This is why self-effort cannot solve the problem of sin.

MARK 5:4 because he had often been bound with shackles and chains, and the chains had been torn apart by him and the shackles broken in pieces, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Constantly, night and day, he was screaming among the tombs and in the mountains, and gashing himself with stones.

His strength was beyond what ordinary human means could handle. Yet his physical strength was not the real issue. Behind his outward behavior was a deeper spiritual bondage that human strength could not overcome.

ROMANS 7:18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

We can know what is right and still fail to do it. We can desire to change and still remain trapped. We can make promises to ourselves and break them. The answer is not simply greater willpower. The answer is Jesus Christ.

MARK 5:6 Seeing Jesus from a distance, he ran up and bowed down before Him; 7 and shouting with a loud voice, he *said, “What business do we have with each other, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God, do not torment me!” 8 For He had already been saying to him, “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And He was asking him, “What is your name?” And he *said to Him, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged Him earnestly not to send them out of the region.

The demons recognized who Jesus was and understood His authority. They knew that Jesus had power over them. Then Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out. The demon identified itself as Legion, indicating that many demons were involved. Yet even though there were many, they were still subject to the authority of one Jesus. That is the power of Christ. We should never underestimate the power of the problem, but neither should we underestimate the power of Jesus.

MARK 5:11 Now there was a large herd of pigs feeding [b]nearby on the mountain. 12 And the demons begged Him, saying, “Send us into the pigs so that we may enter them.” 13 Jesus gave them permission. And coming out, the unclean spirits entered the pigs; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, about two thousand of them; and they were drowned in the sea.

The passage demonstrates the destructive nature of the demons, but it also demonstrates the authority of Jesus. The forces that had controlled this man were powerless before Christ. Jesus was able to accomplish what no human being could accomplish.

JOHN 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

The enemy's purpose is destruction, but Jesus' purpose is life. This is why the gospel is so important. People do not merely need better circumstances; they need Jesus.

MARK 5:14 Their herdsmen ran away and reported it in the city and in the country. And the people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down, clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the “legion”; and they became frightened.

This is transformation. The man who had been out of control was now sitting down. The man who had been exposed was now clothed. The man who had been tormented was now in his right mind. Jesus changed him from the inside out. This is what the gospel does.

A NEW CREATION.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

The Christian life is not simply becoming a better version of the old person; it is becoming a new creation in Christ. God changes us from the inside out.

EZEKIEL 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Jesus can change a hard heart. Jesus can give us a heart that beats for God. Jesus can give us new desires. Jesus can transform the person we could never transform by ourselves.

MARK 5:16 Those who had seen it described to them how it had happened to the demon-possessed man, and all about the swine. 17 And they began to implore Him to leave their region. 18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed was imploring Him that he might accompany Him.

The man wanted to follow Jesus. That is one of the evidences of a changed life. When Jesus changes us, our desires change. We begin to want Jesus. We want to know Him. We want to follow Him. We want to be near Him. But Jesus had another assignment for this man.

POINT PEOPLE TO JESUS.

MARK 5:19 And He did not let him, but He *said to him, “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in Decapolis what great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.

Jesus told the man to go home and tell others what He had done. The man became a witness. He did not need a theological degree. He simply had a testimony: “This is what Jesus did for me.” That is something every believer can do. We can tell people, “This is what Jesus has done in my life.” Our testimony becomes a bridge through which people can hear about Christ. This brings us back to the Great Commission. God blesses us so that we can bless others. We pray, we care, and we share. Ultimately, we point people to Jesus.

MARK 10:26 They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Looking at them, Jesus *said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

We cannot change a person's heart. We cannot save anyone. We cannot make someone repent. We cannot force someone to believe. But God can. What is impossible with people is possible with God. That is why we pray. That is why we care. That is why we share. We faithfully do what God has called us to do, but we trust God to do what only He can do.

Only Jesus can change a life from the inside out. The world does not ultimately need more successful people, richer people, or more comfortable people. The world needs Jesus. And God has blessed us so that, through our lives, others may come to know Him. So let us be content—not because we have everything we want, but because we have God. Let us be rich toward God, and let the blessing we have received from Him overflow to others.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for reminding us that our greatest blessing is knowing You. Teach us to be content with what You have provided and to be rich toward You. Help us not to keep Your blessings to ourselves, but to use them to bless others.

Give us hearts that pray, hands that care, and courage to share the good news of Jesus. Use our lives to lead others to Christ, knowing that only You can change hearts and save lives. May everything we do bring glory to You.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

The content of this article is adapted from the source below:

Pray: Jesus Changes Lives

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By God’s grace, this website, The Message of God, was created to share His Word, encourage others in their faith, and lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. God has uniquely designed and equipped every believer to take part in His work, and this website is one small expression of that calling.

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