October 1, 2022 – Daily Bread Devotional for Today | Saturday Daily Devotions Reading

October 1, 2022 – Daily Bread Devotional for Today

TOPIC: Contentment

SCRIPTURE READING: Philippians 4:8-13

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

October 1, 2022 – Daily Bread Devotional for Today, Saturday

10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

KEY VERSE: I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. — Philippians 4:11

October 1, 2022 – Daily Bread Devotional for Today | MESSAGE

Contentment was a powerful word to the Greek-speaking people of Paul’s day. To be content literally means “to find everything you need within yourself.”

Many teachers in that day believed that contentment was the greatest virtue. But their version of contentment was based on self-accomplishment. To become content, they taught, a person had to be able to provide completely for himself or herself.

Paul knew that it was a myth to think that a human being can be completely self-sustaining. And yet here he looks within himself and finds that everything he needs is there within him. How did it get there? God put it there. God’s own Spirit had begun living inside of Paul.

This contentment provided by the Spirit of God gave Paul tremendous freedom. He goes on to say that sometimes his physical needs have been met, and sometimes they have not been met. But even when he has not had enough food, clothing, money, or other basic needs, he has still found that God’s peace and strength have been present within him.

October 1, 2022 – Daily Bread Devotional PRAYER

Jesus, live in us. Fill us with your Spirit’s strength and peace, we pray, and help us to trust that you will provide whatever else we need for today. Amen.

Today Devotional written by Scott DeVries has served as a church pastor and as a ministry ­coordinator in the Holland, Michigan, area. He currently works at ­facilitating connections between the more than twenty ministries and 1,100 churches of the Christian Reformed Church in North America. He has a passion for prayer, church organization, and studying the Scriptures in their original languages.