Godliness with Contentment

The podcast episode centers on Paul's reflections in 1 Corinthians 15:9-10. Most of the chapter is on the resurrection, but we look at grace. Paul reflects on grace amidst his acknowledgment of his past as a persecutor of the church. He expresses profound humility, recognizing the vast gap between his former self and his current role as an apostle, which he attributes entirely to God's grace. Paul...

In the Bible Abraham is recognized as the father of many and a man of unwavering faith. He obeyed God's call without knowing his destination and believed in God's promises despite his advanced age, resulting in descendants as numerous as the stars. When tested to sacrifice his son Isaac, Abraham's faith led him to believe that God could raise the dead when this was a new/foreign understanding. He...

In the Bible, many individuals are called by God, but often resist His call, as exemplified by Gideon from the tribe of Manasseh. Gideon regarded himself as the least among his clan, reflecting a profound sense of inadequacy in the face of Israel's current situation, which stemmed from disobedience to God and the worship of foreign gods. Despite his self-perception as the weakest man in Israel, Go...

In the biblical narrative of Joseph found in Genesis, we observe a profound journey of struggle and faith. Joseph, favored by his father Jacob, faced intense hatred from his brothers after sharing dreams that foretold his future prominence. Their animosity led them to sell him into slavery. Despite enduring false accusations and imprisonment in Egypt, Joseph remained steadfast in his faith and int...

The text for this episode comes from the account of Elisha and Naaman and Gehazi from 2 Kings 5. After deceiving Naaman to get what he wanted, Gehazi was posed with a question from Elisha the prophet - 'Is this the time...?' It wasn't. It is never the time to deceive and lie to get what we want. It is never the time to say we will help the poor and needy when our plan is to get for ourselves. Chec...

The truth is - some believers can feel dissatisfied despite being in God's kingdom, yearning for unmet desires such as relationships or material possessions. True contentment is rooted in our relationship with Jesus, and is of great value. Psalm 84, illustrates the joy of serving God, emphasizing that the psalmist's affection lies not in the temple itself but in God's enduring presence. As believe...

This episode is drawn from Matthew 20:1-6. Jesus tells a parable about a land owner who agrees to pay a denarius to the very first workers presumably at 6am.  To the others throughout the day, no agreement was made to a specific amount, but 'whatever is right'. A full days labor was about 12 hours.  The land owner goes out at the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 11th hour and finds men in the marketplace in need...

Yes, the word "stupid" does appear in some English translations of the Bible. The use of the word depends on the version of the Bible you're reading. For example, in my NIV, it showed up five times either as "stupid" or "stupidly". Sometimes, we see down right stupid stuff in the world. Stupid is a valid word. But then, there is wickedness that transcends stupidity. Know when to call stupid, stupi...

The essence of gratitude and the seriousness of coveting is captured in the context of the 10th commandment from Exodus 20:17, which warns against desiring what belongs to others. The term "covet" indicates an inordinate longing for another's possessions or relationships, which is in itself sin and can lead one to other sins, like theft or adultery. This inner desire may remain hidden, acknowledge...

In a recent Sunday sermon, a friend of mine reflected on the narrative of Elijah from 1 Kings 17, highlighting his confrontation with King Ahab regarding the stopping of rain for a few years until God said so due to the Israelites' idolatry, particularly the worship of Baal. Baal, often regarded as a weather deity, was rendered powerless by Elijah's proclamation, which stemmed from God’s authority...

In order to lead a fulfilling life, it is essential to maintain both a to-do list and a to-don't list. Understanding one’s identity entails recognizing not only who one is but also who one is not. The example of John the Baptist illustrates this point; he clearly identified his purpose as a forerunner to the Messiah while firmly declaring that he was not the Messiah himself. This self-awareness pr...

In episode 101 of "Godliness with Contentment," Keyno discusses the importance of patience and faith, using the story of Abraham as an example of unwavering belief in God's promises despite seemingly impossible circumstances. Keyno urges listeners to develop a long-term mindset and reliance on God, encouraging them to remain steadfast even in the face of challenges. He advises against expecting ra...

This episode of "Godliness with Contentment," hosted by Keyno Hanna, celebrates its milestone of 100 episodes, focusing on biblical teachings related to money, wealth, and practical living. The central message draws from Isaiah 43:16-21, where God announces His intention to bring about a new and greater deliverance than that of the Exodus. This prophecy not only pertains to the return from Babylon...

Luke 2:8-14 recounts the night of Jesus' birth, highlighting the shepherds who received the angelic announcement of this momentous event. The angels proclaimed joy for all mankind, emphasizing that Jesus is the Savior, the promised Messiah, and Lord. This episode encourages reflection on the significance of Jesus in one's life, urging individuals to prioritize biblical teachings over worldly distr...

In this episode, I  celebrate becoming debt-free after paying off our (my wife and I) mortgage, which I attribute to divine blessings. Proverbs 22:7 illustrates the weight of debt and the opposite subsequent liberation experienced upon its removal. There are now newfound options in our professional lives coming out of being free from debt. I reflect on five years of financial education and persona...

I want to clear up any rumors that I’ve quit—I'm still here, just taking a moment to reflect on my journey. Recently, I’ve been thinking about how to create content that I can stick with consistently, even though I've been doing it weekly for nearly two years. A few weeks ago, I went to a financial conference in Atlanta, which had a different vibe for me this time. I'm trying to find my direction...

The Scriptures I focus on in this episode are found in Matthew 13:22 and Colossians  3:2. Jesus in the parable of the Sower speaks about the thorns as the cares of this life and the riches and pleasures and describes them as the deceitfulness of wealth. Paul wrote to the Colossians that they set their minds on things above, not on earthly things. We have the ability to focus on God or on something...

To give or not to give, that is the question. Around us in our cities and places where we live, in fact wherever we go, there are needs. We are faced almost daily with the question of whether or not to give. We get some help I believe from what we see in Acts 3:1-10. Peter and John did not have money, but had the gift of healing from the Holy Spirit. We are to give from what we have. We cannot giv...

Les Brown has a quote about potential: “The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem...

This episode came to life because of what I am calling 'the garage opener incident'. But more about that in the actual recording. In Numbers 11:23, I find one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. Here, God tells Moses, in a summarized version, that nothing is impossible for God, and that God would show Moses that God could do anything. There are times when we hit a task that is too great fo...

In Genesis 12, we find Abram with a call on his life from God. God called Abram and told Abram what to do and where to go...well not quite. Abram was to leave his father's house and go to a place God would show him. Along with this call, God told Abram that He would bless him. Then we see in vs 4 that Abram left as God told him. What was missing? God did not tell Abram where to go, just to go. God...

We plan for retirement but our life does not come to an end there.... We go into eternity, so we have to plan for eternity.  Plan for your future! Heaven, not hell.  Don’t miss the point! Eternity awaits. We cannot take worldly wealth with us, but rewards await us based on how we lived on earth.   As an example Proverbs 19:17 'Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them...

In Matthew 7:24-27 we find that the rock to build on is the words of Jesus. We are to build our houses on the Rock i.e. on Jesus' words. To go a little further, practically, we need to live our lives based on Jesus in order to win despite the storms of life. Storms will come, the winds will blow and beat against our house, but when we have Jesus as our foundation, our house will withstand the stor...

So, I love the music of Bob Marley - most of his songs. One of them is called 'Small Axe' and actually uses the first part Proverbs 26:27 in the song. 'Whosoever diggeth a pit shall fall in it…'. I cannot recall why this was on my mind the other day, but the concept of a small axe is huge. A small axe can fell a big tree. Yes, It will take a long time, but, it will happen once the person swinging...

In Genesis 15:1-6 we find God telling Abram (later Abraham) that God is Abram's protector and reward. Mind blowing right? Is God enough for you? Abram was at a place where he had no children but wanted them badly. So even though God says what he said, Abram was thinking - give me children. God takes Abram outside and shows him the stars in the sky. Abram's offspring would be like that i.e. not abl...