God's creatures, including Lucifer and some angels, have always been discontent. Discontent is a cancer of the soul that drags people down through envy, uncontrolled ambition, a critical spirit, complaining, and anger. The passage advises dealing with discontent by gaining God's perspective, as he told exiled Jews in Babylon to settle in, marry, have families, and serve the Lord in their present circumstances rather than longing for the past or future. It encourages blooming where planted, stopping complaints, and focusing on knowing Jesus instead of circumstances.

3. DEFEATDEFEAT
DISCONTENTDISCONTENT
Jeremiah 29:1-6Jeremiah 29:1-6

4. God’s creaturesGod’s creatures
havehave ALWAYSALWAYS beenbeen
discontent.discontent.

5. LUCIFERLUCIFER, the, the
greatest of allgreatest of all
created beingscreated beings
wanted more.wanted more.

6. One-third of all theOne-third of all the
ANGELSANGELS were led inwere led in
rebellion againstrebellion against
GodGod

7. He sowed seeds ofHe sowed seeds of
discontent indiscontent in EVEEVE’s’s
mind in the Garden.mind in the Garden.

8. Ever since, we have
been an UNHAPPY
race.

9. We wereWe were BORNBORN
discontented anddiscontented and
some of us stay thatsome of us stay that
way.way.

10. Discontent is theDiscontent is the
cancercancer of the soul!of the soul!

11. Ways discontent
drags us down:
• ENVYENVY
• UncontrolledUncontrolled AMBITIONAMBITION
• AA CRITICALCRITICAL SpiritSpirit
• AA COMPLAININGCOMPLAINING spiritspirit
• Outbursts ofOutbursts of ANGERANGER

12. How do we deal withHow do we deal with
discontent?discontent?
It is the result of wrongIt is the result of wrong
thinking; we need God’sthinking; we need God’s
perspective:perspective:

13. JeremiahJeremiah 29:4-629:4-6
A message toA message to
Jewish exilesJewish exiles
in Babylonin Babylon

14. ““This is what the LordThis is what the Lord
Almighty the God ofAlmighty the God of
Israel says to those IIsrael says to those I
carried into exile fromcarried into exile from
Jerusalem to Babylon:Jerusalem to Babylon:

15. Build houses and settleBuild houses and settle
down; plant gardensdown; plant gardens
and eat what theyand eat what they
produce. Marry andproduce. Marry and
have sons andhave sons and
daughters;daughters;

16. Find wives for yourFind wives for your
sons and give yoursons and give your
daughters in marriage,daughters in marriage,
so that they too mayso that they too may
have sons andhave sons and
daughters.daughters.

17. Increase in numberIncrease in number
there; do not decrease.there; do not decrease.

18. You are where you areYou are where you are
becausebecause GODGOD wants youwants you
there. You canthere. You can SERVESERVE thethe
Lord right where you are.Lord right where you are.
You canYou can GLORIFYGLORIFY the Lordthe Lord
right where you are.right where you are.

19. You are called toYou are called to
make the most ofmake the most of
youryour PRESENTPRESENT
circumstances.circumstances.

20. Don’t play theDon’t play the
““if onlyif only” game.” game.

21. Come to grips withCome to grips with
REALITYREALITY..

22. You can’t changeYou can’t change
the past; you can’tthe past; you can’t
stay where you are;stay where you are;
you must goyou must go
FORWARDFORWARD in faith.in faith.

23. If you complain, youIf you complain, you
areare rebellingrebelling againstagainst
God and his plan forGod and his plan for
you.you.

24. • Bloom where you are planted.
• Serve the Lord right where
you are.
• Stop moping!
• Don’t live in the past or the
future.

25. •Let God define your life,
not your circumstances!
•Don’t expect change to
make you happy.
•Don’t forget that you
won’t be here forever.

26. The one thingThe one thing
that matters isthat matters is
knowing Jesusknowing Jesus
and growing closerand growing closer
to God every day.to God every day.

27. DEFEATDEFEAT
DISCONTENTDISCONTENT
GIVE THANKS!GIVE THANKS!