DANGEROUS, DECEPTIVE, AND DEADLY: Warning, it is dangerous, it is deceiving, and it is deadly. It is not obvious like adultery, lying, or stealing, which are outward. It is hard to be detected. And we are all subjected to it. What is it, and what can we do about it?
In our previous lessons, we talked about how to be successful with money by wisely managing the resources God has given us. We agree that to be successful at managing money and the possessions God has given us; we must put God first God in our finances and in all that we do.
Now we are looking at something that is a serious matter – covetousness. Covetousness is when we are never satisfied with what we have and are always wanting more. The root of covetousness is selfishness and greed.
It can take us into dangerous territory.
We have been looking at the pitfalls of covetousness and its potential to lead us down a path to destruction.
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Inviting God’s Presence
Holy Father, purify our hearts. And cultivate within us gratitude, contentment, and generosity towards others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
It is a matter of the heart, so it cannot be seen, yet it can destroy. Because it cannot be seen outwardly, covetousness is often viewed as a sin of the heart because it originates from within our personal desires and motivations. Unlike other sins that are outwardly visible, such as stealing or lying, covetousness is a sin that occurs within our hearts or minds.
It involves a desire for something that someone else possesses, whether it be material possessions, status, or relationships. No one can see the desires with our hearts. No one can read our minds. And it is not guarded. Satan uses our minds to lead us to do harmful things. Like any other sin, covetousness leads to negative consequences for both the covetous person and those around them.
As a matter of fact, covetousness can create feelings of jealousy, envy, and resentment towards others and can lead to selfish behavior.
What’s more, it goes against the principle of loving your neighbor as yourself. Instead, its focus is on one’s own desires and wants at the expense of others.
Furthermore, Covetousness can also be seen as a form of idolatry, as it places greater importance on material possessions or personal desires than on God and His Eternal Kingdom.
So, like pride and selfishness, it is a matter of the heart. It is generated in our thinking, and it often goes unnoticed. That is why it can be so deadly and so deceiving.
But how do you avoid bad thoughts? How do we guard our minds against entertaining the suggestion of Satan?
It is not easy, but it can be done:
1 Corinthians 10:13 gives us hope, for it lets us know that God has promised us that:
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
So what is Apostle Paul saying in this scripture?
God has made provision so that we cannot be tempted above what we are able to endure, and with every temptation, He will make a way for us to get out of it.
Get this. We can live our lives completely for God when we guard our minds against entertaining selfish imaginings.
Because, If there is any way by which Satan can gain access to the mind, he will sow his bad seeds and cause them to grow until they yield an abundant harvest of evil.
However, in no case can Satan obtain dominion over our thoughts, words, and actions unless we voluntarily open the door and invite him to enter.
But, if we do, make no mistake, he will then come in and, by tossing away the good seed sown in the heart, he will make of none effect the truth of God.
Therefore, as people of God claiming to have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we need to watch and pray and guard well the avenues of our soul. For Satan is at work to corrupt and destroy our mind, and he will use the least advantage given to him.—The Adventist Home, p. 402. Adapted
We, however, can be insulated or protected from the sin of covetousness by putting our trust in the Power of God. We must trust that He will fight for us against this sin and any other sin.
But for him to do so, we must ask Him for His help with a sincere desire to be delivered from the power of sin. To guard Satan’s entry into our hearts, we must do at least three things:
- Make the decision to serve God, depend on Him, and become a part of His family. Joshua, a leader of the Israelites, as they were preparing to enter Canaan, the land that God had promised them, made this charge to the Israelites or Hebrews in Joshua 24:15 “Choose you this day whom you will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15). This same charge is given to you and me. (Split)
- Pray Daily and often throughout the day. Include in your prayer Matthew 6:13 “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever” (Matthew 6:13). Better yet, make Jesus’ model prayer found in Matthew 6:5-15, your prayer. And when the feelings of covetous come upon you, pray, claiming the promises for victory found in the Bible using such scriptures as 1 Corinthians 10:13.(Split)
- Finally, study the Bible regularly, ideally reading and studying it daily. In the place of covetousness, let the word of God reside in your heart. Like the Psalmist in Psalm 119: 11.
“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalms 119:11, NKJV)
The point is Jesus has already solved our sin problem. He was tempted on every point that we are tempted on. Jesus’ secret weapon again sin was prayer. As a matter of fact, sometimes, He spent an entire night praying to His Father.
Jesus is our example of how to live in a world of sin yet resist the temptations that Satan presents to us. His example helps us understand how to fight against Satan’s suggestions. He also made it possible for us to live a life of faith and obedience. In other words, our goal is to develop characters like Christ.
Hence, we are encouraged in Isaiah 55:6-7 to:
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6, 7).
Our victory over covetousness, a sin of the heart, is not by our might or power but by our faith in Christ through the surrender of our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit, who then works in our hearts that we may resist the suggestions of Satan.
Obtaining this victory requires that you give your heart to God and determine that not your will but God’s will be done in your life.
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Houston, TX 77088
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