Are you covetous?
Let's define covetous first of all- it's not a term we hear all the time-
'cov·et·ous
ˈkəvətəs/
adjective
adjective: covetous
1. 1.
having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else.
Pasted from '
Do you ever have a great desire to possess something that isn't yours?
We call that normal, don't we? We see no harm in desiring what others possess.
Can we be content with the things we have if we are coveting, if we are in a constant state of desiring the things of others? No, we can't.
Can coveting become an endless pursuit? Yes. No sooner than one coveted desire is met than another pops up to take its place. There is no shortage of things to covet.
The Bible tells us that the Pharisees were covetous. Pharisees, men of Israel, God's chosen people. Men who prided themselves on following all of God's laws and teachings. Clearly they fell far short of keeping the tenth commandment, the moral law of our God teaching us not to covet.
Read the following, the Pharisees deriding Jesus-
Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
And Jesus said to them-
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
That which is HIGHLY esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God.
Do we believe this? We should. Seriously, do we believe this? Right now is our gift giving and receiving season and it is especially notable during this time just how much we covet things. We even covet things to give to others. Coveting is coveting, we can't justify it. With Christ the desire for the Kingdom of Heaven was paramount! The desire for the Kingdom of Heaven was truly something we need to treasure. Things eternal, not things temporal. Yet right now we fill our homes with gifts and sit back wishing we could do more for others and for ourselves. When we do this are we truly placing our treasures in heaven? Are we helping others to place their treasures in heaven?
Before anyone thinks I'm against gift giving/receiving, I'm not. But the extremes people go to are not of God! 'That which is highly esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God.' This is something we cannot allow ourselves to forget. No matter what it might be the seemingly best, most selfless situation it can be turned to deceit and abomination. Satan loves nothing better than to turn our hearts to serve him, and he loves it all the more when he can do it and keep us in the dark about it all. Let us imagine we are serving God when all the while we are serving Satan, the Evil One likes nothing more.
Do something this gift giving season- pray before you buy every gift, pray that the gift of the Kingdom of God is first and foremost in the hearts of those you are giving gifts to.
The Pharisees did not want people getting to know Jesus, they did not want to hear the kingdom of heaven preached by Jesus, they wanted to stick with their sacrificial system. Their idea of a Messiah was someone who would come and use the same sacrificial system and bring earthly power to their people.
Listen to this - from when Jesus went to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and then raised Lazarus from the dead-
Joh 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Joh 11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
Joh 11:46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Joh 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
They did NOT want people to believe in the Kingdom of Heaven being preached by Jesus! To believe what Jesus was saying meant believing in a way of life totally contrary to what they desired. A thief, a prostitute, a tax collector all on equal footing?! Never. They were the scum of the earth, they were a much lower class and had no right to have hope of the kingdom of heaven without a lot of ceremonial sacrificing and even then it was doubtful they'd desire the kingdom of heaven.
These men saw and heard of Jesus doing miracles and they couldn't just let Him continue on that way or else the way of life the Pharisees and priests had come to would be forever changed. They didn't want ALL men to believe on Jesus, if they did then those men would no long believe in them!
The kingdom of heaven, Jesus came to preach this kingdom of heaven and He taught his apostles and disciples to preach the kingdom, He wanted the kingdom preached. He want the kingdom of heaven realized! He wanted everyone to know they had hope in Him! He came to make the kingdom of heaven available to all those who would believe on Him and in believing on Him they would believe in LOVE, for He is LOVE. Love for God and love for each other.
Satan wants us to be absorbed in ourselves and our selfish, self-serving love.
We need to preach the kingdom of heaven found in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior!
Please Lord, help us to recognize any coveting we may do, understanding that whether we are giving, getting or simply hoping to do either that ultimate that Your kingdom and Your kingdom alone found in You is the only gift - giving or receiving - that any of us really need.
Guide our hearts, Lord, be in our lives teaching us, chastising us when necessary, we need You Lord more than anything else in life! You are life!
All in YOU, by YOU.
All glory, praise, and honor unto You, Lord!
Let's define covetous first of all- it's not a term we hear all the time-
'cov·et·ous
ˈkəvətəs/
adjective
adjective: covetous
1. 1.
having or showing a great desire to possess something, typically something belonging to someone else.
Pasted from
Do you ever have a great desire to possess something that isn't yours?
We call that normal, don't we? We see no harm in desiring what others possess.
Can we be content with the things we have if we are coveting, if we are in a constant state of desiring the things of others? No, we can't.
Can coveting become an endless pursuit? Yes. No sooner than one coveted desire is met than another pops up to take its place. There is no shortage of things to covet.
The Bible tells us that the Pharisees were covetous. Pharisees, men of Israel, God's chosen people. Men who prided themselves on following all of God's laws and teachings. Clearly they fell far short of keeping the tenth commandment, the moral law of our God teaching us not to covet.
Read the following, the Pharisees deriding Jesus-
Luk 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
And Jesus said to them-
Luk 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
That which is HIGHLY esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God.
Do we believe this? We should. Seriously, do we believe this? Right now is our gift giving and receiving season and it is especially notable during this time just how much we covet things. We even covet things to give to others. Coveting is coveting, we can't justify it. With Christ the desire for the Kingdom of Heaven was paramount! The desire for the Kingdom of Heaven was truly something we need to treasure. Things eternal, not things temporal. Yet right now we fill our homes with gifts and sit back wishing we could do more for others and for ourselves. When we do this are we truly placing our treasures in heaven? Are we helping others to place their treasures in heaven?
Before anyone thinks I'm against gift giving/receiving, I'm not. But the extremes people go to are not of God! 'That which is highly esteemed among men is ABOMINATION in the sight of God.' This is something we cannot allow ourselves to forget. No matter what it might be the seemingly best, most selfless situation it can be turned to deceit and abomination. Satan loves nothing better than to turn our hearts to serve him, and he loves it all the more when he can do it and keep us in the dark about it all. Let us imagine we are serving God when all the while we are serving Satan, the Evil One likes nothing more.
Do something this gift giving season- pray before you buy every gift, pray that the gift of the Kingdom of God is first and foremost in the hearts of those you are giving gifts to.
The Pharisees did not want people getting to know Jesus, they did not want to hear the kingdom of heaven preached by Jesus, they wanted to stick with their sacrificial system. Their idea of a Messiah was someone who would come and use the same sacrificial system and bring earthly power to their people.
Listen to this - from when Jesus went to Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and then raised Lazarus from the dead-
Joh 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Joh 11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
Joh 11:46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
Joh 11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
Joh 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
They did NOT want people to believe in the Kingdom of Heaven being preached by Jesus! To believe what Jesus was saying meant believing in a way of life totally contrary to what they desired. A thief, a prostitute, a tax collector all on equal footing?! Never. They were the scum of the earth, they were a much lower class and had no right to have hope of the kingdom of heaven without a lot of ceremonial sacrificing and even then it was doubtful they'd desire the kingdom of heaven.
These men saw and heard of Jesus doing miracles and they couldn't just let Him continue on that way or else the way of life the Pharisees and priests had come to would be forever changed. They didn't want ALL men to believe on Jesus, if they did then those men would no long believe in them!
The kingdom of heaven, Jesus came to preach this kingdom of heaven and He taught his apostles and disciples to preach the kingdom, He wanted the kingdom preached. He want the kingdom of heaven realized! He wanted everyone to know they had hope in Him! He came to make the kingdom of heaven available to all those who would believe on Him and in believing on Him they would believe in LOVE, for He is LOVE. Love for God and love for each other.
Satan wants us to be absorbed in ourselves and our selfish, self-serving love.
We need to preach the kingdom of heaven found in Jesus Christ our Lord, our Savior!
Please Lord, help us to recognize any coveting we may do, understanding that whether we are giving, getting or simply hoping to do either that ultimate that Your kingdom and Your kingdom alone found in You is the only gift - giving or receiving - that any of us really need.
Guide our hearts, Lord, be in our lives teaching us, chastising us when necessary, we need You Lord more than anything else in life! You are life!
All in YOU, by YOU.
All glory, praise, and honor unto You, Lord!
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