Monday, December 9, 2013

Fighting Covetousness

I. Fight. Covetousness.

In our culture struggling with covetousness has a little less sting than saying, "I struggle with lust or immorality." However they are both equally, life-threatening, cancerous sins, we must wage war against. I know I have to put it to death daily because I come by it naturally.


Paul calls covetousness idolatry. Col 3:5-"Put to death what is earthly in you: immorality..& covetousness which is idolatry." God knew I had an idolatrous (divided) heart when He chose me. That is why He gave His life for me! Everyone has an idolatrous heart. We were born with it and come by it naturally (Ps 51:5-For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.). Two of the Ten Commandments (the first and last) speak on the issue of covetousness: 1. You shall have no other gods before Me. 10. You shall not covet. The Ten Commandments serve as a tutor to show us our need for a Savior (Gal 3:24). Covetousness is idolatry, and we must "put it to death." We can agree with the grace of God to be set free from it! Here's how:

Jesus tells us, we can not serve two masters (Matt 6). He then He gives us a key that frees us from the tyranny of the love of money and the anxiety that accompanies it:

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry...saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt 6:24-33

We fight covetousness by knowing God. Your heavenly Father knows what you need. According to Matthew 6 those who do not know God eagerly seek after the things they can see (what they will eat, drink, wear). But those who know God aren't consumed or anxiously driven by these things. Rather, they seek first God's kingdom and righteousness, and these earthly things are added to them. Where is your heart today? Are you anxious, bothered about many things? Seek first His kingdom! Sin is what we do when we are bored with God. Covetous is where we reside when we lose our contentment in God (Heb 13:5). A heart that is satisfied in God, with their treasure in heaven, is a sure way to fight covetousness. Join the fight with me! Go after the knowledge of God and set your mind on things above.

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