Posted on 01/15/2024 12:43:02 AM PST by metmom
“Let your way of life be free from the love of money, being content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5).
If you are content with what God has given you, you will not be a person who is covetous or a lover of money.
I once had a man come into my church office and confess the sin of gluttony. When I told him he did not look overweight, he answered, “I know. It is not that I eat too much but that I want to. I continually crave food. It’s an obsession.”
Covetousness is very similar to that man’s gluttonous attitude. You do not have to acquire a lot of things, or even anything at all, to be covetous. If you long to acquire things and are focusing all your attention on how you might get them, you are guilty of covetousness.
It is not wrong to earn or possess wealth. In the Old Testament, Abraham and Job had tremendous wealth. A number of faithful New Testament believers were also fairly wealthy. The problem comes when we have a greedy attitude that craves money above everything else. Paul warns us, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang” (1 Tim. 6:10). Loving money is perhaps the most common form of covetousness; it is akin to lusting after material riches in various forms.
No matter how it appears, this kind of covetousness breeds the same spiritual result—it displeases God and separates us from Him. More income, a bigger house, nicer clothes, a fancier car can tempt all of us.
But the Lord wants you to be free from the materialism that so easily controls your non-Christian neighbors. Your earthly possessions are only temporary anyway. You will lose them all one day soon enough. So God tells you and me to be “content with what you have” (Heb. 13:5), realizing that we have “a better possession and an abiding one” (10:34) in our salvation.
Suggestions for Prayer
Is there any covetousness or materialism in your life today? Confess it to the Lord, and pray that He would give you a renewed desire to trust Him rather than uncertain wealth.
For Further Study
Read Luke 12:13-34.
Make a list of the things that illustrate how God cares for our material needs.
How does the rich fool’s attitude contrast with what Jesus teaches in verse 31?
From Strength for Today by John MacArthur Copyright © 1997. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
Thank you for this. It is the root of the faithful compromising with evil and the selling of souls.
Popping some popcorn to see how this thread plays out here.
Maybe not popcorn ready. It’s a Caucus/Devotional thread and I suspect there are not a lot of people who disagree with it or you.
The verse comes to mind about the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
The Bible is very clear about money and material objects.
Proverbs 30:8-9 NIV
[8] Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. [9] Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.
Matthew 6:19-21 NIV
[19] “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:24 NIV
[24] “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.
At my church, yesterday’s sermon was on Luke 18:18-30, the rich young ruler. That also is worth further study.
The leadership covets the power money brings and the rank and file covet freebies without working.
The entire party is based in a cardinal sin - and they are in charge.
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. (II Peter 3:10-12)
And, of course, Jesus' own words:
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matthew 16:26)
The things of most value tome are not material things and possessions.
My family and the souls of those I know and love are what are eternal and that is what I want to see forever.
In heaven, we will be provided with everything we could possibly need or want and with out focus on God, everything else will fade by comparison.
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:11-13)
In college, the kids from Texas used to joke that they knew Paul couldn't be from there because he said in whatever state he was in he was content. ;o)
Well you were right. Pretty quiet thread. Even most of the faithful do not like to discuss the topic of greed. If they are silent the question and reality that they are not virtuous might just go away and they won’t have to feel guilty.
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