BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2022.

SUBJECT : BEWARE OF COVETOUSNESS!

Memory verse: "And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." (Luke 12 vs 15.)

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 6 - 7:

6:6: Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 

6:7: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

INTIMATION:

Prosperity isn't all about you. God entrusts us with resources so that we can be a blessing to other people, so it isn't selfish to desire prosperity. When you see God as your source and treat the possessions He gives you as a resource to be stewarded, then it is very godly to want to prosper so that you can give and help establish God's covenant on earth.

In our memory verse, Jesus says that the good life has nothing to do with being wealthy, therefore, be on guard against greed, covetousness, and desiring that which you don’t have. It’s a societal norm that the more we have and acquire, the fulfilled, comfortable, and happier we should be. But this is contrary to the teachings of the Scripture. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul says that being content with what we have is godly and is great gain. He reminds us that we came into this world empty and so shall we leave the world in our passing (see also Job 1 vs 21; and Ecclesiastes 5 vs 15). This is key to our spiritual growth and godly personal fulfillment. A fulfilled life honors God and center its desires on Him (Matthew 6 vs 33), remembering that the only thing we take away from here in our passing is our relationship with Him. We should be content with what God is doing in our lives.

Reflect on the obvious truth of coming into the world with nothing and the certainty of living with nothing. What then, is the need for covetousness, and the strive for riches that is pervading our world. The craze for personal aggrandizement in our world breeds all these greed, discontentment etc. Ask yourself, "Am I content in any circumstances I face?" Learn the truth in the saying, "The contented is never poor, but the discontented is never rich." 

Some Christians have the wrong attitude about prosperity. When you talk about God's desire for us to prosper through stewardship, immediately their greed and selfishness kick in. They start thinking, I'm scripturally justified to get as much stuff as I can, and possess them as my own. However, it's all wrong. God truly wants you to prosper, but with the right motive of proper stewardship of what He blesses you with, and this is super important.

On the other hand, we have people teaching prosperity from a selfish standpoint. Some preachers present prosperity like it's all about getting more. It's selfish, and the driving motive for that kind of prosperity is covetousness. The right and godly motive for prosperity is “blessed to be a blessing.” That is God’s concept of prosperity—knowing that all you have is entrusted to you by Him, and requires proper stewardship (proper management to achieve His purposes).

Having the right motivations for financial stewardship doesn't come naturally. Our society is so focused on self-fulfillment and self-gratification that living for God is a totally foreign concept. It doesn't make sense to the natural mind. Greed, selfishness, personal freedom and self-interest are the order of the day in our society, and freedom is nearly a God to some people. These attitudes completely negate the teachings of Jesus Christ.

It is for this reason that apostle Paul admonishes believers in First Timothy 6 vs 3 - 5, saying, "If any teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings, of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself." 

The apostle Paul’s words are a reminder that personal freedom isn't everything. Life isn't supposed to be all about taking care of oneself and seeking one’s own gain. Most people are living very self-centered lives. Everything is all about "me." The truth is, when you're all wrapped up in yourself, you make a very small package. There is this saying, "The pride and prestige of a king is size of his follower-ship." Likewise, in Christendom, Churches are ranked by the size of their fellower-ship. If then you are so self-centered, you are all alone, and imagine the size you make.

The secret of godliness with contentment is drawing on Christ's power for strength. Learn to rely on God's promises and Christ's power to help you to be content. If you are always in want of more, ask God to remove that desire and teach you contentment in every circumstance. You can learn contentment by striving to live with less rather desiring more, give away out of your abundance rather than accumulating more, relish what you have rather than resent what you’re missing. Become satisfied knowing that our sufficiency is in God’s sufficiency—He is able to meet all our needs. 

Believers who become materialistic are saying by their actions that God can’t take care of them—or at least that He won’t take care of them the way they want. Always see God’s love expressed in what He has provided, and always remember the futility of earthly desires—that money and possessions will pass away some day (First John 2 vs 17).

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of contentment in all things, and with the strength and courage to rightly serve You and others with the possessions entrusted to me by You. Fill me with the desire for an intimate relationship with You, and not being obsessed with the things of this world, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!