When one hears; Coveting, the first thought to come to one's mind may be the act of stealing. However, stealing and coveting have two different meanings. To take something that doesn't belong to you, would be stealing. To want or desire more of what you already have, want to have, don't need to have, or what someone else has is Coveting. Coveting may appear to be harmless because it's basically only a desire. Yet, desires can and often run out of control leading to other sins such as jealousy, rage, lying, greed, stealing, envy, lust, murder, infidelity, and idolatry. Coveting is major problem because it is always the underlying cause for people feeling that their needs are unmet; an insult to God's grace of provisions. Coveting is so much of an offense to God that it is listed as the last of the Ten Commandments; although, not considered the least (Exodus 20:2-17).
Coveting is one of the main reasons why there is so much monetary and emotional debt in the world. Everyone wants more of what they already have, more than what someone else has, some of what they don't need, part or all of what someone else has. And because there is so much wanting, there amongst the people, is found quarreling and fighting, because someone or something is in the way of them getting to what they want. Does this have anything to do with the end times where people will become more calloused in heart, self-centered, puffed up, and lovers of themselves? Absolutely not. The first sign of coveting began when man was created. Adam and Eve desired to covet more knowledge over the gift of life (Gen 3:1-7). Ahab and Jezebel desired Naboth's vineyard; although, they were wealthy and well off (1 Kings 21). Judas desired silver over the life of the Messiah (Matt 27:3-5). Ananias and Sapphira desired wealth more than honesty (Acts 5:1-11). David desired sexual immorality with Bathsheba over his anointing and righteousness (2 Sam 11). Samson desired the fancy of beautiful ladies over his anointing and strength (Judges 16). Esau desired a bowl of soup over his own birthright (Gen 25:29-34). Mariam desired jealousy over her brother Moses due to wanting to be used by God in a greater measure (Num 12). The list can go and on... With each desire for coveting; there also other sins were manifested, and where God's anger burned against the guilty. Understand that God isn't against people desiring; He is against desires that go after right or wrong things, for the wrong reasons, at the wrong time, and for the wrong amount. Can you think of any times when you have wanted someone or something without the right intentions? Or maybe it was for the right intentions, but it belonged to someone else? Maybe it didn't belong to someone else, and it was left to your option, but you didn't really need it; yet, you possessed it anyways? Ever needed more shoes? more clothes? more make-up? a bigger house? a fancier car? the better cell phone? louder bassed out sound system? a more handsome husband or gorgeous wife? Someone else's husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend? a greater title? a higher position? Does anything you are seeking more of have pride attached? competition? the desire for some type of glory, status, attention, or insatiate lust?
Everything reaps what it sows right? Well, coveting reaps the wilderness because what is sowed is a seed of wrongful desire. Coveting is nothing more than temptation, and temptation always leads to destruction and ruin. Mark 7: 21:23 lists coveting with sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness, senseless, and harmful desires. Having the desire for more does not bring satisfaction, but instead, leads to wanting even more, while becoming more and more dissatisfied with God and His provisions, giving one the feeling of being self-sufficient, from being puffed up. Here's how God sees it, "We cannot take anything with us when we die". Senseless desires are for nothing. One burns and burns for more and more, never coming to the end of being satisfied, while running themselves down to the ground, emotionally, physically, mentally, financially, spiritually, for absolutely nothing in the end. 1 Timothy 6:7, "After all we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can not take anything with us when we leave it". Ecclesiastes 5:15, "We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we came". Job 1:21, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life". James 4:14, "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away". God desires that our reasoning for our own desires be that we remain content with what He gives us, and rejoice in Him who has always been, is , and will forever be, versus our possessions which weren't with us in the beginning, made us restless during our days with it, and which will one day leave us again. When we place our focus on God, He promises to add everything to us according to our needs during each season of our lives here on earth; the contentment and joy, will come to the point where there will be no room left for coveting to take root (Philippians 4:19).
www.faithprodigyministries.org
No comments:
Post a Comment