Covetousness Is Idolatry

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about coveting. This follows this post about Adultery. For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

Covetousness Is Idolatry


Many don't realize how greed is impeding their spiritual growth and how necessary it is to overcome the deadly and deceitful sin of covetousness.

by Greg Sargent

The founder of Christianity once remarked that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35), to extend a helping hand to the needy rather than amass wealth for oneself. When giving is practiced, the giver and the receiver ultimately benefit.



Of course, the prevailing practice of the modern world is the opposite: the way of getting, the practice of acquiring possessions. Many people behave like the man in the parable who said to himself, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink and be merry" (Luke 12:19). But the man in this story did not please God, who plainly disliked his callous, selfish attitude and love of the material world.



Humanity has long been afflicted by the curse of covetousness. Jesus Christ warned the people of His day: "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15).



A form of idolatry

Is coveting a problem we should take seriously? In Colossians 3:5 the apostle Paul directs us to "put to death" our fleshly desires, including "covetousness, which is idolatry," or, as one translation puts it, coveting is equivalent to "the worship of strange gods" (Bible in Basic English).



Why is covetousness equated with idolatry? What is the connection? What is the Bible definition of covetousness, and why is it a sin? And, most important, how can we overcome the sin of coveting?



Our English word covet means to intensely or obsessively desire. It frequently refers to lusting after something (or someone) that belongs to someone else.



The biblical meaning is much the same, though expressed through a variety of Hebrew and Greek words. For example, the Hebrew chamad, which is used in the Tenth Commandment, means "to greatly delight in" and can refer to a legitimate desire as well as immoral greed.



Also translated as "covetousness" (Exodus 18:21), the Hebrew word betsa means to plunder, to acquire or possess an insatiable desire for dishonest gain. Greek words translated "covetousness" in the New Testament convey "greed," "setting the heart upon," "longing" or "lusting for."



Taking great delight in something certainly is not always wrong. God tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:31 that we should "covet" (King James Version), or "earnestly desire" (New King James Version), spiritual gifts. We should greatly desire the good things God has to offer.



One of those gifts, which Paul described, was the ability to speak in an edifying, exhorting and comforting manner. This is a prime example of longing for-desiring-something good. Desire is not inherently evil, but the channeling of our longings toward what cannot be rightfully ours or into harmful and destructive obsessions is the sin of covetousness.



Simply put, God allows us to rightly desire some things but not others. There is nothing wrong with wanting things that will make our lives more comfortable or enjoyable, so long as it doesn't interfere with our relationship with God. We should seek after spiritual gifts. Yet improper desire, the sin of coveting, is everywhere condemned in Scripture.



Modern application of Tenth Commandment

The Tenth Commandment forbids us to covet a variety of things that belong to others-our neighbor's house, wife, servant, ox, donkey and, in fact, "anything that is your neighbor's" (Exodus 20:17). This covers the whole range of possessions.



Some of the examples in Exodus 20 concerning the commandment on coveting may seem antiquated to our modern way of thinking. After all, most of us do not own donkeys or employ servants. However, if we look closely at the forbidden list, it includes, in principle, a virtual wish list of everything we could desire in modern society.



Take a closer look at the listing of prohibited items in Exodus 20:17. Notice that it includes someone else's house, wife, manservant, ox, donkey and anything else that belongs to him. This enumeration includes many of the basics of life: property, the marriage relationship, household appliances and tools, machinery used at work and one's means of transportation. In other words, God forbids us to desire another person's mate, microwave oven, tool set or car.



God's instructions are timeless. Coveting eminently applies to this day and age, when so many people are drowning in debt because they have bought so many items they lusted after but couldn't afford.



What's wrong with wanting physical things?

But back to the question: What is the connection between covetousness and idolatry? Why, in God's eyes, is unlawful desire considered the equivalent of committing idolatry?



First let's ask and answer another question: Why do we take such pleasure in physical things we shouldn't have? We love them because they give us a feeling of fulfillment. They make us happy, at least temporarily.



Ultimately the forbidden but coveted fruit attracts us through our senses of touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing, but the initial act of desire takes place in the mind. Coveting, when actually carried out, can easily become the sins of adultery, stealing and lying.



Our tendency to covet can lead us to idolize, to actually worship, the physical as our source of contentment. Just as adherents to pagan religions bowed down to inanimate objects they thought could make them happy, we convince ourselves that physical things will make us happy and provide us peace and joy.



Illustrating mankind's obsession with idols, God describes a man who pays deference to an inanimate object and cries, "Deliver me, for you are my god!" (Isaiah 44:17). Our human tendency is to look to the idol of our choice to deliver us from difficulties and disappointments. We expect the physical things on which we set our hearts and minds to bring us happiness.



The problem God finds with such a shortsighted view is that we enlist the physical to compete with the spiritual. Our idols-the things on which we set our hearts and minds-directly compete with the Spirit of God and interfere with our relationship with God. We think the objects of our affection will satisfy our innermost cravings, even though God says His Spirit alone can truly satisfy: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness" (Galatians 5:22).



Love, joy, peace and the other fruits of God's Spirit should be visible in our lives whether we have all that we desire or not. If we feel good only when we gain what we desire, we revere our physical possessions and are guilty of coveting and idolatry.



Content in any circumstances

A perceptive person recently suggested to me that happiness is a mode of travel, not a destination. As we travel through life toward our goal, the Kingdom of God, we are supposed to be happy. But what about circumstances that don't lend themselves to peace and a serene sense of well-being?



Let Paul comment on that: "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:11-13).



When Paul wrote these words to the church in Philippi, he existed as a manacled prisoner, yet he lived contentedly. He had learned that contentment did not depend on material possessions. Paul, who spent most of his adult life as a sojourner establishing, strengthening and building the Church, and his last few years as a prisoner, could not be said to have led a covetous life.



Paul realized he had much to be happy about-the glory and majesty that will be his in God's Kingdom. When we keep our eyes on the reality and significance of our calling, we find it easier to ignore the glitter of material gain.



Jesus Christ reminds us of our priorities: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things" (Matthew 6:33-34).



Jesus showed us that, when we keep the Kingdom as our goal by obeying His spiritual law, everything else is taken care of, so don't worry about-to the point of coveting-things you don't have.



Keys to overcoming

This brings us to the question of how we can overcome covetous thoughts. The Bible gives us three keys to conquering this sin.



•Key No. 1: Love and obey God.



The first key is found in the commandment against idolatry. After God speaks out against idolatry, He states that He shows "mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:6).



Compare this to what we are told regarding the last days, that many in the end time will be "lovers of themselves, lovers of money" (2 Timothy 3:2). God tells us that, if we love Him first and foremost, we will not be guilty of idolatry through covetousness. However, if we love only ourselves, we will covet. Above all, we will probably desire money, which we look at as simply the power to buy anything our heart desires.



When we stop to think about it, we realize that loving ourselves before God makes no sense. God is spirit and eternal; we are of the dust, physical and temporal. God can let us live forever (Romans 6:23); most of us will live physically only 70 or 80 years.



Everything good and true comes from God (James 1:17). All the flawed presents we could buy are like the water in a barrel with a hole in the bottom. Every physical thing is temporary, like a mist that exists for a short time and then disappears.



What about us is worthy of love? Without a spiritual relationship with God, we go to our grave and are forgotten (Ecclesiastes 9:5). God offers us a wonderful future, and that brings us to the second key to overcoming covetousness.



Faith focuses

•Key No. 2: Ask God for faith.



Ephesians 5 warns that no "covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (verse 5). Covetousness is the lust of the senses. Faith in God's inheritance focuses our desire on something far more important and permanent, on things we cannot see. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, emphasis added throughout).



An idolater longs for what he sees (or hears or feels) and pays no attention to the unseen spiritual aspects of life. The godly, those who are heirs with Christ (Galatians 3:29), hope for an inheritance in the Kingdom of God, which for the time being they can't see. That takes faith.



Moses chose to forsake the pleasures of sin and suffer affliction because he counted "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt" (Hebrews 11:26). He believed God, diligently sought Him and looked for his reward from God (Hebrews 11:6).



King David, too, focused on the "fullness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore" from God (Psalm 16:11), rather than material things of the world.



When life grows empty and you desire to embark on some kind of binge-to satiate yourself, to seek fulfillment by substituting the material for God's Spirit-simply ask God for the faith to wait for the better blessings He has in store for you. Ask for faith to trust in Him and be content with His Spirit and the promise of happiness in His Kingdom. Then work hard and rely on God, who pledges to supply your spiritual needs (Philippians 4:19).



Another perspective

•Key No. 3: Help others.



A key to conquering covetousness is to help others. Spending time with widows, the ill, the elderly and the incapacitated does wonders to focus our minds on serving rather than seeking to fulfill our own desires. We receive a fulfillment and contentment by helping others that physical things cannot give us.



Something happens when we practice true and undefiled religion (James 1:27). We realize that people with few possessions can learn important spiritual lessons; they can learn to "beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). We find that we grow happier by giving than by receiving (Acts 20:35). We learn to love people and use things, rather than love things and use people.



God frees us from the distractions that could tempt us to covet and thereby prevent us from gaining eternal life in His Kingdom.



God knows that a covetous spirit cannot be satisfied (Ecclesiastes 1:8). He knows that, if He allows the covetous to obtain eternal life, they will lust after the one additional thing they do not have: God's throne! The covetous person will not be satisfied until he can have everything. He who knows only discontent in one place will not find happiness in another; he will always want more than is rightfully his. That's why coveting is idolatry.



However, when we reign with God in His Kingdom, His Spirit will have convicted us and enabled us to overcome all sin, including covetousness, for eternity.



"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you" (Romans 8:11, New Revised Standard Version).



Christ's followers, people with the Holy Spirit, bear the fruit of satisfaction and contentment-love, joy and peace of mind (Galatians 5:22). With God's Spirit comes the assurance of our gaining entry into God's Kingdom (Ephesians 1:14), having shed the sin of covetousness.



We have seen that coveting is an insidious sin and that God equates covetousness with idolatry. Its fruit may seem to bring us happiness, but only temporarily. Covetousness is contrary to God's own nature and can keep us from the real joy of God's salvation-eternal life in His Kingdom. GN

Why Don't People Understand the Kingdom of God?

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about coveting. This follows this post about Adultery. For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.


Why Don't People Understand the Kingdom of God?


The Kingdom of God was a central part of Jesus Christ's message and thus a major theme of the Bible. So why is it so rarely understood, and why isn't it commonly taught today?

by Noel Hornor

About one billion people profess Christianity. Christianity traces its origin and its beliefs to the teachings of Jesus Christ, who lived almost 2,000 years ago.



Yet it is a paradox that many of the adherents to Christianity are not aware of Jesus' central teaching. As a result, it is rarely proclaimed.



The heart and core of Jesus Christ's message was that the Kingdom of God would be established on earth. This theme is to be found throughout the four Gospels. As historian Michael Grant puts it, "every thought and saying of Jesus was directed and subordinated to one single thing ..., the realization of the Kingdom of God upon the earth," and "this one phrase [Kingdom of God] sums up his whole ministry and his whole life's work" (Jesus: An Historian's Review of the Gospels, 1995, pp. 10-11).



Yet, as Grant puts it, modern Christianity "prefers to dwell on quite different aspects of his career and instruction" (ibid., p. 29).



The Disciples Proclaimed the Kingdom

So why do we hear so little about the Kingdom of God—as proclaimed in the Bible—in modern Christianity?



The disciples of Jesus obviously understood His message. References to the Kingdom of God—or the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Gospel of Matthew usually refers to it—appear many times in their writings. Matthew alone contains 37 references. Together the four Gospels specifically mention God's Kingdom 86 times in addition to other, oblique, references to it. The remainder of the New Testament, from Acts through Revelation, mentions God's Kingdom many times.



The disciples recognized with crystal clarity that, when Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, He spoke in terms of a real government—a structured, organized entity with the very authority of God behind it. Certain rulers who heard Christ's message recognized the political implications and viewed His words as a threat to their own power. This became a factor in Christ's eventual crucifixion (Luke 23:2; John 19:12).



To Jesus and His disciples, the term Kingdom of God meant a government that would be established on earth. They anticipated that its arrival would amount to nothing less than a sweeping, overwhelming change in the world order.



In teaching the message of this Kingdom, Jesus was simply extending the central theme of the Old Testament. The Hebrew prophets had earlier stressed the reality of this Kingdom. Referring to the Bible, John Bright wrote: "Had we to give that book a title, we might with justice call it 'The Book of the Coming Kingdom of God.' That is, indeed, its central theme everywhere. Old Testament and New Testament thus stand together as the two acts of a single drama" (The Kingdom of God, 1981, p. 197).



The Millennium

Over time, historians began referring to this kingdom to come as the Millennium. This is because in Revelation 20 the apostle John wrote that the saints would reign with Christ for 1,000 years: "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them ... And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years" (Revelation 20:4).



The word millennium is a derivation of the Latin words mille for "thousand" and annum for "year." Most reference works address the Kingdom of God teaching under the category of "Millennium."



Be aware, however, that the Millennium and the Kingdom of God aren't synonymous, although they overlap. According to the Bible, the millennial reign of Christ will initiate God's rule on earth, but His Kingdom will extend past the Millennium into eternity (Daniel 7:13-14).



A Central Teaching Changed

Belief in a literal Millennium continued for several centuries after the apostles. "This view was widely held in the Early Church and was expounded by the Church fathers Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian" (Collier's Encyclopedia, 1993, "Millennium").



Later church leaders put a different interpretation on the Bible's millennial teachings. They differed from the teachings of Jesus and His apostles in that they said it should not be understood literally, that the concept was only an allegory. The third-century theologian Origen was the first person on record to promote the allegorical explanation.



A later theologian, Augustine (354-430), who originally believed in a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ, altered the teaching even more. He "identified the Church with the Kingdom of God and maintained that the millennial age had already come" (ibid.). He "advanced the theory that the millennium had actually begun with Christ's nativity" (New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, "Millenarianism").



Since Christianity by then was accepted as the religion of the Roman Empire, Augustine taught that the church in this present world is the Kingdom of God, and "the thousand years stand for all the years of the Christian era." Augustine stated this idea in The City of God, Book 20, Chapter 7. The church then "officially adopted Augustine's view that the biblical descriptions of the millennium were allegorical" (Encyclopedia Americana, 1998, "Millennium").



This teaching, however, cannot be reconciled with the many Bible prophecies of the Kingdom of God. The Bible shows that when the Kingdom comes the returning Christ will take His place as divine ruler of the earth (Revelation 11:15).



Jesus said He would come "in His glory" and "sit on the throne of His glory." He said he would then judge the nations according to their treatment of their fellowman (Matthew 25:31-46). Obviously this has not happened yet.



The Hebrew prophets showed that the arrival of God's Kingdom on earth would bring worldwide peace, physical abundance and divine righteousness (Isaiah 2:4; Amos 9:13). In contrast, history shows that the "Christian era" Augustine equated with God's Kingdom is usually a time of violence, war, starvation and widespread lawlessness.



A hallmark of the age of the church is its persecution and slaughter of professing Christians by others who also claimed Christianity. As historian William Manchester described it: "No one has calculated how many sixteenth-century Christians slaughtered other Christians in the name of Christ, but the gore began to thicken early" (A World Lit Only by Fire, 1992, p. 178).



A Literal Monarchy?

Disputes over the Kingdom of God concept have enlivened religious discussions for centuries. The issue has not been what the Bible says. Scholars and theologians know that the teaching of the Kingdom of God is in the Bible. The issue of debate has been what does the Bible mean when it speaks of the Kingdom. The majority of theologians have lost faith in the Bible as it is written.



How should we view the prophesied millennial rule of Christ and the saints? Should we take it literally or allegorically? Even some who disagree with a literal Millennium admit that the Bible describes a literal kingdom: "The figurative interpretation ... cannot be made exegetically good even in its most plausible applications ... This remarkable paragraph in John's Apocalypse [Revelation] speaks of a real millennial reign of Christ on earth together with certain of His saints ..." (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. III, 1986, "Millennium").



The return of Christ to reign over the earth in a literal kingdom is a plain teaching of the Bible. Generally speaking, those who hold a strong belief in the divine inspiration of the Bible believe that Jesus Christ will literally return and reign on earth. The Scriptures also teach that Christians experience a foretaste of the world to come (Hebrews 6:5) and are the advance emissaries of the Kingdom of God. They are "ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20).



A Later Concept

Over the last few centuries a new definition of the Kingdom of God has surfaced. This idea does not deny the teaching outright but applies to it a twist of reasoning. This new view began in Europe. "In the 1700s, European intellectuals revamped the millennium-old system for discerning truth: instead of grounding all knowledge in biblical revelation, they tried to build on the foundation of human reason" (Christian History, issue No. 55, p. 20).



Theologians who adopted this approach became known as the liberal school. What did they conclude about the Kingdom of God? They came to believe that "Western civilization was establishing Christ's earthly rule" (ibid., p. 24).



This secular kind of theology is rooted in the idea that human nature is improving. This view, however, is contradicted by both the Bible and secular history. Man's many wars and atrocities—especially those in this bloodstained 20th century—challenge this view.



Further, the Bible offers not the slightest hint that human power and ingenuity could ever establish a righteous world. On the contrary, it shows that man's misrule will bring the human race to the verge of extinction (Matthew 24:21-22).



Even though its members learned that they should set good examples of Christian living, the New Testament church received no commission whatsoever to politically reform the present world's society. Abuses in the Roman Empire of that day were many. Yet "the early church had no hope of reforming the state or of bringing it into conformity to the Kingdom of God" (Bright, p. 235). Instead, church members heard from their leaders that they should hope and pray for God's Kingdom to come. The New Testament closes with a plea for this very thing: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).



Why Did Mankind Stop Believing?



The early Church believed that Christ would return to rule over the nations. Christians proclaimed this message faithfully. They believed it completely. They prayed for it fervently. It was on their minds always. At one point during Christ's ministry, the apostles asked Him, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3).



After Christ's death and resurrection, and just before His ascension to heaven, they again wanted to know, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Jesus told them it was not God's intent that they should know exactly when this would happen. He told them they should concern themselves with proclaiming His message to the world (verses 7-8).



Their response from that day was to preach the message of His Kingdom. They crisscrossed the Roman Empire in the process. As they did so, they held firmly to the belief that Christ would return soon to establish God's Kingdom. Late in his life the apostle Peter believed the end was imminent. He wrote that "the end of all things is at hand" (1 Peter 4:7). And John wrote, "Little children, it is the last hour ..." (1 John 2:18). Paul's early letters (1 and 2 Thessalonians) show that he also believed that God's Kingdom would arrive during his lifetime.



Do Not Grow Weary

The prophets of the Old Testament, under God's inspiration, envisioned the everlasting Kingdom of God (Isaiah 9:7; Psalm 145:13; Daniel 7:27). Jesus Christ confirmed it, saying, "... It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). Peter, who had expected to see the Kingdom while he lived, wrote before he died that "an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11).



Though Peter did not live to see God's Kingdom, he did not lose heart. Christians must continue to believe in the sure promise of the Kingdom. We must faithfully serve God while we wait for it.



The belief and hope that the return of Christ is near has intrigued Bible readers from the apostles' time to our own. With many people through the centuries anticipating the early arrival of their Lord, some lost heart when it didn't occur when they expected. Some gave up in disappointment. The epistle to the Hebrews, written several decades after Christ's ascension to heaven, exhorts Christians to continue to believe and not lose confidence in Christ's return (Hebrews 10:35). It reminds them of a statement from the Hebrew prophet Habakkuk: "For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry" (verse 37; Habakkuk 2:3).



The epistle to the Hebrews did not promise that Christ would return by a particular time. It does, however, assure Christians that He will surely come, and they must continue to believe. The quote from Habakkuk is most appropriate. The prophet Habakkuk lived in the nation of Judah six centuries before the Christian era, in a time of societal disintegration. Because of the sins of the nation, God was about to allow the people of Judah to be overrun by the mighty empire of Babylon.



Habakkuk despaired at the thought of this. He knew that God had chosen his nation centuries earlier to accomplish a special mission. He didn't understand, in light of this, why God would allow catastrophe to occur to Judah. God assured Habakkuk that He would accomplish His purpose with Judah but that it would be at a later time. God also told the prophet that he must wait for the time of God's choosing to bring it to pass. God reminded Habakkuk that "the just shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4).



Hebrews 10:38 quotes from Habakkuk 2:4. The lesson is that God's timetable may differ from man's. God does not allow man to foresee the chronological details of His plan of salvation, but the outcome is certain. God will do what He has promised. This was the crucial lesson for Christians in the early decades of the Church, and it remains a essential lesson for the people of God in every age. We must retain our faith in the Kingdom of God. God will do what He has promised. He will send Jesus Christ, who will return to earth in triumph.



The Eternal Kingdom

The prophets of the Old Testament, under God's inspiration, envisioned His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 9:7; Psalms 145:13; Daniel 7:27). Jesus Christ confirmed its longevity, adding that "it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). Peter, who had expected to see God's Kingdom while he lived, wrote before he died that "an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:11).



Life brings many disappointments and trials, testing our faith in God's promises. In the parable of the sower, in Matthew 13, Jesus identified three areas of temptation His people would encounter: the work of the devil, the temptation to covet material possessions, and personal trials.



A Christian confronts all of these at times. All tempt us and distract us from what should be our primary focus in life—to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33).



The apostle Paul exhorted converts of his time saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). Those who remain faithful will look beyond their distresses and put their confidence in God. These are they who will inherit God's Kingdom. GN





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In Search of Heroic Leadership

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about coveting. This follows this post about Adultery. For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.




In Search of Heroic Leadership


God places great and grave responsibility on the shoulders of the leadership. We must all share the responsibility for the condition of the world, our nation, our church, our families.

by Donald Ward

The prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Hosea prophesy of a time in which people would lose the will and desire to lead. Isaiah writes: "O my people they which lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths" (Isaiah 3:12). Ezekiel writes of a time in which God, "sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it and I found none" (Ezekiel 22:30). Hosea writes of a time in which, "the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood" (Hosea 4:1-2, KJV throughout).



The contexts of these prophecies reveal that God places great and grave responsibility for Israel's failure on the shoulders of the leadership. As a result of men shirking their leadership responsibilities, God says that He, "will give children to be their princes and babes shall rule over them. And the people shall be oppressed, everyone by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honorable. As for my people children are their oppressors and women rule over them" (Isaiah 3:4, 5, 12).



We Must All Share Responsibility



With such scriptures staring us in the face, we might have the tendency to point our fingers at one another and play the game of whose fault is it. Such fault finding and finger pointing is fruitless. We must all share the responsibility for the condition of the world, our nation, our church and our families.



God gave all of us vital roles to play in providing the kind of leadership that would produce the fruits of a godly people. God gave specific instructions for the rulers of his people: "And it shall be that when he sits upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them; That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children in the midst of Israel" (Deuteronomy 17:18-20).



God gave the priests the responsibility of teaching his law to the people of Israel. Today, God's ministers are to shepherd and teach God's heritage and be examples to the flock.



The scriptures clearly reveal that each family member must fulfill vital leadership roles. The apostle Paul summarizes these roles as follows: "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it. Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honor your father and mother: which is the first commandment with promise. That it may be well with you, and you may live long on the earth. And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22, 25; 6:1-4).



As the head of the home, the father must be responsible for providing Godly leadership in the family. God instructed our first parents, Adam and Eve, to look to Him for moral and spiritual leadership. As our loving Creator and Father, He deeply desires to have a lasting relationship with His sons and daughters. Adam and Eve rejected the key to lasting relationships and true leadership. As a result of their rebellion against their Father they fostered the principles of false leadership that plagues the world to this very day.



World Loses Sight of True Leadership



In the western world, leadership came to be associated with the acquisition of wealth and possessions. Wealth brings power and influence. Powerful and wealthy people are the kingmakers, and in some cases, the kings. The kings of the western world sponsored expeditions to the four corners of the earth in search of fame and fortune. Real men were conquerors and builders of a new world. They had little time or energy for moral and spiritual leadership.



Couple this with the fact that Satan continues to seduce and deceive the men in the same way that Baalam taught Balaac to seduce Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. That is, he taught the Moabite women to seduce the men of Israel. These illicit relationships led Israel into the worship of idols (Numbers 25:1-3).



In the western world sexual prowess came to be associated with real masculinity. Real men compared the notches on their gun-figuratively and literally. Add to this the fact that the advertising world bases its commercials on youth, beauty, adventure, sex, and romance and you have the perfect formula for seducing the entire population by training them to covet. "Having eyes full of adultery [adulteress], and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls; an heart they have exercised [trained] with covetous practices; cursed children [having children of curse]" (2 Peter 2:14). The advertising and entertainment world are now exploiting men, women and children by teaching them to covet. The peoples of the western world are led to believe that their worth as human beings revolve around youth, beauty, fun, adventure and sex appeal.



Making the headlines today on CNN news is an inquiry into catchy beer commercials that seemed to be aimed at youth. CNN's coverage of this story showed how partial nudity is used in these commercials to attract the attention of teenagers. Those leading the inquiry believe that these commercials encourage teenagers to buy beer. It is amazing to see how up to date the prophecies of the Bible really are.



As men abdicated their God ordained responsibility for providing moral and spiritual leadership, women and children were left to fend for themselves. Women were the ones who led the way in building schools and churches. Women became the teachers. To this day, 94 percent of the teachers in American public schools are women. As this vacuum in leadership was created, by default women became the moral and spiritual leaders in the western world. Women should be commended for their efforts. There is surely nothing wrong with women serving as school teachers. But they shouldn't have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility. Research shows that youngsters also need male teachers and role models.



Call For Heroic Leadership



Jesus Christ was a real man and a true leader. Yet He amassed little wealth and He never had a single sexual relationship. Jesus Christ as the Word of God, revealed to us through the pages of the Bible the principles of true leadership. But principles that are not applied bear no fruit. The challenge before the men, women and children of the church of God is to restore true leadership at all levels of their responsibilities. We need heroic leadership at all levels.



We live in a time in which those who would stand in the gap and lead us in the paths of righteousness are despised. Paul warned us, "that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).



At this critical time in the course of human history we must not abdicate our God-given responsibility to lead in whatever role God has so graciously assigned to each one of us.



What are leaders supposed to do? Leaders must engage the ones they are responsible for leading, in developing and understanding the vision of their purpose for being. They must engage their followers in developing goals for achieving their vision. Moreover, they must develop strategies for achieving their goals. Leaders must keep the vision alive. They must be willing to lay down their lives for their vision. In short, every one of us has to be totally committed to fulfilling our God ordained roles of heroic leadership in our families and in all of our responsibilities.



Focus on Role of Fathers



Since the family is the very fabric of society and God charges the father with the responsibility of faithfully teaching God's way of life, let's focus on the role of fathers.



So what should fathers do? First and foremost God is love and from His love flows all good gifts. As a "doer" God is first and foremost our Creator both physically and spiritually. As our Creator in the spiritual sense, He is first and foremost our loving Father. "But now, O LORD, you art our Father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father" (Isaiah 64:8, Galatians 4:6). So first and foremost fathers should strive to love their wives and children, as our heavenly father loves each one of us. God is continually aware of His creation and looking out for their best interests.



God and Christ are unconditional givers of themselves. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. We love him because he first loved us" (I John 4:10, 11, 19). Just as our Heavenly Father makes the first step toward us in the reconciliation process, fathers should lead the way in making peace in the home. When disagreements and unrest develops in the family, he should humble himself and take the first steps in leading the family in the way of peace and harmony.



Fathers should show their love for their wives and children. The number one way whereby people perceive love from another person is through the words "I love you." God the Father has freely expressed His love for us, we should express our love to our family and to our neighbors.



Children learn how to love from their parents. If fathers do not express their love through verbal expression and proper physical contact such as touching, stroking and hugging, children grow up in an emotional vacuum.



An article in the Dallas Morning News titled "Fathering," states "Psychologists and sociologists agree that father should be the principal transmitter of culturally based conceptions of masculinity and femininity"! The article goes on to state that "even though a boy seems to need his father most in the first five years of his life, the rest of his childhood also contributes to the man he ultimately becomes. Folk wisdom has always to some extent recognized this. Growing up alongside a father who talks to him, takes a constant interest in him, makes decisions that his son is aware of, sets some limits to what his son may not do, gets his son to work with him on jobs and plays sports with him, enriches and smoothes the transition from young child to adolescent. If father knows how to praise and encourage rather than criticize and undermine, he will learn all the faster" (Dallas Morning News,May 16, 1976).



Research shows that boys without fathers are usually lacking in self-esteem and initiative. They are overaggressive, impulsive and generally less able to follow the rules of society. Researchers conclude that if a boy hasn't learned how to get along with a father, he may always find it difficult to cope with male figures in authority.



So, just as God and Christ have communicated Their love, care and concern for us, fathers must do the same in their families. "Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant know not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you" (John 15:15). Christ set us an example to follow in all things. God commands us to communicate. "But to do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:16).



One of the names of God is El Shaddai.It literally means "God who nourishes." In addition to providing physical nourishment, fathers should provide emotional and spiritual nourishment. Fathers should lead their families in spiritual activities such as family Bible studies, church attendance and a home environment that reflects godly principles in human relationships.



Just as God is long-suffering and merciful to each one of us, fathers must be willing to forgive and forge ahead. We are all prodigal sons in our heavenly Father's eyes, yet He has wrapped His loving arms around us and welcomed us home with Him. In the parable of the prodigal son, a mere mortal received his long lost son with unconditional love. Heroic fathers will do the same.



Accepting the Challenge



God is looking for men, women and children who will stand in the gap-individuals who will love each other just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. God is looking for heroes. It is the challenge of the ages. Are we, the Israel of God, willing to meet the challenge? If we do, it may be written of us: As for my people fathers are the loving leaders of their families with virtuous wives and children at their sides. WNP

The Ten Commandments: The Tenth Commandment - Do not covet

An interesting article from http://www.gnmagazine.org/  about coveting. This follows this post about Adultery.  For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Ten Commandments: The Tenth Commandment - Do not covet


Introduction

Upon turning into the cereal aisle, the four-year old boy fixed his eyes upon the various cereals that were available. The boy’s mother pulled the cart close to the shelves to select a box of nutritious cereal for the family, and at the same time the youngster grabbed a box of the most sugar-laden product on the shelves. He recognized the brilliant colors and designs on the box and he remembered seeing the product advertised while watching afternoon cartoons.



As the mother turned to put the cereal she had selected in the cart, she noticed that her son had also made a selection. After placing her chosen cereal in the cart, she told her son that his cereal choice was not good for him and that they would need to put it back on the shelf. The boy clutched the cereal tightly to his chest indicating his unwillingness to give it up.



The mother tried to persuade her son to put the cereal back on the shelf. His response was a forceful, “No! I want it!”



Next, the young mom sought to take the box of cereal from the boy. As soon as the struggle started, the boy began to scream at the top of his lungs. The mother tried to quiet the boy while she took the cereal from him. With the cereal back on the shelf, the boy continued to scream inconsolably that he wanted the cereal. The embarrassed mother quickly realized that her shopping trip was at an end, pulled the boy from the cart, and headed for the door carrying the screaming child.



Why would the child be willing to embarrass himself and his mom and disrupt a grocery store over a box of cereal?



Is there a commandment that would apply here?



The reason for the problem is found in the Tenth Commandment. Exodus 20:17 states, “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.”



Let’s examine the meaning of the Tenth Commandment that simply stated says, “You shall not covet.”



What is Coveting?

1. What is the meaning of the word "covet"?



2. Does this commandment mean that it’s wrong to want or desire anything? Could we see our neighbor’s bright red sports car and desire to have one like it? Where would we cross the line into coveting?



3. In the introduction above, we see a four-year old becoming emotionally upset over being denied something that he wanted. Do adults also covet? If so, how might they be covetous?



4. Looking at the commandment, why is it wrong to covet your neighbor’s house, your neighbor’s wife, ox, or donkey?



5. Would hoarding be an action of coveting? Why or why not?



A Matter of the Heart

1. Does God’s commandment against coveting deal with what we do or what we think?



2. Why would God direct a commandment toward how we think? (Mark 7:21-23 helps us to understand God’s approach in this commandment. Consider also James 1:14-15.)



3. What happens when a person always selfishly thinks of himself before others?



4. What happens when a person begins to want something so badly that he or she would do anything to get it? Let’s think of some examples of what might happen if our desires get out of control.



COMMENT: The result of letting our desires become our focus is discussed in James 4:1-2



A Form of Idolatry

COLOSSIANS 3:5-6: "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: … passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience"



EPHESIANS 5:5: " For this you know, that no … covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God."



1. How does the Bible label our covetousness? What other commandment do we break when we covet?



2. How does coveting become idolatry?



Combating Covetousness

LUKE 12:15: "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.'"



1. Why should we “beware of covetousness”? Consider also 1Timothy 6:7-10.



2. What would be the approach that is opposite to covetousness? Read Romans 13:9-10 and Philippians 2:3-4 and then answer.



3. Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-7. Were the Corinthians covetous in this instance? How do you know? What motivated their actions?



4. We all have things that we want in life such as success, a new car, a boyfriend or girlfriend, a wife or a husband, money, nice clothes, and the list could go on and on. What is the proper approach to the physical things that we want?



5. To whom can we turn to get the things we need? What answer is found in Hebrews 13:5 and Matthew 6:25-33.



6. What happens to our lives when we have faith that God hears our prayers and that He will provide the things that we need? How does this impact our relationship with God? Does this help or hinder our relationships with others?



Summary

1. Is covetousness a problem in our society? How widespread do you think the problem is?



2. How prevalent a problem will covetousness be in the last days? 2 Timothy 3:1-5



3. How would you summarize living by the Tenth Commandment not to covet? Let’s look at how Paul expressed it in Acts 20:33-35.



If we live by the words of Jesus Christ, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” covetousness will never be a problem.





Related Online Resources

The Tenth Commandment: True Righteousness Comes From the Heart

The last of the Ten Commandments—against coveting—is aimed directly at the heart and mind of every human being. In prohibiting coveting, it defines not so much what we must do but how we should think. It asks us to look deep within ourselves to see what we are on the inside.



Covetousness Is Idolatry

Many don't realize how greed is impeding their spiritual growth and how necessary it is to overcome the deadly and deceitful sin of covetousness.

The Tenth Commandment: True Righteousness Comes From the Heart

An interesting article from http://www.ucg.org/ about Covetousness. This follows this post about sex outside of marriage.  For a free magazine subscription click HERE! or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Tenth Commandment: True Righteousness Comes From the Heart

The last of the Ten Commandments—against coveting—is aimed directly at the heart and mind of every human being. In prohibiting coveting, it defines not so much what we must do but how we should think. It asks us to look deep within ourselves to see what we are on the inside.

"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's" (Exodus 20:17).



As with each of the previous nine commandments, it is directed toward our relationships. It specifically deals with the thoughts that threaten those relationships and can potentially hurt ourselves and our neighbors.



Our motives define and govern the way we respond to everyone we come in contact with. Our transgressions of God's law of love begin in the heart, as Jesus confirmed. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness," Christ said. "All these evil things come from within and defile a man" (Mark 7:21-23).



Therefore, it is fitting that the formal listing of these 10 foundational commands, which define the love of God, should end by focusing on our hearts as the wellspring of our relationship problems. From within come the desires that tempt us and lead us astray.



What is covetousness?

Covet means to crave or desire, especially in excessive or improper ways. The Tenth Commandment does not tell us that all of our desires are immoral. It tells us that some desires are wrong.



Coveting is an immoral longing for something that is not rightfully ours. That is usually because the object of our desire already belongs to someone else. But coveting can also include our wanting far more than we would legitimately deserve or that would be our rightful share. The focus of the Tenth Commandment is that we are not to illicitly desire anything that already belongs to others.



The opposite of coveting is a positive desire to help others preserve and protect their blessings from God. We should rejoice when other people are blessed. Our desire should be to contribute to the well-being of others, to make our presence in their lives a blessing to them.



Humans' nature is selfish

Our natural inclination is always to think of ourselves first. We are far more interested in what we can get rather than what we can give. That is the essence of what God is denouncing in the Tenth Commandment. He tells us to stop thinking only of ourselves, to quit seeking only our interests. Coveting is the selfish approach to life, and selfishness is the root of our transgressions of God's laws.



". . . Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed," as James explains. "Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:14-15). James notes how dangerous out-of-control desires can be. "Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask" (James 4:1-2).



As James points out, coveting can be a root cause of many sins, including murder and warfare. If not controlled, what begins as a thought becomes an obsession that leads to an act. All of us have "conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind" (Ephesians 2:3). We have all let our desires rule our behavior. Accordingly, we have all sinned (Romans 3:10, 23).



A universal plague

The apostle Paul's description of covetous people in the last days is instructive. "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). This is a vividly accurate description of our world.



Our society is not unique in history. Covetousness has always cursed humanity. Speaking of one of the last kings of ancient Judah, God said, "Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, and practicing oppression and violence" (Jeremiah 22:17). The problem was not limited to the kings, "because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely" (Jeremiah 6:13).



God expressed His abhorrence of Israel's covetousness and warned of its ultimate outcome: "They covet fields and take them by violence, also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, against this family I am devising disaster, from which you cannot remove your necks . . .'" (Micah 2:2-3).



One glaring example of the almost universal acceptance of covetousness is the burgeoning popularity of government-run lotteries. Millions of people surrender part of their paychecks each week hoping to win a fantasy life of ease and luxury. Likewise, the gambling meccas of the world are hugely popular vacation resorts, specializing in entertainment appealing to our baser instincts.



Promoting covetousness is big business. Advertising agencies and research firms make a science out of manipulating the selfish appetites of consumers. Like ancient Israel, we are a covetous society, from the least to the greatest.



A form of idolatry

Covetousness is much more serious than just a social malady. When we put greed, lust and self above God, coveting becomes idolatry.



Paul warns us, "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience" (Colossians 3:5-6).



Paul elsewhere links the sins of coveting with idolatry, pointing out that these and other sins can prevent us from entering God's Kingdom. "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God" (Ephesians 5:5).



Combating covetousness

Jesus commanded His disciples to "beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (Luke 12:15). Likewise, Paul tells us, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4).



God's way, the way of love, is to practice this kind of concern for others. "For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:9-10).



To combat covetousness, we must have faith that God will provide a way for us to satisfy our legitimate needs. We have good reason to have such confidence. The Scriptures promise that He will never abandon us if we obey and trust Him. "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" (Hebrews 13:5).



Paul expresses the same principles in other words. "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows" (1 Timothy 6:7-10).



Covetousness cannot be defeated without help from God. The negative pulls of human nature are simply too powerful for us to overcome by ourselves.



To receive the help we need, we must ask for it—especially requesting that God will give us the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). Then we must allow God's Spirit to work in us to change the way we think. "Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh," Paul writes. "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish" (Galatians 5:16-17). Acts 2:38 explains how we can receive the Holy Spirit. (Be sure to request our free booklet The Road to Eternal Life.)



Directing our desires

We need to orient our desires in the right direction. Jesus explained that we should "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). He also instructed us: ". . . Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:20-21).



Proper and profitable relationships, spiritual understanding and wisdom are examples of the lasting treasures that God wants us to desire. "Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:3-5).



God says that "wisdom is better than rubies, and all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her" (Proverbs 8:11). His Word describes some of wisdom's rewards: "My fruit is better than gold . . . I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries" (verses 19-21). It pays to seek wisdom with righteousness.



Wanting to excel in our life's pursuits can be an appropriate ambition. If being useful to others is our objective, God approves of our gaining the necessary skills and knowledge that bring favor and advancement in this life. As a wise servant of God wrote: "Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men" (Proverbs 22:29).

God wants concern for others to be the motivation for our desires. Sometimes our service to them will result in wonderful rewards for us. But only if our hearts are focused on giving rather than getting will our desires be channeled in the right direction. We must replace coveting with service and love for other people.

The book of Hebrews reminds us not to forget "to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased" (Hebrews 13:16). We should look to the example of the apostle Paul, who said, "I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel . . . I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive'" (Acts 20:33-35).