A Covetous Heart

Covetousness is to have an excessive desire to own anything that is not ours. This is against God’s law (Ex 20:17). Jesus tells us to “beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Lk 12:15). Paul said it’s “idolatry!” He also said that a “covetous man” (Eph 5:5), is an idolater. When we place anything or anyone that we desire above God (1 Thes 1:9), then we are breaking the first commandment (Ex 20:3). The Lord “abhorreth” (Ps 10:3), or hates the covetous! It was this sin that caused the destruction of Israel by the Babylonians (Jer 6:13).

Sadly, with the rise of modern technology and the Internet, it is the same sin that is tearing up a generation of many professing believers today; “for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous” (2 Tim 3:2). When we examine David’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11:3), it was not just about his “lust of the eyes” (1 Jn 2:16), but more of him coveting his “neighbour's wife” (Deut 5:21); that’s why he took her and even had her husband, Uriah, killed (2 Sam 11:15)! You may not think of yourself as a covetous person (1 Cor 10:12).

 But remember, our Lord Jesus warned His own disciples about this sin, because it is rooted “from within” (Mk 7:21), our hearts. When we have a covetous heart, then we are telling God that we don’t trust Him to meet our needs (Php 4:19). This attitude would eventually ruin our lives! If we would allow God to search our hearts and thoughts (Ps 139:23), then He will show us if that sin is there, and how it affects our thinking (Rom 2:15). He will also show us how it is misleading us (1 Pet 3:16). Once covetousness is revealed, we must immediately humble ourselves (2 Chr 34:27), and repent (Ps 51:4); by turning from it and toward God (2 Cor 7:10)! God bless you!

-Pastor Melito Barrera