Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. Hebrews 13:5-6.
Note: the covetousness of the majesty and glory of God, the desire to be like God, and to inherit his throne, led to Satan’s pride to compete and rebel against the God of heaven, and to bring about his expulsion from heaven and debasement to earth: if such is found in anyone, and not presently purges out now; it is the defilement of soul, but nothing unclean shall be allowed to enter into the holy city of God – from the heart comes covetousness and pride etc: these defiles man to disqualify him from heaven. Mark 7:20-23.
I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, thou shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3.
This was the first warning and commandment of God to the Israelis, that they should be content as having with him as their sole God to serve and worship him alone. Don’t look elsewhere for any other god (s): their sorrow shall multiply, that hasten after other gods. Psalms 16:4.
No idolater shall inherit eternal life; little children keep yourselves from idols. Revelation 22:15. Any brother, sister or pastor who is an idolater in the Lord should be avoided. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.
Afterwards, God added actual rules and commandment against covetousness, – to avoid eyeing to have those things which are not yours – thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbor’s. Exodus 20:17.
Apostle Paul, in one of his epistles, elaborate more on the sin of covetousness just as idolatry, (having another god, meaning, your insatiable desire has taken the place of god in your life) for which things sake the wrath of God is coming upon the children of disobedience Colossians 3:5-6.
Therefore, the sin of covetousness or discontentment of spirit for gain, fame, wealth and power goes beyond the commandment that thou shall have no other gods before me. It goes beyond the making of any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Exodus 20:1-4.
The separated laws from Exodus 20 verses 3 and verses 17 are elevated and interpreted above the rest and summarized by the Lord Jesus as the first and second greatest when one asked him of the greatest of the commandments – Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:36-40.
The Lord will magnify the law and make it honorable, showing us the spiritual implication of the two laws. Isaiah 42:21.
Jesus warns, Beware of covetousness or greed, the life of a man consists not in the abundance of the things he possesses. Luke 12: 13-21.
The above definition of Christ on covetousness about the life of a certain rich man’s attitudes toward wealth and material possessions tells how much God detest insatiable covetous desire and lifestyle.
His wealth was legitimate, but everything was centered on himself.
The selfish ignorance of his responsibility to distribute wealth at his disposal (when goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? Ecclesiastes 5:11), but rather accumulate and plan for himself was the problem he had with God.
Sometimes, wealth as well as poverty can be a trial of faith – to show how you will behave and walk with God in any of these situations. The blessing of God from the harvest of the earth exposes the spirit of covetousness in the rich foolish man to uncover his pride – it was his trial and failure. Proverbs 30:7-9.
The prideful expression and declaration of his self – exaltations (7x ‘1 will’) triggered God’s instantaneous decision to deprive him of the residue of his life. For his misguided perception and misplaced priority of the real value and purposes of life, that life is not all about food, clothing, money, fame, power, position: that ‘life is not about you, but about God. Life is not of any unending want and desire for carnal pleasure and worldly show which is not of God, but of the world….but God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that is not rich towards God. Luke 12:21.
Have you ever considered about it what it means to be rich towards God (Revelation 2:9), and what it means to be poor towards Him? Revelation 3:7. Note: neither poverty nor wealth shall cause the loss of any soul to hell, but the means of such wealth – right or wrong (Jeremiah 17:11), – and the state of spiritual life and walk with God in riches or poverty – God made the rich and made poor, he makes rich and he makes poor. 1 Samuel 2:7.
At death, the judgment and the evaluation of God concerning your life on earth is not going to be on the merit of what you have not brought into this world, or gotten while in the world. For as he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath labored for the wind? Ecclesiastes 5:15.
Your life in the spirit – your spiritual life in Christ Jesus on you live for God, serve others for his name’s sake, reverence him in spirit and in truth, or in hypocrisy, sinfulness, pridefulness of heart and deception. 1 Peter 4:6.
According to Christ, the foolish rich man was not rich towards God: meaning, his heart was on the temporal riches, and his motivation towards God and his love and devotion for God is for monetary and material gain, supposing that to serve God is to make more money. His devotion for God was not of a pure and unconditional love for God’s kingdom, neither are they for helping others to be established in his will in their lives. 1Timothy1:5-6.
While the coveteous man tells his audience to lay up treasure in heaven, his preoccupation and pursuit, his desire and want, his personal goals and expectations is earthly, worldly, carnal and sensual, all to make provision for the flesh, and to fulfill the lusts thereof, laying up treasure on earth for himself, possibly making himself richer than his followers. Romans 13:11-14.
Today, certain pastors and prophets charge us for specific sums of money before they can have time to attend to us. They don’t want to know if we have the money or not. Some of them will deceitfully direct us to sow seed of money into a charity organization from where we shall be redirected back to them to be prayed for, – all kinds of tricks to exploit the gullible worshippers of their money. Micah 3:11.
It is obvious that some of these pastors and prophets have not received their power and gifts freely, why should anyone expect them to give it freely, if it is not from God?
Not everyone God has called into the ministry is gifted with the power for miracles or revelation gifts for a genuine prophetic declarations, but the coveteous ministers of the gospel; like the Pharisees of old, sought for power from Beelzebub the prince of demons to cast out devils. Matthew 12:27) seeks after Satan to acquire power – a strange fire for vain glory and gain: just like Balaam sought after divination for his personal gain: this is a sin unto death: I do not say you that he shall pray for it – its eternal judgment and condemnation is irreversible.1 John 5:16.
The church is in the era of massive false prophetic ministries as the Lord says that many false prophets shall arise and shall deceived many, if possible, even the elects who cannot discern false prophets and familiar spirit. Matthew 24:11.
Some of them from the church purposely entered into alliance with Satan in order to boost the physical appearance of their ministry for fame, power and riches. This is covetousness for power, fame and riches from the god or prince of this world, – but what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, but lose his soul? What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Mark 8:36-37.
The faithful man shall abound with blessing, but he that is haste to be rich (the coveteous man) shall not be unpunished. Proverbs 28:20.
To the soldiers who approached John the Baptist for the knowledge of salvation on what should be done to enter heaven; he answered, and said unto them, do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, be content with your wages – avoid coveteousness by asking for, or receiving bribes. Luke 3:14.
Rich or poor, except you are born again, not insatiable and greedy, but have found your rest, consolation, happiness and satisfaction in life through Christ provisions and blessings which makes rich without sorrow, through whom and for whom are all things, you are on your way to hell.
A poor man is better than a liar. Proverbs 19:1.
Lazarus did not go to heaven because he was poor on earth, though God made the poor of this world to be rich in faith and be heirs of the kingdom of heaven. James 2:5-8.
Certainly, Lazarus must have faith in God and be upright in his poverty in order to make heaven, – better is the poor that walks in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich. Proverbs 28:6.
So, if any of the poor brethren is crooked in their ways, or being poor to sin at the excuse of their poverty, they are bargaining their souls for hell for a morsel of bread – life is more than meat, and the body is more than cloth.
Anything not practised by the early church, if introduced or practised by the present church is false and diversion from the truth. Ephessians 2:20.
God is not a product, neither Christ, nor any of the gifts of the Holy-Spirit is for sale, but thieves parading in the church as pastors are selling holy olive annointing oils, holy waters, holy handkerchiefs, holy wristband etc – but Peter said unto him, your money perishes with you, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Acts 8:20.
The eternal word of God is freely given, freely should it be dispensed without any charge: feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind. 1 Peter 5:4.
Believers are debtors to give to their spiritual leaders (Romans 15:27): this should be done freely, and not by force or taken by deception. Giving and receiving should not be coerced or forced: for if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. 2 Corinthians 8:12.
The workman is worthy of his meat if the beneficiaries of divine grace and partakers of spiritual blessings are conscious of this; if they do have enough to minister to him of their carnal, financial and material blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:11.
There are exceeding great and precious promises of God given for the blessings and the prosperity of his children; but godliness is not gain, godliness with contentment is a great gain. But those that will be rich (at all cost and by all means wrong or bad) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 1 Timothy.6:6-9.
Who are they to whom the Lord likened to the seed which fell among the thorns, but was choked, bearing no fruit to eternal life?
Are they not the so-called saved believers, who after hearing and receiving the word of God are overcome by the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches which choke the word to make them unfruitful in their heavenly calling? We see that they could not make heaven because of their misplaced priorities caused by their covetousness – beware of prosperity churches and preachers. Matthew 13:22. Note: whenever we placed our desire above or beyond what God has chosen to give us, or placed personal project (s) above divine vision for us, or pursue after insatiable self aggrandizement like an enlarged desire of hell which cannot be satisfied, just as the Israelis asked for fish when God chose to feed them with manna, or we placed our aspirations above God’s projection for us, such things becomes the gods or lords over us to keep us out of his will and purpose – it is called covetousness, which is idolatry, for which things sake the wrath of God is coming upon the children of disobedient, be ye not partakers with them. Colossians 3:5.
Be content with whom and what you are in the Lord – be content with what you have: be content with what God is doing in your life, not comparing or competing with others to falsely and vainly replicate what they’ve accomplished or gotten, neither desire to be like them in appearance, even as Satan will not be content with himself as an angel, neither content for his former place and position in heaven, but compared and compete with God to be like God which brought about his fall and eternal doom.
Do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek it. Jeremiah 45:5. Note: the spirit of coveteousness in any man reveals the insufficiency of God in his life, the subjection of himself under the prince of this world – Satan.
The bible commands us not to keep company or friendship with a covetous Christian brother or sister. 1 Corinthians 5:9-11.
Through the spirit of coveteousness, King Ahab killed Naboth for his vineyard: he was cursed and severely – disgracefully punished for his coveteousness: God made sure that dogs licked his blood where Naboth’s blood was also licked after killing him. 1 Kings 21:19.
Through the covetousness of another’s man’s wife, David, the blessed and beloved of his God, was cursed by his God that war shall never depart from his house for killing Uriah the Hittites and taken his wife.
You cannot have all in life. What destroyed and disfavored King Solomon before God? Was it not because of his love – covetousness for strange women, and the kingdom divided to twelve and was reserved for David’s sake?
Through covetousness for money, many good pastors, teachers and prophets in the past have become flatterers, twisting the word of God to gain crowd, making merchandise of the worshipers to increase money collections.
This is the criteria for the condemnation of those flattering preachers of the gospel to hell fire, being spiritual scammers, they are serving the interest of the itching ear believers for material and financial gain, teaching things they ought not…and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingered not, and their damnation slumbered not. 2 Peter 2:1-3.
The flatterers – sweet talkers preachers, who for their greed and lusts for money are making merchandise of the sheep by devaluing – adulterate the sanctity of the word of God to make merchandise of the sheep, shall not only be found guilty of men’s blood by their misleading and systematic deception (a man that flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet. Proverbs 29:5), but by their actions, they are bringing the curse of God upon their children after them – he that speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. Job 17:5.
Covetousness for money, riches and material possession at all cost and by all means is sending souls daily into hell and into the trap some will never come out until death – for the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1Timothy 6:10.
It is obvious that the love of the neighbor is ruled out from the heart of any covetous man.
I had not known lust, except the law had said, thou shall not covet. For this, thou shall not commit adultery, thou shall not kill, thou shall not steal, thou shall not bear false witness, thou shall not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. Love works no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:9-10.
Set your goal and motive right in the kingdom by living in contentment, triumphing above your financial trials and challenges in Christ Jesus, – therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Matthew 6:31-34. Note: no servant can serve two masters, – those who will not take warnings and corrections from Christ, but are willingly showing contempt disregard for the word of God like the Pharisees also, who were covetous derided Christ, shall be cut off by God’s displeasure for their covetousness to have their place with the eternal fools where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched – for the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was angry, and he went on forwardly in the way of his heart. Isaiah 57:17. Luke 16:14-15.
The Lord’s lesson and training on contentment.
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned (schooled to adapt), in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere 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 strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13.
Today, many people in the church are living like spoiled brat under the influence of the greedy and discontent spirit. Not so many people know how to adapt themselves to an unfavorable financial situation or economic crisis because their throat and stomach is so big, crying give, give, like the two daughters of leech (Proverbs 30:15); they will do anything and everyhing though sinful to have increasingly, not content with such things as they have in godliness.
Not so many people know how to cut their coat according to their sizes – to undertake what they have the money or ability to do and no more; rather, but they’re comparing themselves with others who are better than them, and they will try to do anything to have what others are having, to live the same flamboyant lifestyle like their familiar friends, sisters, brothers or neighbors by all means or at all cost, – this is coveteous spirit.
Saul, a learned and very intellectual man of the law whose decision to follow Christ made him a tent maker in order to facilitate his vocation and livelihood without becoming a burden to anyone in his ministry, was a typical example of a selfless and faithful servant of Christ, confidently declared, – I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shown you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:33-35. Acts 18:1-3.
How many preachers can say like say like Apostle Paul, for I seek not what is yours, meaning your money, house, car, gold or silver, but you. 2 Corinthians.12:14.
On the other hand, he’s saying, nothing count to me than your steadfastness in faith, – your establishments in the will of God, – the present readiness and state of your soul to meet Christ at any time the trumphet sound: for our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 2:3-6.
Deuteronomy 8 verses 1 -4 summarizes Moses words spoken to the Israelis that the manna which was sent by God from heaven to feed them throughout their forty years of wandering in the wilderness was designed to discipline them on how to adapt to situations and circumstances – to teach them to be content with God’s word by doing whatever he says, and to abide in his will. Whatever it is, to accept and live after the pattern of divine purposes. Whatever they are, they should by the experience learnt from it, and to know that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word which comes out from the mouth of God.
As the manna fell from heaven, the greedy, strongest and the coveteous among them gathered more, but finally had their daily portion reduced to what was allot from the Lord, and the gentle, weak and the meek among the Israelis in the wilderness were not also denied, neither were they robbed of their normal daily portion as well.
This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered some more, some less. And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating. Exodus 16:15-18.
It was commanded that no one should go out on the Sabbath day to look for manna because they’ve twice been supplied against the Sabbath day on the day before it: yet, some by stubbornness, greediness and coveteousness of heart, went out to look for manna on Sabbath, but could find nothing.
Why should anyone seek to have what God does not intend to give or want them to have?
David exclaimed, Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child. Psalms 131:1-2.
Coveteousness – discontentment of spirit can leads to bitter rivalry and jealousy, hatred for others for what they have, competition, a broken –divorced marriage because of the love of money, – while some misses out of God’s plan for their lives to act against divine timing like Gehazi who should have become a great prophet under Elisha, but graduated with leprosy affliction, and was sent away with generational curse upon his lineage for his coveteousness.
Why was Achan, the troublers’ of Israel stoned to death?
Was it not for his covetous desire and action against God’s command, for he secretly stole a strange cloth and some gold from the accursed land of Jericho!
As God’s heirs and co heirs with Christ, all things are yours, but not in this present world, – your best life is not now, so be content with such things as you have, for he has promised, never to leave you, nor forsake you.
What were the cause of the spiritual death and the expulsion of the first parents out of the Garden of Eden? Was it not for their discontentment to find satisfaction outside of God’s provision?
After all, they had all trees to enjoy all the fruits, except one, but they desired to have all and be independent of God. Note: God is what you should have and what you should desired to have increasingly: let the joy of your union and fellowship with him replace or fill up whatsoever you think you don’t have now, he should be everything to you – the Lord should be your portion in the land of the living.
Why or what is the cause of the powerlessness in the church today as if the time of Pentecote is over, and our God has withdrawn his power from the church?
The answer is found among the blind and ignorant watchmen, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark – spiritually powerless, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough (coveteous), and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Isaiah 56:10-11.
God’s promise of divine provision and maintenance of his children
Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7.
Some pastors are so shameless by asking the worshippers not to drop anything below two hundred Naira into the offering basket. Some will take different offering as many times as three to five times during a single Sunday worship service. Some shamelessly sells blessed water, olive oil and other funny things in foreign currency while residing in Nigeria for the Nigerians. What a mammon of financial madness in the church today?
A young man and his wife made a short visit to a friend who is a prophet residing in Nigeria from Europe.
Towards the end of their visit, the young woman was to be baptized, but her husband, by the reason of high fever infection, was unable to attend the event.
After the baptism, the prophet demanded from the young woman to give him foreign currency, so that he might keep with him to be using it to pray every day to God to be sending foreigners into his ministry who shall be giving offering in foreign currency. What a sham?
This action and expression of making such demand is what the bible calls covetousness.
This is not biblical, but a devise to exploit another financially. You don’t have to ask people of what kind of currency they should give for offering if they are in Nigeria. Let the worshippers be moved and led by the spirit of God instead of coveting their purse. Godliness is not gain. You don’t need to ask for foreign currency from foreign worshippers who have come to visit your church before God send foreigners to send you foreign money to help and bless you for ministerial financial support.
The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but those that trust in the Lord shall never suffer any good thing. Psalms 34:10.
Jesus reaffirms that if the evil earthly parents know how to give good things unto their children, how much more will the Father in heaven give good things to his children?
God has called us to live a stress free life, to be careful for nothing. Let us therefore rejoice in hope, patience in tribulation, and to continue instant in prayer, for God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think according to his power that works in us.
God’s pleasure, blessings and peace is found in our contentment and gratitude – be ye thankful always, – but this is not the attitude of the coveteous that will cry and weep, cheat and lust for what he has not. You may ask whatever you want or desire in prayer, but God in his mercy will give what is best. Whenever we complain, we indirectly accuses God of not taken care of us, but such faithless action does not only displeases the Lord, but it is to provoke him to anger against us. Numbers.11:1.
The present provision should be considered as your divinely appropriate daily manna sent from heaven. To you, your present provision from God might seem insignificant before us to what you think you actually needed, but a little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked – be content. Psalms 37:16.
The supply of basic necessities of life – food and clothing is guaranteed by the Lord, – and having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 1Timothy 6:8.
Are you not better than the fowl of the air, yet your Father feeds them! Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like the lilies of the field, yet they grow; but they toil not, neither do they spin: wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 6:28-30.
Moses reminded the Israelis of the faithfulness of God’s provisions and maintenance towards them in the wilderness, by saying, I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot. You have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 29:5-6.
There was no health insurance policy or special restaurant with different lists of menu to chose from in the wilderness; but yet, God blessed their bread and water, and none was feeble – sick among them. Exodus 23:25.
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. Ecclesiastes 6:7.
The Israelis were supplied and fed with manna for forty years, and their youths were renewed like the eagles.
Let us learn how to make lemonade out of lemons. True satisfaction and the best maintenance of this body of dust could only be traced back to God who takes care of the sheep of his pasture.
Eat your God’s given bread with contentment, prayer and thanksgiving, for everything is sanctified by prayer and the word of God.
There were no Bata shops in the wilderness, yet their shoes –same sandal on their feet was made new daily for the period of forty years, be content.
There was no fitness club or gym centres in the wilderness, but Joshua and Caleb were made strong by the hand of God almighty, Caleb, physically fitted to fight and engage the enemy at the age of eighty five to possess their inheritance by the sole provision of manna in contentment. Joshua 14:6-15.