Thursday, May 8th 2014

I remember all too often; Times when I just HAD to have my sisters shoes, or clothes, or candy and my mom telling me in these exact words, "don't you have enough of your own, God doesn't like covetousness" I didn't see anything wrong with taking their things at that time and not being satisfied with my own portion. Little did I know these little acts were planting seeds of greater discontent with not being content with my portion, and would later lead to extreme levels of covetousness, resulting to a more horrendous sin of stealing and much more being born.

What is Coveting/Covetousness?

A well illustrated example is given in the parable Jesus delivers in Luke 12, which we will break down and discuss in this blog.

Covetousness is a strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good; excessive desire for things of the world, riches or money; These "things" mean and include someone else's or store marked, clothing, shoes, other fashion materials, household items, food, someone's husband/wife, friend, and more. It's an act purely marked by Lust. The items are being obtained without any legal work, and or its wanting to just fulfill an ungodly urge or desire. By being covetous you are being greedy!

Examples of coveting in the Bible:

Exodus 20:17

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Colossians 3:5

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Hebrews 13:5

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have:

1 Timothy 6:9

But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.

Wanting something or someone that is not yours is a SIN. It can be the death of your spiritual and physical life. We need to understand that this particular act starts in the heart. One day you start thinking that Mr. (so and so) is so handsome. He starts eyeing you, you start eyeing him. You overhear he is married, but you've already planned out that romantic date in your head. One day things are rocky in his marriage and he asks you out, you have no shame in your game and you say yes. You've just stolen another woman's husband, Girl! Not only have you now coveted someone's man you are committing adultery!!

An all too common scenario is when we get into a roommate situation. Yes, our roommate is more then generous with her/his items..once asked permission for. You start to eye this one item though, the roommate has particular said that is OFF limits. But you must have it, it's been imagined in your heart for months now. The perfect opportunity presents it's self and bam, you take it. COVETOUSNESS has just be committed.

In a world of social media today, it's so easy to focus on ones highlights they post online. Remember, no one rarely posts when life hits, brings them down or there is an obstacle in the road. So we are looking and lusting at the things people have due to their online content but in reality they are dead and far removed from God. Is it really worth it? NO.

Covetousness will eat at you, you will never be satisfied, it will leave you empty when you gain what you've committed to having due to lust.

Jesus in Luke 12 shares a parable with the masses about this subject matter:

He starts of in verse 15 saying boldly to beware of covetousness, because life is not measured by how much "stuff" we acquires here one earth.

Let's read:

Luke 12

16 Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’

21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

PAUSE: You see beloved, when you allow the coveting spirit to overtake you, your relationship with God is void, null, and deleted. You have now made that object you seek, your god.

Jesus in this same passage shares with us beautiful solutions to those of us who have a problem desiring other people's possessions or items needed to be taken to fill a void.

Jesus tells us :

Not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear.
For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?
And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things.
These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs.
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.
Store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it.
Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

The Lord is calling you home, he is calling you to not let the things on this earth that will fade away be your target, to not allow you to commit sin, end up in jail or feel extreme guilt. He wants you to set your sight on things above, not on things on this earth.

He is calling you to repent if you've identified you have this spirit so He can enter into your life and make you whole and free.

Beloved, I used to have this spirit and in the mental health world it had its own name.But the day I gave my life to Jesus Christ, it was erased. I was now content in the greatest love of all, the love of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Here are some other verses you can meditate on that will sure help you!

1 John 2:15-17,Matthew 16:26 , James 4:2 , Mark 4:19

I want, need, and desire you to feel this love! I love you and I am praying for you!

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May you find comfort in this song.

From your Sister in Christ,

Janet Adeola Songonuga

(I am in the middle with the newest couple in town. At their wedding. )

Sin is a SERIOUS MATTER. Let me repeat, Sin is a very serious matter. All of us born into this world, no matter which country are taught what is right and wrong on TV, in books, and by teachers in school. We are taught don't steal, don't fight, don't lie, don't curse in the classroom unless we will be faced with consequences for our actions. The punishment if one was to do something wrong would be rendered either within the school grounds or with the government. I included, got taught these things? But yet I still sinned. People STILL SIN even after they hear what's right and wrong. Have you wondered why? Well although I grew up in the church I didn't really understand. It was only when I received Jesus into my life I understood why I still kept on sinning even though I knew what was right.

Let’s get into this from God's perspective...

As you read above, Psalm 51:5 solves all your questions and inquiries about why you may still sin even though you know the truth and what's right. Since the fall of man which was Adam and Eve disobeying God every one including you and I were born in Sin. We are sinful beings. Our impulse of the flesh is to lie, steal, swear, kill, fight. Without laws and rules we would all be running around totally disobeying God and living in tremendous sin! But thank God, for God. He set apart the people of Israel and laid down the ten commandments apart from the rule of the land in Exodus 20:2-17:

These were far more truthful of our sinful nature than the law of man. He discusses how knowing, reverencing, and fearing one TRUE God above many other gods, idols is very important in ones’ life. God also understood marriage is to be held and cherished so sleeping outside of ones marriage does not please God and will create problems in your life. Lastly he understood envy, jealousy was a very important downfall in our sinful nature and so he stated in these set of laws to not "covet" which means to not seek to be like anyone else but to know God can provide all your needs if and only you seek him.

Along with these commandments given to Moses from God, in Leviticus 16:1-34 God instructed Aaron, one of the Jewish priests on the great day of atonement. This was to be a special day on the Jewish religious calendar, an annual event, which took place on the 10th day on the 7th month. On this day of atonement, the sins of the entire nation was atoned for by sacrifice and the shedding of the blood of prescribed animals. The tabernacle was also purified from the defilement of sin and the whole nation of Israel obtained a new lease of life for another year. If Aaron didn't do this LONG extensive procedure read about in Leviticus at all or the right way, him and every Israelite would have been KILLED! KILLED because of the sins committed. SIN IS SERIOUS TO GOD.

So you may be a person who has only heard of the loving side of God? God is not only a loving God but he Judges us including our wrong doings! He does not delight in judgment, but he judges sin so others can and turn from their evil ways and live a righteous lifestyle.

Romans 6:23 reads

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

That's the thing the wages of sin is death! The consequence to continue to live a life of sin doesn't only cause heartache, nightmares, criminal records but it ultimately leads to death. The consequences of sin are so great that human imagination cannot fathom an appropriate solution to it. BUT GOD the maker of our life, the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) gave us the ultimate solution! The day of atonement through the blood of sacrificed animal foreshadowed Jesus Christ's singular and final sacrificse , not only for the nation of Israel but the whole world, the sinners and our only hope of redemption through his death and resurrection!

JESUS came to save you and I from our sinful nature!! Sister, brother what ever SIN you are struggling with, God sent his only son to DIE to set you free from that Sin. After you repent of the sins you've committed, truly realize you are a sinful person, and receive Jesus into your life, start believing, and then start reading the Bible, your life will be so peaceful and so rewarding.

Lastly,

I can't stress this enough. SIN IS SERIOUS. The little sin of stealing will lead to you eventually stealing at the supermarket, then to credit cards, and much more if you don't repent and receive Jesus.

The little sin of fornication, having sex or doing sexual acts before marriage which includes, masturbation, oral sex, and watching Porn will grow into having many sex partners, getting a disease your body never wanted if you don't repent and receive Jesus.

Your drinking which you may have been taught at a young age or when you go to college to use recreationally; When you celebrate you want to get drunk, when you have a problem you want to get drunk. This is sowing a seed to eventually lead to a drinking problem later in life that can hinder you from a lot of things. You don't need drinking for anything, repent, receive Jesus into your life and let him be your prince of ultimate peace and happiness.

You may live a perfect life on the outside, you've never committed any sin but in your heart you have a long standing problem of envy and jealousy. This can rage into a consuming fire! If you don't deal with that envy or jealousy now you will never find contentment even if you get what you have been envious or jealous of. Ever wonder why when a cheating spouse who got in that situation, for envying whomever is cheating with, still isn't content when they leave their original spouse. Repent and receive Jesus into your life today.

If you have children and want to have children I encourage you to raise them in the way of the Lord so they have a firm foundation and know there is a way out of their sinful nature. And for you that are reading this there is a true way out of the things that cause you pain and sorrow it's to repent and receive Jesus into your life today.

You can read about my so sinful past and born again experience here: Why Receive Jesus Into your Life

You may be wondering what exactly is sin and what God deems wrong:

Galatians 5:19-21

Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outbursts, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and similar things. I’ve told you in the past and I’m telling you again that people who do these kinds of things will not inherit the kingdom of God. (GNT)

You must repent all or none. The day you then repent and receive the one and only Atonement for Sin Jesus Christ should be remembered and celebrated. You are now BORN AGAIN.

(Me at my Younger Sister Bernice's High School Graduation)

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From your Sister in Christ with a Servants Heart,

Janet Adeola Songonuga

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Do you have a coveting spirit?