Tuesday, October 26, 2010 - PRAYER SUMMIT TONIGHT 7pm!
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Song of Sol. 4-5 & Galatians 6
THANKFUL SUBMISSION – Submission of the Heart
SCRIPTURE READING
Exodus 20:17 (ESV); “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
Luke 12:13-14 (NIV); “Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.’ Jesus replied, ‘Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?’ Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.’”
Materialism is the religion of our society. There is a “legitimate” excuse for the desire of any purchase; personal gain of power or happiness, community and family benefits, efficiency, self-reward – we’ve all done it countless times. But untamed desire uncloaked is covetousness – a sin written on the stone tablets, and if that’s not enough, reiterated by Jesus. For some people it is an unkempt house and rooms full of junk, for others it is an immaculate home with certain prized pieces and for some it is that one “guilty pleasure,” that splurge that is considered ok because it is rare. Possessions in themselves are not bad – God has blessed many righteous (and unrighteous) people with wealth. The true test, then, is in the reflection of the heart. “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” Jesus said. If we allow ourselves to be defined by our possessions and our rights to ownership, we have done God and injustice and violated the last and the first commandment.
PRAYER & MEDITATION
1. Spend some time asking the Holy Spirit to search your heart for areas of greed and covetousness. Confess to God how you have violated His commands.
2. Where do you have pride about your possessions? Ask God to show you this and listen to what He wants to say to you.
3. Ask the Holy Spirit how your pride, greed and covetousness affect you. How are they affecting your family? How are they affecting your relationships with God and others? How are they allowing Satan a foothold in your life?
4. What does the Holy Spirit want you to do to change this?
