Mind Over Matter Series

The Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet

This last commandment deals with an attitude. We live in a society were keeping up with the Jones is the ultimate goal of some people.

“Covet”: The unchecked desire to acquire.

Obsession for others possessions

Wouldn’t be nice becomes I can’t live without

My needs speeds into greed

Exodus 20:17

"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

As we go through this list most of us say well no problems here. My neighbor doesn’t have any of those things so I am say. It is not those particulars. It is a principle. Let’s put this into 21st century language

"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his Car or motorcycle, his computer or home entertainment system, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

Anything = Lawn mower, clothes, power screwdriver, hot tub, swimming pool, grill, golf clubs, job.

Antidotes to covetousness

1. Admire without the acquire

1 Peter 2:11

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.

Things I battle with today are not the same things I battled with when Kim and I first got married.

Mick Jager : I can’t get no satisfaction. We will never be satisfied if we believe that happiness comes from things.

Don’t indulge your ego. How many of the things I want are about making myself look good?

Ego = Edging God Out

There is a billion dollar industry that soul purpose is to arouse covetousness within us.

1 Tim. 6:7

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

We come into this world naked, at the end we will leave with nothing

Texan in a pink Cadillac, cigar in mouth, big ten gallon hat – Now that’s living.

A man makes a deal with God to bring one suit case with him. He converted all he had into gold and had the suitcase of gold buried with him. When he got to the pearly gates St. Peter told him he could not bring the suitcase in. The man informed him of his agreement with God and Peter told him OK but I will need to look inside. Seeing the Gold Peter asked, “what do you want with a bag full of pavement?”

2. Avoid the moan zone

11th commandment, Thou shall not whine

We deserve nothing, but God gives us everything.

1 Cor. 7:17

Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

Exodus 16:2-3

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. [3] The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death."

How you enter the moan zone:

• Decide that you are going to be out there in the wilderness and you are going to start complaining and grumbling.

• Start dwelling on the good old days. The past remembers better then it lived.

How do you shorten your time in the desert? Thank God for the desert. What should have been a two to three week trip ended up taking 40 years?

3. Avert resentment by accomplishing contentment

Philip. 4:12

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

The opposite of coveting is contentment

Can I be happy in the middle of an illness?

Can I be happy in the middle of the desert?

Contentment is not Oh well whatever will be will be.

1 Tim. 6:9

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

It’s OK to be disappointed but we cannot camp there

Healthy Heart Quiz

Response: What’s my heart’s response to something that turns my head?

Billy Graham, “It’s not a sin to look once. It’s a sin to look twice.”

Reaction: How do I react when a peer gets a promotion or windfall?

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

Record: How am I really keeping score?

0 ………………………………………………………………………..0

What do I do between the zeros?