Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Outside the Realm of Faith
Pastor Scott
Monday, August 23, 2004
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"If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?"
(Luke 12:28)
Our fleshly tendencies in every one of us are to exalt ourselves--to be the biggest and the best. On a daily basis we all war with pride, selfness, and self-indulgence of our emotions and the appetites in our members. The admonition is to beware. Are we? Beware! "Watch and pray," Jesus said, "so that you don't enter into temptation." Are you guarding your own heart? Are you guarding your own eyes? All that is in the world is the lust of flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).
The spirit of covetousness comes in through your eye-gates. It is already in our members, for out of the heart proceeds adultery, fornication, drunkenness, revelry, hatred, envy, and strife (Matt. 15:19). Inwardly covetousness is already in us; outwardly it is feeding the eye-gates. What are we doing to protect ourselves?
The apostle said, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim. 6:6) To covet is to lust or to have a strong, insatiable desire. Covetousness is idolatry. It is not the worship of the item. You may say, "Here I am battling with covetousness, just really being drawn toward this new vehicle and have to have it; life can't go on without it. So here I am worshipping whatever this item is." It is not the item. There is nothing in the Scripture that talks about the items being evil because we are not worshipping the idols; we are worshipping self. It's the gratification, false status, and the indulgence of self. It's trusting in status and the provision and not in God. Covetousness is such a horrendous sin because it exalts self above the sovereignty of God Who said He will give us richly all things to enjoy. He is the One who meets all of our needs according to His riches in glory through Christ Jesus. He is the One that has provided for us sufficient to the day. Take no thought what you shall eat, what you shall drink, or what you should put on; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of those things. To have that "need" beyond what God calls need is lust and covetousness. This is what the Master's addressing here.
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on" (Luke 12:22). Jesus gave the illustration to consider the ravens. They don't sow or reap, but God provides. He said to consider the lilies of the valley, yet Solomon in all of his splendor was never arrayed with such glory. "And how much more will [your heavenly Father] clothe you, O ye of little faith?" (12:28)
Covetousness is moving outside the realm of faith. Covetousness says, "God won't get it for me, so I'll get it for myself." Faith trusts God. Faith says that God will meet all my needs according to His riches in glory. Faith says, "My heavenly Father knows that I have need of these things. I am going to trust in Him. Anything else isn't necessary and won't edify me, but could in fact harm me and destroy me, so I will trust God."
"And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind" (12:29). Covetousness is unbelief. Covetousness is that spirit that doubts the goodness and justice of God. For you and I to give way to covetousness is to indict God, saying, "God is not fair. God doesn't provide. He doesn't see my worth; therefore, I will exalt myself." Covetousness is a powerful spirit.