Jeff Lewis
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Keeping up with the Jones'
||December 13, 2007|608 reads
 

To add a comment to "Keeping up with the Jones'"
Don Swanger
December 13, 2007
Jeff--This is a tough one.  We can deal with the notion of covetousness as sin when it is blatant greed, obvious excess, or jealousy over a neighbor's possessions.  But we live in a culture and economy that is driven by covetousness.  The multi-billion dollar marketing and money-market industries' very survival depends on their ability to continually create new desire and the illusion of need in the hearts of the public.  Otherwise people will just stop buying most of the 'stuff' they spend themselves on.
Jeff Lewis
December 13, 2007
I know it Don. We can be covetous in ministry and so much more. May the Lord help us to slow down and keep it simple. We have heard so much on prosperity, it can roll over into covetousness.
Mike n Laura
December 13, 2007
You're right about there being so much to covet, Jeff. Coveting is not only prevalent, but as Don pointed out, in our culture it's expected...and even accepted! ~mike
Don Swanger
December 13, 2007
Amen.  Dutch Sheets has some powerful teaching on the spirit/idol Baal.  Among other things he was the god of prosperity, and in many ways is the dominant ruling spirit over America and the west.  This is probably why 'covetousness' is such a difficult notion for U.S./Western Christians to grasp with any clarity.  Our culture is so saturated and driven by it that it is literally the atmosphere through which we move every day.  The ONLY antidote is for us to be moment by moment walking in the Spirit, having our minds and hearts renewed by the Word, the Word, the Word, and living and moving and having our being in a different place, an atmosphere saturated with the very Presence of God.
Don Swanger
December 13, 2007
It's also important to note the scope of influence that the commandment assigns to this drive.  It is not restricted to material possessions.  It extends to lust and sexual conquest (thy neighbor's wife), and power and status (his servants).  It really begs the question for any sphere of life: "When is enough enough?".  Is it about the sensual power of control?  The core of rebellion against God..."I will ascend the throne..."
Don Swanger
December 13, 2007
This is your fault, Jeff.  You got me goin' on this one!  We as Christians cry out about abortion and broken marriages and the plight of poor.  But having eyes to see, we still do not see.  These are symptoms.  We will never truly have our hearts seized by the heart of God and see breakthrough in these areas, even in the broader Christian community, until we purpose to bring down the god on whose altar these human sacrifices are actually being offered.
Jeff Lewis
December 13, 2007

Could the American Dream be the American curse? What is the line between coveting and prosperity as it pertains to finances.  I think many of us need to understand what the meaning of these words are such as coveting, factions, dissentions, discord. I have had to literally look some of these up in the dictionary.  The Bible warns us that those who fall into that category won't inherit the kingdom and many of us don't know what they mean.

5:19 Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, 5:21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Don Swanger
December 13, 2007
Somewhat off topic, but that "party spirit" always caught my eye.  When I first got saved, given where I was at, I read it to mean, like, "partying"...You know!  But it's really talking about divisions, or partisanship.  Maybe democrats and republicans?