Colossians 3:5-6
King James Version
5 Mortify therefore your members
which are upon the earth;
fornication, uncleanness,
inordinate affection, evil concupiscence,
and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God
cometh on the children of disobedience:
Why is covetousness "idolatry"?
Simply because it takes your eyes away from GOD.
It keeps your heart away from GOD.
It keeps your mind away from GOD.
It keeps you wishing, wanting, wondering, and wandering.
You are besotted by things of the world.
1 John 2:16
King James Version
16 For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh,
and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life,
is not of the Father,
but is of the world.
You worship anything, and everything, but GOD.
That sure incurs GOD's wrath.
His commands were clear:
Exodus 20:3
King James Version
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Exodus 20:5-6
King James Version
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them:
for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children
unto the third and fourth generation
of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands
of them that love me,
and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:15
King James Version
15 Thou shalt not steal.
Exodus 20:17
King James Version
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.
Covetousness makes you stray from GOD.
It also breeds greed, envy, and a desire to steal.
You are distracted by the things of the world.
You think having a new car will get you the girls.
You think having a new outfit will impress the boys.
You think having a new phone will impress your colleagues.
You think having a new house will impress your friends and relatives.
You think having designer outfits, or accessories, will impress others.
As you're busy trying to acquire things, others are, too.
They may not have time to check you out.
They're too busy checking themselves out.
All your efforts may be wasted.
Covetousness gives you a false sense of grandeur.
It gives you a false sense of importance.
It's all meant to impress people.
It's not to glorify GOD.
It is to glorify self.
Which is an abomination to GOD.
1 Corinthians 1:27-31
King James Version
27 But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world
to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen
the weak things of the world
to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world,
and things which are despised, hath God chosen,
yea, and things which are not,
to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness,
and sanctification,
and redemption:
31 That, according as it is written,
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Others will always have more than you.
Conversationally, others will also have less than you.
One can get neurotic, and crazed, if you always wish to impress.
You may get depressed if you can't have what you want.
It will cause frustration and unrest in you.
There will always be someone who will want to outdo you.
It's all pride, greed, vanity, envy, and competition.
Definitely not grounds for happiness.
JESUS was King of kings, and Lord of lords.
And yet didn't come to earth in royal robes.
He didn't throw His weight around.
He had no pomposity about Him.
He didn't ask for a chariot, or even a horse.
He rode a donkey, as the people honored Him.
Nowhere can you hear Him speak of wanting possessions.
He didn't desire any.
He didn't have any.
He had no desire, but to obey GOD.
And to save us from our sins.
John 17:12
King James Version
12 While I was with them in the world,
I kept them in thy name:
those that thou gavest me I have kept,
and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition;
that the scripture might be fulfilled.
He didn't want us possessed by possessions.
JESUS was clear:
Matthew 6:19-21
King James Version
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,
where moth and rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt,
and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is,
there will your heart be also.
Luke 12:15
King James Version
15 And he said unto them,
Take heed,
and beware of covetousness:
for a man's life consisteth not
in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth.
Luke 12:22-23
King James Version
22 And he said unto his disciples,
Therefore I say unto you,
Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat;
neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat,
and the body is more than raiment.
Luke 12:24
King James Version
24 Consider the ravens:
for they neither sow nor reap;
which neither have storehouse nor barn;
and God feedeth them:
how much more are ye better
than the fowls?
Luke 12:25
King James Version
25 And which of you with taking thought
can add to his stature one cubit?
Luke 12:26
King James Version
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least,
why take ye thought for the rest?
Luke 12:27
King James Version
27 Consider the lilies how they grow:
they toil not, they spin not;
and yet I say unto you,
that Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these.
Luke 12:28
King James Version
28 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 12:29-31
King James Version
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat,
or what ye shall drink,
neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things
do the nations of the world seek after:
and your Father knoweth
that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
Since GOD made me born again 58 months ago, I've lost interest in things of the world.
Not that I was nuts about stuff to begin with.
Sure, it's fun to shop.
But things tend to accumulate.
I am not acquisitive anymore.
There is no desire to impress.
There never was.
Having nothing is a good gauge.
You get to really know who care for you.
Your personal "presentation" is of no significance to them.
Better they feel the CHRIST in you, than the devil in you.
In JESUS is my peace!
In JESUS is my joy!
In JESUS is my salvation!
Possessions are of no importance to me anymore.
I am grateful for whatever GOD gives me each day.
The basics suffice.
Further, what more would I want?
I already have JESUS.
Related material:
ENDING the PREOCCUPATION with SELF
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