On sunday past, I was preaching in the Carraig Centre, Ballincollig as part of the 10 Commandment's series and we were looking at the tenth commandment -
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.”
We are using the book by J.John Just 10 to look though these commandments. The theme of the sermon was How to find contentment.
What we said was Coveting is “The uncontrollable desire to acquire”
Where would advertisers be today if we didn’t have the desire to covet
Of getting the bigger, the newer … the better
All of us have this – as I thought about this – its ingrained in me
Are there things which we need to keep in check
There is an inbuilt sense of looking over and seeing the better and wanting it
There are all sorts of great desires such as ...
- Pleasure
- Joy
- Belonging
- Security
- Comfort
- Safety
- Excitement
- Adventure
But when some desires go beyond certain boundaries they become problematic and even dangerous
When they become the main thing …
DOING WHATEVER YOU CAN FOR … WITHOUT RECOGNITION OF THE OTHER THINGS IN THE COMMANDMENTS
IT’S THE HEART - THE SEAT OF OUR DESIRES … THERE IS SOMETHING IN US
Watering the good stuff … Taking time to guard your heart
Physically – we know we should eat well – and exercise
Spiritually – taking time to do the basics well – cutting out stuff we know will lead – thoughts which will lead to dark places
- How are our relationships
- How are our thought patterns
- our Friendships
- Do we have people we can be honest with – completely honest with
- People who ask us – how are things really
Rejoicing in what we have
Being alive
Beautiful world
God’s love
Freedom
Security
…
Being a wise steward
Relationships
How are they?
How are they affected by covetness ?
People matter!
Generousity
Priorities
What do you think & talk most about?
What about your time & energy?
Spending ? (your bank account is your theology in numbers!)
