Coveting

Do you covet? Most would say, “not really” or “not too often.” But I wonder how in tune we are with the presence of this subtle sin? Even when we recognize its presence in our hearts, how quick are we to minimize its gravity? It seems we will more readily admit to any of the other moral transgressions than we will to a covetous heart. We have the ability to dismiss the sinfulness of coveting with a shrug of the shoulders, while God, on the other hand, has placed its warning as a part of his centerpiece of moral prohibitions in the Ten Commandments. Christians would be wise to learn to hate coveting as much as God does. It would behoove those making a claim to godliness to ferret out those insidious and unstated feelings of displeasure about someone else’s prosperity, intelligence or beauty the way we would the temptation to murder or commit armed robbery. We would do well to declare war on our inability to honestly rejoice in the blessings of others without the fleshly addendum of “I wish I had that,” or “I’m not sure she deserves it.” God told his people to be content with what they have and to rejoice with those who rejoice not only because it honors his holy character, but also because it has profound benefits for those who obey. As we learn to grieve over our covetous hearts and cry out to God in repentance, we will find a multitude of insidious effects remedied. We might see that coveting is in fact the cause of a hundred lesser evils in our lives. We might discover afresh that a war on coveting is one of the best things we could do for our progress in sanctification. So let’s get honest about its presence and serious about its eradication. And let us look forward to the blessings that come from a heart undefiled by an enslavement to wanting what we don’t have.

-Pastor Mike

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Rejoice

In Philippians 4:4 we are commanded to “Rejoice in the Lord always!” That is quite a remarkable command given that we had already been warned by Christ that life won’t always feel good (cf. Jn.16:33). But the directive is given and our response is expected just the same. Perhaps at some point in your Christian life you have humbly sought to implement this instruction, even when life was painful. If you have, you may have discovered that it is not only possible, it is often the catalyst of a whole new and energizing perspective. Consider the person God used to write this command. The Apostle Paul was unjustly imprisoned and robbed of his “freedom” when he was moved by God to pen these words. First century incarceration is probably not the backdrop we would imagine for a broad and direct call to rejoice in God. However, it’s true. As Paul sat in prison he was able to find strength and hope as he recounted God’s goodness and oft-overlooked reasons to be thankful (cf. Phil.1:12-30). So, no matter what is going on in your life this week, remember these words and put them into practice. It would do us well to “rejoice in the Lord always!”

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Exposing Anxiety

When God confronts the sin of anxiety in Philippians 4, his prescribed remedy helps to clearly diagnose the problem – especially in the lives of those who tend to downplay its repercussions and choose to think that worry is not that big of a deal. In Philippians 4:4-8 the Lord commands five things for those who are anxious and worried. He directs them to rejoice, to be reasonable, to remember Christ’s return, to pray, and to consistently ponder good things. Consider how God’s fix may in fact reveal the depth of one’s entanglement in this sin. If you rarely find yourself spontaneously “rejoicing” and your heart is running low on joy, then maybe you are more worried and anxious than you care to admit. If you can detect that your interaction with others is often less than reasonable, then maybe anxiety has found a home in your heart. If your mind doesn’t regularly turn to the victorious hope of Christ’s second coming, if your prayer life is lagging, and if your thoughts don’t persistently settle on what is honorable, pure and commendable, then it may be time to admit the root problem. As with any sin, recognizing it and confessing it is the first step. Then you can move on to thoughtfully and purposefully employ these five inspired correctives. God is more than ready to give us victory over this destructive sin and to “guard our hearts and minds” (Philippians 4:7) as we confess our sin and respond obediently to his instructions.

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