Even if we have everything we could ever want or need, when we die, our goods will do nothing for us. Because of wealth, the fool believes he has no need of God.

The Parable of the Rich Fool illustrates that, when one has all the material possessions he could want, he may still not be rich toward God.

God has made it possible through His Spirit for us to be optimistic and happy even in a world that seems to be crumbling around us.

Covetousness is an insatiable desire for worldly gain and lies at the heart of where most sin originates. The tenth emphasizes man's relationship to man.

The addiction of gambling comes from the lure of effortless profit and the way of get, motivated by covetousness, which militates against contentment.

Jesus' Parable of the Treasure in Matthew 6:19-21 is designed to get us to evaluate the relative values of material wealth and 'treasures in heaven.'

Prosperity is not always an emblem of God's approval. God will not prosper us if it would cause spiritual damage, insulating us from seeking His kingdom.

Coveting begins as a desire. Human nature cannot be satisfied, nothing physical can satisfy covetousness, and joy does not derive from materialism.

God desires far more for us than mere satisfaction: He wants to give us real contentment, a state that comes only through a relationship with Him.

Everybody has the carnal habit of accumulating stuff, cluttering up both our physical surroundings, as well as the inner chambers of our minds.

Solomon provides these comparisons to indicate the choices we should make to live better lives in alignment with God, even in an 'nder the sun' world.

Black Friday stirs up greedy, materialistic, covetous attitudes. When a nation reaches a materialistic mindset, it is on its way to oblivion.

'Affluenza' describes the bloated insensitivity caused by trying to keep up with the Joneses, the stress caused by doggedly pursuing the American Dream.

Blinded by greed, Balaam used whatever mental gymnastics necessary to arrive at the answer he wanted. He turned the grace of God into a license for evil.

Everyone is out to acquire as much as possible for himself. The tenth commandment, however, governs this proclivity of human nature, striking at man's heart.

Do we thank God daily for all His blessings? Do we thank Him for only the nice things? He wants us to thank Him for His benefits, mercy, and graciousness.

When we ask to be blessed, it should be exclusively on God's terms. What God has done in our lives is the best preparation for our future responsibilities.

Solomon already lived the wild side, considered it deeply over, and reported on it. If we will listen to what he says, we can avoid all kinds of heartache.

Jesus taught that all outward sin stems from inner inordinate desire. What we desire or lust after automatically becomes our idol.

Balaam, motivated by self-interest, believing that the ends justify the means, willing to do anything to get his way, is spiritually inferior to a donkey.

We must lay aside every weight, accept God's chastening, receive encouragement from those who have gone before, and get back into the spiritual race.

What God really wants is for us to see things from His point of view, making the right choices, striving to build character, developing into His image.

The best way to attain true wealth and the abundant eternal life is to loosen our grip on worldly rewards and treasures, and single-mindedly follow Christ.

Having anxiety, foreboding and fretting about food, clothing, and shelter, or being distressed about the future, demonstrates a gross lack of faith.

There are three basic causes for discontentment and three strategies to contentment, enabling us to emulate the apostle Paul's content state of mind.

Wisdom can be defined as doing the right thing at the right time in the right way to the right measure. Wisdom is not given as a whole, but incrementally.

Elizabeth Taylor exemplified the hedonistic, pleasure-mad lifestyle that destroyed the ancient Roman Empire.

The true source of joy does not consist on any worldly commodity, or any self-centered, hedonistic pursuit, but instead a spiritual gift, bestowed by God.

True joy is based neither on material accumulation, nor in extraordinary physical accomplishments, but in the hope of salvation and the promises of God.

WHY are only the very few—women as well as men—successful in life? Just what is success? Here is the surprising answer to life's most difficult problem.

Coveting—lust—is a fountainhead of many other sins. Desiring things is not wrong, but desiring someone else's things promotes overtly sinful behavior.

The prophecy of Micah had a delayed effect, taking many years before a reformer emerged on the scene. Jeremiah's life was spared because of the memory of Micah.

The West is obsessed with materialism and guaranteed security, as many institutions protect—even encourage—mediocrity, incompetency, and malfeasance.

In the current toxic culture, we have been warned not to be conformed to the world, but to become transformed into the glorious likeness of Christ.

The story of Esau and his selling his birthright for a bowl of soup is a cautionary tale for today. What we treasure will ultimately determine our destiny.

Our love for beauty must be coupled with love for righteousness and holiness. Our relationship with Christ must take central place in our lives, displacing all else.

Lust begets a guilty conscience, agitation, anxiety, depression, grief, torment. Wrong desire leads to lying, adultery, and murder—eventually leading to death.

Preaching to the ancient Israelites, Amos' indictments parallel today's spiritual decline. God wants His people to repent and avoid impending judgment.

The rigors God puts us through are not to crush us, but to shape us, transforming us into His image. True gain is walking through the anguish in victory.