Materialism

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.

A biblical survey of coveting: what it is, what it produces and what a Christian should be doing.

The fourth Thursday in November, the holiday Americans call Thanksgiving Day, is always followed by an unofficial shopping holiday known as "Black Friday. ...

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.

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." Martin Collins expands on the metaphors of moths, rust, and thieves.

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.

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

A major theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is satisfaction. In his wisdom, Solomon assiduously sought out the answer to the question, "What brings a person true satisfaction?" John Ritenbaugh proposes that God desires far more for us than mere satisfaction:. . .

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on the recent death of Elizabeth Taylor, opined that, although she may have been considered a star, her life was severely lacking in many ways. With her hopelessly warped personality, she seemed driven by hedonistic sexual conqu. . .

Martin Collins, using a hybrid word, "affluenza," characterizes the deadly consequences of our pleasure-dominated life. Affluenza describes the bloated, unfeeling insensitivity caused by trying to keep up with the Joneses, the stress caused by do. . .

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

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.

Martin Collins, reflecting on the term blessed and blessing, rendered into triviality by the prosperity gospel, cautions us not to be glibly equating God with a magic genie or spiritual automatic pill- dispenser. Material blessings do not necessarily equat. . .

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.

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

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

Ecclesiastes 2 records what Solomon experienced when he was a young man in the prime of his wealth and power. ...

Richard Ritenbaugh, commenting on the culture of the Baby Boomers, suggests that this generation has taken on characteristics of narcissism, self-absorption, and excessive self-centeredness, leading to rampant materialism. A narcissist looks neither outwar. . .

John Ritenbaugh, reflecting on Solomon's ruminations about life being seemingly futile and purposeless, reiterates that a relationship with God is the only factor which prevents life from becoming useless. As many celebrities and public figures withdraw to. . .

Martin Collins marvels that despite the continuous dramatic increase of material wealth in Modern Israel, this affluence or prosperity has not remotely led to joy. Clinical depression, requiring professional help (usually consisting of a host of powerful a. . .

John Ritenbaugh insists that true riches consist of what we are (or what we become) rather than what we have. True riches consist of those things that can be carried through the grave and into the Kingdom of God. The circumstances of our lives (totally det. . .

Mike Ford, acknowledging that many of us are now in a de-leavening mode, suggests that getting rid of accumulated clutter is a positive goal as we simplify our lives in our preparation of extracting ourselves from the world and following God. Spring cleani. . .

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that satisfaction in life does not derive from material things or wealth, by instead from an eternal relationship with God who has given us abundant spiritual gifts which we must reciprocate by developing skill in living from usi. . .

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

John Ritenbaugh, continuing his exposition on Ecclesiastes 6, appraises the book of Ecclesiastes as the most bluntly profound book in the entire Bible, pointing to our urgent need to develop a relationship with God. We did not create ourselves or give ours. . .

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.

A biblical study on the basic aspects of one of the fruit of God's Spirit, joy.

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.

Men have searched for centuries for the keys to success in life. Many have found rules to live by to bring them physical wealth and well-being, but all of them have neglected the most important factor: God!

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

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.

David Grabbe, assessing the impact of struggles, pressures, and tribulations of our spiritual journey, reveals that Christ's followers will have to endure afflictions and fiery trials as He prepares them for His Kingdom. Some detractors have tried to preac. . .

Richard Ritenbaugh, reminding us that we have a perennial mandate to examine ourselves, warns that the cesspool of this world's culture is deep and getting deeper. Even though the world is waxing progressively worse, many of us live in a comparatively safe. . .

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

Charles Whitaker warns that our society is too connected with the present, too enamored of technology, too surfeited on abundance to pay attention to lessons from history or the basic laws of cause and effect. Our technology will not allow us to advance be. . .