When Christians value the Father more for what He can do for them than for intimacy and love, they eventually begin to seek to fulfill their own selfish desires rather than enjoy the relationship they have with God. Then, in order to fill the void that has been created, they seek comfort or identity in one or more of the counterfeit affections—power, possessions, position, people, places, performance, or passions of the flesh. This vicious cycle can continue until they realize that what they are lusting for will not satisfy them and that they have an unmet need for love and intimacy that only Father God’s embrace can fulfill.
Greed
William Bridge
Seek not great things for yourselves in this world, for if your garments be too long, they will make you stumble; and one staff helps a man in his journey, when many in his hands at once hinders him.
George Muller
Have you ever considered that the very reason your earnings remain so small may be because you spend everything on yourself?
Richard J. Foster
But, and here comes the rub, all of us feel that we are in complete control of our desire for things. We would never admit to an ungovernable spirit of covetousness. The problem is that we, like the alcoholic, are unable to recognize the disease once we have been engulfed by it. Only by the help of others are we able to detect the inner spirit that places wealth about God. And we must come to fear the idolatrous state of covetousness because the moment things have priority, radical obedience becomes impossible.
Bernard of Clairvaux
Theirs is an endless road, a hopeless maze, who seek for goods before they seek for God.
Julia Loren
If we live in God’s value system, we begin to learn that love has both emotional expressions and material expressions. Financial prosperity positions us to either hoard up wealth for ourselves and live comfortably in this life or release greater expressions of God’s love toward others. Jesus told one rich young man to give all his wealth away if he wanted to consider himself a follower of Jesus. But the young man chose instead to walk away from following God and retain his wealth in this lifetime—forsaking the true wealth that could have been his (see Matthew 19:16-24). He valued his money over a relationship with Jesus.
Danny Silk
The core belief that each person is beautifully unique and valuable, and that there are enough opportunities and resources in the world for every one of us to “happen”– as opposed to the lies that are not valuable and there is not enough for us all to flourish or succeed– leads us to commit to building relationships with high levels of encouragement, affirmation, generosity, and calls to excellence.
Craig D. Lounsbrough
Thankfulness allows us to walk through a world inundated by opportunities and possessions, being slaves to neither.
Suprise Sithole
We might have the beautiful house, beautiful country, fat account, good friends, wonderful children, nice jobs, but there is nothing that can replace the reality of disturbed soul that is heading towards destruction.
But what the joy it is, on the other hand, to be in peace with God, to feel His presence and to smell His presences. This is what we should, by all means, strive for in faith, hope for and die for, for the city of God, is far much better than a taste of this life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Earthly goods are given to be used, not to be collected. In the wilderness God gave Israel the manna every day, and they had no need to worry about food and drink. Indeed, if they kept any of the manna over until the next day, it went bad. In the same way, the disciple must receive his portion from God every day. If he stores it up as a permanent possession, he spoils not only the gift, but himself as well, for he sets his heart on accumulated wealth, and makes it a barrier between himself and God. Where our treasure is, there is our trust, our security, our consolation and our God. Hoarding is idolatry.