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The All Sufficient God

By Pastor J.D. Link

Abundant Grace Fellowship Church, Blanco, TX

Heb 13:5 says “Let your conversation ( conduct, manner of life) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Covetousness can be defined as greediness; a constant, unsatisfied desire for more. It is something that can creep into the believer’s life without them being aware, so we’re going to take time to see what God’s Word has to say about it.

Often times we categorize sin in our life; putting some in the “very bad” category, and others in the “not so bad” category. Murder, adultery, rape, drunkenness, and the like we classify one way, but covetousness doesn’t get such a bad rap. What does God say? Ex 20:17 says “Thou shalt not covet…”. Why? Because The Lord despises it (Ps 10:3); because it chokes out The Word of God in the believers life (Lk 8:14); because it is a fruit of the flesh, a trait of the ungodly, & a characteristic of those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Rom 1:28-32, 1Cor 6:9-10, Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:5); because it is destructive (Jude 11, Josh 7). The Bible says covetousness should never be named among the children of God (Eph 5:3); and that it is idolatry (Eph 5:5, Col 3:5).

Idolatry is not just bowing down in front of some statue. It is also exalting anything in your life above God, and that’s why He hates it. If you have time for your business, but don’t have time to pray and read your Bible; you are an idolater. If you have time for yourself all weekend, but don’t have a couple of hours for God; you’re an idolater. If you have money to spend on yourself, but don’t have any to give into the work of The Lord; you’re an idolater. You may not like that, but don’t get mad at me for telling you the truth (Gal 4:16). The Bible says your problem is in your heart, because that is where covetousness comes from (Ps 119:36, Mk 7:22).

We are bombarded with advertisement in America. Billboards, TV, radio, and magazines all have the same message: you don’t have this, but you need it; and your life will be incomplete without it. I’m not saying all advertising is wrong (after all, what your reading is in an ad sponsored newspaper); I’m just pointing out the fact that we have to guard against becoming covetous because of the abundance of things presented to us everyday. We must know that having the next “thing” is not important, and it will not make you happy! It may for a moment, but like any drug user will tell you, it will only leave you coveting more. Just like the child who says “Dad, if you get this one thing for me, I promise I’ll never ask for anything else ever again”. Yeah, right.

Like the Apostle Paul, we must learn to be content in whatever state we are in (Phi 4:11-12). It doesn’t mean you can’t want something; but don’t let your desires become your god. You need to enjoy today, and take no thought for these “things”, as Jesus said in Mt 6:25-34. Seek God and His righteousness, and He’ll take care of you. So many people waste their life worrying about stuff; they never enjoy their relationship with God or the life they have right now. None of us know what tomorrow holds, and we’re not guaranteed our next breath. So be content!

Why not covet? Why be content? Because we have God! When you have God, you have everything! …for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. When you have access to God by the Blood of Jesus (Heb 10:19), are you really doing without (Rom 8:31-32)? We need to understand how great God is. One of His names in The Scriptures is El Shaddai. El Shaddai means The Almighty, The All Powerful, All Sufficient God! The God Who is more than enough! I’m telling you, when you start seeing how awesome God is, and what a privilege it is to be His child; what you have or don’t have won’t have any bearing on your joy ever again. I pray this has helped you in your walk with God. If you don’t know Jesus, call out to Him, turn from your old life, and be saved. Today is the day! Until next time, rejoice in the Lord! (Phi 4:4)