Covetousness Is Idolatry! By James L. Lantz
As long as Israel kept their affections on the Lord their God and hearkened diligently to all His commandments they experienced His blessing. Deut. 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Everyone of us who are in Christ Jesus are Abraham’s seed and heirs of the Blessing. We, like Abraham’s natural descendants, must keep our love and affection first and foremost toward our Lord Jesus! Anybody or any thing that we love or prioritize before or above our God becomes an idol to us. We are forbidden to love the world or the things in the world. James warns us that being a friend of the world makes us an enemy of God which means that He can not answer our prayers. Our very first commandment is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength! God knows those who love Him and when they pray in the Spirit, He works everything out for their good! Romans 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities . . . And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Right before Jesus went to the cross He left us with a new commandment so powerful that everyone would know that we belong to Him. John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Covetousness, which is idolatry, has been one of satan’s favorite tricks ever since the garden of Eden and causes many to fall in our day. God had commanded Adam that he could freely eat of the fruit of every tree in the garden except for one. Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. When Eve heard that the fruit would make her wise and saw its beauty and taste appeal, she took it and ate it and gave some to her husband who was with her. By eating of the fruit that God said not to eat they idolized their own flesh. Next we read how their firstborn son, Cain, showed great disrespect to the Almighty by bringing Him a skimpy offering when in reality it was God who caused the sun to shine and the earth to bring forth the increase. Cain refused to acknowledge the place of his Creator and hardened his heart to the point where he killed his brother. 1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. As men were multiplying in the earth God saw that the wickedness of man was great and that every imagination of the thoughts of their hearts were only evil continually. God spared the righteous from the great flood and started over with Noah and his family but this time He limited man’s days to 120 years. After many of Noah’s descendants turned to idolatry God called to a man named Abram and made covenant with him. God said, I will bless those that bless you, and curse those that curse you and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. The descendants of Abraham were all faced with the temptation to be covetous and some refused to yield. God mightily used Moses, who chose God over all the wealth of Egypt, to deliver His people from cruel bondage. God warns us not to lust after evil like those who were overthrown in the wilderness. 1 Cor. 10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. These are the people God miraculously spared by parting the Red Sea so they could cross over and then closing the sea, drowning all of Pharaoh’s army. They sang and danced and rejoiced, but three days later they murmured against Moses because their water was bitter. God made the bitter water sweet for them and it was there that He gave them this ordinance. Exodus 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. Not long after this, the people murmured against God again, saying they would rather have died by the hand of God in Egypt than to die from hunger in this wilderness. God heard their murmurings and gave them manna from heaven with special instructions to test them. Gather only the amount that you need for each day but on the sixth day gather enough for two days. Some of the people were rebellious and gathered extra and the next morning it was full of worms and stank. Ex. 16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them. Some went out to gather on the sabbath but there was no manna to pick up on the sabbath. Believers obey God but the unbelieving must see for themselves. Covetous people have an inappropriate, excessive desire for more.
After forty years God parted the Jordan river as Joshua led God’s people forward to possess their promised land. God decreed that everything in this first city, Jericho, was to be devoted to Him! Joshua 6:18&19 ESV But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD. Achan’s covetous act of taking a nice Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold caused the anointing to lift from God’s people resulting in the loss of their next battle and the death of thirty soldiers.
One Man’s Covetousness Removes God’s Protection From The Whole Congregation!
God hasn’t changed, He warns us in the new covenant with these examples and many more words. 1 Cor. 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
One came to Jesus saying, Master, would you speak to my brother so that he would divide the inheritance with me. Does this sound familiar? Jesus responded by saying, Man, who made me a judge or divider over you? He then took the opportunity to warn people around Him to take heed and beware of covetousness for our life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions. Then He spoke this parable to them. Luke 12:16-21 ESV . . . The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops? And he said, I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry. But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be? So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. Instead of saying, I will do this, he should have said, Lord, What would You have me do?
Instead of the manna test, we have the money test. Wherever our treasure is, that is where our heart is! Are we worshipping the creation or the Creator? Jesus said, he who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Luke 12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
A prophecy given to Gary Bailey for the Church in these United States, October 2nd, 5:58am, 2017.
In the beginning it was ordained that a family be created that would care for my creation and love one another. My purpose was to have a family filled with love, joy and peace.
This was not to be because the enemy took advantage and perverted and stole away my heart’s desire. The destroyer began his insidious work.
From the beginning, however, I had a plan to redeem my family back to Myself and just as the enemy worked little by little, here and there, I have continued to work in the earth bringing about the plan and purpose of My Family. Through My Son, Jesus, this work of redemption has fully defeated the enemy and the end result is complete victory and restoration of my family.
Through the ages I have raised up those who have willingly and freely obeyed my will. They have lived with My plan of redemption as their motivation and drive.These sought to establish heaven upon earth. Though they struggled and fought the good fight of faith, they defeated the enemy and the Kingdom of God increased in the earth. Just as the enemy has worked insidiously to spread death and destruction throughout the earth, I have moved and worked through a sanctified and holy people to bring about my will and purpose in the earth. My will is blessing and goodness. My will is peace and prosperity. My will is healing and mercy. My glory shall fill the earth. My compassion shall rule the day.
Now concerning these United States: In times past, I have sent my chosen ones. Those whose hearts were pure and clean. Those who desired My will above all else. These were sent to establish and bring about My will. They faced the enemy and won. They drove back the forces of evil and established a nation where My voice could be heard and My plan of redemption could move forward. A place where My family could thrive and prosper. A nation of families pursuing My purpose and plan. Again, the enemy has worked his dastardly plan. It would seem in the natural that he has brought about the defeat and demise of My Church and this nation.
Do not despair. I have worked and I continue to work through a remnant of My Church. Though it seems My Church has increased in this nation, many have played the harlot and joined themselves with the world becoming My enemies. Because of this, this nation will suffer a defeat as never before and it will seem as if the enemy has won. Do not despair. From the ashes of this defeat will rise a mighty army. They will go forth with power and strength. At every turn the enemy shall be driven back and defeated. The enemy shall not stand against this army. At this time My Church shall rise. As if a mighty giant had risen from sleep. No more a powerless Church but a people mighty in faith shall rise up and go forth. This remnant shall become a multitude and a majority in this nation. Righteousness shall again prevail and My glory shall fill the streets of this nation.
If there be repentance, it need not be that this nation suffer shame and defeat. I call the Church in the United States to repentance. If they will pray and repent, I will turn and heal their land, I will quickly remove the wicked from ruling and those leaders who are righteous shall have their way and accomplish My will. I will hold back the enemy that would bring defeat…… if My Church will repent. Be ready and watch. I am coming soon. Before I come I will restore My Family in this nation, bring refreshing and revival such as this nation has not experienced heretofore. And I will bring to pass what your forefathers envisioned for this nation. A nation pursuing My plan of redemption, sending the Gospel to all the world, a place where there will be days of heaven upon the earth.
