BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE

“LET YOUR CONDUCT BE WITHOUT COVETOUSNESS; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”
Hebrews 13:5 (NKJV)

A believer should not be covetous; he or she should be satisfied with whatever God has made available for them: “NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN" (1 Timothy 6:6 NKJV).
READ: Luke 12:15
One of the commandments of the Lord to the Israelites is that they should not covet whatever belongs to their neighbours (Exodus 20:17).
And the new commandment given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ is to love one another and fellow human beings (Luke 10:27; John 13:34).

The Bible says:
9 FOR THE COMMANDMENTS . . . ARE ALL SUMMED UP IN THIS SAYING NAMELY, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.”
10 LOVE DOES NO HARM TO A NEIGHBOUR; THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILMENT OF THE LAW.”
Romans 13:9,10 (NKJV)

The writer of the book of Hebrews said we should let our conduct be without covetousness, we should be content with what we have (Hebrews 13:5).
If you are walking in love, you will not covet anything that belongs to your neighbour (Romans 13:9; Exodus 20:17).
The love of God is poured out in the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit at new-birth (Romans 5:5).
Let the love of God in you as a believer find expression, that is, exercise the love that the Holy Spirit poured out in you when you accepted Christ as Saviour and Lord.
A number of believers yield to the flesh, they allow their flesh to rule them—instead of allowing the love of God to constrain them.

Apostle Paul said: “FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINETH [compels] US" (2 Corinthians 5:4 KJV).

Covetousness and envy go together.
A dictionary defines covetousness as having a strong desire for the things that other people have.
And, it defines envy as the feeling of wanting something that someone else has.

Note:
Most often covetousness and envy lead to bitterness; and bitterness to hatred; and ultimately, hatred leads to murder.
• You may not murder the person you are envying and hate physically, but you may do that with your words—when you begin to speak against the person and whatever he is doing.
• When you begin to make derogatory remarks about what he is doing.
Cain was envious of his brother, Abel, because God accepted Abel’s offering while his own offering was not accepted.
As a result, Cain was embittered; he hated his brother and murdered him (Genesis 4:3-8).
God placed a curse on Cain because of what he did (Genesis 4:9-12).

Be content with what you have, God has promised not to leave us nor forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5).
• Whatever God did for the person you are envying, the same can be done for you—if you go to God and ask in prayer without wavering. He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34; James 1:5-7)
• God is liberal, generous, with His blessings that He gives to His children (Matthew 7:11).

“EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, AND COMES DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS, WITH WHOM THERE IS NO VARIATION OR SHADOW OF TURNING .”
James 1:17 (NKJV)

If you are covetous, you are not contented with what God has given to you; it may lead to envy, which may further lead to bitterness and hatred and ultimately murder (James 4:2, 3).
Note:
• How do you feel about another person’s success, that is, success of someone around you?
• Are you green with envy when you heard about somebody’s progress and achievements?
If the answer to the above questions is Yes, then, it means you have a root of bitterness in you—you have a wrong thing in your heart.
It means you have allowed your flesh to dominate you, and that may give an opportunity to the devil in your life:
“LOOKING CAREFULLY LEST ANYONE FALL SHORT OF THE GRACE OF GOD; LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRING UP CAUSE TROUBLE, AND BY THIS MANY BECOME DEFILED" (Hebrews 12:15 NKJV).

“LET ALL BITTERNESS AND WRATH AND ANGER AND CLAMOR [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] AND SLANDER BE PUT AWAY FROM YOU, ALONG WITH EVERY KIND OF MALICE [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence].”
Ephesians 4:31(Amp.)

• If you allow the devil’s property, you yield to the fleshly lusts, he may have an opportunity in your life. The devil may accommodate you to perpetrate evil:
“AND DO NOT GIVE THE DEVIL AN OPPORTUNITY [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harbouring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].”
Ephesians 4:27 (Amp.)
READ: Mark 7:21- 23
• Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you express the love He has poured out in your heart ️ (Romans 5:5). • And If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, do that now, tomorrow might be too late (Romans 10:9,10).

You will not be an instrument in the hand of the devil in Jesus’ name.
Peace.