NIGERIA BAPTIST CONVENTION SEEK DAILY (NBC) Sunday, October 8 AVOID COVETOUSNESS

RBT: Matthew 18-20

Memory Verse: And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. Luke 22:4-5, NIV

Bible Text: Luke 22:1-6

22:1 Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 

22:2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 

22:3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 

22:4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 

22:5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 

22:6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.

As a way of encouraging the brethren, Peter testified of how he got a CGPA of 4.7 in his examination. His friend John subconsciously said, “He has gotten his grade; just wait and see. I'm going to get mine too.” While John's statement may sound as self-motivation, it was likely laced with covetousness. 

In today's passage, Judas fell into the temptation of deriving satisfaction from temporal things due to covetousness. He betrayed the LORD Jesus because of his greediness. A covetous man is under the influence and control of material things. Such a person only looks for ways to satisfy lustful desires and to get material things without considering where they will spend eternity. 

_Like Judas, some people may not necessarily need something, but they can kill to get it due to greed. Do you act behind the scenes against others? Do you find yourself hating, lying, manipulating or deceiving others just to achieve your goal, gain power or recognition? These are warning signs of covetousness. The way to overcome covetousness is to be contented with what we possess._

Insight: Love of money can corrupt your heart, contaminate your values and crush your life.

Prayer: Father, purge my heart from every trace of covetousness and help me to be content.