Firstly, FEAR OF GOD, is absolutely an essential factor in every moment of our lives and in every decision that we make, which affect our lives as well as the many others around us.  In the olden days the old testament Saints really understood what it means to fear God.  Even the slightest short coming or a failure / fault result in significant punishment / retribution with immediate effect. 

Many times when people who violated the commandments, ordinance of God were consumed (faced death) instantaneously.  But we are living in a period of grace thanks to the price paid by the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross bringing in God’s compassion, mercy and grace are abounding towards all of us and in particular the children of God.  This I think, we are taking for granted and testing the patience, the compassion, mercy and grace of God too far.  Leave alone the society outside the church, even the people who call themselves Christians, on one hand proclaim to be identified as genuine children of God, indulge in practices, which are not even acceptable to ordinary human beings.  Many Christians in their day to day lives have got entangled in a web of lies, whether it is a black, white or a red lie and are unable to get out of it.  This results in a low self dignity for those so called Christians.

Many Christians today with great self interests are more focussed on gratifying their selfish desires, most often commit what I would call significant transgressions not recognising that God sees these things and knows these things as he is the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscience God.  While committing such acts, they fail to recognise God who is the all knowing omniscience, present everywhere Omnipresent, almighty Omnipotent who can strike them off the planet earth in just a few seconds and that I would call the lack of fear of God by people.  -Its time to awake Dear Brothers & Sisters, God sees us and knows what is in our minds.  There is nothing we can hide from him and to be conscious of this fact and always make our decisions, desires and our intentions and cravings and do not cross the benchmark that God has so mercifully set before us.  Our decision and our life styles will demonstrate that whether we are indeed God fearing or not.

Even look at the way God is honoured on the Sabbath day, which is for us the Lords day (01st day of the week).  Jewish people treat the Sabbath very respectfully from the day they received the commandments, refraining from indulging in any commercial and pleasure activities.  But the church would probably allocate just one hour on that day and the rest of the day is for commercial activity and entertainment.  Even the day belonging to God is not respected and honoured.  These indulgencies we are involved indicate lack of fear of God.  

seed of God, we need to demonstrate in all our actions that the truth rules.  This indeed is a great challenge. 

Finally, as I mentioned at the beginning, we have witnessed significant political and economic crisises, calamities mainly due to the unprecedented greed factor to accumulate more and more wealth at any cost.  Therefore, there will be significant challenges for Christians to overcome covetousness.  While God has created the planet earth with full of resources to cover everybody’s needs but not for few people’s unprecedented wants. 

Today the church and the Christians have moved away from simplicity, from simple lifestyles into very sophisticated never satisfying wants and desires for more and more wealth, position, power and material things.  We compare people around us, always think about what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we have and compare ourselves with someone who has more and desiring for those things like cars, motor cycles, speed boats, private jets or positions like Ruler, Governor, President, CEO etc and from the simple humble home to palaces and still not satisfied with one and long for many.     

Compound covetousness kills any society, what is of concern is unlike the early church that was concerned about everyone who lacks and attending to the needs of people.  Today, the church and the Christians are on a rat race to accumulate wealth, power & position and thereby continuous covetousness has brought in diabolical practices in churches and among Christians. 

Jesus often urged his disciples to demonstrate the quality of discipleship through the love they have for one another and also he went to the extent of further re-emphasising the old testament commandment “ love thy neighbour as thyself ” and if you were to practice this we have to hate covetousness and overcome it and if we can be grateful to God for what we have and willing to share whatever that overflows to us.  Then our lives will be greatly simplified.

God Bless You!

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