Mark 4:3-9 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Mark 4:3-9 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Mark 4:3-9 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

Mark 4:3-9 9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

Mark 4: Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

 The Hebrew is used positively & negatively. ◦ “strong desire” or “to delight” ◦ “An excessively strong desire to have something that belongs to someone else.” ◦ “An overt dissatisfaction and discontent with what God has provided and a longing for what He has forbidden to us.”

Philippians 4: But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned [before], but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Covetousness is even preached as a doctrine in some churches… “God will grant you whatever you ‘believe for’.” “Name it & claim it.”

 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (I John 2:15 )  Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not [even] when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15 )

19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21 )

2. It puts a barrier between me & my neighbor. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Romans 13:9 )

3. It leads to breaking all His commands. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. (I Timothy 6:10-11 )

 Broke the 10 th command, coveting His neighbor’s wife  That led to adultery, which broke the 7th command  He committed murder and broke the 6th command

 He broke the 9 th command by lying about it  That brought dishonor to his parents, breaking the 5 th commandment  He didn’t put God first, breaking the 1 st and 2 nd commandments

4. It will destroy my spiritual life. 18 "And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, 19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (Mark 4:18-19 )

16 And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. 17 And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' 18 Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' (Luke 12:16-19 )

Hear God’s evaluation carefully… 20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21 So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (Luke 12:20-21 )

 When you do a lot of grumbling and complaining (I Corinthians 10:6,10 )  When you become jealous and envious of what others have (II Corinthians 12:20 )  When you have a preoccupation with your possessions (Luke 12:16-21 )

 When you become stingy with what God has given you (Proverbs 28:22 )  When God is getting the leftovers (Malachi 1:6-14 )  When we love things and use people rather than using things and loving people (Romans 13:8-10 )

1. Guard your heart. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23 ) 2. Admit that places, possessions or people won’t satisfy. He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. (Ecclesiastes 5:10 )

3. Give your way out of covetousness. Nothing cures greed like giving. 33 “I have coveted no one's silver or gold or clothes. 34 You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my needs and to the men who were with me. 35 In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:33-35 )

“Lord Jesus, you have given so much to me. Give me one thing more, a grateful heart. In Jesus name, Amen” -George Herbert