Psalms 119:37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.
Numbers 15:39 And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after.
Joshua 7:21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them
Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.
Proverbs 23:5 When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings
Matthew 5:28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Titus 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
Titus 2:12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
1 Peter 1:14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
1 Peter 2:11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
There is always more, something better, something we don’t have. These desires seem to have a voice. At first it maybe nothing more than a faint whisper that is not loud enough to give us reason to turn and seek to understand what is being said. The problem is that these whispers soon gain volume and if we are given over to listening to them they will soon capture our full attention.
We see a car or truck, house, furniture, sporting goods, pools, clothes, jewelry, tools, art, money, vacations, amusement parks, shoes, other men, other women. The point is, it doesn’t matter what it is. What matters is the prideful and lustful passion that drives the desire to have it for our own pleasure.
It does not take much observation in methods all the different advertisements of merchants through written word, pictures, radio, or TV bombard us with to know they are playing on lust, greed, pleasure, pride. They whisper a simple story line to break through to our basic sinful nature.
They speak with authority. Soon the whispers become loud saying; We deserve it. We would look better with it. We would gain status if we owned it. We would be happier with it. We would be lost without it. Only smart and successful people are worthy of it.
Oh if we would listen to the whispers of God like we listen to these soul dismembering calls from the world. Oh that we would see the beauty of what God has created and pleasure in it. Oh that we would see the blessing of being content, humble, kind, and generous.
There is a battle for our very soul. Recognize the whispers of worldly passions and identify them for what they are. Desire and listen for Godly whispers from His word to overcome the blasts of worldly pleasure. Contentment is a wise adviser.