DAILY TEXT, Today Monday, November 6, 2023, We are not unaware of their tactics (2 Cor. 2:11).

DAILY TEXT, From Monday, November 6, 2023, We are not unaware of their tactics (2 Cor. 2:11).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2023

Monday, November 6

We are not unaware of their tactics (2 Cor. 2:11).

One of the ways Jehovah warns us about the dangers of pride and greed is by recording real-life experiences for us to learn from. When we talk about greed, we may think of Satan. While he was one of Jehovah's angels, he sure enjoyed many very good privileges. But he wanted more. He coveted the worship that only Jehovah deserves. Satan wants us to become like him, and that is why he tries to make us not happy with what we have. The first time he tried to do this was with Eva. Jehovah had lovingly allowed her and her husband to eat from all the trees in the garden except one until they were satisfied (Gen. 2:16). But Satan tricked Eve into believing that she needed to eat from the forbidden tree. She was not grateful for what she had; she wanted more. And we know how she ended it all: she sinned and eventually died (Gen. 3:6, 19). w21.06 14 paras. 23; 17 para. 9.

How did King David fall into the trap of greed?

Let's look at the case of King David. Jehovah had given him many things, such as riches, prestige, and victory over many of his enemies. David was very grateful for this and said that everything God had given him was more than he could count (Ps. 40:5). But at a certain point, he became greedy and forgot what Jehovah had given him. He wanted more. Although he had several wives, he began to desire another man's wife, something that Jehovah condemned. The woman's name was Bath-Sheba, and her husband was a Hittite named Uriah. David was selfish, committed adultery with Bath-Sheba and got her pregnant. As if all that were not enough, he arranged to have Uriah killed (2 Sam. 11:2-15). What was he thinking? Did he believe that Jehovah was not watching him? After being faithful to Jehovah for so long, he eventually gave in to selfishness and greed, and paid dearly for it. Fortunately, in time David confessed his sin and repented. And how grateful he was that Jehovah had forgiven him! (2 Sam. 12:7-13).

According to Ephesians 5:3, 4, what is the antidote to covetousness?

What do we learn from what happened to David? That the antidote to greed is to always be grateful for all that Jehovah has given us (read Ephesians 5:3, 4). We should be happy with what we have. We teach our Bible students to think of something nice in his life and then thank Jehovah for it. If you do this for a week, by the end you will have talked about seven different things in your prayers (1 Thes. 5:18). Do we do something similar? If we meditate on all that Jehovah has done for us, we will be more grateful and content with what we have. Then we will not fall into the trap of greed.

What did Judas Iscariot do because of greed?

Let's talk now about Judas Iscariot. We know that he became a despicable traitor, but he was not always a bad person (Luke 6:13, 16). Ultimately, Jesus chose him to be one of his apostles. Without a doubt, he trusted him, because he put him in charge of the box in which they kept the money they used for preaching expenses. You could say it was like donations for the world work today. Jesus had warned them many times to beware of covetousness (Mark 7:22, 23; Luke 11:39; 12:15). But Judas did not listen and, after a while, he began to steal.

At what point did Judas show that he had become greedy?

Judas demonstrated that he had become greedy on one occasion shortly before Jesus' death. Simon the leper had invited Jesus and his disciples to his house, among whom were Mary and her sister Martha. While they were eating, Mary got up and poured expensive perfumed oil on Jesus' head. Judas and the other disciples were outraged. The disciples may have thought that the money could have been used in the ministry. But Judas was upset for another reason: “he was a thief” and he wanted to steal money from the till. Soon afterward, greed led Judas to betray Jesus for the price of a slave (John 12:2-6; Matt. 26:6-16; Luke 22:3-6).

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