Children’s Lesson 18

THE THREE CATAGORIES OF SIN ā€“ PART TWO – LUST OF THE EYES

1 John 2:15-16 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.Ā 16Ā For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh andĀ the lust of the eyesĀ and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

In part one last week we discussed ā€“ Lust of the Flesh ā€“ In part two this week we will discuss ā€“ Lust of the Eyes.

Letā€™s review what is meant by lust. Last week we said this about the word lust: It is a craving for something. We really want something so much that we feel we just have to have it.

The lust of the eyes often deals with wanting things that appeal to us, or look good to us. Basically, the lust of the eyes can be anything that we look at and desire to have or get. 

The lust of the eyes can also be how we look at things or people. We may see someoneā€™s girlfriend or boyfriend and want them to be ours instead of our friends. The lust of the eyes could be looking at inappropriate pictures or videos on someoneā€™s phone or the internet.  

What might be some other examples of things that appeal to us or look good to us?   Money, Newest Phones, Brand name shoes or purses or clothes, Cars, etc.  

The lust for either gaining money, making money, and keeping money OR spending money on material things that we do not need is not only the lust of the eyes, it can also idol worship which is also a sin!   Do we put this ā€˜stuffā€™ before God in our lives?

Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

1 Timothy 6:6-10 “But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

The Lord knows that as we continue to live in this natural body, the temptations to sin will continue and we will sometimes commit sin in what we set before our eyes.

Like any other temptation or sin in our lives, we need Godā€™s Word and the Holy Spirits Power to help us to be stronger than the temptation or the sin.  We can overcome it if we know Godā€™s Word and if we allow the Holy Spiritā€™s power to control us and not allow our flesh to control us.

1 John 4:4 Tells us that ā€˜ā€™the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.ā€

Your Spirit has a capital ā€˜Sā€™ because it is the HOLY Sprit of God.    The spirit that live is the world has a lowercase ā€˜sā€™ because it is the UNholy spirit of satan.   Godā€™s Spirit is stronger that satanā€™s.  You must know Godā€™s word and pray and let the HOLY Spirit empower you to overcome your flesh and its lusts.

Begin to train your mind to listen to the Holy Spirit when you are tempted by lust.  

Philippians 4:8 says, ā€œbrethren, (Christians), whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Are you ready to train your eyes and desires to be controlled by the Holy Spirit?

Go to Romans Road to Salvation and/or Prayer of Rededication