Envy, An Ultimate Saboteur - Andre Bercot

Well, good morning. Good morning. I want to talk about Envy, an ultimate saboteur. Elizabeth and I were looking for this picture. We were looking yesterday at the French Resistance in World War II, but we couldn't find a good picture. I think this might have been a picture taken from the land of Palestine or Israel in the early 20th century, like 1918, 1920. And as you see, the train something derailed it, like what a saboteur would do.

So first, I'm going to begin talking about sourdough. Who here has ever had sourdough bread? It's excellent bread. My wife has got some sourdough, both from French and I think a Russian starter, and she makes sourdough bread virtually several days a week. And this is a bowl of dough before the sourdough has been added.

The baker starts off with a small amount of yeast or sourdough and feeds it with a larger quantity of flour. The sourdough then rapidly reproduced repeatedly till the entire batch of flour has been infiltrated. And this is what it looks like then.

See how much it's risen? You can see the little bubbles if you look decently. The bubbles seen in the dough were the carbon dioxide, a byproduct of the growth of the yeast and bacteria. And these same bubbles cause the dough to rise, which is why this is an excellent springboard for my topic about Envy. It might start off small in our life, but if we don't stop it, it was going to grow and grow and grow.

And eventually, everything we look at will be through the eyes of Envy.

How do you define Envy? We hear the word Envy in jealousy, and there are lots of other words that are kind of related to it. What do you do when you envy? How does it affect you and those you interact with? Well, Envy is defined as a pain, an uneasiness, a mortification or discontent excited by the sight of another's superiority or success, accompanied usually with some hatred or malignant feelings, and often with a desire to depreciate or put that person down that you're envious of.

Aristotle defined Envy as this: pain at the sight of another's good fortune, especially stirred by those who have what we think we ought to have. Then what is jealousy? Because they're related words, but they're not the same thing.

Jealousy is defined as a very watchful or careful in guarding or keeping. It has stronger emotions attached to it than Envy. It is no coincidence that jealousy comes from the word zealous. They were related to each other, which means an ardent devotion.

Jealousy usually has these characteristics, which are some similarity with Envy, but you have a suspicion or anger about a perceived betrayal, a sadness over a perceived loss, uncertainty, a fear of losing an important person or thing to a rival, a distrust. And the main difference between Envy and jealousy is, even like I said, they are similar. Envy is that emotion of desiring something of somebody else, where jealousy is an emotion of possessing what we already have. So I can say they are related, but they're not the same word. Nowadays, you hear the synonym of Envy and jealousy, but they're technically not the same word, even though if you look at the dictionary, they put them together.

They're not the same word, and the Bible is very clear about condemning Envy.

Look at a few other words that are related to these thoughts. Covetousness is an excessive desire for wealth or possessions. Lust is a longing desire and eagerness to possess or enjoy. A word that's relating to Envy that if you look in the scripture and read other literature is emulation. It's not a word we talk about. We do a little bit. I've heard that word emulation with computers, but in this case, it's ambition or drive to equal or excel somebody else.

The scripture talks about selfish ambition to motivate our one self above everybody else, that our agenda, our things matter the most. We read about that in the scripture. If you think about these words, they are also related: Envy, lust, covet, selfish ambition, emulation if you look at the negative aspect. And I thought about they come from a wicked heart. Jesus talks about that in Matthew, how out of the heart wickedness proceeds.

In Matthew 15:19, "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, theft, false witness, and blasphemy." And I just, I mean, it just really hit home when I studied this. What are some of the things that Envy do unto you and to those around you? And here's just a general list of characteristics.

You have a feeling of inferiority towards the other. You're wondering, "Are they looking down upon me?" You're longing to be like the person you envy. You have a resentment or anger of the circumstance and of that person. You resent that you don't have that other person's position, his possession, his success, or in some cases, their good looks, whatever, their athletic abilities, but you resent that that person is better than you.

Often an ill will, which can be a malignant ill will. It caused you to not trust and to dislike that person. A motivation to improve, to be better than that person. You think, "How can I be better? How can I be one up on them?" A desire to possess that person's qualities and possessions. And lastly, a sadness towards that other person's accomplishments. You feel resentful when they succeed. And deep in your heart, you want them to fail.

You glow and are glad when they fail. As I thought about this list, some of these are emotions that are inside us, nobody else sees. But a lot of the emotions, if people get to know you, they will see that you have something wrong with you.

A resentment, a distrust, a dismaying comments. You might make those comments secretly, like in gossip or out in the public. People can see that. William Law makes this quote about what gossip and envy and putting someone down. "When you despise and ridicule a man, it was with no other end but to make him ridiculous and contemptible in the eyes of other men and in order to prevent their esteem of him."

Now I just thought, how true is that about when we are envious of a person? It's not the only thing we do, but it is one of the things we do. We want to put them down.

As far as I know, no human government has ever made a law against Envy. We have laws about lots of other things, and they did in the past, but not about Envy. If you just think about it, they had laws about theft, murder. They have laws about building codes. They have laws about conservation. They have laws about filing income taxes, property taxes, you name it, but I've never heard of a law about Envy.

I would go as far as to say that the human government wants their citizens to envy up to a point. Our economy is driven by Envy. I found an article that reinforces this belief so well. Here's what the article was titled: "How Envy is the Life Force of Any Economy."

That's a pretty scary title when the script, if you think about it. The first sentence is that Envy is powerful enough to completely change an entire economy. And we all, I think, if you have ever read anything about finances, have heard about Warren Buffett, one of the most richest people in the world. And his statement was, "It's not greed that runs this world. It's Envy."

That's pretty scary if you think about what Envy actually is.

I thought, "Yikes. What a horrible thing to have inside me," if you really think about it. Why do I envy others? I don't remember consciously making this quality of Envy, but I thought about it and came to several conclusions why we, I think all of us, we all just have had Envy at one time or another and might still have Envy now.

I'm going to say it begins when we are a little child. If you're with a little child, eventually you see that he or she has real needs and they have not real needs. And you can start noticing the difference. You can notice when they are really hungry or when they're disgusting because they want to play with the food or they want to be held or they don't like you're giving somebody else attention.

Then as they grow up, when they can actually do something, I just had an experience with this with my own family. Someone gets a new toy, a new birthday present. Then they said, "That's not fair. I wanted it too.

Hey, can't you get me one? Hey, I'm not going to share my toys. You got something that I don't have." Envy, exactly right there. You want something else that somebody else wants and you have a bad attitude about it.

Then as we grow up and go to school, what happens? Most of us do pretty well in school. I know some children don't, but most children do. Their parents praise them, "You did well. There's nothing wrong with that."

But children start to pick up on that. "Hey, I do well. I get praised. Do I want to be better than my peer, my classmate, my brothers and sisters?" You push them. I think parents do. Or if it's in athletics or anything else.

I wasn't as good as athletics, but I remember when I was in public school, there were some of the boys who were extremely fast. I think Conrad has seen some of the boys in Justin and Children's History. They are extremely fast and they get praised for that. Like I said, it's probably not wrong to praise them, but that can develop Envy. You want to be better than your peer, your friend, your classmate, whoever, your parents.

If you think about it, you receive this type of training throughout your youth. And even in the Christian setting and the world, they praise people. They push you to be better than your neighbor, better than your classmate, better than the previous generation.

What does that promote? Envy. A desire to have glory, a desire to be better. William Law, and he lived in the 1700s, said that's exactly what they did in England in the 1700s. Here's a quote he says, "We stir them up to action for principles of strife and ambition, from glory, Envy, and the desire of distinction, that they may excel others and shine in the eyes of the world.

We repeat and inculcate these motives upon them till they think it is their part of their duty to be proud, envious, and vainglorious of their own accomplishments." And if they did that in the 1700s, they still do that in the 2100s. And I think if we're not honest, we do it the same.

I know his parents are probably guilty of the same thing. He makes this comment, "I believe there are few parents but would be glad to see these instructions daily given to their children." I hope we're not one of those parents, but I think it's something we as a parent should think about. Is that how we want our children to be raised? I said the public schools do it. I think they might have gotten a little bit because they don't want to hurt someone's feelings, but that's how they do it and stuff.

I thought about it. If you are not shaped by the teachings of Jesus, you will be shaped by the spirit and vogue of this world. It's not, "Oh, I don't want to be taught by Jesus. I'll do my own thing." No. You will be shaped by the spirit and teachings of this world. And the world is telling people to envy, to be discontent, to be dissatisfied. It's something that we see everywhere we go. If you go to the mall, you go to the grocery store, you get a newspaper, you get a magazine, you're on social media, or you're not on social media, the world is constantly bombarding us with Envy.

Just think about advertising. What does advertising exist for? At least what they say. To create a sense of dissatisfaction.

It tells us that we need things that we didn't know even exist to have the ultimate happiness. That's not creating Envy. I don't know what it is. Advertising is telling us we have to get something we've never heard of because it makes us happy.

And that our parents didn't have when their generation or before. Because everywhere you look, the spirit of the world is promoting this.

Look at a few verses about Envy. Talking about how serious a sin it is. It's not a little something we want to play with. As I talked about in the beginning, it will grow and grow and grow until we have victory over it.

This is the first one. It's Romans 1:28-29. This is when he was just talking about a description. If you read that in the context, more or less a description of the world who does not have God. It says, "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of Envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. They are whisperers." In the book of James, the brother of Jesus, he says this. In James 3:14-16 is a warning against Envy. "But if you have bitter Envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.

This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where Envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." That's a pretty strong warning, linking Envy to demonic wisdom. That's pretty scary. I thought about this in Proverbs. This is a very warning about how Envy brings death. "A sound heart is life to the body, but Envy is rotteness to the bones."

I think that's a pretty stark warning about how Envy brings death to us. And I think we're all familiar with this in Galatians 5:19-21. The works of the flesh, he lists. "Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousy, outburst of wrath, selfish ambition, dissension, heresy, Envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries, and the like, which I tell you beforehand, just as I have told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God." That's a pretty big warning. If you practice Envy, you will not inherit eternal life with God.

A few verses I found about exhortation to not have Envy in us.

1 Peter 2:1, "Therefore lay aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, Envy, and all evil speaking." A related verse back in Galatians. Galatians 5:26, "Let us not be conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." We're all familiar with this in 1 Corinthians 13:4. "Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is not puffed up."

And I just found this one in Ecclesiastes talking about the vanity of Envy, the emptiness of Envy, that it actually is worthless. It has no lasting value. Ecclesiastes 4:4, "Again, I consider all travail and every right work that for this a man is envied of his neighbor." This is all vanity and a vexation of spirit.

I found a few biblical examples of Envy. I'm not going to talk about it in any in-depth, but just some talks of talking about Envy. And we talked a little bit about that here in Sunday school, but this is a brief list. There's probably some that I left off, but this is a list of some of the things we are all familiar with and maybe not so familiar with.

We have Cain and Abel in Genesis and what happened there. Esau and Jacob in Genesis 27, this is talking about the birthright and the blessing. Rachel and Leah in Genesis 30, talking about not being able to have children and what it caused in their family.

Joseph and his brothers and the dream in Genesis 37. Joseph telling about his dream about the things bowing down in the sun and moon. King Saul and David before he was king. And obviously that whole thing in Samuel was talking about King Saul's Envy of David and how he chased him and everything. The chief priests or Jewish leaders and Jesus.

It specifically says in Mark 15:10, Matthew 27:18, it talks about them envying Jesus. Simon Magus, if you're not familiar with him, he was the sorcerer in Samaria who had some type of initial conversion and then asked Peter later, "Can I pay and get the gift, be able to lay on and get the gift of the Holy Spirit?" And Peter told him to repent.

And there was definitely Envy because he had his use of glory and he wanted more glory. And I thought of these last guys, the Jewish exorcists who were attempted to cast out the demons by the name of Jesus. If we remember that story, the demon said, "Who are you? We know who Jesus is. We know who Paul is. We don't know who you are." And I think in my mind they were envying Jesus and the power in Jesus' name while they were using that. I'm not describing these in very in-depth, but just some things to think about what it caused these people.

I want to give you a personal example of Envy in my own life. I'm going to specifically look at my own life with Envy and how I did in school. If you know me very well, I did very well in school as far as I can remember when a little child and up. But I do know somewhere in my heart, I envied my classmates. I wanted to be as good or better than them at starting in elementary school.

And I think kind of grew here and there. I don't remember it being very bad until I got to ninth grade. And I remembered I could possibly be valedictorian. You know what a valedictorian is? He or she has the top GPA in a public school. You get an extra honor. You get to do a valedictorian speech. Not that I'd want to do a speech, but you could do a speech. And you're like whatever, this big name about you for one day.

Thankfully, I was homeschooled. My parents had the wisdom to homeschool me when I started 10th grade. During this time, I don't think I envied exactly, but I still think there was some Envy in me because of something that happened in my homeschooling.

My parents and I decided to complete my last three years of school in two, which there's nothing wrong with that. I think it was a very good idea, wisdom on my parents to just be able to finish up my school early. But I think deep inside there was a little Envy. I wanted to outdo my peers. I wanted to finish before they did. They were going to finish in 1992. I was going to finish in 1991 with my schooling. I would be one year ahead of them in college.

Then I went to the public junior college and upper-level university in the city of Tyler.

When I was in the junior college, I remember striving for excellence. If you know anything what a junior college is, it's a two-year program like I think where Lynn went to in Hagerstown with the idea you're going to go to an upper-level university to complete your degree. So you don't have per se the extra honors to valedictorian, but you still have people who are striving for excellence in their academics.

But when I went to the upper-level university, I went all out. I remember spending tons and tons of time studying because I wanted to be better. And it all worked. In 1996, I got the outstanding accounting student of the award a year.

But I think about it now. I was in for a shock then. I had a hard time finding a job. I didn't get as many job interviews. I only got one job opening after about five years of interview, five months of interviews. And then I think about it now. How much time did I waste studying? So what? I got to be the accounting student of the year for one minute of glory. You go up to the thing, "Here's your plaque. Thank you." You sit down.

And I can tell you this. I still have nightmares about college, studying, and homework. It burned me out so bad. And Elizabeth will tell you. I mean, that affected me. Why I never wanted to go back to college or anything like that and stuff. I mean, it really affected me.

But I thought about this. How do I unlearn everything that the world has taught me relating Envy? If you think about it, I'm 48. I've been taught about Envy through the world for 48 years. I mean, I think I have a victory, but how do you undo that?

First, I think you need to recognize the seriousness of the sin of Envy. It's not a little laughing matter. As the Apostle Paul stated in Galatians, "Those who practice Envy will not inherit the kingdom of God." It's that serious.

Relating to that recognition, we need to repent of Envy. I think if we're all honest, I think we probably all have experienced Envy in the past or maybe experiencing now. We need to repent. I was thinking about this as I was preparing. I think there are probably some Envy. I think if I'm honest with myself, still in me. We need to repent, which is meaning a change of mind, which is a turn from sin and to follow God's ways.

Relating to that is, I think we need to really think about what does it mean to follow Christ earnestly in our life. William Law had a very good quote about this right here. It says, "It was for this reason that the holy Jesus said of his disciples, 'And in them of all true believers. They are not of this world as I am not of this world.'" John 17:14. "Because all true believers, conforming to the suffering, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ, live no longer after spirit and temper of this world, but their life is hid with Christ in God." And here are some verses that I thought just kind of reinforce this point. 2 Timothy 2:12, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.

If we deny him, he will also deny us." Romans 6:6-6, "Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin." 2 Timothy 2:11, "This is a faithful saying, for if we died with him, we shall also live with him."

And lastly, Galatians 3:1-2. Not sorry, Galatians. Colossians 3:1-2, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on earth." William Law concludes this little idea with this quote, "They must so far renounce all worldly tempers, be so far governed by the things of another life, as to show that they are truly and really crucified, dead and risen with Christ."

If you think about it, we have been completely changed by Christ. Our old man is dead. We have been raised with Christ, as it says. We need to seek those things above. We need to have a transformation and renewing of our mind, as the Apostle Paul said in Romans 12:2, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." We have a new set of values, which helps us, changes us from inside to be tied to this world's spirit and value system. One last verse here on these ideas. 1 John 2:16, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is not of the Father, but is of the world."

As I said, we have a new value system. The values that the world places, which we see right here, these are no longer our values. We have been transformed into the kingdom of light.

I would say if we find ourself in this sin of Envy, we need to confess and pray to God. It's not a maybe I am in it. I think we all, if we're honest, have had it in our life, maybe still. We need to confess and pray to God.

As you confront this sin, you will need to pray and you will need to confess and pray for victory. I would encourage you to pray every day. We have been developing it since a little child. It's not something that's going to go away with just maybe one prayer. I think it's something we're going to really honestly need to get serious with God in our prayer life that God can help us have victory.

Like I said, 48 years old, I've probably been developing this probably since whatever, about one year old, so I've had about 47 years.

And if we pray to God, as it says, "If you confess to him, he will forgive you," as it says in 1 John 1:9, "If he confesses our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us from all our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

William Law makes this comment about this confession. I really like it. "Now in the case of repeated sins, this would be the certain benefit that we should receive from this examination and confession. The mind would thereby be made humble, full of sorrow and deep compunction, and by degrees forced into amendment."

A fourth point relating to overcoming Envy is we pray for ourself, as I said, but we pray for those who cause the Envy in us. You might think that's counterintuitive. Why would I pray for that person who's causing me to sin?

Well, the same question I have is Jesus says we're supposed to pray for our enemies. We are supposed to love our enemies. This is no different. We're supposed to love our enemies. And in this case, this person is an enemy of us. Not because we dislike him, but we are stumbling because of what he has, as it says. We are wanting what he has. We want to be better than him. We want more things in him. We need to pray for him that he actually will succeed.

And as we think about it, if we honestly pray for somebody, we will have genuine love for that person. And eventually, that will help us not to envy that person. You cannot pray for somebody and have hatred and dislike for that. They do not go together. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

William Law says this about this idea. "As for instance, when at any time you find in your heart motions of Envy towards any person, whether on account of his riches, power, reputation, learning, or advancement, if you should immediately take yourself at that time to your prayer and pray to God to bless and prosper him in that very thing which raised your Envy, you would soon find it to be the best antidote in the world to expel that venom of that poisonous passion. For you cannot possibly despise and ridicule that man whom your private prayers recommend to the love and favor of God."

I think that's so true. We can't do both. We are commanded to love and pray for our enemies. And in this case, this person is our enemy because it's causing us to Envy. And if we pray for him, I think it should help us have victory.

My next point is to just seek to develop a humble spirit and a selfless spirit that wants to look for the good of others and not for ourself.

Envy and humility do not go together. They are complete opposites. Humility is defined as a lowliness of mind. Envy is defined as, "I want what you have. I want to be better than you. I don't like you because you're better than me."

Saint Francis made this quote on humility. "Blessed is a servant who esteems himself no better when he is praised and exalted by people than when he is considered worthless, simple, and despicable. For what a man is before God, that he is and nothing more."

And I really like that idea. And coming from Saint Francis, he was not talking a theological definition of humility. He was talking about what humility is. Many people have a theological definition of humility, which is not correct and stuff. But I really liked his humility. The Apostle Peter says this about humility in 1 Peter 5:5, "Likewise, you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." And I'll just like that word, be clothed, to put on humility.

I'm not going to talk very much more about humility, but I would recommend for a little more in-depth message on humility to listen to Jason Willis. Last summer, he gave a message titled, "Humility, Merit of Favor, and Defeating Satan," which can be found on the Sound Faith YouTube channel.

Relating to this idea of humility is, like I said, a selfless spirit that puts the other person ahead of you. And again, envy and selfless spirit, a selflessness, a loving our neighbor, loving our neighbor, loving our brother cannot go together.

If you are selfless, you look for the interests of others before yourself. You want to see them succeed, and you will do whatever you can to help them succeed. If you're not having that spirit, then you're showing a spirit of Envy, where you despise, you ridicule, you want them to fail.

Philippians 2:1-4, "Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition, which is extreme selfishness, or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others."

Think about this idea of humility and this loving our neighbor, loving our brother. If you're truly humble and loving your brother or your neighbor or your sister, are you going to desire what they want?

Are you going to be happy when they fail? Their business fails? They sin? Their ministry fails? I mean, is that something you can honestly be if you truly love them as we're supposed to? Are you going to say, "Oh, great. I'm so happy he or she failed. They sinned"?

I mean, that would be horrible in my mind to think I would be gloating over someone sinning or their business going under or their ministry. I mean, if you think about that, that is what Envy does to you. You are happy when someone sins, when they fail, when whatever bad happens to them. That is not a Christian spirit.

You're going to be, like I said, happy. If you have humility, you have the love of Christ, you have the love of your brother, you can't have that spirit. They don't go together. The last idea I'm going to have on this overcoming this Envy is to just, like I said, we need to put on this new spirit. We need to unlearn this world spirit of discontentment, being dissatisfied, always looking and being envious of what others have. And that is develop a spirit of contentment in your life. It will free you from such a spirit of misery and from this poison and develop a spirit of gratefulness. Be content with the simple things. I just thought about how neat it was to be this morning with the sunrise service, just seeing the beauty of God's creation.

That was priceless to see the sun come over the horizon and the clouds. I mean, you can't buy that with money. God gave us something that was priceless. Truly grasp that our life is not made of the things that which we have: the riches, the wealth, the success, the position, wherever you want to look, or even the "good looks" that people envy. We all are going to die, and our body is going to become old and decay.

Contentment frees us from so much misery. Do we want to be free of the rat race that we see around here? Maybe Franklin County is not as bad as some places, but there is this idea of keeping up with the Joneses. We want that. Contentment is a state of being happy and satisfied. It's not an excited kind of happy. It's the peaceful ease of mind. It's satisfied with what we have, whatever that is. We can be satisfied if we have a lot or if we have little, as the Apostle Paul said. He was content in whatever state he was. 1 Timothy 6:6-8, "Now godlessness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and certainly can carry nothing out.

And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content." And that is such a true statement. Again, I say this world is trying to teach us just the opposite. Don't be content with what you have. Be envious of your neighbors. Be envious of your neighbors here in Franklin County, your neighbors in the United States, or your neighbors around the world.

And like I said, develop a spirit of gratefulness. If we are truly grateful for what God has given us, that will help to feed a spirit of Envy. Because people who are envious, they're not grateful for anything. They're always looking, "That's not fair. Life is unfair to me. Why do they get it? Why don't I?"

And like I say, envious and gratefulness don't go together just like envious and contentment. And there's this one little verse about being grateful. "Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. And everything give thanks." That is command by the Apostle Paul. And I think there's several other verses about being thankful, being grateful. God does not like people who have an ungrateful spirit. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

So as I just, like I said, thought about Envy, I just thought about my own life. Just where have I struggled and failed with Envy? And I hope I have been encouragement in each of your lives to think about Envy. There's something that can hide itself very well, as I shared with that thing with the sourdough. It starts off small and grows and grows. And virtually, you're looking at everybody, everything with this lens of Envy in your eyes. And like I said, if you take it to a full extreme, if you think about what Envy does: lust, murder, people who often envy, they want something, they murder, war, theft.

Envy, I mean, it can lead to very serious—I mean, it's serious with itself, but it can lead to other serious things. And I think if we look around the world around us, we see that and what happens. So I say I want to just leave that idea. Recommend to you, beg of you to examine yourself with needing to with your spouse, with a Christian brother or sister, praying to God to show you where your envy is.

And if you're honest with yourselves, when we discover that, confess to God and pray for forgiveness and for victory so we can overcome it. Seek, as Paul says, that we put our old man to death, then we rise with him through the resurrection, and we can seek those things above where our value system is not the value system of this world, where the world values Envy, as it said. Envy is what drives this world. I don't want to have something like that driving me. And like I said, follow the teachings of Jesus in our life.

So that is what I have to share this morning. I hope my message challenged you because it definitely challenged me as I was thinking about this and looking at my life in my college and stuff. Does anyone have any thoughts or comments? I do. I have one problem with your sermon. Okay?

You might want to not preach so well. He might make us envy you.

Amen. That was really good. Good message. That was something I was thinking about too, Daniel.

Yeah. You did a really good job. A couple of things. Well, the biggest thing I'm saying that stood out to me was I thought you did a good job of highlighting how discontentment is kind of a root of Envy. Maybe one of the biggest roots, I think, especially when I look at my own life. And as a parent, I'm going to say that teaching my children how to be content is one of the hardest things. And I have to find a, I think, kind of a place and admit that it's probably because of my own lack of contentment. I think that's what they need to see in order to learn it. And that's what convicted me this morning.

I really liked also the list that you put up there of the old and New Testament examples of Envy. And that really stood out to me because all those stories we know very well, and we can just see how Envy works right there in the Saul and David or any of those stories. I think I really appreciated that list, and I want to go back through and read them because it's. I can email that list to you. It shows us kind of the beginning, how it starts, and then the end result if it's not repaired. So I appreciated that. Well, thank you. I really appreciated and enjoyed your message.

I guess I was just thinking about effects of Envy in my own life. And there's a couple of sins that, as Christians, that stunt our growth and make us lose years of spiritual growth. And that's one of them. Amen. I feel like one year of Envy in my life equals about five years of growth. I mean, it just takes so much out of you.

And it's, yeah, just something to just keep nipped in the bud. Definitely. You got to start keeping it. It's easier to stop it before it grows. I would like to just echo a little bit what my brother was saying. Recently, I was looking back at some of the earliest Sound Faith stuff. And just in comparison to a year and a half ago, you're speaking back then, your speaking abilities have grown like 10,000%.

I really enjoyed listening to you. It was very challenging. Your confidence, your tone of speech, the way you connect all thoughts is a great job, man. I really appreciate you. I appreciate the encouragement there, Jason. That was one of the things Elizabeth and I were talking about yesterday. So I want to make sure I want to make sure that we're not just a good speaker, but we are blessed by and exhorted about what I'm saying or what any brother is saying.

I really appreciated what you shared too. And yeah, that list that Justin mentioned about too, if you could put that in the chat. I'll put that in the chat this afternoon. I mean, it's not a comprehensive list. I know there's some stuff I would have left off for you, but it's a very good—I thought it was a good list there. Yeah. I thought too, and it's amazing to me how in my own life we can read over—we can think of Envy and make a list of stuff. And oftentimes, I don't stop and think about how bad of a sin that is or how, like you said, how much of the world is just run by Envy and how that can infiltrate into my life so easily.

And I was just really challenged to evaluate my life and my motives and decisions I make to make sure there's not Envy there because that is a serious sin. Like you said, it's not a laughing matter. Definitely not. God for just taking that practical and encouraging us to make sure that's not a part of our lives. Amen.

So talking about the world being run by Envy from a financial or capitalist perspective, that possibly could be good. But there's a railroad museum in Altoona, and there's an exhibit there where there's one wall that has all these light bulbs.

And there's other displays of where the railroad companies were testing to see what was the best way to operate their railroads. So the light bulbs was to show which light bulbs would function the best at all their railroad stations or how do they squeeze orange juice or which brooms would work the best and last the longest and how to make the brooms. Just because their companies were so big and making such small improvements would make such a large difference. And the interesting thing about that was they would share their results with other companies.

And I was thinking about that, thinking about innovation and does Envy actually promote innovation. But if you think of it in God's way, if we actually can do it God's way, it's best. Even financially, even with innovation, instead of just doing it so I promote myself, but thinking about others and actually reaching that main goal of doing it together, God's way is always best. And yeah, I'm encouraged by that as well. Amen. Yes.

That wasn't a picking at how you and Dad, how you and Mom raised me with my schooling. Is it something that I just—this, as I was looking at this lesson in my own self, is something I definitely—I don't think you necessarily encouraged me to be envious of other people, but it's something I definitely know I developed.