Proverbs 18:11
The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.

- Reminder: you are rich. Yes, I mean you.
- Warning: you are deceived by the world.
- Danger: you put too much security in possessions.
- Crisis: you are choking yourself by chasing a false god. You cannot serve God and money.

1. Keeping up with our neighbours.

We have all heard the phrase. But consider the results of your spending habits and decide whether you really needed that nice of a house, that luxury of a car, that big of a TV, or those fancy clothes. These luxuries promote appearances. They increase your standard of living, enticing you to live beyond your means. Has this scheme decreased your standard of giving?

2. Latest gadgets.

We all love shiny new toys. How have you been lured by the world's advertising message to buy the latest and greatest gadgets, beyond what you can really afford?

3. The Finer Things.

Perhaps our weakness is for luxury. We like to eat out at nice restaurants, enjoy fine vacations, pamper ourselves with spa treatments. None of these things are sins. But did you do the work up front to make sure that you could afford the expense, or did you just make an impulse decision to spend on yourself? Perhaps you are buying the world's message: "you deserve a break today." Why do advertisers tell us to "spoil ourselves"? So we'll buy their products!

Spend some time praying about how Satan and the world is selling you a message that says you need things that are actually not "needs" but "wants" and/or "desires." Have these things made you happy?