Use this Lord’s Day to battle covetousness.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

Review each of the meditations from the past week. Why not let today begin a new stage in your walk with the Lord, a stage in which you begin to combat covetousness every time it crops up in your soul? You should expect that, if you can learn to control what your heart desires, and to wean it away from selfish longings, you’ll have more desire for God and His will, and more joy in pursuing a path of righteousness. The Lord knows what we need better than we. Let us by faith submit to His Law and find the way of true and joyous life.

Pray

Help me to hate coveting, Lord! Why do I do this so much? It’s because I don’t love You like I should, and I love myself more than I ought to. Teach me to love the things You love and to hate the things You hate – like sin, in all its forms. Make me sensitive to whenever I am beginning to covet, and let me at such times turn my heart to You.

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

Discipline your desires and you will defeat covetousness.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

We who know the Lord Jesus Christ are able to control what we desire. Or, at least, we’re responsible for doing so. It is our duty to discipline our hearts so that covetousness can find no fertile soil there in which to take root. How do we do this? First, know when desire has begun to kick in: what are the signs that you’re starting to think about something or long for it more than before? Second, develop the practice of assessing your desires before the Lord in prayer. Ask Him point-blank: “Lord, is this in line with Your Law, or does this carry me into sin?” Listen for Him to respond and guide you. Then, third, begin to develop your heart to love the Lord and His Law. The more we long to please God and to walk the path He has prescribed, the less hold covetousness will have on our lives.

How might you begin to discipline your affections more consistently, and more effectively? Do you think this will help you to love the Lord and His Law?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

Coveting is the gateway to all sin.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

We might be tempted to think that, because the command not to covet doesn’t come with a supporting cast or entourage of precepts, statutes, and rules, that it’s probably not as important as the other nine commandments. Of course, we’d be wrong. In fact, coveting is the gateway to all forms of disobedience. When we covet, we don’t just covet. When Eve coveted God-likeness, she acted in disobedience and dragged her husband and all creation into the misery of sin. When David coveted Uriah’s wife, he was launched on a trajectory that led to adultery, conspiracy, murder, and deceit. Covetousness is like that, yeah, it is. What the heart fastens on, the body will indulge; and when the heart fastens on sinful desires, sinful practices are sure to follow. The heart is the heart of the matter, as the Scripture everywhere makes clear. So clear your heart of covetousness, and you’ll close up the gateway to all other sin.

How would you counsel a friend to start getting control of his covetous tendencies? How might you help him in this?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

It’s surprising how dumb we can be.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

Imagine someone saying, “Well, hey, I didn’t know it was wrong to covet. I thought everybody had these little secret longings and unspoken desires that they fantasize about and harbor in their hearts. What’s so wrong about that?” Nothing. Except that God says we shouldn’t do it, and it’s probably the case that God knows better than we do how we ought to live and what we ought to harbor in our hearts. Even the Apostle Paul, brilliant theologian that he was, didn’t understand about coveting until he took the time to consider the meaning of the Law of God (Rom. 7.7-12). Imagine that! Well, if Paul was unclear about coveting, you and I may be in big trouble. It stands to reason that we should give more time in prayer and reflection about this problem, before it bears fruit in unhappy and unpleasant ways.

Imagine yourself searching the harbor of your soul for any “unwelcome visitors.” How would you do that? What are some ways you might approach trying to discover what’s dropped anchor in your heart these days?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

We need to know about coveting, and that it is wrong.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

So coveting is unlawful desire, that is, desire that wants to go beyond the holy, righteous, and good boundaries marked out by the Law of God. Coveting wants to steer us off the sound path of righteousness into the marshes and miasmas of self-indulgence and self-gratification. But, unless we understand that such things are wrong, what’s to keep us from pursuing a merely hedonistic way of life, rather than one of self-denial and service to our neighbors? After all, aren’t plenty of people you know living like this anyway? They don’t seem troubled by covetousness. Whatever they want, they go for it, and let the chips fall where they may. People are driven, or led, by desire, that is, by what their hearts incline to. Desiring is natural; what’s not natural is to desire things that God proscribes. That, indeed, is coveting. And that is what God forbids.

Why do you suppose God forbids coveting? Why would it be so wrong to indulge a merely selfish thought or desire? Who’s gonna know anyway?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

Coveting is any unlawful desire.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

The command not to covet stands alone, without any supporting staff of precepts, statutes, and rules. It’s as though God said, “Don’t covet. ‘Nuff said.” We’re expected to get it from this much alone. At base, coveting is a form of desire. Something beyond us, something outside our possession or experience, gets our attention, and we begin thinking that this might be something that might be right for or of some benefit to us. Now if this is something lawful – like a little more time spent in prayer, or better Bible reading habits, or some new way to show your love for your neighbor – that’s not coveting. Those are entirely lawful and even needful desires. Desire in itself is not wrong. But watch the lawfulness of your desires.

How can you tell when your desires are lawful? Whose law should determine that? Can you be sure your desires are lawful without a good understanding and working knowledge of the Law of God?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

‘Nuff Said

Not exactly rocket science.

Read Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet…”

The commandments of God are supported, elaborated, illustrated, and explained by a series of accompanying precepts, statutes, and rules. These are meant to demonstrate the application of any particular commandment into the everyday lives of the people of God. These additional statutes also demonstrate the love of God for His people, and the lengths He’s willing to go to make sure that we understand what He wants of us, and how we may best love our neighbors as ourselves. So all the commandments of God have this kind of “entourage” of supporting statutes that come into play whenever a particular situation requires. All the commandments have these, that is, except the tenth. The commandment not to covet stands by itself. Apparently, we all know exactly what God means by this.

How do you know when coveting is beginning to augur for a place in your soul? What does it feel like? What kind of focus does it typically take? How do you deal with coveting as you become aware of its presence in you?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19

“You shall not steal.”

Those unintended consequences are our responsibility.

Read Exodus 22.6

“If fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, he who started the fire shall make full restitution.”

There is more to the prohibition against stealing than merely resisting the temptation to take what doesn’t belong to us. Implied in each negative commandment is a positive duty to show love for our neighbors. In the eighth commandment we show love to our neighbors by staying mindful of how our actions might impact the property or wellbeing of others. Economists speak of a “law of unintended consequences,” in which things come to pass as a result of certain actions, but without having been planned or foreseen. Sometimes this is good – look how the technology revolution benefited from the race to space. Sometimes it’s not so good. When our carelessness, either by word or deed, ends up causing harm to others or their property, it won’t do to insist, “I didn’t mean it.” We need to see that the demands of love go beyond even what we may have intended – or not.

What would be some examples of unintended consequences that you have witnessed in your own life? Is it possible that some of your actions today may be having negative unintended consequences? How would you know?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

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Here we can see the wisdom of God at work.

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Read Exodus 20:14

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“You shall not commit adultery.”

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How good and wise is the Lord, and how beautiful and mysterious are His ways. Jesus is proof that the sexual urge can be reined in without sacrificing fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16.11). The Lord commands us to bridle all adulterous inclinations, beginning at the most basic level of lust, and to preserve the sanctity of marriage and the honor of God in our approach to sex. God wants us to know full and abundant life. It’s why He sent Jesus (Jn. 10.10). Sex will be part of that for the vast majority of us, but we will only know the full beauty of that aspect of our humanity when we submit to the wisdom of God and practice sexual relations according to His clear and unequivocal mandates. It’s when we think we know better – think we’re wiser – than God that we get into trouble over sex.

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How does obeying this commandment show that we love God? That we love our neighbor? How does flagrantly disobeying it show just the opposite?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.

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Sex is a drive made powerful by God.

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Read Exodus 20:14

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“You shall not commit adultery.”

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Sexual attraction is a powerful urge, so strong that it can reinforce itself with overwhelming affections, override sound reason, cancel out long-standing priorities and commitments, and pursue expression in a wide range of practices. God Himself has made the sexual drive what it is, and He intends it for good, to further the purposes of His Kingdom. Marriage is the proper context for the full and fruitful engagement of sexual attraction. All other indulgences of this powerful urge fail to meet the demands of love for God and neighbor.

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What does it say about the state of love in our society that so much of life is fueled by appeals to sexual interest? How many different ways are you subjected to those appeals in a typical day?

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“In the Gates” is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001,2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.