The Heart of the Matter

The Heart of the Matter
Words of Faith 12-26-2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2022
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Exodus 20
[17] "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

The final commandment that God gave at Sinai concerns a matter of the heart and mind. The Hebrew word used is hamad and it means "to desire earnestly" or "to long after." The parallel passage in Deuteronomy 5:21, includes a phrase meaning "to set one's desire" on something.
Coveting is the sin of wrong desire that often precedes an act of transgression. Coveting "another god" leads to idolatry. Coveting the place of God causes us to carelessly abuse His name. Coveting more things causes one to work and gather in times designated for rest and worship. Coveting that which does not belong to us is at the heart of theft, deceit, adultery, and murder.
This commandment deals with man's inner heart. It shows that none of the previous nine commandments could be observed merely from an external or formal act. Sin begins with every inner desire leading up to the act itself.
Covetousness is the opposite of contentment in the Lord. Covetousness is the opposite of trusting the Lord. Paul told Timothy, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Tim 6:6). Jesus commented, "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander" (Matt 15:19). One might even appear to be sinless from the exterior but have a heart filled with the sin of covetousness.
Apart from declaring one's lust or covetousness aloud, this is a sin that can be detected by others only when the desire is translated into action. It is a quiet and private sin exposed in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Covetousness is the sin of the heart that is only dealt with when the Lord transforms us from the inside out.
While modern society has generally trashed all the other commandments, the tenth commandment has become the most flaunted and despised of all. We live in an economy that is primarily driven by covetousness and lust. Free enterprise is an excellent tool for encouraging diligent work and the provision of essential goods, but it is also an arena quite susceptible to covetousness. This "desire for more" and for the new and novel drives much of the economy and the "American way." The lust for status and appearance drives so much of the new product market.
This raises some questions. Is it always a sin to desire more? For example, is it a sin to desire more of God? Is it a sin to desire or covet the prayers of a friend? Actually, these are the right desires of a life that loves the Lord and others. Jesus said that there is a blessing for the one who hungers and thirsts after righteousness for they will be filled (Matt. 5:6). Apparently covetousness is a sin of desiring those things that are not of God. The Psalmist declared that if we delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Ps. 37:4). As we delight in the Lord, He will give us right desires in our hearts and will fulfill those desires. Jesus exhorted us to "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33).
So is it s a sin to desire a better job with a better salary? Is it a sin to desire an increase in harvest or income? What if one wishes to earn more for legitimate reasons? Is there something wrong with the entrepreneurial spirit? Is there something wrong with "wanting more" in life?
All this probably depends upon whether our desires and dreams are truly God-given and Kingdom directed and whether we are seeking to love the Lord with our whole being and our neighbor as self. Building a large business that provides many jobs for people is wonderful. Are we seeking to glorify God in this endeavor? A dream that is God-loving and God-honoring can be a great blessing to many.
The desire to work hard while seeking the provision of the Lord is simply a good work ethic (Eph. 6:7). The danger with entrepreneurial ambition is that it can lead one away from the Lord. The desire to achieve and accumulate wealth can actually be a desire to be independent rather than dependent upon God (1 Tim. 6:10).
What about money itself? Money is certainly the currency in which much covetousness is often exchanged. But money is also a tool that can be used by the Lord in many wonderful ways. There is nothing inherently wrong with money. Money is simply a tool. We must remember that the love of money- the covetous lust for money- is the root of all evil, not money itself.
Scripture warns that a love for money causes some to wander from the faith and be pierced with many griefs (1 Tim. 6:10). Scripture cautions us to keep our lives free from the love of money and be content, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). God is our provider. The lust for money and the perceived independence it provides can pull us away from a close walk with God.
So how are you doing with number ten? Are there wrong desires in your heart? Are you captured, captivated, or distracted by the desire for things, power, position, or money? Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the right desires of your heart.

Father God, I delight in You. I delight in Your wonder and magnificence. Give me the right desires in my heart. Cause me to hunger and thirst after righteousness. I choose to seek the Kingdom of God and Your righteousness. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2022
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2022 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.