The source of envy and covetousness is Satan the devil who coveted God's throne and proved himself as a murderer and liar from the very beginning.

It is easy to follow in Satan's footsteps, courting his daughter Envy, reaping the disquiet which accompanies her. Envy comes from pushing God from our thoughts.

Envy is a work of the flesh, involving coveting. A significant example of envy is found in the relationship of the two wives of Elkanah, Hannah and Peninnah.

Deuteronomy 4:24 may strike an astute reader as somewhat controversial, if not contradictory. How can our holy and perfect God be jealous?

Hannah gave up the very thing she asked for. Her willingness to give God her most precious possession stands on par with Abraham's renowned sacrifice of Isaac.

Like the older brother in the parable, we may have looked down on those who have stumbled. We are not equipped to judge anybody else's repentance.

Solomon provides these comparisons to indicate the choices we should make to live better lives in alignment with God, even in an 'nder the sun' world.

James' exhortation about the use of the tongue seems to stop with James 3:12. However, the rest of the chapter provides more wisdom on controlling our speech.

One commentator said all public crime would cease if this one law was kept. Another said every sin against one's neighbor springs from breaking this commandment.

Competition is the root cause of war, business takeovers, and marital discord. Solomon describes man's rivalry with one another as a striving after wind.

In the Prodigal Son, most people dwell on the relationship between the prodigal and his father. However, the elder brother has much to teach us as well.

The three illustrations in Luke 15 justify Christ's conduct in receiving sinners, and show that to rejoice over their return is good and proper.

It does not glorify God when His children squabble over their respective roles and opportunities in serving, competing for the biggest piece of the pie.

As God's chosen saints, we must not let our keyboard or mouth defile us. Godly conversation includes stifling the urge to win the argument at all costs.

We must separate ourselves from the world, sacrificing ourselves to God's purpose to become at one with God, waiting for Him to unify us to others.

Instead of criticizing others, we need to engage in some honest self-criticism. We have plenty of faults of our own; there is no need to look for them in others.

We dare not let the sun go down on our wrath. Uncontrolled anger can be a major cause of mental and physical illness. We must reconcile with our adversaries.

The caution not to judge is more accurately rendered, 'do not condemn' rather than to evaluate according to their fruits. We risk condemning ourselves.

Betrayal is triggered by a root of bitterness resulting from envy, but turning into hatred, a shoot of bitterness manifesting a spirit of murder.

Like the symphony orchestra, only as an instrumentalist submits to the leader, working with the other members of the ensemble, can unity be accomplished.

'Affluenza' describes the bloated insensitivity caused by trying to keep up with the Joneses, the stress caused by doggedly pursuing the American Dream.

The tenth commandment confirms that God has not just forbidden external acts but that His aim is to curtail the sinful attitudes that motivate the acts.

Righteous men have complained about the ease of the evil for ages, but what is the answer? King David contemplated this, and gives us the answer.

Our society is becoming increasingly violent. The sixth of the Ten Commandments covers crime, capital punishment, murder, hatred, revenge and war.

Offense will be common in the end times, and many will attempt to cancel those who disagree, as the Pharisees cancelled Jesus Christ by execution.

There is a danger that arises when the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper: trying to put God under obligation to bless us through becoming 'super-righteous'.

Psalm 73 describes someone seeing the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer, but it is not true that people in the world are leading superior lives.

Many of God's servants, including Elijah and Jeremiah, had their crises of faith, desiring to flee from their responsibilities and commitments.