“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Eccles. 3:11 ESV)

Eternity: Forever and ever, infinite duration, time without end, endless, everlasting, perpetuity.

God of eternity from everlasting to everlasting

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2 ESV)

God inhabits eternity

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (Isa. 57:15 ESV)

Suffering and punishment of the unrighteous lasts for eternity

“They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.” (2 Thess. 1:9 ESV)

“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46 ESV)

God gives life to last for eternity

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16-17 ESV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:24 ESV)

Therefore...

“May his name endure forever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May people be blessed in him, all nations call him blessed!” (Psalm. 72:17 esv)

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.” (Psalm 41:13 ESV)

 “You must not covet your neighbor's house. You must not covet your neighbor's wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor." (Exo. 20:17 NLT)

Covet: yearn to possess or have something, to desire, crave, have one's heart set on, want, wish for, long for, hanker after/for, hunger after/for, thirst for, “even with all they have, they covet the wealth of others."

Coveting is the uncontrolled desire to acquire

To “desire” something isn’t a bad thing in itself because nothing can be accomplished unless you first desire to do it. You can desire good things such as to be more loving and to be more like Christ. It’s about having self control in what you desire. When a desire is uncontrolled, it becomes coveting. It’s such an important sin to avoid that it’s included in the Ten Commandments.

Coveting gives birth to sin

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15 ESV)

Coveting is evil and defiles a person

“And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:20-23 ESV)

The love of money is coveting and evil

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” (1 Tim. 6:10 ESV)

Sexual immorality begins with coveting and is evil

“But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” (Eph. 5:3 ESV)

Coveting hinders prayers

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3 ESV)

The answer to coveting is godliness with contentment

“Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” (1 Tim. 6:6-8 ESV)

Therefore…

“I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:33-35 ESV)

 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt. 11:15 ESV)

Pay attention to what you hear

“And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.” (Mark 4:24 ESV)

Faith comes from hearing

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 ESV)

Listen with faith

“Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith?” (Gal. 3:2 ESV)

Hear the Word and hold it fast

“As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:15 ESV)

“Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness.” (Heb. 3:7-8 ESV)

Take care how you hear

“Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” (Luke 8:18 ESV)

Hear the Word, accept it and bear much fruit

“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20 ESV)

 “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb. 13:8 KJV)

Same: The one and the very same, identical, not different, equal, changeless, consistent, constant, invariable, unchanging, unfailing, invariable, invariant, regular, steady.

God does not change

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal. 3:16 ESV)

There is no variation or shadow due to change

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17 ESV)

Now and for eternity

“To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.” (Jude 1:25 NIV)

God’s Word will stand forever

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19 ESV)

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Is. 40:8 ESV)

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…” (Col. 3:12 ESV)

Yesterday, Susan and I were at a Fair and I got in line at a food concession to buy a hamburger. In front of me was a man who had just ordered something. When his food came, he got out a credit card to pay, but the food vendor said, “I’m sorry, we only take cash, not credit cards!” The man said he only had a credit card and was obviously embarrassed. I then reached over and handed the vendor some money and said, “I’d like to pay for this person’s meal along with my own.” The man turned toward me and said, “No, you don’t have to do that.” And I replied, “Oh yes, I really want to. And all I ask in return, is that you find a way to return the favor by doing something nice for someone else in the future, when you see a chance to. Just pay it forward, so to speak.” He smiled and said, “Okay, it’s a deal! I will do it! And thank you so very much for your kindness. It has really made my day!”

Doing kind deeds when you see the opportunity pleases God

“So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal. 6:10 ESV)

“As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.” (2 Thess. 3:13 ESV)

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Gal. 1:6-9 NIV)

The gospel is “Christ died for our sins”

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures...” (1 Cor. 15:1-5 ESV)

The gospel is the power of God for salvation  

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Rom. 1:16 ESV)

Proclaim it to the whole creation

“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV)

“A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Prov. 17:22 ESV)

A joyful heart

“A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance, but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit. (Prov. 15:13 ESV)

Your flesh will dwell secure when your whole being rejoices

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.” (Psalm 16:8 ESV)

The Joy of the Lord is your strength

“Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” (Neh. 8:10 ESV)

God is your glory and joy

“For you are our glory and joy.” (1 Thess. 2:20 ESV)

“For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.” (Psalm 33:21 ESV)

God’s Word becomes your joy

“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” (Jer. 15:16 ESV)

 “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart.” (Psalm 119:111 ESV)

“To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24 ESV)

Renew your mind

If you want to change your life you must begin by changing, or renewing, how you think. The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel determines the way you act.

Begin by putting your mind on God

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:1-2 ESV)

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isa. 26:3 ESV)

Take every thought captive

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5 ESV)

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” (Prov. 27:9 ESV)

A friend is defined as a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.

A friend loves at all times

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Prov. 17:17 ESV)

Strong friends sharpen each other

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Prov. 27:17 ESV)

“That is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.” (Rom. 1:12 ESV)

God calls you friend

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15 NIV)

A friend who sticks closer than a brother

“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Prov. 18:24 ESV)

You are God’s friend if you do what He command you

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:12-14 ESV)