Ephesians 4:27-nor give place to the devil.
When we lie, or get angry and not deal with it in the correct manner, we are leaving a place for the devil to use us, to his advantage!
When salesmen use to go door to door, many of them would stick their foot in the door, so people couldn’t close it and they would use that crack, that opportunity to make their sales pitch!
The devil does the same thing, he is always looking for a opening to make his sales pitch…Why doing things his way or doing things our own way is better than doing them God’s way!
Ephesians 4:28-Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
Let Him Who Stole Steal No Longer
It is for the professional thief as well as the amateur.
The ones who shoplifts, The tax dodger, The person who changes numbers on the bookkeeping.
When the clerk gives you to much money! And you don’t return it!
When the item is marked the wrong price and you know what really sales for!
When you false advertise, by not telling all the defects of the product you are selling!
Whether it is robbing a bank or making unauthorized copies on the copy machine.
It is stealing!!
The preacher, lawyer, and the IRS agent.
Jesus died on the cross on our behalf, He became a thief, He became a dunkard, He became a liar, He became a muderer and the list goes on!
He became sin for us, so that all our sin could be crucified in Him.
When He became what we are, God put Him to death, because that is what this old self deserves. There is nothing good in it and nothing good can come from it!!
But Rather Let Him Labor, Working With His Hands What Is Good, That He May Have Something To Give Him Who Has Need.
We must put off stealing but we must put on something.
Stealing is a selfish act, working can also be a selfish act, that is why Paul gives and
antidote for that kind of thinking. We are to labor in order to have something to give to others.
There are two kinds of people in this world?
There are Replenishers and Depleters.
A depleter is somebody who goes around and absolutely sucks life out of you.
They are a taker, never giving anything return.!
You go from stealing something for yourself, to giving something of yourself.
Paul is taking to employers and employees
They are responsible for each other's well being-Business can’t run without employees and employees can’t have a job without business’s!
The employee are to give their very best— a days work for a days pay.
(Remember, you can steal this way to, buy not giving your best at your job, or riding the clock, taking long breaks!)
Working hard and earning a living is very rewarding, you feel a great deal of accomplishment!
Working for something makes you cherishes that item even more—(car, home..)
God gives us all we need, so we can give to those in need!
Sometimes you don’t to go very far to find someone in need, they may be in your own household…I am going to help my family because one day I won’t be around to be able to help them!
It's not what you'd do with a million
If riches should e'er be your lot,
But what you are doing at present
With the dollar and quarter you've got.
