STEALING? THE BATTLE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I have a jar of peanut butter, a spoon and a few pieces of bread sitting on a table.
*STEAL: TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT YOURS WITHOUT PERMISSION OR A LEGAL RIGHT. One that steals has no intention of returning. To take wrongfully. To win by trickery. To take advantage. Fraudulent.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE MOST COMMONLY STOLEN ITEMS ARE: The most stolen cars in the USA are GMC full size pickups, Corolla, Altima, Camry
Cigarettes, cell phones, designer clothes, jewelry, TVs, Computers, laundry detergent, name brand handbags, medicine (pain relievers) legal and illegal. Liquor/ alcohol. Energy drinks. Cheese.
A YOUNG MAN HIGH ON DRUGS GOES THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD STEALING. He has enough experience that he does not place the stolen objects in his car as he goes to steal more… He places the stolen material out of sight under his car.
So when the police caught him. The stolen merchandise was not in his possession. He denied stealing and said: LOOK WHAT SOMEONE HAS DONE… THEY TRIED TO FRAME ME?
STEALING IN THE BIBLE?
THE FIRST RECORD OF STEALING WAS REBEKAH… SHE STOLE THE HOUSEHOLD GODS OF HER FATHER….
REMEMBER AI? ACHAN WAS A THIEF. Remember he stole some items that were very costly. THE COST OF STEALING MEANT SEVERAL SOLDIERS DIED AT AI…
MICAH STOLE 1,100 SHEKELS OF SILVER FROM HIS MOM.
IN THE MIDDLE EAST OFTEN A PERSON CAUGHT AND PROVEN OF STEALING HAS HIS RIGHT HAND CUT OFF AT THE WRIST.
Let me ask you a quick question is stealing a sin?
THE SUGGESTIONS VS THE COMMANDMENTS:
Thou shalt not steal: is THE EIGHTH of the Ten Commandments of the Jewish Torah. We understand that differences between SUGGESTIONS? COMMANDMENTS? The commandments are MORAL IMPERATIVE COMMANDS. THE EIGHT COMMANDMENT IS VERY CLEAR: THOU SHALL NOT STEAL…
THE TONGUE CAN STEAL LIFE! ARE YOU A GUARDIAN OF YOUR TONGUE… I HAVE THE JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER. I have a piece of bread. This will never work. I have a spoon or table knife. Now we can have a peanut butter sandwich. It takes it all three working together to make a good sandwich.
Malachi 2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously. 17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
It takes three people to hurt you with words. 1. The person that speaks so negative. 2. The person that listens to the negative and then makes the choice TO SPREAD gossip, hurt, arguments, debates. 3. The second person uses their ears and then then mouth to bring you the hurt. 3. The first person speaks, the second person listens and spreads… the hurt and bitterness and then the third person listens and accepts the hurt.
WHAT DO WE ALLOW TO STEAL JOY AND COMFORT? We take a coin? We have two choices: HEADS or TAILS? My friend we daily make all kinds of choices. CELEBRATE GOD!
Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
You matter --- You attar to other people. One of the simple ways that we could change yourself is by the words you speak or choose not to speak. Your words speaking in a POSITIVE WAY could help CHANGE the world.
Joy can give hope. One of the ways we demonstrate JOY is by a simple little smile. A smile improves your face value.
We can steal joy by the volume and of our words. We can steal JOY by our BODY LANGUAGE…
WHAT DO WE ALLOW TO STEAL OUR PEACE?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO STEAL FROM GOD? HAVE WE MADE PREPARATION FOR THE BLESSINGS OF PLENTY? OR DO WE PAVE THE WAY FOR CURSES?
Malachi 3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
THIS MOUNTAIN IS BIGGER THAN YOU ARE? THE CIRCUMSTANCES MOCK US AND KNOCK US DOWN… THERE COMES BATTLES OF ATTACK BY ENEMIES MUCH GREATER THAN OUR POWER TO HANDLE. THE TERRIBLE SIN OF CHRISTIANS WILL TAKE WHAT IS NOT THEIRS… THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS?
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? HOW EASY IS IT TO FORGET GOD? WHY DO WE FOCUS ON THE POWERFUL ENEMIES THAT COME AGAINST US?
2 Chronicles 20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
ARE WE SPEAKING HOPE AND LIFE INTO OUR SITUATIONS… WHY TRY TO STEAL FROM GOD?
2 Chronicles 20:15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's.
2 Chronicles 20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.
Come with me to the foot of the cross. We do not have to live in panic attacks, fear, depression and discouragement.
Humble ourselves! SPEAK HOPE! GIVE HOPE! RECEIVE HOPE!Is it possible to STEAL SPIRITUAL WHAT IS NOT YOURS? YOU EVER FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TAKEN OWNERSHIP OF THE WAR?
The pain is so great! The disappointments are crushing. FRUSTRATION seems to rule. DEATH IS SO MEAN, CRUEL AS SO SEEMINGLY FINAL... D-I-V-O-R-C-E is breaking the foundations of society.
CONCLUSION: HAVE FAITH IN GOD! TRUST GOD’S PLAN! QUIT STEALING WHAT IS NOT YOURS! PUT THE PRAISERS AND WORSHIPPERS OUT IN FRONT OF THE ARMY?
2 Chronicles 20:19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT… WE ARE HEADED TOWARD THE SECOND COMING AND THE BEMA SEAT OF JUDGMENT.
Matthew 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
1 Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
NO ONE KNOWS WHEN? There is a certain UNCERTAINTY. Thieves work in darkness when people are not expecting or not watchful. Often to steal the criminal will use DISTRACTIONS to catch. PEOPLE WILL BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD. It will be SWIFT, STEALTHILY and OFF GUARD… SPREAD THE GOOD NEWS… BE READY. STAND STILL, DON’T STEAL--- TRUST.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com Catch me on YouTube.
