ACCUSATIONS, DENIALS: STEAL, ROBBERY. (THREE THINGS)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (2 or 3 part lesson)
What a sick world: I just read where a man stabbed his girlfriend to death over dicing onions? Wow?
YES, THIS LESSON IS ABOUT GIVING TITHES, BUT IT IS MY DESIRE TO GO MUCH DEEPER THAN THIS. WE DENY THAT WE TAKE THINGS FROM GOD. (MONEY? YES? REVENGE? YES! THE BATTLE: YES, IT IS NOT YOURS!)
Young teenagers were playing near the interstate. They were watching the trucks speeding up and down the highway. One of the boys found a long rope and was dangling it over the bridge and watching the reaction of the drivers. Another boy found a concrete block and they decided to tie the thick rope around the concrete block. Then the boys let the concrete block down over the bridge to scare the drivers. As the trucks got near the boys would jerk the block up and listen to the loud horns blast. They would laugh and laugh.
Well you know the rest of the story. On one attempt, the truck was going so fast the boys grabbed the rope to pull it up real fast. One boy had the rope wrapped around his arm. As the concrete block mashed the windshield the rope pulled the young boy’s arm all the way off. The police and the ambulance rushed the young boy to the hospital. He lived but he lost his arm.
The truck driver was arrested and sued. When he went to court he heard the judge announce the charges against him: ARMED ROBBERY! (JOKE!)
THIS WEEK LINDA TOLD ME THE YELLOW WARNING LIGHT CAME ON IN THE VAN. SEEMS ALL 4 TIRES WERE LOW AND THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS REALLY LOW. SEEMS WE UNDERSTAND WARNING LIGHTS BUT WE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SPIRITUAL RED FLAGS.
DO PEOPLE TODAY KNOW THE COMMANDMENTS? I WOULD LIKE US TO LOOK AT THE 8TH COMMANDMENT. HOW CAN WE KEEP WHAT WE DO NOT KNOW?
IF YOU DESIRE TO GO TO HEAVEN THERE ARE 10 COMMANDMENTS, NOT JUST MERE SUGGESTIONS OR OPTIONS… THEY ARE COMMANDMENTS. WHAT ARE WE TEACHING?
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL
Exodus 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
Leviticus 19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
Leviticus 19:11 (MSG) "Don't steal. "Don't lie. "Don't deceive anyone.
Ephesians 4:28 (MSG) Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.
*WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO STEAL?
*To take what is not yours, to keep something that from another, shop lifting, embezzlement, to take advantage of another, fraud, insurance, gambling, to take property without permission, not to intend to return, dishonest, LARCENY.
* HALF-HEARTED EFFORT, to withhold love or affections. I saw a lady switch the price tag on a large package of meat with a smaller price. She said: THIS IS NOT STEALING I AM PAYING FOR IT.
DEFINE ROB, ROBBERY: TO USE FORCE, to take unlawfully, by threat, force,
CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER: DOES GOD ALWAYS MAKE SENSE TO HUMAN REASONING? FAITH AND TRUSTING GOD MIGHT SURPRISE YOU. TEAM WORK! YOU CAN DO MORE WITH 90% AND GOD ON YOUR SIDE THAN YOU CAN DO WITH THE 100%. (See a previous lesson I prepared on CIRRHOSIS OF THE GIVER.)
Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
Malachi 3:7 (MSG) You have a long history of ignoring my commands. You haven't done a thing I've told you. Return to me so I can return to you," says GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies. "You ask, 'But how do we return?'
8 "Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day. "You ask, 'How have we robbed you?' "The tithe and the offering—that's how!
** GOD FILES A GRIEVANCE AGAINST THE CHURCH. PEOPLE DENY THE ACCUSATIONS THAT THEIR AFFECTIONS ARE SET ON MONEY AND MATERIALISM.
WE OFTEN HEAR THE COMPLAINT: DO I HAVE TO GIVE TO GOD? RESEARCH RECORDS THE MAJORITY OF SO CALLED CHRISTIANS, DEPENDING ON THE CHURCH: 75% TO 90% OF ANY CHURCH MEMBERS DO NOT PAY TITHES. BY BEING STINGY AND NOT GIVING WE OPEN THE DOORS OF OUR ETERNAL ENEMY.
Dave Ramsey the financial adviser recommends all people pay tithes. Dave’s daughter RACHEL CRUZE teaches tithing helps bring godly contentment to families. Dave tells the story of how he lost everything before he learned this GREAT LESSON. They say TITHING IS NOT FOR GOD’S BENEFIT. God does not need our money. The lesson is clear: OUR SACRIFICE REMINDS US THAT WE DEPEND ON GOD. We put God first and He will take care of us.
TITHING IS A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE AND PROVE WE LOVE GOD AND TRUST HIS PLAN. Dave goes on to say: GIVING ENCOURAGES A THANKFUL, GRATEFUL, GENEROUS SPIRIT.
The average church’s budget and mission program is operated by the giving of 20% of the people. People spend more on pet food and the computer wifi and TV than on giving to the Lord!
PROOF? IN 1906 IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA THERE WAS THE DEADLIEST EARTHQUAKE ON RECORD!
The earthquake and fires that followed were devastating. 3,000 people died, 200,000 people were left homeless.
The courthouse was destroyed then burned. All the records were destroyed. Who owned what property? This became a legal nightmare. All kinds of claims were filed. One person claimed they owned their house and had lived there over 20 years. The judge started to rule the property was theirs. A couple approached the judge. They said: YOUR HONOR, WE HAVE RENT RECEIPTS FOR THE LAST 20+ YEARS WHERE THIS FAMILY RENTED THE HOUSE FROM US. The judge admonished the dishonest people for a false claim. The checks and receipts proved who the rightful owners were.
May I suggest we are just STEWARDS here on earth. The 25% of people that pay tithes are acknowledging that they are not the owners. GOD OWNS EVERYTHING. GOD WE ACKNOWLEDGE YOU ARE THE CREATOR.
STEALING? Grudge! I DON’T GET MAD, I GET EVEN…. Is revenge sweet?
THERE IS SOMETHING JUST AS DAMAGING AS ROBBING GOD FOR MATERIALISM AND MONEY… REVENGE IS MINE?
ANGER DRIVEN, FUELED BY BITTERNESS AND ANGER, DRIVEN BY DESIRE OF EMOTIONAL RELEASE, THIS WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER? Revenge comes with a price.
Deuteronomy 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Proverbs 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Proverbs 20:22 (MSG) Don't ever say, "I'll get you for that!" Wait for GOD; he'll settle the score.
Romans 12:19 (MSG) Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."
God says: I CAN HANDLE THIS! I don’t need your help! Never take revenge, trust God!
*VENGEANCE: punishment to exact injury for an injury, to kill, harm, punitive, repayment, NEGATIVE, RESENTMENT, erosion, anger, wrath, rage.
*REVENGE: to punish, to return hurt, to punish someone for hurting you, to inflict hurt or harm for an injury or wrong suffering, retribution.
Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 1 Peter 3:9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9 (MSG) That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.
Matthew 18:22 (KJV)
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
STEAL? STEP ASIDE AND TRUST? WE THINK WE CAN STEAL FROM GOD AND CHANGE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES? WHAT ARE WE LEARNING? WHAT ARE WE TEACHING? TO TRY TO FIX OUR PROBLEMS COULD MEAN WE DON’T WANT TO TRUST GOD, SO WE WILL STEAL AND TAKE CONTROL. THIS MEANS THE THORNS HAVE COME BACK. THE MOABITES, THE AMMONITES AND THE EDOMITES.
BE WARNED JEHOSHAPHAT THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS… DO NOT STEAL!
2 Chronicles 20:12 (MSG) O dear God, won't you take care of them? We're helpless before this vandal horde ready to attack us. We don't know what to do; we're looking to you."
Why should we worry and be afraid? We could praise God and worship him. Put the PRAISERS IN FRONT.
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 20:15 (MSG) He said, "Attention everyone—all of you from out of town, all you from Jerusalem, and you King Jehoshaphat—GOD's word: Don't be afraid; don't pay any mind to this vandal horde. This is God's war, not yours.
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.
DAVID LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSION WITH THE BEAR, THE LION AND GOLIATH! TRUST GOD!
1 Samuel 17:47 (MSG) And everyone gathered here will learn that GOD doesn't save by means of sword or spear. The battle belongs to GOD—he's handing you to us on a platter!"
Exodus 14:14 (KJV) 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Exodus 14:14 (MSG) "GOD will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!"
Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
CONCLUSION: COME LET US TRUST GOD! LET US NOT STEAL GOD’S FINANCIAL GIFTS! LET US NOT STEAL REVENGE! LET US NOT STEAL THE BATTLE. GOD HAS NEVER LOST! JESUS PROMISED WE ARE MORE THAN OVERCOMERS! THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB HAS NEVER LOST ITS POWER! I HAVE READ THE END OF THE BOOK. I KNOW ONE ANGEL SHALL HANDCUFF THE ENEMY. WHAT MAKES US THINK WE CAN BREAK THE 8TH COMMANDMENT AND GET AWAY WITH IT?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (2 or 3 part lesson)
(Would love to hear a brief note from you!)
