Robbing GOD?

     Recently, a church down the street was robbed of several thousand dollars of praise band equipment. A man broke into their church on a Sunday morning around 10 am and spent several hours robbing the place. On the news, the local anchor spoke of the callousness of this man to spend his time gathering his spoils and without any regards for the consequences. Certainly during this pandemic, there are plenty of examples of individuals taking advantage of these unusual circumstances for their own personal gain.  

     Coincidently, it is believed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) that this same man visited Shady Brook Baptist Church (SBBC) one-hour before his robbery of the other church. A man in a pickup truck drove onto SBBC property moments after a few church members had arrived for a videotaping of our service. So bold was this man, that he drove suspiciously to the back of our church and stopped. But by the Grace of GOD, a church member confronted this man to offer assistance and the visitor sped away. I am thankful to the Lord for having those few members in place to discourage the visitor from stealing from SBBC’s facilities.

     As I think about what could have happened and how our church is just as vulnerable to break-ins, a feeling of rage comes over me thinking anyone would have the nerve to steal from a house of worship. These are facilities that are used to baptize new believers, to christen babies, and to worship the one true GOD. These facilities may not be made of gold, but they are invaluable to us in our daily lives. This pandemic has shown us how much we miss being at the church during the past weeks.   

     In thinking of this man who broke into a house of worship within our community, I start to focus on the aspect of stealing from GOD. I am perplexed with why GOD would allow anyone to steal from HIM. However in 1 Samuel 4, I am reminded that the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant of GOD after defeating the Israelites in battle. This is the same Ark of the Covenant carrying the Ten Commandment Tablets and the same Ark on which Moses meet with GOD in Exodus 25:21-22 “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony”. Now if we continue reading through 1 Samuel, you will read how the Philistines constantly moved the Ark due to the misfortunes felt by the host town.  

     In Malachi 3: 1-6 we read about the coming of Jesus Christ.  In verse 7 we read how the “sons of Jacob” turned away from GOD and when told to turn back, they asked “How?” GOD responds in verse 8 by saying “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me!” The men of that generation had forgotten GOD’S Ordinances of tithing back to the ONE Whom had provided.

     Thou shall not steal is one of the basic laws and to break that commandment against GOD, as this man did, is unfathomable, yet are we not just as guilty of stealing from the Lord? As I reflect on the crime of stealing, taking something that doesn’t belong to you, I challenge us all to examine where we may be stealing from the Lord in our daily lives.

     Money – We learn in Genesis 14:20 that Melchizedek made an offering of tithe (one-tenth) to GOD for Abram’s battle success. Again in Genesis 28:22, Jacob gives GOD one-tenth of all that he has in acknowledging GOD as his provider. We learn in Leviticus 27 that GOD instructs Moses on the law of vows (committing someone or something to GOD) and we see in verse 30, Leviticus is reminding us to give back one-tenth of our fortunes. As Jesus fulfills the law, we are instructed in Paul’s writings in 2 Corinthians 9:7 “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”  If we believe that all of our earnings are the results of GOD’S Blessings, then we should be a cheerful giver to HIS Kingdom by providing the funds necessary for the ministries to reach the lost. If we are reluctant to give, because we feel we won’t have enough to sustain our needs, then we need only look in Mark 12: 41-44 were Jesus speaks of the poor widow who gave her whole livelihood. Are we stealing from GOD, when we give less than what HE has purposed in our hearts?

     Time – Napoleon once said “There is one kind of robber whom the law does not strike at, and who steals what is most precious to men: time.” It is true; time is a precious commodity of life and how we chose to spend it reflects our priorities. In Colossians 4:5-6, Paul writes asking the church to “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time” and again in Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Paul is associating wisdom with time management. Everyone on this earth has a predestined amount of time given to them from GOD and we must be wise in how we use that time. To squander our time on this earth with worldly interests would be the same as stealing the time given by GOD. However, 2 Peter 3 speaks of the coming of the Lord and how we should spend our remaining time growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

     Talents – Once again In Ephesians, we read how each believer is given a spiritual gift and how every believer must use these gifts to grow the body of Christ for the edifying of itself in love. Over in Romans 12:6 we are told to use the differing gifts according to the grace given to us. We must accept responsibility for our salvation in the spiritual gifts in which we have been bestowed. To refuse those talents for the building of GOD’S Kingdom, is to rob GOD. Sometimes we deny our responsibility to the Lord, but in 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 we read “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” We are different in our talents, but we must apply our talents for the “profit of all.”

     Love – In Mark 12:29-30, the scribes are questioning Jesus on what commandment comes first. Jesus responds “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” and then Jesus continues by telling them that the second commandment is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Jesus also tells them that there are no commandments greater than those two given. Are we giving GOD the level of Love that he has shown us when “HE Gave HIS only Begotten Son”? Do we show GOD’S Love in our actions and in how we treat others? We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  Glorify the Lord in body and mind to show His Love for all to see.

     I started this lesson discussing a man who daringly stole from the Lord’s House and what an outrage that was, but I find myself being as guilty (or more) in how I have stolen from the Lord as well. As I study this lesson, I am convicted of how little I have reinvested in the One True GOD who has given me all I have. I believe this is the time to wise up and give back what He has purposed us to do.  In Romans 13:11-14, we are to “do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand.”

     I ask you all to closely examine your heart and find where you are stealing from the Lord. To truly ask yourself, if you are giving “as he purposes;” if you are giving back the time that has been given to you;  if you are using your spiritual gifts for the growing of the body of Christ; and if you are extending to GOD your Love, as “HE so loved us.”  Let us not rob GOD of anything, but give everything, that others may know HIM and want to follow Him.