Most men would rather accept lies than to believe the truth. This bias against the truth has been present as far back as the garden of Eden.
Many people think that guilt is only the burden of those who personally commit sin. The reality is that consenting to wickedness is equally as bad.
The thief does not care for the well-being of those he victimizes. He cares for himself and only himself. He hurts and has no trouble hurting others.
To steal is to wrongfully and selfishly take something that belongs to someone else and place it amongst one’s own possessions.
Sin is not to be considered a light matter. In other words, it is not to be mocked. Only a fool would demonstrate this kind of behaviour toward sin.
God calls people into different works. In the midst of this diversity, a common thread unites all the work—men ought to do all they do to the glory of God.
The world contains far too many wicked people possessing no concern for God, the Bible, and eternity. Sometimes those who know the Lord as Saviour lose hope concerning others coming to a saving knowledge of Christ. Bible-believing Christians must always keep in mind that as long as a man remains breathing there is hope for his redemption. Isaiah told the Lord, “For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth” (Isaiah 38:18). Once death occurs, all hope ceases. The individual’s destination and/or his reward are settled. Yet, up until that point in time, there is hope for salvation, hope for growth, and hope for spiritual change.
Far too few believers consider the extent that God cares about what they do in, to, and through their bodies. The reality is that the believer is to glorify God in his body. Today’s passage instructs the saint of God to present his body to God as a living sacrifice. Amazingly, the Bible describes this spiritual sacrifice not as some great spiritual achievement but as a mere reasonable service (Romans 12:1). All true fellowship, consecration, and sanctification originate within one’s heart; however, it eventually works its way out to be visibly seen. A believer deceives himself if he claims to walk with God in sweet communion yet experiences no outward changes visible to mankind. A yielded Christian ensures that no part of his life is off limits to the Lord. He strives to ensure his life, including his body, is a testimony bringing glory to His Saviour.
The steward is not distinguished for his own possessions but, rather, for the care of another’s possessions. This is true of the life and ministry of every believer. He has been purchased by the blood of Christ and claims nothing as his own. If he has a family, his family is a blessing from God still belonging to God. If he has any ministries, they too belong to God. Even his own spirit, soul, and body belong to the Lord and not to himself (1 Corinthians 6:20). Understanding these truths makes a steward prosper in his walk with the Lord and in his service to the Lord. He recognizes and accepts that life is not all about him. He knows that every aspect of life should revolve around caring for each of the possessions of his heavenly Master.
Imagine the vulnerabilities of a watchman who refuses to keep his eyes open to every possible angle from which danger could arise. No doubt the enemy would scout the land observing the bad habits of the watchman. If the watchman fails to examine each point of entry, the enemy will attack from the unprotected angle. In like manner, believers are to walk circumspectly. The word circumspect means to look all around. Believers are to be sober and vigilant knowing that their enemy, the Devil, “walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). God’s enemies always search for the weak spot where the hedge has been cut down or ignored. This is why there is no angle in the believer’s life that can be safely ignored.
