Unknown Thief-2 quotes

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AN UNKNOWN THIEF, part 2 quotes

1) #3 - Stealing From and Deceiving the Messengers, Workers or Ministers of God

There are at least 4 main areas:

A - By not giving them encouragement

B - By not upholding them in prayer

C - By not giving them proper respect and honor

D - By not giving them sufficient support.

#3A – By not giving them loving encouragement.

Stealing: By not giving the messengers, workers and ministers of God loving encouragement, then you are guilty of stealing away from them peace, strength and courage, and instead adding onto them perplexity, loneliness, weakness and doubt.

If you are guilty of not encouraging them, and after you have repented, then what are you to do?

“Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” Galatians 6:6.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works...exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:23-25.

2) #3B – By not upholding them in prayers.

Stealing: By not praying for the messengers, workers and ministers of God, then you are guilty of stealing away from them needed divine help and support, and instead adding on to them extra burdens and strain.

If you are guilty of not praying for them, and you have repented, then what are you to do?

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel”. Ephesians 6:18-19.

“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness...Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ”. Philippians 1:19-21.

3) #3C – By not giving them due respect and honor for faithful service.

Stealing: By not giving the messengers, workers and ministers of God due respect and honor for past or present faithful service, then you are guilty of robbing them from the peace, tranquility and love they deserve, and instead you are adding onto them perplexity, criticism, complaint, quibbles, discouragement and despair.

If you are guilty of disrespecting them, and you have repented, then what are you to do?

“Render therefore...fear [respect] to whom fear [is due]; honour to whom honour [is due]....love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:7-8.

“Receive him (the Lord’s messenger) therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ...” Philippians 2:29-30.

“And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13.

4) #3D – By not providing them with sufficient donations and gifts.

Stealing: By not providing the messengers, workers and ministers of God with sufficient donations and gifts with which to live and to spread the message of God’s love and present truth to others, then you are guilty of stealing away from them time and support, as well as preventing the truth from reaching others as quick as it could have, and instead you are adding to them trials, perplexities, darkness, loneliness and possible death.

If you are guilty in this area, and you have repented, then what are you to do?

“Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:13-14.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38.

“For ye had compassion of me...and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” Hebrews 10:34.

5) How does deception come into all of this 3rd area?

Deceiving: By claiming to love the truth, but yet you are not giving the messengers, workers and ministers of God loving encouragement, or often praying for them, or giving them proper respect and honor for past or present faithful service, or providing them with sufficient money to live on and to spread the truth as much as they are capable of doing, then you are proving that you really do not love the truth, and thus you are guilty of lying and deceiving all who know you.

If you are guilty of doing any of these things, and you have repented, then what are you to do?

“Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. Wherefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love”. 2 Corinthians 8:23-24.

6) #4 - Stealing From and Deceiving Ourselves

There is at least one main area: - not being honest with yourself.

Stealing: By not being honest with yourself about your true walk with the Lord, then you are guilty of stealing away from yourself the assurance, peace, contentment, joy and rest you could have in the Lord, and are instead adding on to yourself doubt, uncertainty, sadness and troubles. You are also robbing away from yourself eternal life!

If you are guilty of doing this to yourself, and you have repented, then what should you do about it?

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5.

7) How does deception come into all of this 4th area?

Deception: By not being honest with yourself in taking the time to carefully examine your life to see if you are in the faith, or to see what corrections you need to accomplish in order to come fully into the faith, then you are guilty of deceiving yourself with the presumption of gaining eternal life without making sure you have complied with all the necessary requirements for obtaining eternal life.

If you are guilty of deceiving yourself, and you have repented, then what should you do about it?

“For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work...Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:3-4, 7-8.

“Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall”. 2 Peter 1:4-10.


	"LET THERE BE LIGHT" Ministries home \| Sermon Quotes AN UNKNOWN THIEF, part 2 quotes 1) #3 - Stealing From and Deceiving the Messengers, Workers or Ministers of God There are at least 4 main areas: A - By not giving them encouragement B - By not upholding them in prayer C - By not giving them proper respect and honor D - By not giving them sufficient support. #3A – By not giving them loving encouragement. Stealing: By not giving the messengers, workers and ministers of God loving encouragement, then you are guilty of stealing away from them peace, strength and courage, and instead adding onto them perplexity, loneliness, weakness and doubt. If you are guilty of not encouraging them, and after you have repented, then what are you to do? “Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.” Galatians 6:6. “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works...exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:23-25. 2) #3B – By not upholding them in prayers. Stealing: By not praying for the messengers, workers and ministers of God, then you are guilty of stealing away from them needed divine help and support, and instead adding on to them extra burdens and strain. If you are guilty of not praying for them, and you have repented, then what are you to do? “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16. “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel”. Ephesians 6:18-19. “For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness...Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ”. Philippians 1:19-21. 3) #3C – By not giving them due respect and honor for faithful service. Stealing: By not giving the messengers, workers and ministers of God due respect and honor for past or present faithful service, then you are guilty of robbing them from the peace, tranquility and love they deserve, and instead you are adding onto them perplexity, criticism, complaint, quibbles, discouragement and despair. If you are guilty of disrespecting them, and you have repented, then what are you to do? “Render therefore...fear [respect] to whom fear [is due]; honour to whom honour [is due]....love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:7-8. “Receive him (the Lord’s messenger) therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ...” Philippians 2:29-30. “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake.” 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. 4) #3D – By not providing them with sufficient donations and gifts. Stealing: By not providing the messengers, workers and ministers of God with sufficient donations and gifts with which to live and to spread the message of God’s love and present truth to others, then you are guilty of stealing away from them time and support, as well as preventing the truth from reaching others as quick as it could have, and instead you are adding to them trials, perplexities, darkness, loneliness and possible death. If you are guilty in this area, and you have repented, then what are you to do? “Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:13-14. “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38. “For ye had compassion of me...and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” Hebrews 10:34. 5) How does deception come into all of this 3rd area? Deceiving: By claiming to love the truth, but yet you are not giving the messengers, workers and ministers of God loving encouragement, or often praying for them, or giving them proper respect and honor for past or present faithful service, or providing them with sufficient money to live on and to spread the truth as much as they are capable of doing, then you are proving that you really do not love the truth, and thus you are guilty of lying and deceiving all who know you. If you are guilty of doing any of these things, and you have repented, then what are you to do? “Whether any do inquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be inquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. Wherefore show ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love”. 2 Corinthians 8:23-24. 6) #4 - Stealing From and Deceiving Ourselves There is at least one main area: - not being honest with yourself. Stealing: By not being honest with yourself about your true walk with the Lord, then you are guilty of stealing away from yourself the assurance, peace, contentment, joy and rest you could have in the Lord, and are instead adding on to yourself doubt, uncertainty, sadness and troubles. You are also robbing away from yourself eternal life! If you are guilty of doing this to yourself, and you have repented, then what should you do about it? “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5. 7) How does deception come into all of this 4th area? Deception: By not being honest with yourself in taking the time to carefully examine your life to see if you are in the faith, or to see what corrections you need to accomplish in order to come fully into the faith, then you are guilty of deceiving yourself with the presumption of gaining eternal life without making sure you have complied with all the necessary requirements for obtaining eternal life. If you are guilty of deceiving yourself, and you have repented, then what should you do about it? “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work...Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:3-4, 7-8. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall”. 2 Peter 1:4-10.