SHINNING FOREVER IN HOLINESS  - (PART 5)       

 

Memory Verse:  “But as He Who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct.” I Peter 1: 15.

 

Bible Passage: Malachi 3: 6-12; Isaiah 48:11.

 

LESSON OBJECTIVES  

We should at the end of the lesson

a). Know the danger of stealing and how to handle it.

b). Know the danger of pride and how to handle it too.

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

Last week we learned about the danger of sowing evil and the blessing that goes with sowing good.

Today we shall move on to see that pride and stealing go before destruction. They open the door to God’s anger and we have to flee from them. These and others are the focus of today’s lesson.

 

BE A CHRISTIAN, SHUN STEALING

Here we shall focus on what stealing is, what can be stolen, and what we should do to the spirit of stealing.

 

What is stealing?

It is the spirit (or evil, or act) of taking into one’s possession what does not belong to such a person.

 

What are the examples of what one could steal?

i). One could steal physical things, e.g. money, child (kidnapping), cloth, car, etc.

ii). One could steal spiritual things (knowingly or unknowingly), e.g.

                a). Failure to pay one’s tithe and offering is stealing from God, Mal. 3: 8-10.

b). Using your body in a way that does not glorify God is denying God the use of that which we should give to Him, and therefore stealing, Rom. 12:1;

I Cor. 6:19-20.

                c). Failure to pray and witness is stealing God’s time, Eccl. 9:10.

                d). Taking part the glory that rightly belongs to God is stealing, Isa. 48:11; 26:12.

Stealing is an evil act. We should not only shun it but we should ask God for mercy and grace not to steal again, Ezek. 33: 14-16.

 

BE A CHRISTIAN, DON’T BE PROUD

Here we shall define pride and its character, the danger in being proud and how to handle the spirit of pride.

 

What is pride?

It is the feeling of a self-centred satisfaction arising from what one has accomplished or  possesses. It is a sin that ties a rope around a man’s waist and drags him to hell, Prov. 21: 4; 12.

 

Is there any linkage between pride and stealing? 

See Deut. 8:10-18; Isa. 26:12.

 

What are some of the characteristics of the proud man?

The proud are boastful, self-centered, disrespectful, arrogant and will not take correction – Prov. 13:1.

 

And what is the end result of pride?

Destruction – Prov. 16:18.

 

Pride is a bad master. We are to crucify it, be humble and ask God for help,

James 4: 6-7; I Peter 5: 5-6.

 

SUMMARY

Stealing and pride will keep us from shinning for God. We have to get rid of them from our lives.