INTRODUCTION

It is a sin to steal (Leviticus 19:11Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
See All...; Deuteronomy 5:19Neither shalt thou steal.
See All...)! To steal is to wrongfully take something belonging to another and put it amongst one’s own possessions (see Genesis 31:19And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
See All...; Joshua 7:11Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
See All...). It is the act of obtaining something through falsehood or deceit. Most often, this relates to materialistic things, but it can also be the wrongful pursuit of the hearts and affections of others (2 Samuel 15:6And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
See All...; Proverbs 9:17Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
See All...). It is the act of selfish men who are often willing to do much more than steal in order to steal. Perhaps this is the reason why the scripture says that "Thou shalt not steal . . . is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Romans 13:9For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
See All...).

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Anything unrighteous will not be in heaven. That includes thieves (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 [9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, [10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. [11] And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
  See All...). Saved people should never take part in theft (Ephesians 4:28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
  See All...; Titus 2:9-10 [9] Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them well in all things; not answering again; [10] Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.
  See All...; 1 Peter 4:15-16 [15] But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. [16] Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
  See All...; Malachi 3:8Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
  See All...).
• Have you ever stolen something? Have you ever pursued the heart or affection of another that did not belong to you? Have you repented of this wicked and selfish sin?
• Why is "Thou shalt not steal" comprehended in the saying, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"? How could obedience to the second command naturally yield obedience to the first?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to show you if you have stolen.
• If you have stolen, confess your selfishness to God and repent.

HYMN

Take My Life, and Let It Be

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