# Thou shalt not steal

Category: Obedience to God’s Will
Key Passage: Exodus 20:15
Speaker: Paul Chisgar
Date: June 7, 2024

Just sitting on microphones and everything. I told me, said, you’re going to be out of breath. You hadn’t even started singing that. But I did a good job.

We’ve been going through the Ten Commandments on Sunday morning, and I’ve been on it for months and months now. This is the Eighth Commandment, and we’ll just have two more after today. These are major society changers, these Ten Commandments. There are over 600 commandments in the law, and God kind of narrows it down a little bit, or says, “Let me get some major ones in the ten,” the Decalogue often called.

We’re talking about singing about grace this morning. The Bible says, “Where law entered that the offense may abound, but where sin abounded, grace is much more abounded.” So this law, we don’t want to become judgmental with it. It would allow it to lead us back to grace. And I’m so glad I serve a God of grace. I get to come to the throne of grace.

In our Sunday school class, we’re learning, “For by grace are you saved through faith.” I’m glad for us grace, but the law should lead me to grace. So we are studying these commandments. By the way, our society would be so much better if they would keep to these commandments.

We’re going to look at this eighth one today. God says so much in four words. I know what you’re saying, “Well, I can’t, Pastor, be the same way.” God says it in four words. It takes in about 20,000 words, and he still doesn’t have it done.

But Exodus chapter number 20, and just one verse, verse number 15. Exodus 20, verse number 15. Let’s stand, if you would, please, as we read the Word of God together. And I know you’re getting comfortable. I already see a lady. I tell you what, she’s getting ready. I like it, though. We didn’t come to leave, amen. We want to get something while we’re here, but we just don’t want to stink it up for everybody else. Now, you know I’m teasing a little bit with someone over here.

Exodus 20, look in verse number 15. Verse number 15. God says, “Thou shalt not steal.” Would you read that aloud with me, please? Here we go: “Thou shalt not steal.” Everybody, everybody, let’s get us all four words. You got to memorize all of us. Here we go: “Thou shalt not.”

Good. Let’s go to the Lord in a word of prayer. I ask you to speak to your heart as I pray. Lord, we are hungry. Father, forgive me for my doubt, my worry, that you can speak to every person here this morning. I know you can, Lord. Father, you can do more in just a snap of a finger in one minute than I can do in all my lifetime. So, Lord, we’re asking, would you come this morning? Would you do what I cannot? Father, I’ll try to preach on this verse, but I won’t do it justice. Lord, you do the real work in hearts, please, today. Well, thank you. We’ll brag on you for what you do. Father, we’re asking for this in faith because of your Son, Jesus. It’s in His name we pray and believe. Amen.

Thank you so much for standing. You may be seated.

For years and years, we would get out of the car or the truck when we’re somewhere shopping or wherever it may be, and my wife would always say this: “You locking the doors?” For years, I would say, “You don’t have to do that down here.” I’m going to tell you a secret, all right? Don’t hold it against my wife, but she is from New Jersey. Don’t hold it—don’t throw anything at her, okay? All right? She’s still a wonderful lady, amen. But she is a Jersey girl, you know, and they part in the cop—they always lock the doors up there, you know?

I’m standing here, you know what I mean? You know? She is from up there. So she’s, “Oh, you got to lock the door?” “Oh, you don’t have to lock them down here.”

I said that until a couple years ago. I was over at a local restaurant—I won’t say the name because I don’t want you to think bad of it. I like the restaurant. I like the restaurant, amen. And I’d parked my truck over on the side. In the passenger seat, I have my laptop in this bag, you know, my laptop bag, and I have my Bible on top. I hopped out of there, and my mind wasn’t on all that. My mind was on chicken tenders with honey mustard sauce. Anybody with me out there?

I can’t remember what all I had that day. Maybe it was some medium-rare steak. I’m not sure. I mean, with it a little juicy, a little blood dripping out here and there. As long as you don’t move, it’s still good. Somebody say, “Amen,” right there. Now, I’m getting on your level for sure, you know. And I had to get some pinto beans, I’m sure I did, with some chow-chow in there, you know, and maybe some fried okra and some cornbread, you know. And we’re going to bow our heads and be dismissed. Amen. We got to go eat.

I came out of the restaurant, I’m a happy camper, amen. I just fed my fat face, you know. I’m good. I hopped in my truck. I didn’t even think anything of it. In fact, I didn’t even look over there. I drove, if I remember right, to the church here. I pulled in. I thought, “Man, I’ve been eating too much. Been a lazy bum. I’ve got to get some work done.” Let me get by my computer and start working, and the Bible was there. That’s it. I mean, somebody had taken my Bible, lifted it up, grabbed the laptop, computer, put my Bible back. They needed the Bible, amen. That’s what they needed there for sure.

In fact, if you go to that local restaurant, you’re parking on that side. Now there’s a sign up there. I did not even tell them about that instance. It must have been many of them because now you’ll see a sign up there saying, “All your belongings, your responsibility. You better lock your vehicle up.”

The bad thing about all of it is, folks, my wife was right. You need to delete that, if you would please, from the sermon. You ever had anything stolen from you? I just feel a little violated, you know. That was yours. It bothers.

I’ll never forget in Jacksonville, Florida, where we lived. We think when we pulled up, they were inside our house because they hadn’t taken anything yet. They were coming in and out of the window right there by the bathtub, the shower there. Why do I think they were there when we pulled up? Because you know how you have the shampoo bottles on top of the window seal? All of them were outside like they had just kind of dove to get out of there real quick. Man, you just walk in your house and realize somebody’s been in there trying to steal things. It bothers you. You get that “not fair” feeling. It’s unjust. Somebody’s did you wrong. They’re taking what is yours.

Now the Bible here, it says, “Thou shalt not steal.” It’s amazing in our day and time how much anti-theft we have to spend our time on and spend our money on. Passwords galore. Anybody ever get aggravated with passwords? I don’t want to get you in a bad move mentioning that right there, all right, because of stealing.

Now let’s just take a little bit of time to talk about this commandment from God’s Word. First of all, it shows that God notices that God is for private property. God is for that. Because God said, “Thou shalt not steal.” Whether it be land or whatever it might be, God said, “No, that’s theirs. Keep your paws off of it. Don’t touch it. That’s theirs.”

God is for private property. You understand where I’m coming from? We’re losing this philosophy in the greatest nation on the face of the earth that God has blessed, and God has blessed the system that’s been in place: capitalism. You can say it better, go ahead and say it better than me, but you understand what I’m talking about: private property.

It’s amazing in America, this great land. In our past presidential election, we had a man that was running on the ticket, and he said he was a socialist. He was not ashamed of it. He wasn’t private—he wasn’t sneaky about it. He just openly said he’s for socialism. I’m talking about Bernie Sanders, if you were wondering out there. Yeah, I just went ahead and said the name. Yeah, sure did.

Now look, and he almost got the ticket for one of the parties. Socialism—they do not believe in private property. Let me read for you what Merriam-Webster dictionary, online dictionary, says about socialism. Several different definitions. One of them is a system of society or group living in which there is no private property. The same dictionary says a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.

Communism is a form of socialism. Are you all with me out there? And God said, “Thou shalt not steal.” God is for private property. An individual owns it, not the government, not society. And don’t take it from them. That’s theirs. Communism—some will call it Marxism. Karl Marx. Let me read for you a quote from Karl Marx, right? He said, and I quote, “The theory of communism may be summed up in one sentence: abolish all private property.” You understand? God is for private property. He said, “Don’t take that. That’s theirs.”

Private property. “Thou shalt not steal.” You all understand where we’re coming from? So when we say this socialism, this thing where nobody owns anything, the government owns it all, and the government delegates out, that is not biblical. That’s against God’s philosophy out there. You understand where I’m coming from? Yeah. God is for private property. God’s for a man, a lady working hard and earning something and possessing something, and the government, whoever else does it, doesn’t come in there and take it from them. You know what I mean? I’ve got enough for that.

By the way, it doesn’t make sense when communism and socialism has failed everywhere it’s failed. And it’s amazing to me that the greatest nation on the face of the earth—I mean, our economy in America is 16 times greater than Russia’s economy. And yet we have Americans that want to go that way, and it’s failed every time. That makes sense. By the way, best thing is just say, “Well, God is for private property. We’ll just go God’s way.” Amen? “Thou shalt not.” It’s not right.

Now listen to this—young people, listen to this part here. It’s not right to take from the rich and give to the poor. God’s not for that. I’m sorry to crush your image, whoever may be, but Robin Hood was not right. He was against the Bible, against God. I’m sorry to crush your dream of Robin Hood, but the Bible says, “Thou shalt not steal.” I go to God instead of Robin Hood, amen. Man, the preacher crushed my dreams of Robin Hood. That’s as bad as finding out Santa Claus isn’t real. What’s going on right here, you know?

No. Stealing is not taken from the rich. Taken from the rich. And you’re taking from the rich. Now, if the rich give, that’s a good thing. In fact, I’d recommend that. But taking from the rich is wrong. That’s against the Bible.

I can hear it. Somebody said, “Well, Preacher, what about the book of Acts? Every man had that which was common.” Now, wait a second. In the book of Acts, there was no taking from anyone. There was people giving, which I am for, God’s for, but you don’t find any taking in the book of Acts. No, God said, “Thou shalt not steal.” No way? That’s pretty clear.

Now, our society, we find a lot of excuses. “Well, they have plenty.” What does it matter if they have plenty or they have a few? The Bible said, “Thou shalt not steal.” Y’all let me out there. Don’t get quiet on me. We might just have to camp out for a while, you know.

“Well, they’ll never know it’s gone.” They just don’t never know. They got so much, they don’t never know it’s missing. God will know it’s missing. “Well, it’s going to help somebody else with that.” It’s never right to do wrong in order to get a chance to do right. No, no. I said, “Thou shalt not steal.” I don’t care what you’re going to do with it. God said, “Thou shalt not steal.” Is that clear or not?

In our society, these are some of the prevalent things of stealing in our day and time. Here’s an incredible one that’s just amazingly so prevalent in our day and time: stealing from my employers.

In 2017, they did a study, and on employer theft, they got a special name for it. They say they lost $50 billion from employee theft. It outweighs shoplifting by a mile. A whole lot more goes out the back door stolen than goes out the front door stolen.

“Well, they’ll never know it’s gone. I thought we had so many on the shelf.” The computer says that—well, they’re not there. Where’d they go? Employees. They’re very prevalent in our day and time. Y’all want me out there? It’s just a big thing in our society.

Of course, the Internet, with technology and so many new ways of stealing from others and what is theirs, and downloading what I ought not to, what I’m not supposed to, and theft on the Internet. How many had your identity stolen? Anybody had your identity stolen? Yeah, I got my old tax papers in. It said I’d worked in a lot of jobs one year. I said, “Wow, I was a busy man to work at all those different places that year.” I mean, I must have been split—cloned a couple times or something to work at all. My identity had been stolen.

How many have had a credit card—somebody tried to buy something on one of your cards? Yeah, we’ve had that happen several times at our church. A church guard—praise the Lord, they’ve always caught them. Very interesting when they call and say, “Did you have an employer?” Somebody tried to buy something from—I think it was Best Buy—for $1,500. So, “Better not have had that happen. No, that’s not us.” They said, “Well, we’ve turned it down.” Praise the Lord, you turned it down. Cut that card up. Man, we ain’t using that no more. We’ve got to get a new one. And it’s just prevalent in our society.

You owe someone something, and you say, “Well, I’m just not going to pay it back.” They’re stealing. If you truly owe it to them—years ago, my daughter was, she was, I don’t know, 10, 11 years old—and they were playing football in our yard. It’s always on Saturday. If a preacher, it always happens to them on Saturday, Saturday evening.

There’s a boy that weighed, oh, I think about 180-something pounds, and he was about the same age. Sarah thought, “I’m going to tackle this guy,” and she did. In fact, she jumped on his back while he was running with that football on his back like a banty rooster, amen, you know. She had his two shoulders, and she pulled. He had her foot in his back. She is violent. Don’t mess with her. I’ll tell you what, John says, “Amen.”

And she pulled this guy back. The only problem was he landed on her foot. I was up here on Saturday night, and they pulled up in the vehicle. Sarah was in there, and we rushed her to the hospital to find out her foot was broken in three places. Yeah.

Now, here’s the problem with that. After they fixed it, put the cast and all that, the major problem is you start getting those bills in. Anybody not told me? Now, I called them, I negotiated, I dealt with him, and I’ll be honest with you, at one point if I had to say, “Hey, look, I’ve got a lot of medical bills right now. You’re going to get,” I think maybe $30 a month, maybe $20—I don’t know, somewhere on there, between 20 and 30. And they said, “Well, we’re going to have to turn that in for review.” And I did. I had to say, “Hey, look, you can review it all you want. I’m an honest man, I’ll pay my bills, but you can’t get blood from a turnip. That’s all you’re getting.”

Now, I paid it off. I mean, $20, $30 a month, just like I told them. I paid it off, and finally, towards the end, we got an amount of money in, and we were able to pay it off at the very end. But I’m saying, still, I owe that to them. If I said, “I’m not going to pay it,” that was stealing. Y’all with me out there? I know that’s not popular, but it’s biblical. Now, they’re not still—and if I didn’t have a lot, and I didn’t have a lot, I couldn’t pay it all at one time, but I paid it slowly, but surely it got paid off.

Now, we’ve been to the hospital as many a time, or they have financial assistance or Ladies of Charity or whatever. Hey, we’ll fill out the forms, amen, if you want to write it off. Praise the Lord, amen. But if I owe it and my child was taken care of and they do it, I owe it. I’m going to pay it to the best of my ability. I’m going to pay it. And that’s what the Bible—He said, “Thou shalt not steal.” Boy, we’re getting quiet on this point.

I never forget. We had been married a couple years, and we were renting. We were supposed to pay our rent to our landlord, Mr. Hart. I can’t remember if there was a 10th or 7th, somewhere along there, was supposed to have the rent to him. He just had maybe a house or two rental, maybe more, just a few. And so we just kind of dealt personally with him. And it came that date. I can’t remember how much the rent was, several hundred dollars. I didn’t have several hundred dollars. I just didn’t have it.

And so I went—very embarrassing, yes—I went to his door and I knocked on it. I mean, I was standing so short at that time I could barely reach up to the door, you know, couldn’t reach to the door or not. And Mr. Hart came to the door. And I said, “Mr. Hart, would you have a heart? I don’t have the money.” Amen. No, I didn’t order it like that. I said, “Sir, I’m supposed to pay you rent by today. I’m sorry, I do not have it.” It was a very tough financial time in our life. I just didn’t have it.

I said, “Mr. Hart, I don’t have it. I’m sorry. I told you I’d pay you today. I don’t have it.” I looked at him in the eyeballs and I said, “By such and such a date, I’ll pay you.” I had to do that maybe two, three times. And one of those times, at such and such a date, I still could not pay him. So I went back at such and such a date, and I barely raised my hand high enough to hit the bottom of the door again, you know, and knocked on the door, and he came to the door. I said, “Mr. Hart, I’m sorry. I said I’d pay it, but I don’t have it today, but I’ll get it by such and such day.”

Now they call that “old school” in their end time, but that’s called biblical. If I owe it to them, I don’t give it to them. That’s stealing. That’s what it’s talking about. If I owe someone, if I have money in my pocket, it’s not mine, it’s theirs. Amen. That’s what God’s talking about. “Thou shalt not steal.”

You see, here’s the thing. There’s this thing in the Bible that’s called you reap what you sow. Are you all over there? And when you’re honest and you deal upright—and not perfect, none of us are, I’m not sure—but when you try to be honest and upright and you try to pay your bills and be honest with someone, it’s amazing how God says you’ll end up.

I think about Judas in the Bible. Judas is the one that held the bag. He was the treasurer of the apostles and with Jesus. He had the money, and he was a guy that kept track of all the money. And the Bible calls him a thief. He stole from that. You know the sad thing is, though, Judas was right there with Jesus Himself, the Savior. Judas spent three, three and a half years with Jesus. Judas never got saved. Never did. Jesus said it’s better for him if he wasn’t even born. Hey, listen, if somebody gets saved, it’s a good thing they were born because they got saved. Even though they might mess up down here totally, they’ll spend eternity in heaven. It’s a good thing. You understand what I’m saying? Jesus said, “No, no, it’d have been better,” but he wasn’t born. He never got saved. He repented—he had to change his mind about Jesus—but he didn’t get saved, folks. Go with me? Now, Satan stole his soul.

Satan doesn’t come—John 10—he doesn’t come but for three things: to steal, kill, destroy. God had created, He had formed Judas. Satan came along and stole his soul. Judas stole it, and he got a soul stolen by Satan. He ended up in hell.

Oh, they’re saying, “I’m just going to do my best. I’m not going to steal.” “Thou shalt not steal.” I’ve told this story—many of you heard it. I don’t know if I’ve told this any more, I’m not sure—but years ago, when I was maybe in seventh grade, there were only a few of us in our neighborhood. I had friends that age. Shoplifting was the thing. We lived in a camper trailer park, and down out of the park there, across the street a little bit down to the left, there was a little convenience store. I don’t know if it was a 7-Eleven or what it was, Dundee, Florida. I mean, anybody know where Dundee, Florida is? Wow, I’m shocked. It’s a thriving metropolis. It must have 300 people in there, I don’t know.

But sure enough, and there, in that little gas station… And it was the thing. And so I’m going to make sure that clerk was looking elsewhere. I didn’t take much, but some candy and some gum or whatever it is, a time or two.

Years later, I’m about to go off to Bible college, and I’m praying, “Lord, hey, I sure would like for you to put your hand on me.” And God said, “Well, Paul, you never made that right.” You talk about embarrassing. I’m like 17, 18 now. That was seventh grade. I mean, I was in seventh grade for four years, but I still was pretty young.

No, but honestly, I’m able to go to Bible College. We had moved a couple towns over to Winter Haven over that way, over there Lakeland. And I went back, and I don’t know, I hadn’t stole that much, but I think it was a $20 bill I brought back. I sat out—I mean, I sat in my car outside that convenience store, and I wanted to make sure nobody was in there. I don’t know how long I waited for everybody to leave. You know, I wanted to put a sign out, “Do not enter,” you know, “Stay away.” Make sure everybody was gone because it was embarrassing, you know.

Everybody’s gone. I’m in there, you know. And there’s a lady up there, a clerk, and a lady—it’s going to be an odd story here. But years ago, I lived over there in that part, and I came in here and I stole some things. She said, “Let me call 911 right now.” I said, “No, I didn’t. I’m lying to you. I never stole a thing.” No, she didn’t.

And I said, “Look, God’s called me to preach. I’m going to go to Bible College, and I want God to bless me. So I’m bringing you some money here. I didn’t steal much, but here’s $20.” And she said, “How do you know I’m not going to put this up my pocket?”

I said, “Well, I don’t know.” She said, “Well, that’s the craziest thing in the world. I never heard anything like that.” I said, “I don’t know what you’re going to do with it, but I’ll feel better if you just take that.” She said, “That was years ago. Just forget about it.” I said, “I want to do the best I can to make this thing right. I’d like to.”

And finally, she said, “Well, you don’t know what in the world I’m going to do with it.” I said, “I don’t. That’s between you and the Lord. I just—I know I’ll be right.” I walked out of that store feeling so much better and having a peace in my heart and a joy in my heart, saying, “Hey, I did my best to try to honor God.” And He says, “Thou shalt not steal.”

Now, that’s what God said. We’re just going to stick with what God says, no matter what society says. I’ll not stand before society at Judgment Day. I’ll stand before Him.

And I praise God for the grace of God. We’ve already mentioned it. By the grace of God, I was still His child when I did those things. I’ll always be His child because I didn’t get saved by being good enough. I got saved by His grace. That’s a good thing about Jesus. But out of His child, I’m His child, and He’s saying, “I’d like to please Him.”

Let me talk to you about another thing about stealing that’s very prevalent. And I’m not trying to be harsh on this, but I don’t want to talk to you. There’s a thing that God very directly talks about when people are stealing from God. And that feeling I get when somebody stole my laptop, and the worst thing about it was having to admit my wife was right, you know—that feeling I had—God talks about it when He gets stolen from.

Look, if you will, over Malachi chapter number three. Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. I would just show you how God words it, how important it is to God.

Malachi chapter number three. It’s amazing that God words it this way, but He does. Malachi three. Look down in verse number eight, if you would. Malachi three. It’s a book right before Matthew, the last book of the Old Testament. Malachi chapter number three. Look in verse number eight right there. If you’re there, would you say, “Amen?”

Good deal. Verse number 8. The Bible says, “Will a man rob God?” Now, that robbing is a little bit more specific, a certain type or style of stealing. Stealing is just taking something from another one—taking. Robbing is you put a gun to the head and say, “Give it to me,” that type of thing. But here God is saying somebody’s stealing from God. They said, “Well, how have we done that? What is it?”

“Yet ye have robbed me.” But ye say, “Wherein have we robbed thee?” He says, “In tithes and offerings.” Now, the reason why I put this out is because this is the way God uses it. It’s amazing. God says you’re robbing, you’re stealing from Him. How is that? Tithes and offerings. A tithe is a tenth. Offering—God never says how much. A tithe, He says, put in God’s house. First Timothy 3:15 says that’s the church. Offerings—He doesn’t say that about offerings. Offerings could be, you see someone in need, you help them, give them missions, whatever it may be.

But look, look what He says here. He says, verse number nine, “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there should not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.”

Now, let me say a word or two about this before I go on. I don’t know who gives what in our church, and I don’t want to know. Our men take care of that, and our treasurer takes care of it. If I’m stepping on your toe, I don’t know it, okay? I heard a fellow just recently, he said when my pastor realized he was getting on my toes, he said, “Some guys, I get these faces, they get me looks.” He said, “I never do that because my pastor knows he’s getting me.” He said, “I just smile and say, ‘Amen, amen, amen.’ That way he never knows what I’m getting him,” you know. So just go and say amen if I’m getting you. I don’t know. God uses this saying when I don’t tithe and give some offerings somewhere, somehow, I’m stealing from Him. That’s what God uses.

Now, here’s the thing. It’s all God’s at the beginning. All right? He allows me to have some. He gives me. Look, if I took my daughter, Sarah, and we’ll say—Sam, let me give you a hundred bucks, all right? If she was here, she would wave her hanky and say, “Amen for that right there,” you know. And I don’t have any cash on me, but I’d say, “Hey, let me give you a hundred minutes.” Now, Sarah, 90% of it, you can take and do whatever you want; it’s yours. 10% of it, Sarah, you know the orphanage I have—I were really dreaming here, all right? Don’t you all with me on this dream here? And I want you to put 10% in the orphanage.

Now, I’m giving you—I’m giving you $100. Ninety percent sure is to do whatever. Ten percent goes to the orphanage share it, the orphanage I have. Now, you put it in there, you understand? Don’t want me out there? You follow me? If she took the 90 and spent it, did whatever she wanted with it, she got her nails done. What’s that, a manicure? Then the feet is what? A pedicure. How much is a manicure and a pedicure cost typically? Somebody just—I’ve heard a lot. Twenty bucks? Eighty bucks? No more of those. Hey, something’s got to be wrong. We’re going to find something wrong with that in about…

We’re going to say, to make it easier for my old head, all right, we’re going to say $50. All right, she goes and gets a manicure and a pedicure. She spent $50. And then, then she’s got that Mercury Mariner. It’s got a pretty big gas tank on it. I mean, it’s a six-cylinder, so it burns gas. And so she goes to the gas pump, and she puts it in there, and it’s on empty. You understand? When you’re young, you never—you always run on fumes. Anybody know what I’m talking about there? I know I did for years and years, you know. And she’s running on fumes, and she pulls up there, and, man, she pulls that lever, man, and those—it used to do the thing that rolled over. You old folks remember that? Yeah, I do too, you know. And some of you—well, we won’t go there. You remember when you wound it up. We won’t go there on that. But anyway, now it’s all digital, you know. And it’s—man, $30—it’s still going full. $40? She wanted to fill that tank up. It’s not full. Now, $50 on her nails, finger and toes, you know. $40—that’s $90. I run out of fingers—back—and still count one over in a minute. She said, “I’ve really been wanting to fill this tank up,” and she keeps going.

Now, wait a second. $50. Now, I gave that money to her. I told her $10, 10% goes to my orphanage. God says, “I consider that stealing.” He stole what was mine. I gave it to you. I told you where to use it. You’re not using where I told you. That’s where God used it biblically. That’s what it’s talking about. Y’all with me?

It’s amazing, but very few—I don’t know if there’s any other time where God says, “Prove me.” God says, “You give me—you give me that 10%.” It’s rent, if you will. God says—God says, “I bless you.”

I got a text this week from a man. He used to go to our church years ago. He moved away. And he sent me a picture of a ring. And he said, “Hey, Pastor, man, look at this. I found my ring.” I should remember all the things, but I can’t keep up with it all. But here’s the story.

He goes on some mission trips over to Cambodia from time to time, and he’s divorced, and he had met a lady over there. He was at a restaurant, and he started flirting with the waitress. They’ve been dating for a couple of years now. And they don’t have a lot of money, so she had saved up her tips. He told me later in the texting for several weeks, and he had bought them both rings, one for her, one for him. I texted them back and I said, “At America, you know, you buy the rings for her and still that way.” Oh, I didn’t tell him that. I’m joking, all right.

And she had saved up for money, and he said she spent weeks and weeks. He said, “It wasn’t an engagement ring.” He said, “Probably—we’ll probably get married one day if I think he’s progressing.” He said, “But I lost the ring.” He’s back in the States. Over a week ago, he said, “I lost my ring.”

And this is what he said. This is what he said: “I was sitting in a Walmart parking lot.” He just got it this week. And he said, “I was taking my tithe, and he said, ‘I hadn’t tithed in a long time.’” I don’t know how long that is. He just said a long time. But he said, “I was pulling my tithe out, and I was going to tithe.” And he said, “I was separating it, and I put my tithe over it. I separated it.” And he said, “Within five minutes after me”—he said, “I just sat in the car. I was doing that.” And he said, “I hopped out of my truck,” and he said, “I just happened to look down.” He said, “Over a week ago, I lost it.” He said, “I was right by the shopping carts.” He said, actually, he was on the painted line. He said, “I just happened to look down, and there was that ring.”

And the reason why he sent me the text, he said, “That’s the only time God says, ‘Prove me.’” He said, “I don’t think it’s a coincidence. I was sitting aside my tithe, and God blessed me.” That is what the Bible says, or not? That’s the way God uses it.

Here’s another wonderful thing about it. But see, when I give, I get to have a part in people that get saved in our ministries. I thought about this story years ago, years and years ago. Brother Ricky’s been driving a bus 9, 10 years around here. I don’t know. He says it feels like about 110 years, you know. But that’s why he can’t hear it. He’s been hearing kids yell and scream on the bus for all these years, you know.

But anyway, it was wintertime. We had had a little snow. Sunday’s coming. The main roads were good; the side roads, maybe a little snow. We were debating whether we should run the bus or not. I think we had two buses in, I’m not sure. We were debating about it, and I said, “Brother Ricky, man, let’s run that.” Brother Ricky, he’s driven a semi for years—him and Miss Johnny. They’ve only been involved in 10 wrecks in their semi, that’s all, you know. I’m joking, but he said…

I said, “Brother Ricky, would you run?” And some people didn’t want us to run that bus to drive us with you. I drove that morning, got out and drove, and said, “Man, the roads are good. Brother Ricky, how about you? You run that bus.” And he ran the bus.

Here’s the thing: only one girl came. Just one girl. Honestly, I thought, “Well, that one person that didn’t want me to run the bus is—they’re probably like, ‘See there? There’s only one girl that rode that bus. It wasn’t worth it.’” I asked Brother Ricky right before service. He said, “How old do you think that girl was?” He said, “I don’t know, eight, nine, ten years old.”

One girl rode the bus. I don’t think maybe first time, or she hadn’t come much, I’m not sure. Well, that one girl rode that bus, and she came to Sunday school, to church. And she heard about Jesus in a way she had never heard about Jesus before. Just that certain way God spoke to that little girl’s heart. She needed to get saved. That little girl rode that bus that one Sunday. She said, “Man, Jesus died for me. Just a little girl like me. He loves me. I’d like to accept Jesus as my way to heaven.” And that little girl rode that bus that one time, and she asked Jesus to save her.

She came on that cold winter day to church—Other County Baptist Church. She came in as a little girl that understood her sin. Yet she left understanding that Jesus was her self—she’d go into heaven. Here’s what I’m getting at: that little girl, her destiny changed from hell to heaven. And those people that give it around here all those years, they have a part in that.

I was asking Brother Ricky this morning, and I said, “Does this girl come anymore?” I can’t keep up with it. He said, “I haven’t seen her a long time. We might not see her again until we get to heaven one day.” I don’t know how all is going to work up in heaven. We’re going to have a whole lot of knowledge. We’ll be known as we are known. That little girl might come up and say, “Hey, mister, thank you. You gave because you gave, they ran an old bus. That bus picked me up, brought me to church.” It may be you. I don’t know. Some Sunday school teacher, somebody says—she’ll say, “Hey, thank you. You told me about Jesus.” That’s why I’m here today.

Hey, that’s the wonderful thing. God says, “I’ll bless you, man, you gave for me that that I told you to put in there.” And God says, “I bless you for that.” But even better than that, we get to have a part in people going to heaven, missing hell forever and ever. Pretty good deal.

Let’s bow our heads, close our eyes, if you would please. Our heads will bow, our eyes are closed. You hear this morning, you said, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart.” Somewhere along the line, something God spoke to you about that I did not even mention. “Preacher, God spoke to my heart this morning.” Somewhere along the line, God spoke to my heart this morning. If that’s true, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart.” That should just slip in, “Preacher, God spoke to my heart.” Somewhere along the line, God spoke to my heart this morning. God bless you. God bless you. That’s wonderful. Thank you. Thank you for letting the Lord work in your heart. That’s a wonderful thing. God bless you. Thank you. Thank you very, very much. You can put your hands down.

Maybe you hear this morning, you said, “Preacher, I need to make some things right.” I need to make some things right. It may be, I need to go back to somebody and say, “Hey, look, I don’t have it, but I’ll do my best one day to pay.” I don’t know. They may say, “Hey, it’s all right. Don’t worry about it.” It may be something I didn’t mention, but “Preacher, there’s some things I need to do to make some things right.” God spoke to my heart. “I need to make some things right.” That’s you this morning. Would you just lift your hand to preach? “I need to make some things right.” I understand. I’ve been there more times than I’d like to admit. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you. Thank you. Thank you for letting God speak to your heart.

Maybe you hear this morning, you say, “Preacher, to be honest with you, talk about that grace. I’ve never received that grace as far as salvation.” You’re talking about that little girl who got saved that day. I don’t know that I’m saved myself. If today were my last day on planet Earth, I don’t know that I’d wake up in heaven. I could wake up in hell tomorrow. I’m not saved. Oh, friend, God loves you. He loves you. For sin abounded, we all have that, me for sure. Grace did much more abound. And “Preacher, I don’t know that I’ve accepted that grace. I don’t know that I’m a child of God. I’m going to heaven. I’m not saved. I’m not safe. I don’t know that.” “Preacher, I don’t know that I’m going to heaven.” “I don’t know that I’m saved.” “I don’t know that I’m going to heaven.” “Don’t know that I’m saved.” “I don’t know that I’m going to slip it up.” I’m not going to call your name. Not going to do anything. I’d love to pray for you. “Preacher, I don’t know that grace is available.” He loves you. All these laws, these commandments—yes, yes, they’re standard, but honestly, none of us, myself included by far, we don’t measure up to all, but He loves you. Jesus has shed His blood for the grace for all of us this morning. How about we just come get some grace from God today? Let’s just get close to Him. Get some grace from Him today.

Let’s all stand, if you would, please. We’re going to have a word of prayer, and our instruments will just play this morning invitation. Why don’t you just come, say, “Lord, I need your grace.” Maybe you’re weary out there, tired. We didn’t preach on it, but God has grace for that. The grace of God. We sang about it this morning: grace, grace. Let’s just come get some grace this morning.

Father, thank you that you teach us how it is best for us to live. But Lord, thank you that you know we’re sinners, fallen, messed up. You have all the grace we need. Thank you for that. Help us to come to you. Every person here, help us just come get the grace we need. Maybe, Lord, one’s just burdened about a situation or person. Let them come get the grace from you today. Help us to be obedient and seek your leadership here in the invitation. Well, thank you, Lord, for what you do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Would you come as our instruments, please? Just come. Just get some grace from God. He’s got all the grace you need. It’s available. Ah, just come. “Lord, I need your grace.” He’s got all the grace you need. Someone said, “The only one that leaves from God empty-handed is those who come to Him full of themselves.” Come and need mercy and grace. He is gracious. “Come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Got all the grace you need; it’s available.

Now, when you go home, somebody says, “What did the preacher preach about? What did you learn?” You say, “I learned I need to lock my doors.” Don’t tell them the other part. Don’t tell them the other part that my wife’s—well, okay. Anyway, we’re glad you’re here this morning. And only two more—two more of the Ten Commandments will be done. And, oh, I promise you, God—God here’s saved you by His grace, but He’s telling us how we can live the best life we can by obeying His commandments, living like His children. It’s the best way to live. So glad you’re here this morning. Six o’clock tonight, be back in your place. Good to see everybody. I’m glad you’re faithful to the summertime, amen. And fall’s going to be here. It’s going to be fall before we know it, and I’m excited about the fall right around the corner. It’s so good to see everybody out this morning.

Original File: Thou Shalt Not Steal - Pastor Paul Chisgar Sunday Morning 72819