Download this MP3
If you want to stay up on the latest audio messages from Westside Christian Fellowship, don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.
Tweet

Complete Sermon Notes

The Ten Commandments #8, #9, #10

“You shall not steal.” – taking what is not yours

Luke 16:10 paraphrase – If you are faithful in the little things, you will be faithful in greater things. But if you are dishonest in the little things, you will be dishonest with the greater things.

A possession – supplies at work

Money – One of the greatest gauges of the heart is money and possessions. Stealing is a trust issue.

Malachi 3:8, “Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.”

THAT’S OLD TESTAMENT! – No, it’s old truth.

How much should I give? How blessed do you want to be?

If the giving doesn’t hurt you’re robbing God.

There is another principle here: Stealing Time – “Walk along side me daddy and hold my little hand. I have too many things to learn that i don’t yet understand. Teach me things to keep me safe from dangers every day. Show me how to do my best at home, at school, and play. Every child needs a gentle hand to guide them as they grow. So walk alongside me daddy we have a long way to go.”

Don’t steal time – prioritize it

SIDENOTE: Kleptomania is the inability to refrain from the urge to steal.

Psychology says Scripture says

The heart is good The heart is deceitful

You just need to unlock your inner strength Will power is not enough

Don’t lay a guilt trip on me Conviction is good

It’s not really your fault Confess your sins

You’re the answer Christ is the answer

“The Devil made me do it” is not biblical.

You don’t cast out a spirit of division

You don’t cast out a spirit of drunkenness

You don’t cast out a spirit of lust

You don’t cast out a spirit of stealing

The amount of Demonic influence that comes in depends on how far you open the door

“You say NO, and let God handle the rest.”

The 1 common denominator of all my problems is ME

____________________________________

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

Court of Law – This is the primary context

Gossip – “casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.”

Proverbs 6:19 God hates a false witness who lies and a person who stirs up conflict..

SIDENOTE: Pathological lying is considered a mental illness because it takes over rational judgment and progresses into the fantasy world…feelings of abandonment, mistreatment, or rejection can fuel lying…people often lie because they think their life is not interesting enough.

Mislabeling hurts, not helps – Addiction is NOT a disease: “Toward the end of the 19th century addicts were often viewed as morally wrong and even shunned as being bad people or sinners. This type of thinking led many physicians of the time to fight to change common perceptions and try to help addicts instead of punish them [by saying it’s a disease]…[don’t lay a guilt trip on me].”

They also say, “A physical addiction cannot be controlled and like many diseases, relapse is common and nothing to be ashamed of.”

One of the best lies is, “Its not your fault.”

“If it is a disease, it is the only disease without germs or virus. If it is a disease, it is the only disease that is self-inflicted. If it is a disease, it is the only disease contracted by the act of the ‘will’. If it is a disease, it is the only disease that is bottled and sold over the counter for profit…If it is a disease, it is the only disease that takes thousands of outlets in every town and city to spread it…If it’s a disease, it’s the only disease that will cause a father to go home, grab his baby by the legs and shake him violently. If it is a disease, it’s the only disease that will cause a mother to desert her children. If it’s a disease, it’s the only disease that will take clothes from their back and shoes from their feet and bread from their table…If it is a disease, then it’s the only disease that will keep one out of heaven and send that soul to hell. That sir, is not a disease it’s an addiction called sin! We need to call it what it is [so healing can occur]. Paraphrase of a sermon excerpt I heard by Greg Laurie.

Freedom is found in the TRUTH – “thou shall not” – “Seek Me with all your heart” – “You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.”

Rebellion vs. a constant state of need – God I need you: “WHO AM I that the Lord of all the earth would care to know my name – would care to feel my hurt.” – Casting Crowns

____________________________________

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Craving to the point of AFFECTING!

The People Afraid of God’s Presence Ex. 20:18 Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. 19 Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” 20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.” 21 So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.

“So the people stood afar off”- They lacked a real relationship – you pray, not me. You worship, not me. I’m comfortable being a bystander.

I will come and watch but I won’t get close; i will listen but not turn from my sin; i will come when time allows, but i will not make it a priority – “you cannot follow God at a distance” and expect to know Him.

“But Moses drew near where God was”:

Worship/Communion – Psalm 96 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.