OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL. WEDNESDAY JULY 29 2015.
THEME : ASK FOR PERMISSION!
MEMORISE : Thou shalt not steal. EXODUS 20 : 15.
READ : GENESIS 49 : 3 – 4.
3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength,
the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy
father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : EZRA 8 : 24 – 10 : 44 AND JOHN 6 : 25 – 51.
MESSAGE
One commandment that God gave to the children of Israel in the wilderness,
which is still very relevant to us today, is the commandment not to steal
( Exodus 20 : 15 ). Stealing can occur physically, in the realm of the soul and
spiritually. Physical stealing can further be classified as stealing from man and
stealing from God ( Malachi 3 : 8 ). To steal is to take another person’s
property without their consent or approval, particularly with the intention of
not returning it. As a growing child, teenager or youth, if you take your
parent’s money without their consent, you are a thief. Some youths will say
“Whatever belongs to my father belongs to me. I should be free to take any of
his things whenever I like.” No sir! Your parents have plans for all that they
have. Taking their things without their approval can destabilise some of those
plans. It can also inflict pain, sorrow and untold hardship on your parents. A
child who is well brought up will ask his or her parents for what they want and
give them the opportunity to approve or deny the request. The right rule to live
by is: anything your parents are not ready to give you must not be taken. If
you take it, you are a thief and not better than any robber out there.
Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, slept with Bilhah his father’s concubine on his
father’s bed ( Genesis 35 : 22 ). According to their tradition, after his father’s
death, he could have inherited her as the firstborn, but he could not wait for
his time. Jacob kept quiet about this when he heard it. Reuben did not realise
that Jacob knew, and he did not restitute. Eventually, when it was time to
receive the generational blessing, Reuben was cursed and his destiny was
thwarted ( Genesis 49 : 3 – 4 ). A curse awaits children who steal from their
parents. Zechariah 5 : 3 says :
“Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the
whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side
according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side
according to it.”
Even the prodigal son knew well enough to ask for his share of his father’s
property before spending it ( Luke 15 : 12 ). Today, some children either
neglect their parents or fast-track their death so that they can have faster
access to their wealth. Doing such is murder and robbery! No doubt, the
blessing will surely turn into a curse. Children, as long as you live with your
parents, totally submit to them like Jesus did. Never take anything that
belongs to them without their willing consent. Also, do not threaten them to
accede your request.
ACTION POINT :
Return all that you have taken without the consent of the rightful owners
from today.
# AUTHOR_Pst_E_A_ADEBOYE .
READ : GENESIS 49 : 3 – 4.
3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength,
the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:
4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy
father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR : EZRA 8 : 24 – 10 : 44 AND JOHN 6 : 25 – 51.
MESSAGE
One commandment that God gave to the children of Israel in the wilderness,
which is still very relevant to us today, is the commandment not to steal
( Exodus 20 : 15 ). Stealing can occur physically, in the realm of the soul and
spiritually. Physical stealing can further be classified as stealing from man and
stealing from God ( Malachi 3 : 8 ). To steal is to take another person’s
property without their consent or approval, particularly with the intention of
not returning it. As a growing child, teenager or youth, if you take your
parent’s money without their consent, you are a thief. Some youths will say
“Whatever belongs to my father belongs to me. I should be free to take any of
his things whenever I like.” No sir! Your parents have plans for all that they
have. Taking their things without their approval can destabilise some of those
plans. It can also inflict pain, sorrow and untold hardship on your parents. A
child who is well brought up will ask his or her parents for what they want and
give them the opportunity to approve or deny the request. The right rule to live
by is: anything your parents are not ready to give you must not be taken. If
you take it, you are a thief and not better than any robber out there.
Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, slept with Bilhah his father’s concubine on his
father’s bed ( Genesis 35 : 22 ). According to their tradition, after his father’s
death, he could have inherited her as the firstborn, but he could not wait for
his time. Jacob kept quiet about this when he heard it. Reuben did not realise
that Jacob knew, and he did not restitute. Eventually, when it was time to
receive the generational blessing, Reuben was cursed and his destiny was
thwarted ( Genesis 49 : 3 – 4 ). A curse awaits children who steal from their
parents. Zechariah 5 : 3 says :
“Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the
whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side
according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side
according to it.”
Even the prodigal son knew well enough to ask for his share of his father’s
property before spending it ( Luke 15 : 12 ). Today, some children either
neglect their parents or fast-track their death so that they can have faster
access to their wealth. Doing such is murder and robbery! No doubt, the
blessing will surely turn into a curse. Children, as long as you live with your
parents, totally submit to them like Jesus did. Never take anything that
belongs to them without their willing consent. Also, do not threaten them to
accede your request.
ACTION POINT :
Return all that you have taken without the consent of the rightful owners
from today.
# AUTHOR_Pst_E_A_ADEBOYE .
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