Discontentment/it takes a thief
Exodus 20:15
Who has told a lie? – What does that make you? – a liar
Who has ever stolen anything? – How am I supposed to believe you; you just told me that you were a liar?
Who is guilty of the former 7 commands?
We learn to steal early in life – a small child screaming “MINE, MINE” (From Bill Cosby’s skit)
“It takes a thief” is a series of years gone by but I want us to use it this morning to make a point:
The last 4 of the 10 commandments deal with our discontentment with that which we have:
· not content with the one you’re with
[Song by Steven Stills: “Love the one you’re with” – “if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, then love the one you’re with”]
· not content with what you have – so you will steal
· not content with who your neighbors are so you will “bear false witness against him/her”
· not content with what you see others with so you will covet what they have
This has cost a lot of social ills & personal grief/pain
1Timothy 6:6-11
I want to look at 3 things this morning – concerning being discontent – for it affects:
1) The priorities that you have
2) The provisions God has given
3) The pain it causes
1) The priorities that you have?
How does God want us to get STUFF?
a) Work.
Ephesians 4:28, “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needs.”
Make money (not in your own printing press – that also is not legal) and buy the STUFF.
b) Make it.
You can farm, cook, or be a “furniture maker.”
c) Investment.
Matthew 25:20-21, “And so he that had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, Lord, you delivered unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter into the joy of your lord.”
d) Inherited.
Proverbs 8:21, “That I may cause those that love me to inherit wealth; and I will fill their treasuries.”
e) Divine providence.
Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

How can a person steal?

a) Thief.
“From old English to crouch, one who takes illegally, by secret, or stealthily” (Webster). This is a sneak thief, or burglar.
b) Robbery or mugging. To take illegally by force.
Luke 10:30, “And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.”
c) Seizure. Using without permission, taking company assets, using and abusing another’s possession, etc
d) Deceit.
“The Lord hates dishonest scales and dishonest weights” (Proverbs 20:23).
· Mechanics charging for work not done,
· adding to expenses,
· false advertising,
· false claims,
· exaggerations,
· selling a person something he/she does not need, or should not have,
· Promises you cannot keep.
· Selling something that is no good - EBay
e) Defraud. “To deprive of something by deception; the old English word means to cheat.” (Webster).
To withhold something rightfully due - If you don’t pay a debt on time, you defraud and not allow them the use of their money, i.e., stole capital or interest for 120 days.
f) Also, not giving employer eight hours of work for eight hours of pay.

If someone steals from you; what do they steal?
a) Your use of the possession.
b) Your time and talents to acquire the possession.
c) Your reputation and respect is identified with your possession.
d) Your love and passion.
e) Your dreams and hopes,
f) They steal your future.
g) Your ability to worship and serve God for it
h) Your ability to use it to become better and stronger.

How do you feel when something is stolen?
a) Angry, because we are possessive.
b) Violated, because someone took part of your life.
c) Hurt, because you need it or miss it.
d) Confused, you don’t know what to do.

I think it was D.L. Moody that said, after an encounter with a thief: “I’m thankful. That though he took all my money, I am thankful he didn’t take my ability to make money. Though he took my wallet, I am thankful he didn’t take my life… I am thankful I am not the thief.”

2) The provisions God has given
Why is discontentment such a problem?
I’m not talking about replacing something that is:
· outdated
· old and broken
· worn out
I’m primarily talking about being discontent with life itself as it pertains to you:
A) The priorities you’ve made for you and your family
When life comes at you; it comes at you wide open and the devil will try to derail you with discontentment
[Train on a track – one destination – something about a train; it must stay on the tracks for it to get anywhere and anywhere safely]
B) The provisions God has given
Being discontent says that “I am not satisfied with what God has chosen to give me therefore I will do better” and therefore it stirs up something inside that robs us of our thankfulness for what He has given

3) The pain that it causes
C) The pain it causes
a) because it leads to stealing - Stealing harms a person internally, i.e., discouragement, gives up, vengeful, rage,
Why are discontentment/stealing so damaging?
b) We are made in the image of God,
Ill. Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. 
When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You’d better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.'
Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.'
When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change.'
The driver, with a smile, replied, ‘Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship.  I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change.  I'll see you at church on Sunday.'
When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, ‘Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.’
We are made in God’s image; and if a person would steal from us, he/she would steal from God.
c) Not paying tithe.
Malachi 3:8-9, “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, How have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse: for you have robbed me, even this whole nation.”
Discontentment causes one to think that “it is all up to him/her to provide for themselves that which they need/want” -- but that is God’s job.
It also make one think that they can also work their way into heaven for they have made it thus far – plan of salvation