The Danger of Stealing Devoted Things by Rev'd Adeola

Yeah, welcome back. In the name of Jesus.

I pray that, by the mercy of God, this year

we speak favor into our lives in the name of Jesus.

This year, by the grace of God, has been declared

our year of enlargement. And we says so be enlarged

in the name of Jesus Christ. And I want to

believe that we're all ready for enlargement. He's already beginning

with me. Don't be left behind, don't be left behind.

May the Lord count us worthy. In the name of

Jesus Christ. Father, we thank you for another time of

exploring your word. Lord, we ask for understanding, we ask

for revelation. Let your word come with power. In the

name of Jesus. Lord, we pray there will be powerful

declaration of your world this morning in the name of Jesus,

and hearts will be turned to you in the mighty

name of Jesus. Thank you, Lord, because you are good.

In Jesus blessed name, we pray.

Amen.

I want to talk this morning about the dangers of

stealing devoted things, the dangers of stealing devoted things, dangers

of stealing devoted things. I'll be taking my Bible reading

from the Book of Joshua, chapter four, No. Chapter seven, Sorry,

Joshua chapter seven. The dangers of stealing devoted things Joshua

chapter seven, Joshua, chapter seven.

This is what the Bible says.

But the children of Israel acted unfaithfully concerning the accursed thing.

For Akan, the son of Kamai, the son of Zabdai,

the son of Zirah, of the tribe of Judah, took

some of the accused thing, and the anger of the

Lord burned against the children of Israel. And Joshua sent

men from Jericho to Ai, which is near beth even

on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying,

go up and look at the land. And the men

went up and looked at Ai. And they returned to

josh you are and said to him, don't have all

the people go up, but I have about two or

three thousand men go up and attack Ai. And do

not make all the people toil up there, for their

few in number. That was the report of those that

were sent to go and explore the land. By their statement,

Does this suggest too much confidence?

Right?

He suggests too much confidence. These people are they are

there are few. Just send few people, not plenty people.

The question again is this, did Joshua consult God before

taking this decision? No, because later on, if you go

to chapter eight, Versus one and three, the Bible gives

us understanding about that. All right, let's proceed verse four.

So about three thousand men from the people went up there,

and they fled before the men of Ai, and the

men of Ai struck down among them about thirty six men.

For they chased them from in front of the gates

of Shebarim and struck them in the descent there. So

the hearts of the people melted and became like water,

the same people they had looked down on, and they said, no,

don't send too many people, just sent few people. And

now these people have defeated them.

What happened?

It can't sin resulted in humilating the people because something

had happened in this one. You remember body cheer drain

of Israel acted on faithfully. Is that also, but that

they were not aware of what has actually happened.

Let's go on six, the Bible.

Says, and Joshua tow his clothes and prostrated himself on

his face before the act of the Lord until evening,

both he and the elders of Israel, and they put

dost on their heads. So tearing off clothes, falling prostrates,

and sprinkling dost are evidence of their or dismay. They

are just, you know, they're not happy about what has

happened to them, these seven. And Joshua said, Alas, Oh Lord,

why did you ever bring these people over the Jordan

to deliver us into the ends of the Amorites?

To destroy us? Would to God we.

Had been content and stayed on the other side of

the Jordan. All God, what shall I say when Israel

turns their bags before their enemies, For the can and

knights and all the inhabitants of the land, we hear

of it, and we surround us and caught our name

off from the earth. And what will you do for

your great name? Does that sound very familiar? Does that

sound very familiar? Tell somebody that is sleeping by your

side that the person should wake up. It's too early

to sleep. It's only those who have taken brupoo to

that sleep in the morning like this. Only those who

are lazy, they're sleep in the morning. The night is

the time for sleeping. Don't sleep in church. If you're

sleeping in church, you are wrong. Open your eyes and

look at me this year. If I see anybody sleeping,

God has given me mandates. I will walk to you

and I'll give you mike. Tell me the last thing

I said, or you stand up for the rest of

the service.

Amen. Amen.

Because the Kingdom of God is not of bread and butter.

It's not for sleeping. We are sleeping too much. And

that's why the devil keeps coming to steal our blessings away.

So don't sleep, all right, They love blessing Jesus name.

Look at the message. Look at what Joshua. After they've

been defeated, and Joshua went back to God. Ah, God,

what is this that has happened to us?

Why? People will see and they will say this, they

will say that. And he started complaining.

But look at the response of God, and the lost

said to Joshua, get up, my friend.

What is wrong with you? Why are you lying like

this on your face?

Israel has sinned, and there I've broken my covenant which

I commanded them for. They have taken some of the

accursed thing and have stolen and also used deception, and

they have put it among their things. Israel has done it,

but it was only one man that did it. It

was only one man that did it. But when one

man seen, don't forget the danger of taking or stealing

devoted things, the danger of stealing devoted things, go to Joshah.

Get up.

When you steal something that has been devoted to God,

it is a course in your hand. It is a course.

It is a course. You don't need anybody to curse you. No,

it is a course for something to have been dedicated

onto God, and you steal.

It, it is a curse.

Therefore, verse twelve, the children of Israel would not stand

before their enemies.

It's a course.

You can never stand before your enemies because you have

stolen what has been dedicated onto God.

But turned their.

Backs before their enemies because they were accursed. And I

will not be with you anymore unless you destroy. They

are cursed among you. So what you have stolen becomes

curse to you? Are you yourself? You are a curse?

And so God is saying they must destroy they are

cursed from among them before God will be able to

relate with them again. The question is this, are there

things with you that are dedicated to God that you

have stolen. It's a course you can never enjoy peace.

But you see that also affect the entire community. H

anything like that that is done, it affects the entire community,

the entire family. We go through it even though you're

not aware of what has actually happened.

Let's read further. There's fourteen.

Therefore, in the money, you shall be brought near according

to your tribes. Then it shall be that the tribe

which the Lord takes shall approach according to its families.

And the family which the Lord takes.

Shall approach by households, and the household which the Lord

texts shall approach man by man.

And it is to be like this. The one who

is caught with.

A cursed thing shall be burned in the fire he

and all that he has, because he has broken the

covenant of the Lord, and because he has done a

disgraceful thing in Israel. So Joshua got off, heally in

the money and brought Israel by their tribes. And the

tribe of Judah was taken, and it brought the family

of family of Judah.

And he took the family.

Of Zahids, and it brought the family of the Zahids

man by man, and Zabdai was taken, and it brought

his household man by man, and Aikan, the son of Camai,

the son of Zabdai, the son of Zirah, of the

tribe of Judah.

Was taken.

So when somebody steals something that has been dedicated to God,

what should be done?

Action must be taken.

And Joshua said to Akhan, my son, please give glory

to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to him,

and tell me now what you have done. Do not

hide it from me. Confession and repentance was the only

hope for Aca. That was the only hope for Aca.

Confession and repentance. Verse twenty says and Acan answered, Joshua answered, yes.

I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel. And

this is what I have done.

When I saw among the plunder a fine Babylonian garment

and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of

gold fifty shekels in wait, then I vetted them and

took them. And look they're hiding in the ground in

the middle of my tent, and the silver is under it.

So Joshua sent messengers and they ran to the tent,

and there it was hiding in his tent, and the

silver was under it. And they took them from the

middle of the tent and brought them to Joshua and

to all the children of Israel, and laid them out

before the Lord. And Joshua and all Israel within took

a khan, the son of Ziral, and the silver and

the garment, and the bar of God, and his sons,

and his daughters, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and

his shape, and his tent, and all that he had,

and they brought them to the valley of Ako. Some

people need to be sent to the value of Ako.

It's a place of judgment. And Joshua said, why have

you troubled us? For every man and every woman who's still,

and I cast thing, anything that is devoted to God

is the troubler of Israel. And the Lord will not

hold his peace on ef it troubles the life of

that person. Why have you troubled us today? The LOVEE

would trouble you? And all Israel stoned in with stones

and burned in there with fire. After they stoned then

with stones, every member of his family, every member of

his family, just because he took.

What belongs to the Lord, everything there.

If you go back to chapter six, it was an

account of how the children of Israel went into Babylon.

And everything that was there.

Don't take anything, don't go day destroy the moment you

take it, it has become a curse. And because what

you have taken is a course. You yourself, you are

a course. And because you are a curse, your entire

family is a curse. And there shall be no peace.

And you have become a trouble. And Joshua said, why

have you troubled us?

Today?

The Lord will trouble you. Look at this twenty six

And they raised over him a great heap of stones.

They are there to this day. So the Lord turned

from the fierceness of his anger. Therefore the name of

that place has been called the Valley of Acon.

To this day.

Made the Lord bless and had many to his word

in our hearts in Jesus name. Just at the close

of twenty twenty four, one of our big churches in

town suddenly, if I mentioned the name of the church,

many of us know it because we have gone there

for a session and even conference meetings there.

It is not like.

This our own area here fenced with security and everything.

And somehow these.

Are big churches. Their keyboard is not the type of

our own keybody. Their keyboards are authentic. We are getting

there in Jesus name.

And behold, some accost people.

Found their ways into that household, and I think they

took two keyboards out of the church. There were security

men inside the place. They have sensatively in the church.

They were just unable to explain how the keyboards will

move out of the church when it is possible, you know,

sometimes there can be miracles par from one eye and

the keyboards who just developed legs and once they step

out running wings, we just come and you'll just fly away.

But somehow the things disappeared from the church.

There's another church.

At on the way to Worry area, the Baptist church too.

The keyboard decide to leave the church too. That's interesting,

you know.

I've shared several times that in our mother church, the

way the doors are opened like this, even during COVID nineteen,

and there's always prayer of thanksgiving saying that God we

have never closed the door of the church. In fact,

to a greater extent, if He ask them where's the

key to this door? They will tell you they don't

know where the key is. They will have to go

and search for where the keys are. Because the doors

are always opened like this. They may be closed, but

once you go there, you open. People come there to

pray and do anything. But today the story has changed.

The story has changed just between the last few days

of last year up until now. Once the church is

not in service, they close all the doors, lock it

and leave only one door which the securities can see

them see Whoether is going in and Whoather's going coming out.

About two years ago, just about the time I came

into this church, these fans, there used to be three

of them. Right, we're not even using this one. This

one wasn't good enough. You all remember now there was

one that was always placed here. Then we heard about

eight new cheers that someone donated to the church that

was to be used in the children's department during the week.

Because the keys then was always left by the guest

room of the mission house. I was in here so

anybody could come. People come for other people come for

different things. And all of a sudden, by the time

we came on Sunday, my attention was called that the

eight cheers had been missing, and we thought it was

only the eight chase. Later on we discovered that one

of the fans was missing again, and one of our

children around said he saw somebody he identified. She identified

the person. I said, we saw this person carrying the cheers.

But for that young lady, she didn't think that there

were things from the church. But those things moved out

of the church. But of course, but you know how

we responded to it that time.

Right.

Remember, I wasn't sure whether the where the person will

took kid, but the person was coming to church. But

after that incident, the person disappeared from the church. So

that gave me an impression that possibly this person has

taken it. But I didn't talk to anybody, but I

came to the altar on that day because the Bible

say vengeance is mine. I say, Lord, according to your word,

arise and do that which only you can do. On

this matter. I leave it. And that was how we

concluded it. We didn't see anything, and we let go

the past as the church grown further than that. After that,

God gave us this other cheers, and we have more cheers,

and the Lord is blessing the church. But I tell

you what the person has not seen. Well, look at

this account. Ye, there's a course that is placed on

anyone who takes that which is dedicated to God. Let

me pick out some points from this. What was the

nature of he Can sing? He Can took a beautiful

role from Babylonia, two undress, shekels of silver, a bar

of gold. These items were supposed to be devoted to

the Lord, as instructed. So if you go to Josha

chapter six, eighteen to nineteen, you'll see that instruction there.

His action was not just theft, but a violation of

a direct command from God. It wasn't just that he

was stealing. It was an act of disobedience, So it

disobeyed God. First Samuel chapter fifteen, twenty two to twenty three.

The Bible says it is better to obey the Lord

than any form of sacrifice. And that scene was a

scene of conveciousness, and it is evident from the command

of God. In Exodus chapter twenty, verse seventeen, it Can's

desire for material wealth led him to sin. In that

Exodus twenty seventeen, the Bible wants us against converting what

belongs to others that such desires can lead to further transgressions.

The consequence of a Can's sin was not limited to himself.

Do you notice that, Because that's the effect, right, that's

the effect. So we see the nature of a can

sin and number two we see the effect of acan sin.

The effect is that when you take that which has

been devoted onto the Lord, it is not only you

that we bear the consequence. You know that if a

Can had not died and the entire family at that time,

it would have become a generational course upon that entire

lineage everybody, and a course would have been placed on

that family. But you would think that, I know, but

it's not just stealing? Is just stealing you just like

in Nigeria, Eh, the problem we have. This is just

one of the problems we have in Nigeria. Somebody steals

five narra in gurga market and they say the person

is a thief. But somebody is stealing five billion, hundred

billions of naira and they say the person is corrupt.

That one is corruption, but this other one is tiffin.

A fief is a thief, whatever name you call it.

Whenever you take what does not belong to you you.

Are a thief.

And that is not about his family alone. That affected

the entire community. They were to go for a battle.

Look at God used them just in chapter six they

were able to crush Babylon in chapter six.

Now they went to meet a place.

Like Krasanah and Karssana just finished them.

Ah evil spirits.

And rather than Joshua going to God and asking God, Lord,

why what has happened?

And this and this?

And he went there, God, if you allow this thing

to happen like this, these people we turn back, let

them come back, And God says, stand up, get up,

what's wrong with you?

Go and.

Face this situation, and don't be a child. They lost

God's favor. It was favor of God that they'd been

enjoying where they were going on their battles. In our

lives and even in the year twenty twenty five, we

are on the journey to the promised land. But on

this journey to the promised land of our lives, if

there are entanglements, things that are not pleasing to God

that we have done, but our actions, these things may

make us to fall out of favol with God. In

the third place, can you see Let's see how they

undoed this matter the process of dealing with sin in

the community of faith. We see them dealing with that

sin and Joshua chapter seven outlines these steps taken. One

of the things they did was that joshuas sought for

God's guidance. Lord, what has happened? So we seek God's guidance.

This is very important. It's the very first step that

we must seek. James Chapter one, verse five encourages us

to ask God for wisdom in dealing with challenges of life.

Number two step was that they identified the scene.

What exactly was that saying?

And they started calling family by family, you know, you know,

from tribe to clan to family and every member of

that family, and they were coming out. Well, you know,

when I got to that place, I was just asking myself.

God knew it was Acan, now, didn't he? He knew

it was Acan, and he could have just told Joshua, say,

Acan is the problem. But God decided to follow that route.

Look at the next step, confrontation and confession. Joshua confronted.

Joshua confronted Akra. There is one evil that is going

on in the church, and I want to beggars in

Shiloh Baptist Church. If we must make progress as a church,

let us kick out that evil. If you see somebody

committing evil, a member of Shilo Baptist Church called the

person's attention to it, it's important. If not, when the

repercussion comes, you're going to be a part of it.

I've been saying this and I will not cease to

say it because I know gambling is against the mandate

of God.

If you are a gambler, you are you are a cost.

If you're a member of Chilo Baptist Church, please don't gamble.

Don't patronize Niger bed I beg you. Every morning I

come to this place to pray, and I pray for

every member of this church. And as I pray, that

prayer will never be answered on you. If you are

a gambler, forget it. If you're patronizing, bye bad Jabo,

forget it. You are a course already. Every prayer I

offer here turns to cost when it comes to your

own side.

Don't do it.

I beg you. I beg you. I beg you. Don't

do it. Confront the matter and say it. But you

know others are doing it. You are not others levels day.

If you know you have destiny, you have something that

you are pursuing in life. Got yourself away from those nonsense.

Get serious with your life this and new year. It

is God's grace that has brought you to this year.

That's why the pipes says, shall we continue saying that

the grace of God may abound? God forbid, how can

we remove this scene? Look at the judgment that they

give this man. You should have told him, what did

you trouble us? Go, we'll trouble you. And they brought

every one of them out. See God is merciful. That's

where we're studying in the Sunday school this morning. It's

very merciful. But don't forget anger and raph This one

is rough, Eh, this one is rough. He's not anger.

Whatever you are doing. You remember last year, before we closed

the year, we had a message from the Book of

Malachi Roberts in the church. Those who are robbers in

the church, they're in the categories of acan.

Don't do it.

They were to remove that scene, and they did it.

Seems to be ash punishment, but that's the exactly work God.

In fact, there was a time that God was angry

with the people of Israel.

And right there.

Phineas, one of the children of.

Error.

Why, God was scolding them, and he sent Moses to

go and talk to the people of Israel. Lo and behold,

a man went to bring another falling woman and bringing

just right in front of the people like this, carrying.

The girl to his house.

Ah, Phineas got angry, anger of the Lord, only anger,

and he went into that tent and he pained the

two of them to the ground.

And that was when the anger of God seized immediately

over the people. The more we can.

Those sing among us in twenty twenty five, we cannot

move forward.

Our life would be a shadow of itself.

That is the point. But particularly, don't steal an anything

in the church. Please, if you have ever done it,

I plead with you today return it.

Let me wrap up.

What are the lessons here for us as Christians.

Number one is.

That stealing of dedicated items in the church. It is serious,

It is serious, It is serious.

And the impact.

Number two, the results is not going to be on

you alone, is going to.

Touch your family.

It may not come immediately, but I can tell you

you're under divine course. Number Three, the importance of aordiness

and purity. The church is called to be holy. If

you go to the Book of Hospital chapter one, fifteen

to sixteen, the Bible is clear dealing with saying swiftly

and biblically is necessary to maintain.

The sanctity of the church.

You know, when you preach this kind of message I'm preaching,

it doesn't go well in the community. You know, no,

But we're not preparing ourselves for here. We are preparing

ourselves for eternity. And I've said it several times. The

day you die and you are lying on this table

last day, and then people start saying, ah, she was nice,

he was nice, he used to do good and all

of those ones. But by God's standard, you are nowhere

to be defined. Sorry, because we are a human being,

and because of emotion, we go carry your body, brings

inside church. We will do service and carry go and

throw you away and that will be the end. And

after that what happens. It is appointed onto man who

wants to die. After death, judgment I won't be there,

You won't be there, but the others won't be there.

Judge will lay you, amend your way, adjust yourself. God

has beautiful plan for our lives. There's also room for reconciliation.

Eh.

The mercy of God endals forever.

I want to beg somebody, if by chance you have

something that belongs to the church in your study, please

release it. Don't take it. If you see anybody doing that,

please tell the person.

Don't do it. Return it.

The story of Akhan is a reminder of the consequence

of stealing what is devoted to God.

It has great impact upon our lives.

It may not be obvious, it may not be shown

to everybody, but you see, you will pray for breakthrough.

You will pray for breakthrough in your life, and that

breakthrough will never come. The story of a young man

was told to me that the young man how to

go and work somewhere in a house that belonged to

a pastor. And in that house, that young man stole

something in the house of the pastor. And the pastor

knew that it was one of those who came to

work in his house, and he confronted, then, who stole

this thing?

Bring it.

Even if the man of God did not place a

course upon that life, there's already a cause. And a

man of God prayed and I'm praying for deliverance for

that young man. I am praying for deliverance for that

young man. I wish I could see that man of

God and just plead with him to please pray, because

obviously it was this man, but he denied it. For

some times it can be very easy, simple, but some

other time can be very destructive. I want to plead

with us, please let's abstain from those things. I want

to close this way. What I've expressed today in this

light of the world is something that has just happened

in Shilou Baptist Church. It has repeated itself again just

about the close of twenty twenty four, and steps were

taken for restoration. Steps were taken for restoration. Some of

the items were returned when the person was confronted, some

of the items were not returned.

What a question is this?

This is a family of love, isn't it.

It's a family of love. Fine, okay, it's a mistake.

And what I did. I spoke with the person. I

went to the person's house. I sent people to the person.

I spoke about it in the council. I sent some

elders to the house. Even as of yesterday, there was

someone who called on this person, and the person said,

I have returned those things, whereas those things have not

been returned.

What should we do?

I said, Church, should we allow things like this happen? No,

the Church must not condone.

What is wrong.

There must be a difference between church and the world.

That is the point. The Bible says, whoever cover up insane,

what will happen?

We not prosper.

And I've decided to bring this world today because I

was seeking the face of God. Lord, how else do

you want to handle this? This is not right, But

I'm limited. I'm a servant of God. I can't use

my mouth. I can use this altar of God dedicated

to God to raise any course, I will not do it.

I can only one.

I remember that last year the world of God is

that it is time for us to build standards, to

solidify the foundation that God is creating in Shilo Baptist Church.

Church.

This is my plea this morning. I want name and shame,

but this is what I want to do. I just

want us to offer prayer of mercy for this person

and for everyone that is in this kind of act.

It is dangerous, it is dangerous. It is dangerous. It

is dangerous.

Can we just take a moment, Church, Let's just bow

down and just pray and ask God for messy for

this man.

That God we have mercy on.

Him for everything that we do. The results we come,

whether sooner or later, it will come. The judgment we come.

But can we just pray that God we have mercy

and God we grant this person a heart to repent.

It cannot, It does not pay to continue in this

raw out. It saddens the.

Heart of God.

And as a judge, we must not continue to allow this.

God is not looking for people that is going to destroy.

It's looking for people who are willing to surrender to

Him and said send me. Can we pray that God

we grant this brother the heart of repentance.

In Jesus' name. We pray, Father, who pray that this

word will not return to you void until it accomplishes

the purpose for which you have sent it.

In the name of Jesus.