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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-01-10, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013. By Pastor Andrew Versteeg Brussels Community Bible Chapel This winter I have undertaken a renovation project in the house where I used to live. We are trying to sell the house so we thought we would fix it up a bit to make it a little more presentable and useable. I took most of my tools to the house and started to get into the work. About three weeks ago I went over one evening to finish a closet in a bedroom, and what do you know, my cordless drill and a good drill set were missing. Someone had been in the house the day before and had stolen my drill. Immediately a number of different emotions welled up inside of me. The first feeling I had was that I had been violated. Someone had taken something from me that I had bought, which I had selected because I liked it and because it was good and necessary for the work I was doing. Two-and-half years ago, when we got married, I had asked for some carpentry tools and we had used some of our wedding gift money to buy this drill. So in a real way this drill was a part of me and someone had taken it. Then I was angry. I thought about who might have done this and different scenarios played themselves out in my mind as I imagined what I might have done if I had walked in on the thief. I was discouraged and wondered why God had allowed this to happen to me. I was also thankful that it was only my drill. Some of you reading this have had a similar experience but you have lost a lot more. Insurance helps but it does not help so much with the sentimental and personal side of things. This experience has made me think about this subject of stealing. What is thievery? Are the people who break into houses, businesses and cars the only thieves in our society? What motivates thievery? These are questions that we need to answer and that I need to answer before I start throwing stones at the guy who stole my drill. What is thievery? Thievery is taking something that belongs to another. It can refer to something that is either in their possession or that is rightfully theirs and owed to them. This includes a lot more than stealing things like drills. What about things like slandering or saying what is false about others? What about laziness at the work place, or not paying taxes where they are legally due? What about when we fail to give the proper care to those who need us like our children or our elderly parents? Sexual seduction is thievery. Deception in all its forms is thievery. Much more can be added to this list, but when we stop and think about it we are all guilty in some form of the sin of thievery. What motivates thievery? Selfishness. At the root of all thievery is a very ugly thing that we are all plagued with, and that is selfishness. We rob people of their things, of their time, of the love we should give them, because we are selfish. We want things for ourselves, we think we deserve what we want, and we violate and rob other people to get what we want. The Scriptures teach us that this sin is rooted in our hearts. It is who we are and it is in our very nature. Jesus said, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). Ultimately thievery is an affront to God. When we violate each other we sin against God who has created us. God has promised to bless us and provide for us if we will trust Him and obey Him in our lives. Thievery is saying to God, “I don’t trust You. I will get what I want by doing things my own way.” It is such an affront to God that He says that no thief will enter His kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). How do we make things right after we have stolen? We do it by confession and restitution. We need to ask for forgiveness and where possible pay back what we have taken. We need to recognize before God that this sin is in our hearts and will bring His just judgment upon us. God will forgive and more than that He will give us a new heart that will honour Him and love Him and out of that love actually desire to obey Him. And more than that even, He will give to us His Holy Spirit to enable us to overcome the sin in our lives and obey Him. There was a time in my life when I used to steal but when I became a Christian and experienced the grace of God for myself, I was filled with a desire to give that same kind of grace to those around me. God has forgiven me, a thief. Since He has done that greater thing, how can I not do the lesser thing and forgive those who have stolen from me? THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N. huronchapel.org We Like To Get Together Outside Of Church Too. Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate W e Like TW o Gee T To Of Church T ogetet T To ohurch T To ogether Outside oo. ogether Outside Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate Last Saturday Skating, Playing Games and Drinking Hot Chocolate You’re Invited To Join Us In Worship SUNDAYS Morning Service 10:00 am Evening Service 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH Interim Minister: Pastor Gary Klumpenhower 519-523-9233 Hwy. 4, Blyth 519-523-4743 www.blythcrc.ca MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS Rev. Elwin Garland SUNDAY, JANUARY 13 Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available 519-887-9017 10:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship - Sunday School 250 Princess St., Brussels 519-887-6388 www.bmfchurch.com Pastor Jim Whitehead Guests Welcome Jesus Is Lord! Brussels Mennonite Fellowship Worship Service 10:00 am Sunday School 11:15 am Worship Service & Sunday School at 11 a.m. CORNER OF DINSLEY & MILL STREETS MINISTER Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. All Welcome MUSIC DIRECTOR Floyd Herman, BA, M. Ed.OFFICE: 519-523-4224 JANUARY 13th ~ Get the Scoop: Who Got Dunked and Who Got Drunk, pt. 1 JANUARY 20th ~ Get the Scoop: Who Got Dunked and Who Got Drunk, pt. 2 Youre Invited to come worship with us Sunday, January 13 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 11 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173getlivingwater.org Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848 Living Water Christian Fellowship Evangelical Missionary Church 10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School Wingham Bible Study - Tuesdays 7:30 pm Youth Group - Tuesdays 7:30 pm (at CRC) Women At The Well - 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 7:30 pm at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) February 17: Special Guests - Teen Challenge Farm, London Jan. 13: Isaiah 43:1-7 God’s Support & Protection through Flood & Fire BRUSSELS Sandra Cable, Pastor Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - beunitedchurch@gmail.com SUNDAY SERVICE 11:00 am Sunday School Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship United Church From the Minister’s StudyThievary: taking the religious approach NOT SO LITTLE! Over the years many people have complimented The Citizen as “a nice little paper”. Today The Citizen is #3 in paid circulation of the 8 newspapers serving Huron County. The Citizen Proudly Community-Owned Since 1985