In his sermon titled 'Stealing From Yourself,' Mike Davenport explores the commandment 'you shall not steal' from Exodus 20:15, emphasizing that it extends beyond interpersonal interactions to include how individuals can steal from themselves. He identifies two primary ways people steal from themselves: by neglecting the needs of their body and by neglecting the needs of their soul. The sermon underscores the importance of recognizing our dependence on God for necessities like food and sleep, citing biblical passages such as Psalm 127 and Luke 11:3. Davenport also discusses the spiritual implications of neglecting the soul, using the metaphor of a muck rake from Pilgrim's Progress to illustrate the danger of prioritizing earthly possessions over spiritual wealth. He warns against the temptation of worldly distractions that can lead to spiritual neglect, urging listeners to heed the teachings of Christ, who emphasized the eternal value of the soul over material gains. The sermon concludes by encouraging believers to persevere in their faith and embrace the eternal life and rest offered by Jesus.

Well, we return again to our study In the commandments of our God in Exodus 20, 15, all of these taken by themselves are sometimes short, but it simply says, you shall not steal. Now our our first consideration of this text centered around the application of the commandment in the following five areas stealing in relation to our neighbor stealing in relation to our spouse stealing in relation to the authorities in our life stealing in relation to the Lord and stealing in relation to the church. Now before we leave this commandment I would like to address this afternoon one more area and that is stealing in relation to yourself, stealing in relation to yourself. And so that's the subject of this afternoon, stealing from yourself. Now, the concept of stealing from oneself is actually a well accepted concept.

I just went online to see what would you find and an online search for that topic it yields many results to articles and to studies that seek to establish the idea that you owe it to yourself to be happy and To enjoy the here and now That's what it's focused on It's actually quite frankly a deep dive into selfishness and narcissism and I can assure you that this message is not centered around those ideas and concepts. However, I do hope to convince you in the minutes before is that the concept of stealing from yourself is a concept that's rightly deduced from the teaching of scripture. I propose to you that you can steal from yourself at least in the following two areas. That you can steal from yourself in relation to your body and you can steal from yourself in relation to your soul. Now to understand these concepts correctly, I ask you to recall what we've already sought to define in this stealing in our earlier message.

That stealing is not simply, it can be, but it's not simply the taking of something that's possessed by another, but also it's the withholding of that which is due or owed to them. It is that latter use that comes into play in our consideration this afternoon. There are certain things that our body and our soul are owed, the necessities that are due to them. And so as to couch that particular meaning into what I am seeking to convey, I want to use those these two headings as we move forward. First, stealing by neglecting the needs of the body, and then stealing by neglecting the needs of the soul.

And I plan to touch upon the first of these and then spend the greater portion of our time on the latter. So first consider with me stealing by neglecting the needs of the body. God has created us to be dependent creatures. He has created us in a manner that we need certain things to live and to function. The greatest of these I think are food and sleep.

Our bodies need food. You have a dirty table in front of you sitting where you are at the moment from having just had lunch. We need food. We recognize that need. In Psalm 127 to the scripture teaches us that it is vain to think that we can fulfill our duties without sleep, to think that it ultimately depends on us to act as if we are independent and not in need of God.

We need God for both food and sleep. And so we read in Psalm 127, he gives, he gives his beloved sleep. As for God himself, he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. God does not have the need that He created us to have.

And both the necessity itself and our acknowledgement of our need, it actually glorifies God. Do you understand that? It defines who we are, what we're in need of, and our dependence on Him who doesn't need what we need but can also give that to us. As for our need for food, Luke 11 3 sets before us Jesus' teaching to His very disciples. He told them to pray, our Father in heaven give us again those words give us give give us day by day our daily bread in both of these instances it is God who gives If God is willing and ready to grant us that which He created our bodies to need, how can we justify first not praying for the fulfilling of that need, but secondly also not using these very blessings which he himself has established his true needs and is so ready to grant.

I propose to you that to neglect these needs or to treat them as unneeded, it's actually to steal from your own body that which it is due. And it is to ignore how God made us and how he fashioned us as dependent creatures. Now having said that several qualifying observations have to be stated at this point. I'm sure your mind is probably running to some of these maybe others. I won't name first the scriptures give us multiple warnings about our propensity to treat these needs in an unbiblical or Unbalanced fashion Okay, the scriptures teach us that our propensity to think about these things unbiblically or in an unbalanced fashion.

The book of Proverbs, For instance, warns of an inordinate love for and partaking of sleep and food. Paul warns the Philippians that many walk of whom I have told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things." So the Scriptures warn us against that propensity for us to make these an idol, really, food or sleep. Second, there are seasons and circumstances where it is acceptable or even appropriate to forego some measure of food or sleep. There are seasons or circumstances where it is acceptable or even appropriate, Such as the day of fasting that we had just two Wednesdays ago in terms of food or Or maybe you know tomorrow morning. We have our men's Bible study at six o'clock and if you're like me, we go, we forgo a lot of times that little extra hour or so of sleep to be here.

It's good, it's appropriate for us to do that. Third, the third qualifying observation, The needs of the body are not to consume our thoughts and our agenda. Okay, we have these needs. We need to recognize these needs, but they should not consume our thoughts or agendas. The needs of the soul, which is our next point, far exceed the needs of our body we must seek to maintain the biblical priority that the lord jesus gave these very things in matthew five or matthew six rather he says, Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life.

What you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on, is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. Therefore do not worry saying, what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear? For after all of these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly father knows what? That you need all these things But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you It's not that we just do without.

It's not that the Lord just knows, you don't really have to have those things, but we shouldn't be preoccupied with them. Now before we move on to the next point, I would like for us to consider one text that will be helpful for us as we seek biblical balance and a proper application. So look with me at Mark 6, Mark chapter 6. We have a little section here between probably more well-known sections of this context here, But in Mark chapter 6 verses 30 to 32 we read this, then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told them all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And he said to them, Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while, for there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves." Note first that the advice concerning resting comes from the Son of God Himself. Jesus said to them, Jesus did, Come aside, come aside. It is Christ who bids them, it is Christ who makes the suggestion, it is Christ who sees to it. You see, he knows our frame he remembers that we are dust In no way can we suggest that Christ is menace men minimizing? Ministry by suggesting such a season of rest and refreshment.

We know the business that Christ was about. He's not minimizing ministry, but he's recognizing the need of their bodies. Note second here the intention that the resting and eating were to be kept in their proper place. Rest a while. Rest a while.

Literally a short time. Rest a short time. Jesus is providing what is needful, what is helpful, what is beneficial, but it was not intended to be for a long period. And This point flows right into the third point and that is this that the rest and refreshment had a purpose They had a purpose You see the context in regard to the disciples on either side of this narrative this this saying of Christ what's on either side of that? Ministry.

You see, he had sent the disciples out to go preach in the cities. They had gone out preaching. That's what we just read. They had come back and were telling them all the things they had done and what they had said. They had gone out preaching throughout the countryside.

What comes next? Well, when we look down a few verses, we have that well-known text where we find them busy serving food to thousands, to thousands who have gathered to hear Jesus. So how can we be guilty of stealing from ourselves? Well, one way is by neglecting the needs of the body. But there's a second and more detrimental way that we can steal from ourselves and that is this, stealing by neglecting the needs of the soul.

Stealing by neglecting the needs of the soul. Stealing by neglecting the needs of the soul. I hope you're familiar with Pilgrim's Progress. Probably We're more familiar with the first part than the second part, at least most of us. But in that second part, when Christiana and her, the rest of his family are making their journey, he's done with his.

He's reached the celestial city. They have gone on that journey as well. God by His grace has drawn them and and they're following many of the same footsteps. Well they end up at interpreter's house. An interpreter takes them through the house and shows them the things.

This is what we showed your husband and your dad. We showed him this and we showed him that. But then it says that interpreter takes them apart again and has them first into a room where there was a man that could look no way but downwards with a muck rake in his hand. There stood also one over his head with a celestial crown in his hand and proffered him that crown for his muck rake. Give me the muck rake and I'll give you the crown." But the man didn't either look up nor regard, but raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and the dust of the floor.

And in the midst of a conversation with Christiana, Interpreter says, his muck rake doth show his carnal mind, And whereas thou seest him rather give heed to rake up straws and sticks and the dust of the floor, than to do what he says that calls to him from above with the celestial crown in his hand, It is to show that heaven is but as a fable to some and that things here are counted the only things substantial. Now, whereas it was also showed thee that the man could look no way but downwards, it is to let thee know that earthly things, when they are with power upon men's minds, quite carry away their hearts from God." Christ often taught what we should value in this life. What do you value? You young boys and girls, what do you value? What's the favorite possession that you have?

What grabs your attention? What do you get excited about and say, Mom, Dad, what drives you? What excites you? Well, Jesus told us what we should really value in life, what we should value the most. You see there was one man who was extremely rich and he had great authority and he came to Christ and he said he wanted eternal life.

Well in an effort to reveal to this man the right view of what really matters, Jesus told him to sell all that he had and come follow him. Christ was showing him his heart as to what he valued, what was important to him. He wasn't trying to go through and discuss whether the man had done this law and that law like the man thought he had done. He just wanted to show what was really of value and to see in that heart how much that weighed in the balance for that man. In Mark 8, 36 and 37, Jesus makes the worth of the soul abundantly clear.

He says, what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? What? What? Jesus is ready for an answer if you have it.

What will a man give in exchange for his soul? My friend, is there anything in your life right now that you're actually bartering your soul for? Is there anything that has captured your heart in such a way that you have no time for the needs of your soul? Perhaps you have told yourself that you will indeed look out after the needs of your soul at some point. One day, one day you may lay down that muck rake and take hold of that crown You sit here week after week, you know, the crown is offered One day I'll do it.

It's not today Maybe you're moved at the preaching of the word that presses you about the needs of your never dying soul, but each and every time you pull out your Felix card. You pull out your Felix card. Now as Paul reasoned about righteousness, self-controlled, and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and answered, go away for now. When I have a convenient time, I will call for you." Luke goes on to tell us Two years later, two years, Felix was removed from his position. Which position would have allowed him to have called Paul at his...

It was at his beck and call. He could call him anytime. No more. So before you reach for your Felix card again right now, would you consider afresh the warning that Jesus gives in Luke 12 16 to 21? Then Jesus spoke a parable to them saying, the ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully.

And he thought within himself saying, what shall I do since I have no room to store my crops? So he said, I will do this. I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, so You have many goods laid up for many years Take your ease eat drink and be merry Again going back he was looking out for the needs of his body. But God said to him, fool, fool, this night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those things be which you have provided." And then Christ said, so is he.

So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. And I want those words to lay heavy upon your conscience so is he so is he so as you look into the perfect mirror of God's Word, what do you see? What do you see? Is there a fool staring back at you in that mirror? A fool that may be prospering in the ways of this world and here and now, but is making absolutely no preparation for eternity, an eternity that is only one heartbeat away, one breath away.

So is he who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. You have no doubt been driving down the road and off on the shoulder of the road. You've probably seen memorials before across some time with some other things around it, a wreath or some toys or it's just something there, a memorial. You know what it's there for, right? It's to mark where someone lost their lives.

A family was changed because someone died right on that very scene. Well, such memorials are actually not new. Spurgeon wrote of seeing such memorials in his travel through the Alps. But listen to the application that Spurgeon made and be instructed by it. He writes this, if the places where men seal themselves for the second death could be thus manifestly indicated, what a scene would this world present.

In other words, what he's saying is if we did that for men's souls, not just for their bodies, but for their souls, what would this world look like? He goes on, here, the memorial of a soul undone by yielding to foul temptation. There a conscience seared by the rejection of a final warning and yonder A heart forever turned into stone by resisting the last tender appeal of love." And then here what he has to say, our places of worship, our places of worship would scarce hold the sorrowful monuments which might be erected over spots where spirits were forever lost, Spirits that date their ruin from sinning against the gospel while under the sound of it. The very chair you're sitting in, if God's Spirit leaves you where you are, unmoved by these thoughts today, this moment, would we have to put up a memorial on that very chair as when you sealed the time of your second death. So bring words.

You see seed is being sown yet again right here in this very moment. What will be the effect of the seed upon your heart? Will you allow the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things enter in and to choke the word so that it becomes unfruitful? Will you steal from yourself by neglecting the needs of your eternal soul? Will you ignore the crown that is held forth to you and continue with your muckrate and with that rake to gather the straws and the sticks and the dust of the floor.

What are you willing to give in exchange for your soul? What is it? What is it? Christ offers you life. He offers you abundant life.

He offers you an eternal home. He offers you an eternal crown. He offers unto you eternal rest. Yes, Jesus offers himself, Yes, Jesus offers himself, his very own self to you. All of this just in exchange for whatever little pile of straws and sticks and dust you've been able to pile up.

Colonel Ethan Allen, hero of the American Revolutionary War, was an unbeliever, and he wrote a book in order to deny the deity of Jesus Christ. A physician, Dr. Elliott, came to visit Colonel Allen in his home when Colonel Allen's beloved daughter was dangerously sick. The doctor was taken to the library where Allen read to him some of his writings. While thus engaged, a messenger entered that library informing Colonel Allen that his daughter was dying and desired to speak with him.

He immediately went to her chamber, her bedroom for you young people. He went to her chamber followed by Dr. Elliott. Now the wife of Colonel Allen was a pious woman who had instructed her daughter in the principles of Christianity. As soon as her father appeared at her bedside, she said to him, I am about to die.

Shall I believe the principles you have taught me, or shall I believe in what my mother has taught me?" Allen became extremely agitated. His chin quivered and his whole frame shook. After a few minutes he replied, believe what your mother has taught you. With death hanging in the balance, Colonel Ethan Allen was keenly aware of the right answer. He had covered it and covered it, pushed it aside, denied it.

But with death in the balance, he knew the right answer. My friend, will you face the teaching of Scripture and of Jesus Christ himself? Will you take his claims and look at them with judgment day honesty here and now even as Colonel Allen. Oh everyone who thirsts come to the waters and you who have no money come buy and eat yes come buy wine and milk without money and without price why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy. Listen carefully to me and eat what is good and let your soul delight itself in abundance.

Incline your ear and come to me, says the Lord, here and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you the sure mercies of David. And just a closing Word for you who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, are you persevering in the means of grace that God has granted for the keeping of your soul? You see, those who have looked up to receive that crown, we have no business setting that crown aside to pick up that muckrake, to gather a few straws and sticks and dust of this world. We've already handled the crown. It's been in our hands.

Let's leave the muckrake where it is. You see, we have an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for us. Heed the words of Peter found in the opening of his second epistle, but also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue. To virtue, knowledge. To knowledge, self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is short-sighted even to blindness and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins that he had dropped that muck rake. Therefore brethren be even more diligent to make your call and election sure for if you do these things you will never stumble For so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ So you shall not steal from your neighbor, from your spouse, from the authorities in your life, from the Lord, from the church, or even dear one, from your own self. May God give us grace. Let's pray.

Lord we thank you for your law. We thank you that it is a revealer of our heart. Lord reveal to us where our hearts are. Lord, if we're striving in our own strength to keep this law, we will fail. But Lord, if we come trusting Christ, who did keep this law perfectly and cast our souls upon him.

Oh Lord we can walk in these ways with such diligence and obedience by the help of your spirit out of love for what you've done. Make it to be so. Lord save sinners and speed us along who are your people in your ways and make us fit for that heaven that you have given to us so willfully and gladly. And we thank you and praise you in Jesus name. Amen.