Studying the laws of God: Stolen Property

Exodus 22
7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

When I left Houston, Texas in 2004 to go on the road with my boyfriend, I knew that I couldn't take many of the things I valued with me. My son lived with his father just two blocks away from me at the time. His father and I had somehow remained friends through the years.

I decided to give my son his immediate inheritance and leave with nothing but my ID and my clothes; so, I packed up all of my belongings and took them to my son's father's house.

There was one item that I left in his father's care that I wanted back -- my guitar. My dad gave me that guitar when I turned 14 years old. I loved it.

Much has happened since then, and I am sure the guitar is gone for good. I would not expect to ever get it back, and I will not ask for it.

However, if someone had stolen the guitar from my son's father, and he knew who stole it, and if the guitar were found, then the thief would owe me double the value of the guitar with it's return.

If the thief was not found, I could take his father to court to determine whether or not he may have sold it and claimed it was stolen or otherwise. At any rate, in any conflict that concerns stolen property the courts are required to be involved, and the judge has a right to intervene.

If my son's father said, "What guitar? That's MY guitar!" and the judge rules that it is, indeed, HIS guitar (regardless of the truth), then I owe his father double the cost of the guitar just for the trouble of taking him to court.

I traveled over 40 states in four months. I saw the country and learned to appreciate how small the world actually was. I saw the majestic beauty of God's creation unfold in front of me on a daily basis. I learned to love and value my land, my freedom, and my God through this experience. Today, I look back and see that it was worth the loss of my valued property to me in order to have had this experience.

Sarai's Barrenness and God's Plan

Genesis 16
1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

There is no record in the Bible of Abram ever being with another woman besides Sarai, until her death -- except for what Sarai permitted.

Abram loved Sarai. She was the apple of his eye. He was willing to stay true to her until death even if she never bore him a child. And, yet, Sarai knew that a son is what he wanted more than anything in the world. She felt that she had let him down. She wanted her husband to be happy, even if it meant she had to permit the unspeakable. This is what led her to give Hagar to Abram.

Back then, when a woman couldn't bear children, her maid servant was commissioned by law to be a surrogate. Sarai figured that since society's law permitted this, that this must be how God intended to give Abram a child. However, as the case is many times today, just because it is lawful does not mean it is moral or just. Sarai was desperate, and just like many of us do today, she let her desperation rule her logic.

God had chosen Abram for Sarai's barrenness as much as for his faith. What better way to show His power in a mere human being's life? What better way to be glorified! God knew that Abram would not stray from his wife unless Sarai permitted it.

Sarai had to be disappointed that she had not conceived a child after so long. Maybe she was past her "change in life" as a woman. (My great-grandmother had a child after her "change". I believe they call them "after-babies". She was the same age as my mother). So, her doubt about the promise God made to Abram was justified in her eyes.

In her eyes. Later, in Isaiah we would read:

Isaiah 55
8 For my thoughts [are] not your thoughts, neither [are] your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For [as] the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Saraih forgot that God can do anything He wants to. Sometimes, though, He makes us wait in order to test our faith.

Read the next part of the story.

When God's Law Contradicts Man's Law

I had a conversation with a friend the other day through email. We were talking about the Kim Davis events, and how, in today's world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to be a Christian. Oh, there are those who call themselves "Christian", but fail to live up to the name, and chastise those who do because they fail to understand the Word in it's entirety.

He said, "The powers-that-be are seeing to it that you won't be able to work 'within-the-law', and you (we) will eventually become lawbreakers - just for being who we are."

This inspired me to look deeper into the word to see what it had to say on the matter. I also did a little research on the internet. One of the best pages I found on the internet is this one at The Prepared Christian: God's Law VS. Man's Law

I remember when my son was young and watched Jerry Springer one day (without my permission). When I caught him, I didn't say anything. I waited to see his reaction, because the episode was featuring homosexuals with personal drama. (Of course, anything on Jerry Springer was overly dramatic, usually featuring immature relationships who lived outside of the rule of God). When it was over, my son came to me and said, "Mom, what's WRONG with those people?" in a shocked tone of voice. I asked him what he meant. He said, "Well, they are men dressed up in women's clothes and acting like women and kissing each other like they are married...isn't that wrong? Didn't we read in the Bible that that was wrong?"

I spent about 3 hours that night talking to him about homosexuality, and how God's laws and man's laws differ. When he asked me, "But, mom, what do I do if a homosexual ever comes up to me and wants to kiss me?" He was too young to explain what he meant by that, but I gathered what he was asking.

I answered him with, "Be polite, but firm. Explain that you are not a homosexual and do not wish to be one. If they ask why, tell them you are a Christian and explain that the laws of God do not allow for that. Do not call them names or be mean to them in any way. Just stand firm in your conviction and your faith."

Stand firm. It's what Kim Davis did, and I was witness to how everything my friend said was true. I saw so many people who weren't Christians and didn't understand God and His Word, and didn't believe in it, calling Christians hypocrites for standing up for her. I saw those who SAY they are Christians chastising her because she was not following the law. I saw those who don't understand what the definition of a Christian is condemning her for her past. And yet, through it all, I saw God at work.

There are so many instances in the Bible where God's law and Man's law contradict. When it happened, God ALWAYS won in the end. This time is no different. God may not change the laws of man, but He will ensure that HIS people are blessed in spite of them if they follow HIS laws.

Finally, as a Christian, if I had to make a decision to choose between breaking man's law or God's law, I'd choose to put my faith in God over man any day. It is better to go to jail than to go to hell. As a matter of fact, it is better to be decapitated, burned at the stake, tortured in prison, beaten, stoned or even raped. This life is temporary. I will keep my faith and suffer this temporary pain.

As a member of 1st Bikers Church in Texarkana, I am privileged to see a great many "outlaws" come to Christ. I've seen the miracle of a life changed by the Power of the Blood of Christ. I was speaking to one of the members about the same-sex-marriage issue and he said, "Don't know what they are thinking passing a law like that. Our church is made up of outlaws. Ain't gonna hurt us to break one more. At least it'll be for the right reason this time."

It is better to suffer now than to endure an eternity of pain, torture and hopelessness because of it.

How will you stand?

Matthew 10

16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues;

18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.

22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.