We think of a thief as someone who takes what is not theirs for whatever the reason; perhaps to satisfy hunger or a bad habit - selling the items stolen for the cash to do as needed. Or maybe the stakes are higher, purpose is bigger, aiming at stealing some fine art or other things such as bonds or gold bullion. Either way, the question becomes, would the incentive to kill and/or destroy be more readily an option with the stakes being higher; of course!
A Rich and Satisfying Life
However, this quote or phrase is used by Jesus in describing the devil … satan himself (capitalization deliberately ignored), from the book of John 10:10 that says: "The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, … but I have come to give them (you) a rich and satisfying life!"
What he is saying, is "my ways are better than your ways - my thoughts are greater than your thoughts. You are from below and I am from above. I placed the heart in your chest. I watched you grow in the dark of your mothers womb," - literally - Psalm: 139:13-16
Knowing Jesus is better than knowing about Jesus!
I say this, because even though you and I may be good people who do not steal, kill, or make plans like our current PlanDemic to destroy people and/or take over the world, point is, being good is not good enough; it does not secure our soul for its eternal resting place, being heaven (God) or hell (devil)! Your soul is going one place or the other. Therefore, asking as a friend, between you, myself, and Jesus Christ, which place would you prefer?
The Christian faith, unquestionably is the most disputed, ridiculed, hated (-0 on a 1-10 scale), despised, and attacked faith on planet earth, because:
The devil has no reason to fear man's religion (Islam/Buddhism/Hinduism/etc), because man cannot secure the soul; one Buddha says we have a soul, another says we do not - thus we see the pride of man at work; not judging!
The devil/satan himself is running on empty, because he has already lost the battle when Jesus defeated death - BUT relentlessly continues fighting good, to steal as many souls from God and their right to eternal rest as he can - and considering - free will is given to all of mankind, to believe or not to believe, the god of this world (devil) continues doing anything and everything to take and/or deceive lives from knowing the only truth that can set them free for all eternity.
Human Accomplishment Divine Accomplishment
This isn’t to frighten you, but rather, to give you hope. Knowing Jesus is better than knowing about Jesus … and having Him lead your life is wise indeed ... because even using just two verses of all 31,173 found in the living word of God (Holy Bible/66 books only), from Proverbs 3:5-6 teaching: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take," provides us an inside look at the teaching from the author of life, Himself, Jesus Christ Living God.
Allow me to share an opening excerpt from my book (free to download link below) that shows my own gratitude in further demonstrating the teaching from the living God, the Holy Bible, found to be inerrant and infallible and in perfect sync, with a four hundred year break between the Old Testament and the New Testament.
Heavenly Father, I thank You daily for all things in, Jesus name, because your living word tells me to do so (Ephesians 5:20).
Thank You for predestining me (Ephesians 1:5 | Romans 8:29) for salvation and so much more by grace alone (Ephesians 2:8).
Thank you for preordaining me to become worthy of fulfilling your will for my life (Romans 12:2).
Thank you for your wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3).
Thank you for your understanding and power (Jeremiah 51:15) to accomplish all good things (James 1:17) that my heart in faith is prompting me to do, in the name of Jesus, bringing glory to your name (John 14:13).
Thank you for revealing and confirming that apart from you I can do nothing (John 15:5) … and that you have placed a rich and satisfying life in front of me (John 10:10) … by faith, and not by works (John 6:29) … with a purpose divinely intended that only I can accomplish with your stamp of approval (Jeremiah 29:11).
I am blessed to know all this for you watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed (Psalm 139:15-16). Thank you, Jesus!
Heavenly Father, thank you that by your free gift of grace through faith alone, trusting in your Son, JESUS CHRIST LIVING GOD, (Romans 10:9 / Matthew 12:30), in the blink of an eye, I went from being your enemy to an ally.
Thank you that in that very same heartbeat of a moment, I became a child of the living God … a brother to the author of life, Jesus Christ the Son of God (Romans 8:29) … a joint heir with Jesus in the Kingdom of Heaven (Romans 8:17) … as well as receiving your glory (Romans 8:30).
Thank you for taking me from the need to ‘ASK’ to be healed, to knowing I am already healed by your grace (1 Peter 2:24).
Thank you, Jesus for taking all sickness and disease to the cross with you (Matthew 8:17) that no virus or plague can harm me.
Thank you that I can do all things in Christ who gives me the strength (Philippians 4:13) … and that greater are you in me, than he that is in the world coming against me (1 John 4:4).
Thank you that your love for us never changes (Psalm 136)
Thank you that your faithfulness goes on forever (Psalm 117)
Thank you for your hope and encouragement (Psalm 42)
Thank you for your grace of invincibility (Psalm 91)
Thank you for being the Shepherd of life (Psalm 23)
Thank you that you are our unchanging protector (Psalm 145)
In closing, there is a post I would encourage you to read, if not already, entitled "A True Awakening While Agreeing to Disagree." As a Christian leader, referring people to this post is not as much in defense of the Christian faith, as it is in defending the billions of souls at risk of following man's religion, rather than a personal relationship with the promised Messiah, Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, where said living word can and will prove itself, when the heart is ready for the truth it needs; how about yours?
PS:
Invest in yourself! Invest in truth!
Consider the purchase of one or all four Holy Spirit led authored books HERE or HERE addressing 'How & why we must connect with Jesus' * 'Man gives us religion - God gives us truth' * 'Lesson to live by' (powerful on grace & gratitude) * and 'Super hero's for Jesus' as a grass roots learning tool - awesome for children as well as new Christians.
I thank you ... and I thank you, Jesus, amen and amen!