Thief

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy."

-John 10:10

Jesus came that we might have life and that more abundantly: Our Father floods us with good and perfect gifts and fills our cup to overflowing; the Holy Spirit sheds abroad in our hearts the love of God; the windows of Heaven pour out more than we can pack in...

Our Lord is all about blessing His children; 

our enemy is all about robbing that blessing from us.

If he can convince us that our gifts our garbage, cause us to take God's goodness for granted, or corner us into believing our abundance to be base, he wont even have to take it away; we'll throw it away ourselves.

If he can trump an entire garden with one fruit tree, a birthright with a bowl of soup, a man's soul with thirty pieces of silver, what will it take to obscure your all?  What dainty is he dangling in front of your face?  What empty promise is playing at your mind?  What tantalizing trifle is turning your head?   

Our blessing lies in the balance of obedience to a Father who has our best and highest at heart.  When the God who didn't say "no" to being nailed to a cross says "no" to us, we can trust that He has our wellbeing in mind, that He is not trying to plunder us, that He is trying to protect us.

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

-1 Peter 5:8