I had a store that was robbed Really . Yeah , it was called Leather Gear . That's when I used to make leather jackets for people and I had 13 burglaries in one year . Oh , and it was because I was between a hotel , a boozer and this halfway house . That's where I was right in the middle of them and I wrote a note and it said on the door dear burglars , yeah , since I've been here I've had 12 burglaries and I put a line through it 13 . Because after I put that sign up , I got another one . The local newspaper took a picture of it , put it in the paper , so I got a lot of publicity from it and got more burglaries after that .
Emeal ZwayneYeah right , this is the guy who does nothing . He does have a lock on his door . You know , when I was living in Westminster , I told you guys that my family bought a four-plex apartment building .
Mark SpenceThis could be a long story . It sounds like it .
Emeal ZwayneAnd we all lived next to each other . So anyway , they kept coming in and breaking in . One night my uncle . He was lying in bed and he saw someone in his window trying to come in . So he put this note on the window and it said dear thief , you may succeed in getting in , but you will not succeed in getting out . It stopped after that . Oh , that'd be a good one . That's clever . That's clever . There are some foods that are not meant to be eaten , friends , because there are some foods whose names are not meant to be uttered because they be ugly . They be hey , friends . We'd love you all to come over to dinner tonight for some guacamole . I love guacamole .
Ray ComfortAmen .
Emeal ZwayneHey , what do you guys say ? We get together this weekend for some chutney .
Ray ComfortNo one gets together to have chutney .
Emeal ZwayneThere's any word . It cracks me up and disgusts me at the same time . It's soared Chutney . Win a snitch on what is chutney , by the way .
Ray ComfortIt's a spread . It's kind of like a lightweight mustard , but it's got cauliflower in it . That's pretty good . It's quite nice , sounds delicious .
Emeal ZwayneGood to have with me . Would you have some ? Yeah , can I please have some Pumpernickel bread ? Pumpernickel bread .
Oscar NavarroI'm glad someone's entertained .
Emeal ZwayneI was trying to think of how I feel at the moment so entertaining For our 25th anniversary . I took my wife out to . Oh , wienerschnitzel . Oh , I knew that was coming . Mark , was that a quote ? How did you enjoy Wienerschnitzel for your anniversary with Laura ? You got to stop .
Oscar NavarroYes , when's the last ?
Emeal Zwaynetime you went to Wienerschnitzel , der Wiener Der .
Mark SpenceWienerschnitzel . I'm having a medical procedure tomorrow and I'm fasting today , and you guys are talking about Wienerschnitzel .
Emeal ZwayneThat was divinely done , mark . I prepped this and I didn't even know .
Ray ComfortYou're getting a body transplant , body transplant , head transplant , head transplant ?
Emeal ZwayneAre you fixing the thing on your face , trying ?
Ray Comfortto get it no , Zoska .
Emeal ZwayneYou're sensitive . Come on , you guys . You have to admit those are very ugly words .
Oscar NavarroNo , that's totally culturally insensitive .
Emeal ZwayneThat's what I was aiming at .
Ray ComfortThey're colorful words Wienerschnitzel , Dainish .
Oscar NavarroYou said it .
Ray ComfortYou know my favorite thing about .
Oscar NavarroWienerschnitzel the warm bun when you unwrap it from the waxy paper and the cheese is just almost watery .
Mark SpenceYou're not going to lie with that . That's why you order five chili cheese dogs and you let them just sit in the bag for a little bit .
Oscar NavarroIt's the one fast food that you don't want to eat right away . Don't even say fast food , because Mark's not eating .
Emeal ZwayneYou guys are so demented . Yes , I'm on the mic . And they . Ray just got a message from Scotty and his ear to get on the mic .
Ray ComfortSo I was very subtle and handled it well . Good job , they'll never know .
No , I'm on the mic , scotty .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , oscar , I mean , you're an anomaly to me , man , with this . And again , I know we keep talking about it . It's because I'm just so perplexed with the whole Wienerschnitzel thing , like , okay , I don't get it either .
Mark SpenceAre we moving on from Wienerschnitzel ?
Ray ComfortWe've done this . No , like Mark , that's as bad as the black coffee .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , like Mark , you know he's a disgusting human being . He eats filthy things . Oh man preach , you wear like organic socks Too , shay I mean , and you're eating Wienerschnitzel .
Oscar NavarroIt's just really good . Sometimes you just gotta have a wiener schnitzel .
Ray ComfortAre we gonna move on from the ?
Emeal Zwaynewiener schnitzel , because I know how to do it . It's one of those mysteries I just don't understand . Thur in the mouth , oh , like cotton balls . Yeah , cotton balls , stop it . Okay , ray Ray , real quick , seriously , though you like chutney .
Ray ComfortYeah , actually it's very nice If it's with the right stuff . It's not too hot or anything .
Emeal ZwayneOkay , I'll tell you one of the most disgusting foods on the face of the earth .
Ray ComfortYou're gonna offend somebody .
Emeal ZwayneI forgot about this . This wasn't even something I planned to say . What Sour crowd , oh .
Ray ComfortI love sour oh it's horrible .
Emeal ZwayneOh , thank you , that is disgusting . Thank you , finally I have a friend . My wife will eat sour crowd right on the jar .
Ray ComfortBut think of what is cool .
Oscar NavarroBoo Sour Oscar you like sour crowd ? I don't recall . Actually , I'm trying to remember the last of my head .
Emeal ZwayneOh , I love it .
Oscar NavarroI enjoyed it a lot With like sausage . You know , what I don't like is whatever that green minty jelly that they give you during Thanksgiving or Easter that you're supposed to put on stuff . You know what I'm talking about ? Not green , you think . In purple , purple Thanksgiving they give you like that green . It's like comes out of a jar and it's green and it looks like jello . Is it the ?
Ray ComfortAmerican version of mint sauce .
Emeal ZwayneIt sounds like a relish .
Oscar NavarroI don't know what it is , but it's terrible .
Emeal ZwayneWhatever , if you're not one of those , I love my mother-in-law Don't look , please stop reading that Maybe it's leftover from the previous year .
Oscar NavarroThat's why it's green .
Emeal ZwayneThat's what it is . Yeah , I mean , who in New Zealand one day just had some rotten yeast and said let's make it into maulmite ? Is that what maulmite is basically ?
Ray ComfortYou can upset Mark Mark Lloyd . Mark Lloyd just loves it . He's American , Look real men eat maulmite .
Emeal ZwayneI can tolerate maulmite but real men eat maulmite , rachel is so into it .
Oscar NavarroIt's tar . What is it ?
Mark SpenceIt's a sticky dark brown paste .
Ray ComfortIt's black .
Oscar NavarroI was about to ask what do I need to eat in New ? Zealand ? This is what Love you .
Ray ComfortI'm going to go to New Zealand . Give Oscar a spoon for maulmite . No , no , you will not . You already knew anything , okay , no no , no , I want you to film it for me and use it in the program . When you go to New Zealand , it's got to be a teaspoon full of maulmite . A teaspoon what ?
Oscar Navarrois it Teaspoon ? You don't need to Actually .
Mark SpenceI prefer not to .
Oscar NavarroThat was my thing , that's my thing when I travel .
Ray ComfortI don't know what it is .
Oscar NavarroI just want to try it .
Ray ComfortIt's a yeast extract . That's it . It's not nothing weird .
Emeal ZwayneWe'll do a tablespoon for Oscars .
Ray ComfortMaybe I'll do it on toast . No , not a tablespoon .
Mark SpenceWe like Oscar there is no way you're going to put a spoon of maulmite inside your mouth .
Ray ComfortDon't ruin it .
Oscar NavarroIf it's like a thing that people eat , I will try it once Very common Ray , didn't you do that challenge once ?
Ray ComfortI did it to Trevor upstairs and I actually filmed him and I felt terrible . And now you want to do it to Oscar . No , you guys are doing it to Oscar Because Trevor did boast and he said I can handle it .
Oscar NavarroI didn't say I can handle it , I'm just saying . What I mean is that if this is something that people regularly do in New Zealand , I want to try it .
Emeal ZwayneIt's not hot . Okay , so we're basically your hit men , oscar in New Zealand .
Ray ComfortThat's good . You like that what ?
Mark Spenceis the difference with Vegemite and Marmite ?
Ray ComfortVegemite is the Australian version of Marmite . That's all it is .
Oscar NavarroIt's inferior , it is .
Ray ComfortIt's inferior . Is it more bitter ? No , it's just not as good .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , rachel loves to have a little Marmite on taste . Yeah , all right , friends , we have a comment . This is from you know where ?
Ray Comfortthe name came from Marmite . Yeah , someone says , can you give me a sandwich ? I want something on it . And this kid said , well , marmite . So stupid , it is pathetic . It's pathetic , all right .
Emeal ZwayneHere's a comment from Cheshire Sea , cheshire Cat . Cheshire Sea , cheshire Cat . Yeah , no , be careful , warning , warning . Side effects may include feeling so encouraged that you binge and listen to all of them in just a few weeks , quoting the hosts throughout the day , such as yep , right , yep . What if I mean what I mean by that is . Or all right , friends affecting your children of various ages . Example they might pretend to host a podcast when they use ridiculous voice shouting welcome to the Living Waters podcast . There we have Squeaky , no idea what we're doing . And then explain their favorite Bible stories with giggles , feeling like you know the host personally . And they're brought to mind when you see chickens , coffee , wieners , that's all . Baklava and tabooly we're going to talk about baklava in a while . It might cause a change in your life as you study God's word with these men and are led by their wisdom and comforted by their virtual friendship . It may cause pain when you're convicted to evangelize in each and every area of your life . It may cause you to love God more and seek His will in every area of your life . Stop listening when . Well , just don't . No need to ask your doctor . It's perfectly safe for anyone of any age . Consider this your prescription for a full dose . Know the listed side effects before clicking play . But by all means click play .
Ray ComfortThat's clever . Thank you , ray .
Emeal ZwayneMark , Oscar and Easy .
Ray ComfortThank you so long you .
Emeal ZwayneTeal Glory . Thank you so much , Fran .
Ray ComfortWe should read that every time ,
every podcast .
Emeal ZwayneCheshire , C-H-E-S-H-E-R-C .
Ray ComfortYeah , thank you so much .
Mark SpenceThat is really really good .
Emeal ZwayneI wonder if ChadGPT wrote that . Oh boy , what's funny with ChadGPT is when it tries to use humor . You know , like it like tries to be funny with you , as it's telling you stuff . Very creepy . All right , Fran this podcast is brought to you by Tough Questions , also available on MP4 . Digital format you get five sessions in the physical format , approximately 12 , five minutes each on three DVDs , and you get all kinds of good stuff . You get answers to Tough Questions . You also get 400 gospel tracks that tackle Tough Questions as well . Make sure to check it out , along with the Living Waters Mug and the Avenue Study Bible , all at LivingWaterscom .
Oscar NavarroAlso , when you get that Living Waters Mug , don't forget that we have a competition going . You can post something online , a picture of you doing something weird , awesome or unusual with your Living Waters podcast mug . Use the hashtag Living Waters Mug , we will find it and you will be awarded with an evidence study Bible hand delivered by Mark Spence . That last part is not true and handwritten .
Ray ComfortAnd don't do anything dangerous .
Oscar NavarroWell , okay , yeah , use discretion , or don't Sue Oscar .
Emeal ZwayneAll right , friends , today we're talking about why stealing has become so fashionable . There are a few things in life to me that are as nasty as stealing . You guys ever see one of these Onions ? Well yeah , those are worse . Yes , for sure . If you guys ever see those videos where a celebrity gets caught stealing you remember , was it Wynonna Ryder ? Yeah , yeah , clothes , wynonna Ryder .
Oscar NavarroShe's one of your friends .
Emeal ZwayneShe's driving like a $100,000 car and she's stealing clothes With the thrill of it . What's behind that ?
Ray ComfortOh , there's a , there's a , there's a , there's a , there's a Chutes .
Mark SpenceI think there's a thrill attached to it as well . I mean . I think there is a thrill attached to it . When I was in high school , I used to go inside of department stores and I would steal things with the alarm attached to it . Still , Is that what it's called Plastic thing ? Yeah , a little plastic . It looked like this , the annoying thing Only to see if I could return it the next day To get past security through the beep , beep , beep , beep . Seriously , yeah , can I get out of the store and then can I return it .
Emeal ZwayneMark , you're in . You're in textiles for a while Textiles .
Ray ComfortWhat stage that I ?
Mark Spenceknew you guys wouldn't know what that was Texas .
Emeal ZwayneBut no , you were . You were . You used to sell clothes at Millers Outpost Millers Outpost .
Oscar NavarroRemember those commercials , mark , remember those commercials around .
Emeal ZwayneThere was that guy with like the big red mustache . Remember , they do those commercials Millers Outpost .
Mark SpenceI don't . Is that the Marlboro man ?
Oscar NavarroIt looks like you stole that outfit from Millers Outpost .
Ray ComfortYeah , I got this in England .
Emeal ZwayneMarlboro man died of cancer , mark . Is this a ? Is this a ?
Ray Comfortwait what the Marlboro man died of lung cancer .
Emeal ZwayneDid he have a cartoon ?
Ray ComfortYeah , no , no , the real guy .
Emeal ZwayneOh , he really did . Yeah , he actually smoked . Yeah , whatever happened to the camel ?
Oscar NavarroYou get rid of that hump issue .
Ray ComfortOne hump or two , yeah the hump issue .
Emeal ZwayneHow'd they come up with that name for those cigarettes ?
Ray ComfortCamel . That's a good one . It's obviously appealing , mark , oh , they're trying to reach Arabs .
Emeal ZwayneIs it work ? I like to drink the camel cigarettes . I typed in 50 celebrities who were busted for shoplifting or celebrities busted for shoplifting .
Mark SpenceI'd get someone from Tesla , railroadjacks or a part of the business who's had a mental Well . I typed in celebrities busted for shoplifting and there's a lot . Yeah , is your name on the list ? Uh , I'm not there , mark .
Emeal ZwayneI'm trying to get this answer , please . Yeah , uh , is it a myth that those things that you mentioned they would put on the you know like expensive clothing items ? You know that you have to have a tool to take it off with . Yeah , you can get that at the Swamp Meadow , but no , is it true ? There's ink , that's right . If you break those , ink will go on the clothing .
Mark SpenceYes , uh , but look at , there's a workaround , so you can get a , you can get a tool . Don't tell them to work around . Yeah , but what ? We used to do is we would get a bag and we would line it with aluminum foil and duct tape and nobody could see the aluminum foil or the duct tape . And then you'd put in the items with the things attached to it and you'd walk right out and the alarms would not .
Emeal ZwayneMark , yeah , it's pretty bad .
Mark SpenceSeriously , Is that how they would do it ? That's .
Ray ComfortI told somebody it does . Well , let's just say don't do it , don't do it . Why is Ray leaving ? The table going out to the store . I didn't want to . From why is he okay ? Because I didn't want to take it with me .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , Um , but yeah it's .
Oscar Navarroit's crazy , you're still anything in your uh heathen days .
Emeal ZwayneYou know I was . I was a little big thief . But before I share my story , Mark , I have to be honest . I'm surprised you were a thief , because Just for the thrill , but like I said , I'd return . I know , but you , you would strike me as someone who was more cautious , because some of the stuff you refrained from when you were in high school that others indulged in , I just would have figured you . We don't want to get caught or busted or in trouble , but you were you were a big fat .
Mark SpenceYeah , I mean , I wasn't a , I wasn't a sexually deviant person , but I , my mind , would One or another ways and maybe be covetous and um , did you , did you ever like envision yourself being like a big , like heist ? Yeah , I mean , I wanted to be a con man .
Ray ComfortYou wanted to be a con man , I wanted to be a con man , con With .
Emeal ZwayneMan Uh , we don't know what a man is anymore . That's right , yeah , right .
Mark SpenceSeriously , mark . Yeah , that's kind of how reason why I got into sleight of hand and magic and things of that nature .
Emeal ZwayneNo , Like the uh , catch me if you can , guy . That's a based on a true story I know and that blows my mind . What , how in the world that guy actually pulled off not just becoming a doctor Lawyer , but he was the head doctor over all these other doctor pilot he was I think it was a pilot , a lawyer and a doctor , but he actually passed the bar in real life .
Oscar NavarroHe actually passed .
Ray ComfortSeriously yeah . Who's saying so what ?
Oscar Navarrois he in jail ? No , well , he did get caught , but then he got out early on , good whatever , and he started working for the FBI to catch other people .
Emeal ZwayneWell , he was really young when he did all that , and then they realized this guy's a genius and he can become an actor ?
Mark SpenceDid he really Leonardo DiCaprio ? That was funny .
Emeal ZwayneUm , before I answer you , also right Were , were you ever a thief ?
Ray ComfortOh yes , as a kid , yeah , I used to steal apples from my neighbors .
Emeal ZwayneThat's the only story I've ever heard you tell about your theft days .
Ray ComfortNo , I used to use an eel spear to spear the apples and pull them back on a piece of string under a hedge Eel spear . Yeah , I was for spearing eels . You know what eels are ? Uh-huh , yeah , I used to spear them with an eel spear . Okay , and I'd spear the apples and pull them back . And also we we'd build tree houses and raid all the orchards around the era . We had a map of all the orchards and I just cried last night . I thought about it
. We used to strip trees . We'd group of us again , just tree full apples . We'd just strip the whole tree and I thought somebody's been growing those apples and I did that . I felt terrible . Wow , you are a thief right . And also I did steal an eraser from a store once and I got onto the sidewalk and felt so guilty , how to take it back , and it took more courage to take it back than to steal it .
Emeal ZwayneWow , I was terrible , so , so that I mean not to minimize it . It was stealing , it was , it was wicked and evil , but so it was just the apples , though , and the and those well , just the apples , and the eraser .
Ray ComfortThe eraser yeah .
Emeal ZwayneYou never did any other kind of store stealing .
Ray ComfortWell , I had a friend we used to go surfing and we stopped once and I went into buy something and he said grab that potato chip bag and rattle it . I said , well , he wanted to steal something over here and had me rattling the bag so he could steal it Whatever . I felt terrible about that .
Mark SpenceOh , you're kidding , it was a distraction . I think , Is that very common , yeah , yeah , very common Work in tandem . We were taught that in Lost Prevention Somebody would do something over there . They cause a big commotion . You'd even have a couple that would fight . Everybody naturally looks over to that commotion and then he actually happens over there . That's awful .
Oscar NavarroYou gave me a metaphor for plagiarism . What's that which is stealing ? Because it's like somebody else does all the work to grow the fruit and then you just come along and take it . Yeah , that's true . I felt terrible .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , oscar , were you a little tiny thief .
Oscar NavarroUm , I had a stint , did you really ? Yeah , so say that again , you won't . I had a stint of stealing . I actually never , really honestly didn't .
Ray ComfortThe stint is what you get in your bladder . When you've got no , you know what I did .
Oscar NavarroI worked at a computer place and right around that time we started like they started developing the first iPods .
Ray ComfortAnd you're not going to incriminate yourself , are you ?
Oscar NavarroIt's been long enough , I think . They say seven months , right . So there was like iPods and stuff , and the way I would do it is like in lost prevention , you call it rocks in a box . I was a manager at the time , and so what I would do is I would , someone would buy something and we would , you know , as a form of service , we would like take it to their home in the box . And so what I would do is I would take the box that they bought , let's say they bought a new computer . I would take it to the back and I'd fill the box up with brand new iPods and then I'd seal it back up and I'd take it and while I was in the car I'd open the box and take out all the iPods and leave them in my car and then deliver the item to people and then I would sell those iPods on eBay . You never got busted doing that . I got really close , Uh , cause there there was somebody else stealing out of the warehouse as well , and so they launched this investigation . They had some guy come in and and do all these interviews and one day he sat down and he was like I know you're one of them , I know you're stealing . And I was like I'm not , I'm not , you know . And then he ended up catching the guy in the back . And he ended up not catching me , Did he ?
Emeal Zwayneapologize to you . No , it was like it was all right .
Oscar NavarroNo cause he still thought that I was like it was . It was , but I I got away with it . I felt I mean , this is , you know , obviously before I was a Christian and I had never I didn't need the money . It was kind of the same thing . It was like the thrill , I don't know what it was , it was . I was doing really well , you know like I was a manager at this place and I was doing good financially , and it was just because I wanted to see if I can outsmart the system . I am so thankful , though , cause , had I gotten caught , I was stealing well over the amount that is a prosecution amount it would have been a felony right it would have been a felony and like I mean , how different my life would have been with a felony on my record . It's amazing .
Ray ComfortWe had not be sitting there , we'd be talking to ourselves . Yeah .
Emeal ZwayneI often think about . You know , what would have happened if , if certain things had triggered in my life , you know , and the Lord didn't save me when he did . But yeah , you know , my , my thievery began in Lebanon when I was a little boy . I went into a little , you know , I was a little boy Kind of liquor store type of place in our hit a hookah in my jacket , uh , and I stole a pack of gum and I I rolled it in in the uh , in the waistband of my , my little sweat pants and we went and my mom caught me . She did , yeah , and she took it back . We went and she gave it and man it was . It was one of those days Like basically we , you know , in Lebanon , you just go visiting neighbor to neighbor , you don't like call and ask you , just that's what you do , and I think we would go from place to place and she would tell them what I did , and again and again , and again . I just remember it , just like it haunted me .
Ray ComfortShe told them with shame .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , like what I did and and you know , berated me again in front of them . You know it was just the way they raised kids back then , you know and that was deliberate , to make sure you didn't do it again . Make sure I learned the lesson .
Ray ComfortYeah , you never steal chewing gum .
Emeal ZwayneUh , just chewing gum , only chewing gum . I didn't see cars .
Oscar NavarroYeah , all that's a mistake .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , one time when I stole a car , there was chewing gum in it .
Oscar NavarroSo I went back , gave it to the owners and then took off the car .
Emeal ZwayneChained yourself but yeah . But then you know , as as I got deeper into sin , as I grew up and became a teenager , yeah , I started stealing stealing from Chick Sporting Goodalaw . I'd steal from the supermarkets . One time I stole a whole carton of cigarettes and just stuffed it down my pants and walked out the door and I went back and tried to apologize to that supermarket . I said , hey , I stole from you guys when you became a Christian . Yeah , after I've got saved , and they're like , uh , okay , like they were just perplexed that someone did that , you know .
Mark SpenceYou know that Oshman's Sporting Good Store by your brother's uh uh gas station there in Westminster . I , yeah , when I became a Christian , I returned things that I stole to the ? Uh the manager , and it was a pair of ski goggles , uh ski boots and uh ski boots , ski boots , yeah .
Emeal ZwayneHow did you steal ski ?
Oscar Navarroboots as you walked out . No , I came in wearing these .
Mark SpenceWell , I was going to steal a bunch of skis literal skis , like six pairs of skis . I started walking out and one of the managers started walking in and you know , but I , but I was . I felt so bad , you know I . I returned it , I , I . I laid him down on the table . I go , I want to return these , and he's like you have a receipt , and I go no , I , I , I don't have a receipt . You don't understand ? Oh well , listen , you don't have a receipt , I can't give you cash back . I go , I go , no , like I , just I need to return these . He's all I can do is give you cash , credit or a store store credit my friend that was with me who wasn't a Christian he goes take it , that'll work , and I and . I walked away and that was it .
Ray ComfortUh , I actually you didn't tell him what happened , or you would have gathered it .
Mark SpenceI at that point , I just walked away . Yeah .
Oscar NavarroHere's what's crazy , talking about the way things work , is that when I first met my wife's dad , I had to apologize him because I stole his daughter's heart .
Mark SpenceA worse theft you know it's hard to explain why theft is wrong to a burglar Because they take things so literal yeah .
Emeal ZwayneSo guys uh yeah , exodus 2015, . As we're continuing to look at some of these commandments you shall not steal . It's become a massive , massive problem today . You guys
know this . I was talking to Rachel about it the other day , recently in Los Angeles , here there was a big mob that went into a Nordstrom's and just absolutely pillaged the whole place . It's happened more than once now . Yeah , it's . It's become a thing that these big mobs like 50 , 100 people they call it mob thieving something like that . And they'll go into . You know , they'll organize it , they'll go into a place and they'll decimate it . They'll just take everything . And the issue now is that is security guards aren't doing anything about it . Stores aren't instructing their security guards not to do anything . Police officers aren't even coming to the calls anymore .
Ray ComfortIs it because there's so many people ? It's like a war , I think it's .
Emeal Zwayneit's that and it's this whole political correctness thing . Yeah , I was watching a video of a guy who went behind a counter at a CVS . Like he's behind the counter , the employees are right there with him and he's just putting stuff in a bag , no problem . One of the employees was on the phone with with 911 describing him and telling him he's like man . And then he goes around the counter and he's getting more stuff and then this customer says hey , stop it . And he starts throwing these bananas at a customer . Ray would have loved that .
Ray ComfortWhat a difference , though , because when I was a kid did anything happen from the easiest day as a finished story and then he just left . Yeah , I needed to hear that . Thank you , let's go .
Oscar NavarroUh , when I . What a difference , though . In response , when I was a kid , like I grew up in a pretty rough neighborhood . I remember there's this girl down the street , crystal . Her uncle was like the nicest guy . He would always come outside and talk to us and throw a football round or whatever . And one day the burger stand down the street , uh , burglistan burglar stand . Uh got robbed and the cops surrounded it and had their guns out . And it was him . He went in there to rob it with a gun . Yeah , it was , it was my friend , crystal's uncle and we were all like we . We all found out , like we're all in the street . We found out . They arrested him . But like the response that one guy would walk into a burger joint and rob it . And now these mobs go into Nordstrom , steal everything and everyone's like yeah , two later .
Ray ComfortNo , it's unreal . Is he having an uncle that robbed things ? It was my aunt , my aunt robbed banks , four banks . She did two years .
Oscar NavarroOh yeah , let's talk about that Right she got two years .
Emeal ZwayneTwo years in prison , yeah , uh . It's becoming really bad because a lot of these stores are starting to pull out of different areas . I had a store that was robbed Really .
Ray ComfortYeah , it was called Leather Gear . That's when I used to make leather jackets for people and I had , uh , 13 burglaries in one one year . Oh , and it was because I was between a hotel , a boozer and this halfway house . That's where I was right in the middle of them and I wrote a note and it said on the door dear burglars , yeah , since I've been here , I've had 12 burglaries and I put a line through it 13 . Because after I put that sign up , I got another one . The local newspaper um took a picture of it , put it in the paper , so I got a lot of publicity from it and got more burglaries after that ?
Emeal ZwayneYeah Right , this is the guy who does nothing . Okay , he does have a luck on his door . You know when , when I was living in Westminster , I told you guys that my family bought a fourplex apartment building .
Mark SpenceThis is going to be a long story .
Emeal ZwayneVery , it sounds like it , and we all and we all lived next to each other . So anyway , they kept coming in and breaking in . One night , my uncle . He was lying in bed and he saw someone in his window trying to come in . So he put this note on the window and it said dear thief , you may succeed in getting in , but you will not succeed in getting out it stopped after that .
Ray ComfortOh , that that that'd be a good . That's clever . That'd be a good sign to sin around the people .
Oscar NavarroYeah , you know I . I think it's important to recognize again the way that Jesus comes onto the scene and turns the volume up on things like the tank mammoths , especially theft , and I love the way the Heidelberg Catechism applies theft question 10 110 in the Heidelberg catechism states what does God forbid in the eighth commandment ? And here's the full answer . And just listen to the depth in which these Theologians expanded this to make sure that they were covering their bases . God forbids not only those thefts and robberies which are punishable by the magistrate that's what we've been talking about but he comprehends under the name of theft all wicked tricks and devices whereby we design to appropriate to ourselves the goods which belong to our neighbor , whether it be by force , under appearance of right or by ingest weights , ails , measures , fraudulent merchandise , false coins , usury or by any other way . Forbidden by God also , all covetedness , all abuse and all waste of his gifts .
Emeal ZwayneWow , you know , uh , man , oscar , that's so good . We just so tend to look at things on the surface , you know , and we apply this commandment to yeah , you just take something that wasn't someone else's , you go into a store and you steal something . But that can happen on so many different fronts and subtle ways like that aren't just weights .
Ray ComfortIn a store they can just secure a , a penny , a cent under a weight , and so that everything they weigh for the next year just weighs that tiny little bit more . So they make money from it and , and that says god , unjust weights and abomination to the lord .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , unjust weights and scales . They're detestable to the lord and and and and it can happen again in so many different ways . It's interesting the coin thing . You know , one of the things I used to do when I was a kid is I would create what we're called slugs . You ever heard of slugs ? Did that ever work for you at day it's ? It worked at a vending machine at a gas station . So we would take , we would take like a nickel and we would pound it out to the size of a quarter and and you know , and then we and then we would use it in and vending machines and get I never thought that worked .
Mark SpenceThat's interesting .
Ray ComfortOh boy , I'll tell you . I'll tell you a moment where , like the , unjust weights .
Really was a conviction for me is when we were selling our first home , the realtor asked about all you know the the things that were going on with the house and we were like there was just a leak . We patched it up . We think it's patched , but it hasn't rained since and she was like okay , well , if the inspector doesn't find it , it doesn't . It didn't happen and I was like no , no , I don't feel right about that , you know I just it didn't sit well with me . I incorrectly worked there . In a sudden we got to Green do wake up . I didn't get quiet .
Ray ComfortIt was just fantastic .
Emeal ZwayneI do not feel like the meetings went wrong . I felt like it was an upset , so I didn't really insist that it was provided as yet , but we could check the haul for sure and plan it out , chart bad quality material and just did a really shoddy job by cutting corners and at the end they were told hey , this is your house .
Ray ComfortYeah , oh , that's good . I was giving them as a gift . I think that's in the evidence Bible .
Emeal ZwayneOh , that's right . Maybe that's what I thought , but think of that , you know , it's like wait the evidence Bible on livingwaterscom .
Ray ComfortYeah , and then it relates it back to you . You build your life cheaply and God says it's yours .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , you know , that's good , that's right . Well , you know . It says in 1 Corinthians 610 , we're talking about the list of of sins that exempt someone from the kingdom . It says nor thieves , nor covetous , nor drunkards , nor vile , nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God . And then in Ephesians 4 , 28, . It says let him who stole steal no longer , but rather let him labor , working with his hands what is good , that he may have something to give him who has need . Isn't it amazing how the Lord flips it on its head , mark right , it's like before you're saved , you're stealing . God says look , don't just not steal , but do what the opposite of stealing is Give away what belongs to you to bless other people .
Mark SpenceYeah , you know it's more blessed to give than to receive , so it just keeps on going Right . If , if you can be a giver , you're not going to hold things tight in this planet . It's really that simple , you guys . You know we we talk about when we're sharing the gospel with people and before we do so , we go through the law . When we talk about lying , right , there's white lies , exaggerations , half truths and fibs . Are there other things ? Well , how do you break down stealing when you are sharing the gospel with people ? How does that ? How does that practically come out ?
Emeal ZwayneWell , Ray , go ahead .
Ray ComfortYou're going to save If you've taken anything that belongs to somebody else , irrespective of its value , because people tend to say well , I just took this and I see you open my wallet and take $1 out here as much as a thief , as if you took $10 out . God's not impressed with the amount or the worth of the thing that you stole and they go . Yeah , you're right , never thought of that .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , I love it when you , when you , when they say I just took something as small , and you say , oh , like a diamond , that's my favorite .
Mark SpenceYou know there's people . When people say you know , I've never stolen anything , I said , well , you steal God's oxygen every day without giving him thanks , and Romans one says that that there's a people that are thankless , you know they're not thankful for the food and the oxygen and the people and the sunrise and all the things that are virtuous around them that God has blessed them . You know it rains on the just and the unjust alike , but God also gives blessings on the just and the unjust alike , you know .
Emeal ZwayneI think what often surprises me is how surprised people are when and it's happened to all of us when you get the wrong change and you give it back , you say , oh , you gave me , you gave me too much , and it makes the news , yeah , and they're like whoa , seriously , wow , thank you . Like no one does that , you know , kind of thing . And again , it's a joy to do that , isn't it ? Oh , I love it , yeah .
Oscar NavarroYeah , Even if it's I love it when you give me back your change .
Emeal ZwayneEven if it's 10 cents or whatever it's just like , and the clarity of conscience , in fact . You know it's funny because there's there have been times when Rachel will go to the store and then she'll discover that something was not she wasn't charged for something on the receipt . You know , I mean just it just so happened . She looked at the receipt and then realized that so recently it happened . She went back to the store and gave them the stuff . That's why I don't look at the receipts .
Mark SpenceYeah , I was just going to say do you guys look at receipts or is just is ?
Ray Comfortthat a woman thing , because my wife goes over to the receipt like a , she just cheeks it out .
Emeal ZwayneYou know , I bet we have . Yeah , I bet there's a lot we've been charged for that we shouldn't have been or whatever , but but you know it's . It's again amazing how they're just like , they're in disbelief , like what . You brought this back , huh , and they get . They're almost confused for a second . Bring the storm Andrew . Yeah like you're almost going to get in trouble for bringing it back and how do we deal with this ?
Oscar NavarroYou know , I was thinking about , like , why ? Why do we steal ? And I think , I think the point that you guys are making is so good , which is that ultimately , we're all guilty of this because our , our framing of ownership is so entrenched in Western culture . We think that everything we have is because I own it , I deserve it , it is mine . But when you read the scriptures , the things that are in your possession are not yours , they're of the lords . And he , he goes as far as saying , like if you treat everything as though you deserve it , you are stealing . He , you know , in the scriptures it talks about like when a farmer farms his land , to take only what he needs and to leave the rest to be gleaned for others . So it's like it goes so far as to say we think like generosity , is this extension of something wonderful ? But the scriptures treat generosity as is like a no-duh , like if you're not , you're ultimately stealing what doesn't belong to you . And so you think , like , why do we steal ? Um , I came up with three reasons . Uh , we steal because we fear we don't have enough . Why does a pastor plagiarize ? Cause he feels like he doesn't have enough intelligence . Why do we , uh , steal ? Because we feel like we feel insecure , we need security or comfort or we need acceptance , right . In other words , we steal because we don't trust the Lord . Why do we steal ? Because we believe that we are owed more than what we currently have ? In other words , we steal because we are prideful .
Or the last one I came up with is why do we steal ? Why , because we envy others for their portion . We look and we go man God . Why ? Why don't I have that ? Why don't I have what he has ? Why don't I have the reputation , the acceptance , the car , the house , the life that that person has ? And and ultimately , we envy , which lacks a love for our neighbor . No , because if we love your neighbor , we'd be grateful for what they have , right ? No , and so ultimately , we steal because we lack faith and we that's something like as I put it . That way , I come under the conviction of God's law , because as he searches my heart , he will reveal a thief in me .
Emeal ZwayneWow , you know , ray , it really does trace its route back to covetousness , doesn't it ?
Ray ComfortAnd to lack of the fear of the Lord . Because if you believe , the eyes of the Lord is in every place . Behold and evil and the good . You wouldn't touch anything that belonged to somebody else . You wouldn't even think of it , wouldn't covet it . You get people say , yeah , you shall . What say ? My wife and 15 kids are all starving to death . Yes , you know , can I steal something to feed them , bread for them . And I said , well , why wouldn't you steal ? Just go to local church and they'll help you out , the government , they'll give you food stamps . You don't have to steal . And if you do steal , God says you pay back fourfold . Is it fourfold ?
Oscar NavarroSeven times Sevenfold Sevenfold .
Ray ComfortYeah , go seven .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , eight Sold Nine-ten .
Mark SpenceJohn Piper said are you awake and free from the false messages of American merchandising , or has the omnipresent economic lie deceived you so that the only sin you can imagine in relation to money is stealing ? You guys don't have a clue what I just said .
Emeal ZwayneI do , I do ABRL .
Oscar NavarroIt's DEPA . He just said what I said , but better .
Mark SpenceParvres tend to ill-gotten treasures have no lasting value .
Ray ComfortBecause they bring you that guilt , don't they ?
Emeal ZwayneRay , was it you that did that thing where you asked people on the streets ? Or was it you , mark ? I can't remember one of you where you'd said I'll take the credit If there was a tunnel or something where you could go into your neighbor's house .
Mark SpenceOh , that's right , that's in our video , our film .
Ray ComfortYeah , it's one of them . Is it Noah or the other one ?
Emeal ZwayneGenius , I don't know . Do you remember it , ray ? Can you share it ?
Ray ComfortI think I can . If you knew you could get into a bank and steal from the bank that's what it was and get a million dollars and they wouldn't know about it because they've got billions in the bank Would you do it Absolutely ?
Oscar NavarroYeah , would see address .
Ray ComfortAnd then would you take someone's life . If some wood-o says my husband's a rat , I hate him , I want you to kill him . I'll give you a million dollars just to drop the sarsenik in his coffee when I'm distracting him , would you do it ? And a number of people said yes , and one guy says I don't know . I says 10 million , so I'd do it . Is that tax free ? Yeah , it's tax free , isn't ?
Mark Spenceit interesting .
Oscar NavarroOh wait , tax free .
Emeal ZwayneHmm , Stop it , man . Who was it Churchill was asked about ? Well , he asked the lady , or something . There's something about a lady and about like .
Mark SpenceOh boy , we can go on . What was it ? What was it ? A man ? Was it Toronto ?
Ray ComfortI don't know . I remember that story . It was a great story .
Emeal ZwayneChurchill or Pee Wee Herman .
Ray ComfortIt was Churchill .
Emeal ZwayneNo , no , but remember he like some lady , he offered Just stop .
Ray ComfortYeah , I was going to say what he said . John , I'm not going to lie you point you play elderly .
Mark SpenceOkay , this is important , maybe somebody else should speak right now , while you gather your thoughts .
Oscar NavarroIt's like he's going to turn in that guy . That just gives you a bunch of random facts that have new stories . He was six , one but five 10 when he got back from the war . My brain is jello .
Emeal ZwayneNo , it was just some lady and he talked about giving her money for whatever , and he's .
Ray ComfortOh , that's exactly what that was making , the point that we're just negotiating the price .
Oscar NavarroYeah , would you sleep with me ?
Ray Comfortfor a dollar . What sort of woman do you think I am ? We've already established that , madam . We're just negotiating the price .
Mark SpenceYeah , that's right , Because it was yeah , yeah , would you sleep with me for a million dollars ? Yes , oh , would you sleep with me for a dollar ?
Ray ComfortNo , no , it was a big start off a million , then a dollar , and then what sort of yeah , what would you do for a million ?
Emeal ZwayneYes , of course you do for a dollar . What kind of way ? Yeah , that's right .
Oscar NavarroRemember that one time that was great Easy .
Emeal ZwayneI'm so glad you brought it up .
Mark SpenceThis is the way Ray easy started it off . It's like do you remember that one time we did that one thing and that one place with those one people ?
Oscar NavarroThe guy . The guy had a face . Do you remember ? The guy had a face .
Mark SpenceCompletely vague . I think there was a guy . Was it a guy ? I don't remember , see , that's why .
Emeal ZwayneI make up like I call people . Remember Shabang zone by the gun ZZ . I just my brain . It just doesn't . We know the way it used to .
Ray ComfortYou're done explaining anything easy .
Emeal ZwayneAny of this , okay . Look look at the beauty of this , though , when the Lord transforms a heart . Luke 19 , 8, . Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord Look , lord , I give half of my goods to the poor , and if I've taken anything from anyone by false accusation , I restore fourfold . Isn't that beautiful , so good . What are you guys doing ? What are you guys doing ? We dropped this cat .
Mark SpenceI dropped my cat .
Emeal ZwayneSquirrel Squirrel . We're just doing a podcast that's going around the world . Let's play with bottle caps . He ain't running like bottle caps . You should be squeezing that chicken that Ken Ham gave you right . No , don't give me ideas . Oh boy , okay , what verse did ?
Ray ComfortI read what was it about ? It was Luke . 19 was a key . Verse you didn't say which chapter I think of verse two , Luke 19 , verse two , I think no , verse 12 or something further on when he said Behold Lord , I'll give half my goods and if I've wronged anyone I'll pay back full fond , because he knew the law . And it was fruit of repentance . And that's what we should bring forth fruit of repentance , evidence that we're soundly saved by what we do .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , we've done that podcast on Zacchaeus , but how beautiful would it have been , huh , to behold that .
Ray ComfortOh yeah . To have watched it like the exuberant joy like because that's what God did , the better his voice even changed .
Emeal ZwayneOh , I know he probably went from like this deep voice to like .
Ray ComfortNo it wasn't the thing of that , a voice that reeked with sincerity . Oh , that's what it was . He probably was a text collector saying give me your money . And then he said Behold , Lord , I'll give half my goods to the poor .
Emeal ZwayneRight , you need to record the evidence . By Lord , do you whisper ?
Oscar Navarroit .
Emeal ZwayneBehold Lord . Yeah , but that transformation , like I talked about with me when I wanted to go back , mark , you took back the ski boots Again , again . Please tell me how you stole those . I just walked right out wearing them . No , just on my hand . Just what ? No , didn't the alarm go off ? No , all right .
Mark SpenceSo there was a manager . I can't bring all this in because it's your brother's gas station , frank's gonna beat you up I didn't take anything from your brother's gas station . I just want to let you know that .
Ray ComfortSo didn't an alarm go off ? No In your mind . No In your mind .
Mark SpenceHis conscience was dead . There was a manager that was stealing from that Oshman's sporting goods store . I actually wrote a letter to Oshman's , apologizing to them and telling them but they are out of business when they want .
Ray ComfortIt was the ski boots .
Mark SpenceIt was the straw that broke the camel's back . But there was a manager that was stealing and my friend that worked at your brother's gas station said hey , there's a manager over there stealing and I think we can get away with stealing if we go over there . I'm gonna call him out . So I went over there and said , hey , I know that you're stealing and you're not gonna say anything when I take something . And manager walked away and he gave it a try . And then we went over there and it was like that Nordstrom smash and grab sort of thing , no way . And I grabbed ahold of and I grabbed ahold of about six pairs of skis , snow skis , and I started to walk out and , as I was walking out , like all of the managers and like execs started walking in and I went . Okay , I went and I put them out on the corner and I walked away and that was it . Wow , it was bad .
Ray ComfortMark , now you got to bring it back to a positive end of me . Yeah , really , we're just sinners .
Emeal ZwayneMan , that's just perplexing .
Oscar NavarroWell , here . So Diadone Tomfoo , professor at Bethlehem College , says this the apostle Paul warned the church that if robbers do not repent , God will rob them of the pleasure of robbery by withholding the kingdom from them forever . Looters will soon greet looming eternal destruction unless they repent , and that is the good news for anybody that has taken what doesn't belong to them is that by repenting and submitting your life to Christ , you get all that you've ever needed , which is Christ .
Mark SpenceDo you recommend people doing what we did and if you can't return the item , come and clean . I mean , we have innumerable amount of sins in our BC days . How many times and how many people do we go up to to confess ? That's a good question .
Oscar NavarroI think that you need to be . I don't think that . I think it's nearly impossible and you can even maybe cause more harm than good if you go through every single thing you did from the day you were born . But I think that's something that you need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you . For me , it was the relationship that I had with that girl who ended up leaving the faith . I felt that conviction to go and apologize to her parents and to her family and if a listener , you haven't heard that I've talked about that on a previous podcast . So listen to all of them and then tell us which one it was . But yeah , I think that you need to sort of submit yourself to the way the Spirit leads you , wouldn't you say easy .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , I agree . I think it's individual and I think the Lord will put his finger on those things by conviction that you need to address . Ray , why are you looking up to this guy ?
Ray ComfortI was just trying to think how can I return those apples from 63 years ago ? Well , we're going to New .
Emeal ZwayneZealand . So if you remember , I don't know who they were . They'll be talking for a while . Well , we'll take a few hundred cases of apples Give them out .
Mark SpenceWell , here in America the apples are hanging over the fence under your yard . You get access to these ?
Ray ComfortYeah , that's fine , that's true . Are you allowed to pull the branch across ?
Emeal ZwayneJust keep the whole branch , pull the whole tree over , uproot it . Yeah Well , friends , that's it . Don't steal and be tender of conscience , of thinking through the things that you could steal that may not be physical , like time , like squandering the gifts that God has given you , as Oscar mentioned earlier in what he read .
Ray ComfortAnd withholding tithes .
Emeal ZwayneYeah , exactly , not giving to the Lord from the first fruits of your increase and recognize that . Remember , as we talked about before , stealing is wrong because God is not a thief , and so he's given us that command that we might emulate him and walk in his ways . All right , friends , there you have it . Don't forget livingwaterscom has everything you need , including tough questions . Don't forget the Living Waters podcast , evidence , study Bible and all that other good stuff . Remember comments , thoughts , questions , answers , bank account numbers all to podcastatlivingwaterscom Subscribe . I don't think I'm stealing . And yeah , and all that other good stuff . And have a good one , friends , make sure not to eat chutney or guacamole or pumpernickel bread or vener schnitzel . Thank you , what , oscar . I just can't believe you don't like guacamole . Don't even say that weird .
Ray ComfortThat's crazy . I like avocados . You're kidding me . I was excited , that's gross , disgusting guacamole .
Emeal ZwayneThank you for joining us , friends . We'll see you here next time on the Living Waters podcast . No wait Podcast the ultimate cure for guacamole and insomnia .