DATE POSTED Sunday, 2022-01-17
WRITTEN AT: Okeechobee, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Acts 5:3-4, 9
TRANSLATION: The Voice (VOICE)

BIBLE TEXT: ³ Ananias, have you allowed Satan to influence your lies to the Holy Spirit and hold back some of the money? ⁴ Look, it was your property before you sold it, and the money was all yours after you sold it. Why have you concocted this scheme in your heart? You weren’t just lying to us; you were lying to God.
⁹ Why did the two of you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?…. 

APPLICATION: Kids start at a very young age to lie in order to avoid consequences of their sin. Don’t you remember: mumbling through a mouth-full of cookies that it wasn’t you who stole from the cookie-jar?!!! Getting into your despised math class late, and trying to make up an excuse (lie) to avoid being marked ‘late’ yet again for the week? It worked a few times for you, so you may have felt like it was worth trying, but what if you heard God audibly ask why are you hurting Him again by lying? Don’t you realize and remember that He knows everything possible about you? I wonder if it would help if, when we ask for forgiveness of someone, that we also ask forgiveness of God at the same time? I truly believe that our consciences have become so hardened to lying, and to sin in general, that our lies just roll off our lips naturally and we go on about our day as usual without addressing those who may have been impacted. For the instigator of lies, I am always surprised that they think their friends are so gullible that they never even realized they were lied to. Unfortunately, we lose trust in the person who lies, for we have proven the untruth over and over again, and now we expect to question every thing they say. Let’s have a look into the scenario with Ananias and his wife. They reminded me of what we do from time to time. I have relatives in the Bahamas, and there are import duties for almost everything you take into that country. So at the airport the Customs Officer will ask the value of gifts or non-personal items you are bringing in. Unfortunately, it seems like the amount we give them, depends on the amount we believe we could make the Officer believe. In the US we file annual Tax Returns. Tax is ultimately calculated based on annual income. For regular employers, they are required to report to Internal Revenue how much they paid you, and that should match with the amount you report. However, cash payments for tips, bonuses or even salary in some cases, are not reported to IRS, as it is not recorded in the employer’s record books. It seems like Ananias felt like he was in a similar situation. After all, who would know how much he was paid for the property he sold? Surely he should be allowed to withhold some portion of that payment for all that he did to maintain and/or improve that property over the years! Friends, what do you suppose God must think of His children that He not only created in His own image, but He also provided a Book of Instruction to guide and direct us. God also sent His very own Son to be our advocate and forgive us of our sin, yet we overlook that fact and just continue on sinning. What must He think when we just can’t be honest in our speech? In all my years of reading the Bible, I have never doubted, or mistrusted, anything that Jesus said. If I am to be His follower and His earthly representative, shouldn’t others be able to trust me in exactly the same way? Ananias and Sapphira were not allowed to live because of their sin. How many around us would die today because of their sin before the Almighty? I’m sure that it would not be a pretty scene. Do your part dear friend, be honest before God and everyone you come into contact with.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: God will forgive and protect those who seek forgiveness for their sin. Let’s learn to listen carefully to our conscience and recall the teachings of our Master, especially when we sin. Unforgiven, deliberate sin is an abomination before God.

PRAYER: Lord, may we never become comfortable telling a lie, nor sinning in any other form. You created us to be holy, just as You are holy; righteous, just as You are righteous; and to be Christ-followers and imitators so that the world will see Jesus instead of our prideful selves. Please forgive us where we fail in this, and give us a mind like that of Jesus, so that we may aim for holiness and righteousness at all times. Only the blood of Jesus will save a sinner, but the stained blood of sin and unbelief will distract a sinner from ever seeing Jesus. Please help us to facilitate the cleansing blood of Jesus, and never be a stumbling block to anyone who needs You. May it be obvious to everyone we come into contact with, who rules and reigns inside of us, and may they seek to know You personally, dear Lord. AMEN!

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