Today's promise: Lies will be exposed
Why do we lie?
"There was also a man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, but he claimed it was the full amount. His wife had agreed to this deception.
Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."
As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. …
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what happened. Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?"
"Yes," she replied, "that was the price."
And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this — conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out, too.…"
Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God."
As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. …
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what happened. Peter asked her, "Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?"
"Yes," she replied, "that was the price."
And Peter said, "How could the two of you even think of doing a thing like this — conspiring together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Just outside that door are the young men who buried your husband, and they will carry you out, too.…"
Acts 5:1-9 NLT
Holding back
"The sin Ananias and Sapphira committed was not stinginess or holding back part of their money; they were free to choose whether or not to sell the land and how much to give. Their sin was lying to God and God's people by saying they gave the whole amount while they were holding some back for themselves, trying to make themselves appear more generous than they really were. This act was judged harshly because dishonesty and covetousness are destructive in a church, preventing the Holy Spirit from working effectively."
from the TouchPoint Bible with commentaries by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 949
from the TouchPoint Bible with commentaries by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale) p 949
Content is derived from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale Publishing House
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