Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

September 11
Friday


HOW HONEST
ARE YOU?

READ:
Acts 5:1-11
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Woman's Day magazine surveyed more than 2,000 people to check out their honesty level. When asked, "How honest are you?" 48 percent said very honest, 50 percent said some what honest, and the other 2 percent said not very honest.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents confessed that they had taken office supplies from their job for personal use. And 40 percent admitted that they would cheat on their taxes if they knew they wouldn't get caught.

Ananias and Sapphira must have thought they could get away with lying (Acts 5:1-11). But they quickly found out differently when Peter confronted them and told them that they had lied to the Holy Spirit. Immediately they were struck dead (vv.5,10).

The Lord's desire was to keep His new church pure so He could use the believers in the lives of others. As Bible teacher G. Campbell Morgan says, "The church pure is the church powerful.... The only power [able to make] a church pure is that of the indwelling Spirit of God." The purity of the church led to their testimony spreading, and "believers were increasingly added to the Lord" (v.14).

Let's be the kind of people who "deal truthfully" (Prov. 12:22) so we can be used by the Lord. __Anne Cetas
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```````````````````Lord, by Your Spirit grant that we``````````````
```````````````````In word and deed may honest be;``````````````
```````````````````All falsehood we would cast aside,``````````````
````````````From You, O Lord, we cannot hide. __D. De Haan````````
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There are no degrees of honesty.

**************Todays' Bible REading __ Acts 5:1-11***************

1 But a certain man named
Ananias, with Sapphira his
wife, sold a possession.

2 And he kept back part of
the proceeds, his wife also
being aware of it, and
brought a certain part and
laid it at the apostles' feet.

3 But Peter said, "Ananias,
why has Satan filled your
heart to lie to the Holy Spirit
and keep back part of the
price of the land for
yourself?... Why have you
conceived this thing in your
heart? You have not lied to
men but to God."

5 Then Ananias, hearing
these words, fell down and
breathed his last. So great
fear came upon all those who
heard these things. 6 And the
young men arose and
wrapped him up, carried him
out, and buried him.

7 Now it was about three
hours later when his wife
came in, not knowing what
had happened. 8 And Peter
answered her, "Tell me
whether you sold the land for
so much?" She said, "Yes,
for so much."

9 Then Peter said to her,
"How is it that you have
agreed together to test the
spirit of the Lord? Look, the
feet of those who have buried
your husband are at the door,
and they will carry you out."

10 Then immediately she fell
down at his feet and breathed
her last. And the young men
came in and found her dead,
and carrying her out, buried
her by her husband. 11 So
great fear came upon all the
church and upon all who
heard these things.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The case of Ananias and Sapphira is a severe form of discipline
most likely used to set an example for the newly established church
(1 Peter 4:17). The sin was not found in their keeping back part of
the money, but lying about it to God and the christian community.
__DENNIS FISHER