Profit and Loss - Tragic Miscalculation
Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God” (Acts 5:3-4).
Our Father, throughout Scripture You have revealed Yourself as truth. Moses wrote of You, He is the Rock, His work is perfect...A God of truth and without injustice... (Deuteronomy 32:4 - NKJV). Of Himself the Lord Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). And of the Holy Spirit, He told His disciples, when...the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13).
Lord, because You are truth, You instruct us in the ways of truth, righteousness, and integrity. David tells us that only the one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart can dwell in Your holy presence (Psalm 15:1-2).
In promising the Holy Spirt, the Lord Jesus told His disciples, “When the Advocate comes, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—He will testify about Me" (John 15:26). By contrast, in very strong language, He described Satan, the devil—the enemy of our souls— as a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
We understand the serious nature of Ananias' deceitful actions (Acts 5:3-4) in light of those insights from our Lord Jesus, and we understand the challenge from the apostle Peter, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit... You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
Oh Father, we live in a world, we live in times, where it seems that truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey (Isaiah 59:15). But You have left us the example of Ananias and Sapphira (Act 5:1-10) and their gross miscalculation of profit and loss to show us that lying and deception are serious transgressions against Your holy nature. The early church understood this, and Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events (Acts 5:11).
You have described Yourself as “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." But along with Your love and compassion, You have equally emphasized Your holiness and Your justice, "Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished... (Exodus 34:6-7). Your word lists liars among the guilty You will not leave unpunished (Revelation 21:8).
The wisdom of Your word instructs us, The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity (Proverbs 11:3). Cleanse our hearts and help us to walk in integrity and uprightness, by the power of Your Spirit of truth, who guides us into all the truth.
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