Verse
And Peter said, "How could the two of you [Ananias and Sapphira] even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too."
— Acts 5:9 NLT
Thought
There is no conspiracy theory in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. It IS conspiracy. However, Peter puts their sin of conspiracy and lying into the context of testing the Holy Spirit. They apparently presumed that the Holy Spirit was either not at work in the apostles' ministry or that the Holy Spirit would be unaware of their lie. This story is a powerful and shocking reminder of just how seriously God takes sin. We are called to be holy, genuine, honest, and forthright. I don't know about you, but the Spirit is knocking on the door of my heart about living with complete transparency and authenticity before other people, before my church leaders, and also before God. There are to be no conspiracies, secret sins, or intentional deceptions! The Holy Spirit knows the deepest thoughts of hearts and minds, so let's intentionally invite the Spirit to purify and transform every part of our inner being — our hearts, souls, and minds!
Prayer
O God, my Father, the God of peace, please sanctify me through and through. May my whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen. (Adapted from 1 Thessalonians 5:23.)
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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And Peter said, "How could the two of you [Ananias and Sapphira] even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too."
— Acts 5:9 NLT
Thought
There is no conspiracy theory in the story of Ananias and Sapphira. It IS conspiracy. However, Peter puts their sin of conspiracy and lying into the context of testing the Holy Spirit. They apparently presumed that the Holy Spirit was either not at work in the apostles' ministry or that the Holy Spirit would be unaware of their lie. This story is a powerful and shocking reminder of just how seriously God takes sin. We are called to be holy, genuine, honest, and forthright. I don't know about you, but the Spirit is knocking on the door of my heart about living with complete transparency and authenticity before other people, before my church leaders, and also before God. There are to be no conspiracies, secret sins, or intentional deceptions! The Holy Spirit knows the deepest thoughts of hearts and minds, so let's intentionally invite the Spirit to purify and transform every part of our inner being — our hearts, souls, and minds!
Prayer
O God, my Father, the God of peace, please sanctify me through and through. May my whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen. (Adapted from 1 Thessalonians 5:23.)
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
