Peter

November 8

Acts 5:1-4

The lie

Some new believers were so keen to help the poor that they decided to sell their houses and land and give the money to help the needy.

Ananias and his wife Sapphira also sold some property, but decided to keep some of the money for themselves. Ananias went to the apostles and put the money at their feet.

Then Peter said to him, “Ananias, why have you let Satan take control of you? You have lied to the Holy Spirit by keeping some of the money. Before you sold the property it belonged to you, and even after you sold it, the money was yours. You have not lied to men—you have lied to God.”

Is it wrong to pretend?

Do you sometimes play a game where you have to pretend something? God doesn’t mind when children (or adults) use their imaginations to pretend things in a fun way. However, it is wrong when you allow people to believe a lie—when you mislead them by keeping quiet or by hiding something from them.

Ananias went to put the money at the apostles’ feet—as others had done—pretending that it was all the money he got from selling his land. He could have kept all the money for himself, or put some of it in the offering. But instead, he brought the money to the apostles as if he were giving everything, and by doing this, he acted out a lie.

Giving to God is an act of worship. God is holy, and He wants us to worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Ananias dared to lie to the Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth. The Lord wants us to be honest in everything we do; especially in the way we worship Him.

Verse for today

No one who practices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence. Psalm 101:7