Week 6 | Devotional | Dan

Acts 5:1-11

Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, sell a piece of property and bring the money to the apostles. However, they kept back part of the money for themselves. Peter rebukes Ananias. Then Ananias falls to the ground and dies. Then his wife comes in, not knowing anything that had happened. She also lies to Peter, then falls and dies after Peter says to her “the feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”

This passage is not only about greed, but about being honest with God. According to this passage, when we lie to our leaders or fellow believers, we are also lying to God himself. Peter says that Satan has so filled Ananias’s heart that he has “lied to the Holy Spirit.” He also says to Sapphira, “How can you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord?”

I had to really think about the way I treat others and the way handle my relationships, especially with those in God’s family. I realized that how I conduct myself with others says a lot about my attitude toward God. When I lie and cheat, no matter how small it may seem, I’m disrespecting God and deserve to be judged. If I truly fear God, I will act with integrity in any situation.