27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 05 01-11 THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH 07 Acts 05 03-04 Living before God
📖 Acts 05:01-11
07 – 23Mar2023 – *Living before God* - _Acts 05:01-11_ - THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH - Bible reading: _Psalms 116:09_
“Lord Jesus, teach us to always walk before You. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
_Acts 5:3-4 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? (4) While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God*."_
We now come to the part about how this couple engaged with the devil in committing this sin.
The primary standpoint of Ananias and Sapphira was that they have sold a piece of land and they are offering the price of that land to the Lord. *They did not make such a commitment before the church but this was what they had in mind before the Lord.* This was their intention and it was a matter only known between both of them and to the Lord.
The Lord knows our plans and our intentions. _Proverbs 17:3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But *the LORD tests the hearts*._
The Lord searches the hearts and He understands all the intent of our thoughts. What Ananias and Sapphira had decided, in their inner chamber, was known and registered before God. _I Chronicles 28:9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for *the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts*. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever._
It is before the Lord that we stand at all times and it is to Him that we are accountable. The judgement of the Lord is of our hearts. _Jeremiah 17:9-10 "The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? (10) *I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.*_
It was at their heart that Ananias and Sapphira decided that they would give only a portion of the sale of the land to the church and keep the remaining for them. This is where they went against God.
_Numbers 30:1-2 Then Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which *the LORD has commanded: (2) If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word*; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth._
It is a snare to commit rashly before God. _Proverbs 20:25 It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy, And afterward to reconsider his vows._
As we make our commitments and resolutions in our hearts, let us be careful to surrender them to the Holy Spirit. Our flesh can and does take us away from our decisions that we do not do what we intend to do. *_Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find._*
Our life and ministry are always before God and not to seek the approval of man. _I Thessalonians 2:4 But as we have been approved by God to be *entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts*._
The danger and the deception are that we begin to think that our ministry is before people. In desiring the applause of people, we foolishly think that the Lord does not see us. We ignore God and we think that we can put up a front, even before God.
_Psalms 94:7 Yet *they say, "The LORD does not see, Nor does the God of Jacob understand*." (8) Understand, you senseless among the people; And you fools, when will you be wise? (9) *He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see?*_
When we continue living our lives as though God would not know what we are doing and what is the counsel of our hearts, we are challenging God. This is when the judgement of God will fall on us.
*_Isaiah 29:15-16 Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD, And their works are in the dark; They say, "Who sees us?" and, "Who knows us?" (16) Surely you have things turned around! Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay; For shall the thing made say of him who made it, "He did not make me"? Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?_*
The Lord is cautioning us that He is the Lord who is near, not the Lord who is far off. _Jeremiah 23:23-24 "Am I a God near at hand," says the LORD, "And not a God afar off? (24) Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?" says the LORD; "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" says the LORD._
```Let us always walk before the Lord.```