Acts Chapter 5 Verses 1-11
Yesterday we talked about what we are willing to offer God. We also talked about what God may accept.
As a sequel, today lets look at what God expects from us through two extreme characters in the Bible. Abraham and Ananias.
As we all may well know, "Abraham" means "the father of many". From a barren man to becoming the father of Israel was the blessing God gave Abram.
But do we know the meaning of Ananias? The name Ananias is a boy's name meaning "God has given". Ananias is a New Testament name of three different figures. The two good ones were a high priest and a disciple of Paul. The not so good Ananias was the husband of Sapphira who conspired to deceive the apostles and was struck dead.
What did he (the third Ananias) do to deserve to die?
Simply, he was trying to cheat God! Cheat Him of what He had given! Even his name means "God had given" and yet, he tried to go back on what he had promised. Both he and his wife.
What is the lesson to be learnt here? Don't we do it all the time, maybe not in terms of money, but in terms of other promises we may have made to God or in God's name, or other stuff which we know God wants us to do but we don't do it.
So what does God expect from us? Simply to follow the commandments He has given and to do what we have promised Him, or in His name. Abraham held back nothing including the life of his son. Ananias did not keep his promise. So who are we like? Abraham or Ananias?
Yesterday we talked about what we are willing to offer God. We also talked about what God may accept.
As a sequel, today lets look at what God expects from us through two extreme characters in the Bible. Abraham and Ananias.
As we all may well know, "Abraham" means "the father of many". From a barren man to becoming the father of Israel was the blessing God gave Abram.
But do we know the meaning of Ananias? The name Ananias is a boy's name meaning "God has given". Ananias is a New Testament name of three different figures. The two good ones were a high priest and a disciple of Paul. The not so good Ananias was the husband of Sapphira who conspired to deceive the apostles and was struck dead.
What did he (the third Ananias) do to deserve to die?
Simply, he was trying to cheat God! Cheat Him of what He had given! Even his name means "God had given" and yet, he tried to go back on what he had promised. Both he and his wife.
What is the lesson to be learnt here? Don't we do it all the time, maybe not in terms of money, but in terms of other promises we may have made to God or in God's name, or other stuff which we know God wants us to do but we don't do it.
So what does God expect from us? Simply to follow the commandments He has given and to do what we have promised Him, or in His name. Abraham held back nothing including the life of his son. Ananias did not keep his promise. So who are we like? Abraham or Ananias?
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