Todays Word 12th March 2014 March 12, 2014 at 10:00am “Why did you let Satan rule your thoughts…..” (Acts5:3) This rendering, New Century Version, gives the meaning that is closest to the original text. All other English translations are far away from the actual meaning of the verse. Here the context is the deceitfulness and the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira. Ananias and Sapphira sold their property and brought a portion of the money as offering for the Lord. When the Apostle asked them if that was all the money they fetched from selling their property, Ananias answered in affirmative. Ananias was lying. Those days it was common for the believers to sell their movable and immovable properties and give all the money as an offering to God. Barnabas had done the same. Ananias and Sapphira saw that everyone who sold the property and gave away the money to the Lord received great honor and applause from all the Christians. Ananias and Sapphira wanted the honor and applause but didn’t want to part with their money. If they would give away all the money to the Apostles they would become penniless and they didn’t have enough faith to face such a situation! So they thought of a safer way whereby they would be honored as great Christians and still would not become penniless. Both of them agreed that they would give away some of the money and tell the Apostles that it was all the money they got by selling their land. They have deliberately decided to lie to gain popularity. When the Holy Spirit revealed to Peter what Ananias and Sapphira have done Peter asked Ananias, “Why did you let satan rule your thoughts?” Here we learn a great lesson for our spiritual lives. Satan cannot tempt us unless we co-operate with him! He cannot rule our hearts if we don’t allow him. When satan wants to tempt us and make us fall into sin, he will be observing our thoughts and walk of life to discover the area of our special interest. He will study our thought-life before he decides what weapon he should use against us. He will carefully operate to bring us into temptation in those very areas and activities in which we are especially interested. Ananias and Sapphira were interested in popularity while they were not worthy to be popular! They were not honest to their own consciences. They had no commitment for morality. They would do just anything to get name and fame. That was the area of their weakness. They were willing to be tempted in that area. This made satan’s job easy. Satan tempted them to sin before the Lord and they were happy to yield to the temptation. If the very idea of telling a lie to get fame had made them uncomfortable, satan would never be able to lead them into sin. That’s what Peter is asking – why have you allowed satan? Let us make a firm resolution never to allow satan to rule our hearts. May God help us to be cautious in forming the moral values of our life! May God bless you!
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 04:36:28 +0000
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