“Our Daily Bread”   

http://odb.org/2012/11/03/the-truth-about-maps/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

Acts 5:3…  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?  (NKJV)

In the Bible, Ananias and his wife Sapphira were part of a congregation of believers, who had sold some of their land for the purpose of giving the proceeds to the church… Apparently there had been a promise made to God to give this money to the church; and both Ananias and his wife Sapphira must have decided to later keep part of the profits for themselves… This normally wouldn’t have been a problem, except for the fact that they lied to God…

The Apostle Peter goes on to reveal this, in…Acts 5:4b… “Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” (NKJV)

The next verse tells us what price Ananias paid for breaking a promise made to the Lord…Acts 5:5… Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.  (NKJV)

Some young men of the congregation immediately got up, picked up the body of Ananias, and took him out and buried him…Acts 5:6…

Three hours later, Ananias’ wife Sapphire came in, not knowing what had happened to her husband; and Peter asked her if the church had received all the profits from the land she and her husband had sold…  I guess Peter was giving her one last chance to confess her sin of greed and lying…  She told him yes, and she too immediately fell dead at the feet of Peter…Acts 5:10… Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.  (NKJV)

Scripture tells us that “great fear came upon all those who heard these things.”… I don’t know about you; but this married couple falling dead because they lied to the Lord, is enough to keep me from making the same mistake…

I don’t know how many times I have heard or read about people who promise God this or that, if He helps them out of a tough situation…  God wants us to pray to Him, asking for His mercy in our time of need… But one should never, ever make a promise to the Lord…  God is sovereign, and will do as He sees fit…Psalm 115:3… God is not in the business of bartering with His children…

As a matter of fact, one should never make a promise to anyone that they knowingly don’t intend to keep… This would be a lie, and certainly not something Christians should be doing, if they want to remain righteous in God’s eyes… Jesus gave us some good advice, in His “Sermon on the Mount” teaching (Matthew chapter 5, 6, & 7), in… Matthew 5:37… “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” (NKJV)

As Christians, we should think very carefully before we volunteer or commit of our time or our resources… A person’s integrity is something that should be kept in tact at all cost… And if we make a promise, and something unforeseen arises…we should call those we have promised, and give them a reason for not being able to fulfill our obligation…

As Christians, when we fail to complete a promise we have made, for some poor personal unfounded excuse…we will be no better than those still living in the world of sin and shame, who have not been graced with God’s gift of salvation… And the light with-in us, that those around us are supposed to see, will be snuffed out…

Jesus again gives us more good advice as Christians, in…Matthew 5:16…  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  (NKJV)

So the next time you make a commitment or a promise…and you really don’t have a legitimate reason to back out… “let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’”, fulfill your promise, and keep your integrity in tact…

Heavenly Father, no one ever said it would be easy to live a life that will be pleasing to You… But Lord, help all of Your children to live their lives always remembering that as part of Your family they should be beacons of light to those around them in need… I pray Lord, that You would urge all of Your children to always speak the truth from their hearts…in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce r mills