Are you or is it just for show? – Pastor Guillermo Jiménez

ARE YOU OR IS IT JUST FOR SHOW?

…He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!». (Acts 5:2-4 NLT)

This is the story of two people who appeared to be successful disciples, who appeared to be disciples who prayed, who read the Bible, who heard and wrote what God spoke to them, who gathered, who served and who were generous: “Ananias and Safira”.

In those days, the disciples had agreed to sell their belongings and help the poor, something similar to what we see these days: Many have been helping in different ways those who have lost their jobs with pantries, money , diapers, etc. Crises are something that brings out the best in people or sometimes the worst in people can come out.

Ananias sold his properties and took only part of the sale to the disciples and claimed that it was the sum total, and he did so with the consent of his wife, and in this way, they kept the rest.
The issue was not about the money, but that they lied to the Holy Spirit. These people had no intimacy with God, they were Christians, but the intimacy was of appearance because if they had communion with Him, he would have told them that this was not correct.

There are so many people who appear to be Christians, but in truth they do not have an intimate relationship with God, with the Holy Spirit. They live by appearances, and they believe that they can deceive the Holy Spirit. The consequences were that not only the husband died but also someone very close to him, his wife.

…at she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened…(Acts 5:10-11 NLT)

Tell me who you are with and so you are, or, just as you are, you convert those who are close to you. If you have fellowship with God, your family is more likely to have fellowship with God. But if you live by appearance your family will notice it and they will be the same way. He who walks among wolves learns to howl; he who walks generously becomes generous; He who walks with people who have fellowship with the Holy Spirit learns to fellowship with Him as well. Let’s not live on appearances!

Think about it:

Are you the same in your house as in the church?
Do you have communion with the Holy Spirit?
Are you being a good example for your family?