I was reading Acts 5 in the Message Bible this morning about the story of Ananias and Sapphire who had sold some land and gave some of the money from the proceeds to the Apostles; who would then use that money to help the poor.
Within the story; they conspired with each other to pretend to give all the money from the sale; when in fact they only gave a portion of it. Peter was filled with a revelatory word and collared Anania’s if indeed he sold the land and gifted all the proceeds. Anania’s replied he had!
Peter says; the land was yours and the money was your’s to do with what ever you wanted to do with it… “Why are you lying to us and to God?” and Ananias dropped dead. The same thing happened to his wife when she was questioned.
Eugene Peterson wrote… By this time the whole church and, in fact, everyone who heard these things had a healthy respect for God. They knew God was not to be trifled with.
It brought a measure of healthy fear in my heart as I prayed; “God; forgive me if I have ever trifled with you; help me to truly respect you.” So the question I ask you today is; “Do you trifle with God?”
Trinitarian Dance 