Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 11 (Love Not The World, Part 1: “Ananias & Sapphira Christianity”)

By admin On February 10th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 11

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Love Not The World,

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“Ananias & Sapphira Christianity”

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“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,

and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,

is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:

but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

1st John 2:15-17

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ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA

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One very startling Bible story is found in the 4th and 5th Chapter of Acts, concerning one Ananias and his wife, Sapphira.

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In the last part of Acts, Chapter 4, the Believers began selling their houses and lands, and laying these magnanimous offerings at the Apostles’ feet!

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Well, Ananias and his wife also sold their land, but withheld part of the proceeds for themselves.

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Death of Ananias & Sapphira – www.wikigallery.com – Public Domain

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THEY FELL DOWN DEAD!

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But when Ananias laid the money at the Apostles’ feet, Peter called out Ananias for lying to God about withholding some of the proceeds.

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And upon hearing Peter’s rebuke, Ananias fell down dead.

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Three hours later, Sapphira came in, and was questioned by Peter, she also lying about the price of the land. Well, upon hearing Peter’s rebuke, she too fell down dead!

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And needless to say, this story struck great fear into the hearts of the Church and upon all that heard about this incident.

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Death of Ananias & Sapphira – www.wikigallery.com – Public Domain

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MANY ARE LIKE ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA

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Now, there is a great lesson which can be gleaned from this true historical account.

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You see, there are many so-called “converts” to Christianity, who are much like Ananias & Sapphira. In other words, there are many who join the Church, making a profession of having sold all, to follow Jesus.

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But before long, they grow discontent living only for Jesus, and gradually begin to return to seeking after the pleasures and pursuits of this selfish world, while still making-believe that they have forsaken all, to follow Jesus.

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HOLDING BACK A GOODLY PORTION

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And there are many in today’s churches who fall into this category of being “double-minded” Christians. And these unfortunate ones withhold a goodly portion of their lives, to pursue some of the countless pleasures and ambitious pursuits of this, the Devil’s world!

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But listen to Jesus…“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33

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**Jesus, here, is “not beating around the bush”, as the old saying goes, as He plainly lays out just what is required to truly become one of His disciples!**

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ABOVE PICTURE: Unfunny Judgment Day Cartoon: “Company’s Coming”

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“THEY FORSOOK ALL, AND FOLLOWED HIM”

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And when Jesus called His disciples, the fishermen, Peter, James, and John, it is written of them…“And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him.” Luke 5:11

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Here is the correct spirit of true discipleship! A willingness to lay all down on altar for God!

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Christ calling His Disciples by Edward Armitage – 1869 – courtesy Wikigallery.com – Public Domain

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THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS?

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Unfortunately, we live in the time of the great apostasy of the church-world. And Satan has successfully convinced Christians that we can have both Jesus, and the world too! But this of course, is a lie straight from the depths of Hell.

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But we look around at this decadent, cornucopian super-society, filled to the brim with every conceivable pleasure and pursuit, and imagine that we too can go after these various forms of Mammon just like the secularists go after them!

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SPIRITUAL DEATH

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But what we don’t realize is, that we are doing exactly like Ananias & Sapphira!

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And no, God won’t strike us dead, at least, not physically dead.

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But there are many in the Church who have quenched the Spirit, because of their world-loving ways! And so, as a result of becoming void of the Spirit, they have in essence, been struck dead, spiritually!

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Death of Ananias & Sapphira – www.wikigallery.com – Public Domain

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TRADING AWAY THIS PRESENT WORLD

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Now, God may not want us to sell our house as the early Church members did.

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That’s not the point that God is trying to make in the account of Ananias & Sapphira. Many Christians need a home to live in.

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No, but rather, God is wanting us to sell off our land, that is, this present world, trading it, in exchange for the Promised Land!

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Yes, God wants us to choose which world we are going to live for! Are we going to continue to enjoy the pleasures and pursuits of this cornucopian world, or are we going to lay down our lives on the altar of service and devotion to God, as did all noble men of God: men like Paul, Barnabas, Peter, James, and John?

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Paul Tentmaking – La Vista Church of Christ – Creative Commons License

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GOOD NEWS! STILL A LITTLE TIME!

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Well, there is some very Good News, because it is still the day of Salvation. Yes, God has graciously allowed us time to repent!

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And though we have foolishly allowed “the god of this world” to fill up our lives with so many time-consuming and energy-sapping and Spirit-quenching pursuits, there is still time to forsake them…

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APOCALYPSE NOW!

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Listen to Isaiah, as he speaks of this very hour we are now in…“In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; To go into the clefts of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of His majesty, when He ariseth to shake terribly the earth.” Isaiah 2:20, 21

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And as this above passage foretells, God’s people, His true worshipers will hear this message of repentance, and respond by casting behind us, all our foolish earthly pleasures and worldly treasures, and flee to the Mount Sion of God’s everlasting place of Rest!

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And there in that Holy Mount, we will surely find safe-haven from the approaching storm: that long-anticipated storm which will soon sweep over the entire world!

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ABOVE PICTURE: Hide Thyself in thy Chambers – inspired by Tornado Over Kansas by Curry

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TODAY’S PRAYER…

“Dear Lord, Give me a new heart which desires to become an entirely new creation! Keep me back from falling into a mere religion of trying to do the minimum. But mold me and make me into Thy Likeness…

USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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“And there appeared a great wonder (“sign”) in Heaven;

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a woman clothed with the sun,

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and the moon under her feet,

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and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:”

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Revelation 12:1

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If you were to go out on a dark and starry night in the summer months, and lift up your head, you might just see this constellation group. Looking at this sketch, do you see this woman as she tries to take hold of that crown?

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Well, this is a heavenly fulfillment of the above Bible verse (“And there appeared a great wonder (or “sign”) in Heaven; a woman…and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:” Revelation 12:1).

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**And this woman is known as the Revelation 12 Woman, and that crown is known as the Revelation 12 Crown. You can see this constellation group in the summer months by looking in the western skies.**

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TOMORROW…

March 12 (Cease Ye From Man! Part 9: “Avoiding David’s Sin!”)

David’s sorrow – Wikigallery – Public Domain

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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH

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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

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THIS STUDY #70 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…

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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain

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Signs Of Heaven

Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 11 (Love Not The World, Part 1: “Ananias & Sapphira Christianity”)

.

.

Daily Devotional, Year 3 – March 11

.

.

.

.

Love Not The World,

.

“Ananias & Sapphira Christianity”

.

.

.

.

.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh,

and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,

is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:

but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

.

.

.

.

ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA

.

One very startling Bible story is found in the 4th and 5th Chapter of Acts, concerning one Ananias and his wife, Sapphira.

.

In the last part of Acts, Chapter 4, the Believers began selling their houses and lands, and laying these magnanimous offerings at the Apostles’ feet!

.

Well, Ananias and his wife also sold their land, but withheld part of the proceeds for themselves.

.

.

.

.

.

.

THEY FELL DOWN DEAD!

.

But when Ananias laid the money at the Apostles’ feet, Peter called out Ananias for lying to God about withholding some of the proceeds.

.

And upon hearing Peter’s rebuke, Ananias fell down dead.

.

Three hours later, Sapphira came in, and was questioned by Peter, she also lying about the price of the land. Well, upon hearing Peter’s rebuke, she too fell down dead!

.

And needless to say, this story struck great fear into the hearts of the Church and upon all that heard about this incident.

.

.

.

.

.

.

MANY ARE LIKE ANANIAS & SAPPHIRA

.

Now, there is a great lesson which can be gleaned from this true historical account.

.

You see, there are many so-called “converts” to Christianity, who are much like Ananias & Sapphira. In other words, there are many who join the Church, making a profession of having sold all, to follow Jesus.

.

But before long, they grow discontent living only for Jesus, and gradually begin to return to seeking after the pleasures and pursuits of this selfish world, while still making-believe that they have forsaken all, to follow Jesus.

.

.

.

.

.

HOLDING BACK A GOODLY PORTION

.

And there are many in today’s churches who fall into this category of being “double-minded” Christians. And these unfortunate ones withhold a goodly portion of their lives, to pursue some of the countless pleasures and ambitious pursuits of this, the Devil’s world!

.

But listen to Jesus…“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33

.

Jesus, here, is “not beating around the bush”, as the old saying goes, as He plainly lays out just what is required to truly become one of His disciples!

.

.

.

.

.

**Jesus, here, is “not beating around the bush”, as the old saying goes, as He plainly lays out just what is required to truly become one of His disciples!**