Who's Foolin' Who?
A Devotion
The Goodsoil Discipleship Ministry
By Bro. Andy Madonio
December 23, 2000
But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men, but to God." Acts 5:1-4.
There is an ongoing deception today in the church of Jesus; it is born equally on the wings of ignorance as well as innocence (often a child of ignorance). It is a festering wound in the Body of Christ that has defied a cure since before this passage of scripture was birthed. Deception is like that.
If Jesus is your Lord, you must admit that all you own, see, touch and comprehend was created by Him and for Him and through Him. This all-encompassing list includes your talents, traits and treasures, yet have you "kept back some" for yourself? You may lay what is yours at the feet of men -- in the sight of natural eyes. You may feel satisfied by this, even pious and religious. You may have even done this, sincerely believing that some goodness is preferable to none, even though scripture says we keep back some, not for others, but selfishly -- for ourselves. Besides, who really knows or cares that we have "kept back some?" We did give something, didn't we?
And so the deception spreads, like a cancer, camouflaged by our own justifications of just who it is we are deceiving. We may rationalize in our hearts that we have pulled off only a minor fleecing of men -- but scripture tells the truth. These deeds are conceived in our hearts as a lie whose intended target is the Holy Spirit. This "lie" (for that is what it is) is aimed directly at God, not men. Our hearts will most certainly lie and deceive, because they are able to do so, but the Spirit of Truth cannot.
Keep nothing back from Him and understand that subterfuge in this matter is far more deadly than your heart will allow you to believe. Malfunction within the Body of Christ is an infection that is ultimately designed to cause harm -- not to man -- but to the Creator. The Holy Spirit has made this clear; it is up to us to heed Him instantly.
