Lying to God

Text: Acts 5:1-11
Theme: It’s not healthy to lie to God.
Key verses: “Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, he brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, ‘Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your teart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?…You have not lied to men but to God.’ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died” (v. 1-5a). “About 3 hours later his wife came in…Peter asked her, ‘Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘that is the price'” (v. 7-8). “Peter said to her, ‘How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord?’…At that moment she fell down at his feet and died” (v. 10a).
What God said to me: Dwayne, it never pays to lie to me or seek to deceive me in any way. It is devastating to your life and family. I will not stand for it or allow it to go on from my children. Furthermore, you must never lie to the “man of God” that I’ve placed in your life. Your pastor and your spiritual mentors must be given the highest regard and honest accountability. I want you to notice that Ananias and Shappira weren’t struck down while they were selling the land or scheming the deception in their minds and between them in their home. My mercy held back my judgment at that point. However, when they stood and bold-faced lied to me and my apostle, then they died because of it. That shows you how serious I consider deception, apparently more than any other sin. A heart that seeks to deceive and cover up sin is an arrogant heart–And I detest the sin of pride. Will you sin? Yes. Will you scheme sinful and deceptive ideas in your head? Yes. But you dare not ignore or downright lie about them when I confront your sin. You better own up to them and confess and forsake them. Or else…
What I said to God: Holy Lord, wow, thank you for speaking so loudly to me this morning. I’ve struggled for a week with this passage, not sure what to think of it or what you wanted to say to me through it. Now I know how much I needed to hear your still, small voice speaking so loudly to my spirit. Thank you for helping to put “the fear of God” in me about lying to you and to my spiritual mentors and accountability partners. I dare not.