April 21st Daily Devotion

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON ACTS 

SHARING ALL THEY HAD

Acts 5:4 (Read Acts 5:1-11) “You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”  

You have probably heard someone say, “All the church is ever interested in is my money.” The Church is not interested in obtaining your money. However, the Holy Scriptures, thus the church, are very concerned about the role money plays in your life. Satan and your sinful old Adam often try to tempt you to make money (earthly possessions) into your god. That is, to place your faith and trust in money and possessions.  

Luke wrote in Acts 5 there was a married couple by the name of Ananias and Sapphira who sold some of their land. There was nothing wrong in them selling the land. It is what they did with the proceeds of the sale that is focused upon in today’s devotional verses. They said they were giving all of the proceeds to the church, as many of their fellow believers had been doing, to join with their fellow believers in becoming “one in heart and mind . . . sharing all that they had.” (Acts 4:32)  

The issue raised in Acts 5 is that they lied. They pretended that they gave all of the sale proceeds when in fact they did not. Peter said to them, “Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” (Acts 5:4) In other words, Peter said to them that they did not have to give any of the money to share “all they had” as some of their fellow believers had done. But they lied saying it was all the money they had received from the sale of their land.    

Peter said to them, “You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” St. Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:7-10)  

Your financial gifts you give to your church are not given to your church. They are given as a thank offering to God. Your church is responsible then to distribute your thank offering and those of your fellow members in a way that is pleasing unto God and gives glory to His name.    

A thank offering is given, motivated by your heart, not your head. It is an act of gratitude! It is one way for you to glorify Him who created you and who provides all you need to support your body and life. It is your testimony that God is your God rather than your money is your god.    

Prayer: Dear Lord, all that I have is a gift from You. Guide me to use Your gifts to Your glory, to support my family and others as You give me opportunity. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

We give Thee but Thine own,   
Whate’er the gift may be;  
All that we have is Thine alone,   
A trust, O Lord, from Thee. 

May we Thy bounties thus  
As stewards true receive  
And gladly, as Thou blesses us,  
To Thee our first-fruits give! 

Oh, hearts are bruised and dead,  
And homes are bare and cold,  
And lambs for whom the Shepherd bled  
 Are straying from the fold.  

To comfort and to bless,  
To find a balm for woe,  
To tend the lone and fatherless  
Is angels’ work below. 

The captive to release,  
To God the lost to bring,  
To teach the way of life and peace,  
It is a Christ-like thing. 

And we believe Thy Word,  
Though dim our faith may be;  
Whate’er for Thine we do, O Lord,  
We do it unto Thee.  

We Give Thee But Thine Own // LSB 781

Public Domain // Used by Permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000198