Verse of the day
Proverbs 21:2 - People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart.
There are times in our lives when we believe we are doing the right thing, but in fact we are doing something wrong. As all sin comes from the heart, God knows every secret motive we have.
An example of this can be found in the Bible during the time shortly after the death of Jesus. It was a time when the Holy Spirit came to dwell among the believers. Everyone met in homes and with the apostles learning, worshipping and giving.
Some would even sell their land so that the poor could live. Ananias and Sapphira were one such couple who sold their land. They kept some of the money for themselves thinking with their own eyes they were doing what was right for them. However, God knew what was in their hearts and the outcome for both of them was death.
But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.
Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”
As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”
“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”
And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”
Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened. - Acts 5:1-11
We can lie to others and we can lie to ourselves thinking we are in the right, but we cannot lie to God. He sees every motive, every secret and every hidden desire that comes from our heart.
And as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira, there are consequences to our actions. We may not experience a physical death but certainly a spiritual one unless we confess our sins before Jesus.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:23
Let us seek out God's truth as revealed in scripture. And may our hearts exemplify this truth with pure and honest motives.
Heavenly Father, You know me better than I know myself. Examine my heart and reveal to me any impure motives, secret desires or selfish ambitions that may corrupt my character and lead me away from you. Give me strength to do what is right and let my heart not be corrupted by the things of this world.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
