What Is On Your Mind?

"But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, 'Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.'" - Acts 5:1-4

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day about our tendency to rely on ourselves more than we rely on, trust in, God. The Bible is full of admonitions for us not to do that very thing, and yet we do - all the time. It is like that slice of you favorite pie on the counter. You, like me, have found that your metabolism has slowed and you must mind what you eat - sugar and carbs have become your nemeses.  And so you know that eating that pie is not what you should do, but there is something inside of you that is telling you that "just one piece of pie is not going to hurt this once". At the same time, you know from your past that it is not "just one" that has gotten you to where you are. So what do you do? Of course, You eat the pie and savor every bite. Wait a second! Doesn't it say in the Bible somewhere "eat, drink and be merry?" 

"A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil." - Ecclesiastes 2:24 

If only that was a complete thought. Stopping there - taking any verses out of context is a big problem - it has been the justification for many wrong actions of many Christians and quasi-religious people. Those people who have a form of godliness, but their hearts are far from Him. The are Christians in name only. Consider the next verse.

"This too, I [Solomon] see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?" - Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

I have a feeling that Ananias and his wife had rationalized their actions. Satisfying their greed and self-dependence. But it seemed so reasonable. They rationalized that it was just one piece of pie! There is another way to spell "rationalize" - "Rational-Lies"  You tell yourself lies as a way of giving yourself permission to do what you know in your heart you should not do.

Paul talked about it in Romans 7 with respect to himself.

"For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." - Romans 7:19-25

The good I know to do I don't do - it is what I know that I should not do - that is what I do! I eat the pie and regret it later. The body cries out of immediate gratification. The struggle between the Spirit and the flesh is what I am writing about. Like Ananias and his wife. Like Peter who questioned Ananias.

"And Peter answered Him [Jesus] and said, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' So He said, 'Come.' And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!' And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased” - Matthew 14:28-32

Peter started out well - his eyes (and heart) fixed on Jesus - but then something happened - doubt set in. His trust shifted from Jesus to himself and he began to sink. Peter's faith, at that point was small - weak. That would change -  the man who was speaking to Ananias was not the same man who was walking on the water. By the way, did you catch that last sentence?  "and when they got to the boat" Did Peter swim back? Did Jesus carry him back? I think not. I think that they walked back together - Peter got his focus and trust back.

Look -  we all struggle with trusting God from time to time. The tension between the the Spirit and flesh will not stop in us until we see Jesus face to face. But times when we "eat the pie" will become less and the times when we trust God and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus will be more. Unless we decide that we like pie more. I pray not!

"If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." - Colossians 3:1-4

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone