THE CROSS

Notes taken from Alfred Christlieb’s book, “Deine Zeugnisse – mein ewiges Erbe,” page 262.

We find the story of Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts in chapter five.

Ananias and Sapphira did three things the Lord does not like in his church:

A. THEY WERE CLINGING TO EARTHLY POSSESSIONS.

a. THE WIFE OF LOT

Just as the wife of Lot was clinging to Sodom and became a pillar of salt, Ananias and Sapphira were clinging to a small sum of  money.

b. PHARAOH

Is it not true that Pharaoh died because he was clinging to earthly things? He did not want to let the slaves go.

c. SHIMEI (First Kings 2:36)

Shimei lost his life, because he did not let go of two run-away slaves.

B. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR PRAISE FROM PEOPLE

What does it say in John 5:44?

C. THEY WERE DISHONEST

People who are after money and praise from people soon stray also from the truth.

Ananias and Sapphira were judged because they could not let go of earthly possessions, because they were looking for praise from people and because they were dishonest.

Only faith is missing, I am thinking.

Within a short time I had seen written “HOPE” and “LOVE” on upper garments and a placard with “LOVE” written on it in  a shop window on this beautiful day while enjoying a walk through Kaitaia.

First Corinthians 13:13 comes to my mind, where it says at the end, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Reading at home the beginning of First Corinthians 13 I am finding that it says there that love always TRUSTS and that love always HOPES. (The NLT says, “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” – First Corinthians 13:7)

I hope you see also that FAITH (trust) is not missing. With other words it is included.

POWER

“Keep calm and carry on,” says a sign you can see high up on the wall in a coffee shop in Kerikeri.

“Keep calm and carry on,” is on my mind while I am writing this, and this is the reason why:

Our power is off, but before it was off I charged the battery of my laptop and can
“keep calm and carry on” writing this.

But that is not all.

The power went off before I had a shave this morning, but I was able to “keep calm and carry on” on battery power. And on the shaver I am reading that there are still 53 minutes battery power left for shaving.

Yes, I “keep calm and carry on,” but am I also thankful? That is the important question. It is so easy to take things for granted.

The BIBLE says: “AND BE THANKFUL.” (Colossians 3:15)

I have two devotional treasuries in German. That are daily Readings, but I am reading as many a day as I can.

The two Devotional Treasuries