Ever ask yourself what convinced people in the New Testament church that God was the real deal?   As a daughter, sister, friend to so many who aren’t saved… It’s one I should ask myself often.

Acts 5 “5 But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 9 But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. When the young men came in they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. 12 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.”

 

So you might be wondering about how the above scripture ties into having a Kingdom minset. I was chewing on this scripture about Ananias and Sapphira.. A couple who had clearly missed the mark on having the right mindset. In these verses, we have an occurence that maybe a lot of us would pretend didn’t exist in the New Covenant passages. 2 people struck dead for testing God and lying to the Holy Spirit, for doing something that we see as soooooo normal that we could miss how directly this verse applies to us. They exagerated their gift, trying to appear more godly than they actually were, or at very least trying to impress a bunch of people and not God. How many of us don’t exagerate on some level? And how many of us can say that our motives were any different than this couples? Where does this fit under the covenant of grace? I have questions.. more questions than answers. So, on the really awesome side, here is what is very exciting to me in these verses. While no wanted to join the apostles, the number of believers actually increased after this incident. Somehow both fear of the Lord and the grace, compassion, miracles motivated a greater number of people to start really flocking towards God. Is it possible that we have lost how important and significant fear of the Lord is to the sharing of the full gospel in a convincing and powerful way?

James 4:2-4 “You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

 

Anyone else see a theme? We see in the verses above that this sin was conceived in the hearts of Ananias and Sapphira, that even in giving a generous amount, the value of their gift was completed annihilated by their motivation in giving their gift. First, seemingly, they were giving in response to the gift of another believer (if you check out the passage prior to this one, Barnabus had just done a very similar thing and offered the fullness of his gift). As long as we are following a “thou shalt” “you must” ” you want this than do that” instead of doing these things in joy and thanksgiving for the Lord, somehow, we are still locked into this awful mindset. God looks past all that we do outwardly and looks straight at our heart. In truth, Ananias and Sapphira would have been better off keeping their property than selling it and giving the proceeds in the manner they gave. Are there places in my life and ways where I do this? I confess I am guilty and praise God, now forgiven for these sins. We are so desperate to be friend’s with the world.. Ok, I have historically been so desperate to be friends with the world. But to do so makes us “an enemy of God”. James speaks to one of our most common motives. We often seek, do, pray, and even serve according to this … hedonism (a fancy word that means the pursuit of fleshly pleasures). Is it possible that this is maybe a reason why some of our prayers aren’t answered? Even in praying to be healthy, our goals are not typically Kingdom directed. Mostly we just want to escape the pain, discomfort, yucky parts of our existence etc and resume the life that we see so many others living.. there is an especial temptation for those suffering from sickness and disease with envy and jealousy. How willing are we to give up the parts that our flesh likes, that we count as good and happy regardless of what the Bible says about these things. Have we escalated our human “morality” above the Word of God. I studied philosophy in university. In hindsight, this may have been the most useful course I took as it helps me to understand that how we think and perceive the “common good” to be is actually and has actually largely been crafted by the influence and intention of the great philosophers etc.. History speaks clearly to this… The dark ages representing one mind set, the enlightenment representing another. The truth is, although some might be tempted to lynch me for saying so, is our morals are largely fashionable and change with the media and the seasons. My morals at 27 had radically shifted from the morals I held at 12 years old. Have a peak at TV programming from 40-50 years ago and you will quickly see how much our “values” have changed since.
So, what can we do to have a Kingdom mindset. Always comes back to that verse Matthew 6:33 for me.

“33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

How often do we drop the “and his righteousness” when we quote this verse. The reality is the very core of our existence once we are born again is to develop a relationship with God and to seek His Kingdom, His will and His way. We are called to die to our old selves and our old fleshly ways.

Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV) ” Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

 

Notice God works in us so that we will “will and work for HIS good pleasure”. Something about this verse tells me that my own salvation doesn’t just happen, but takes ongoing effort and the right mindset (hence the with fear and trembling). Oh my Lord, please forgive me for living so utterly selfishly, I thank you that You are already at work within me and my heart so that I will live for Your will and Your good pleasure.   A few more scriptures that popped to mind today as I was thinking on these things.

 2 Timothy 3 (ESV) “3 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.”

Luke 8:10-15 (ESV)
“10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”

2 Corinthians 5:11-13 (NLT)

“11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.”