Before I post this study today let me say
that while reading it, keep in mind that Elohim’s (the Father’s) actions were
the result of the people’s selfishness, heard-heartedness, and outright lying.
These behaviors are the result of self and worldliness – which are NOT TO BE
among the Church.
The Church, in its ORIGINAL FORM are the
brethren and sisters of The Body of Maschiach (Christ). The church is NOT a
building, a denomination, or a religious creed.
Claiming to be a Christian carries
ramifications. Claiming to be a Christian reflects on the Name of Yeshua Ha’Maschiach
(Jesus the Messiah); and THAT is WHY what happened in this chapter of Acts
happened. Being a Christian – a REAL Christian is a serious undertaking and not
something to do – or claim – lightly.
I remember a time, not so long ago (I am only
61 years old), when Christian WERE honest and selfless; when they were sick
they called out for divine healing instead of running to the doctor, and when their
brothers and sisters in the Body were in need, they helped – and did so with
joyful hearts and open-handedness. ALL that CHANGED in the 1970’s when worldly
men and women infiltrated the churches and started spreading political and
social programs propaganda among the unwary believers. Suddenly, church doors
began to close and worldly-minded pastors started worrying about rising electric
bills and church hours went from 24 hours 7 days a week to a mere ONE HOUR
every Sunday and Wednesday. Even the 24 hour Prayer Rooms were shut down
permanently by the end of the 1970’s. By the mid-1980’s entire churches had
been politicized to the pastor’s political bent (and subsequent {sermons}
carrying that message instead of the message of The Gospel), socialized to
community service (welfare programs, inmate release programs, and DHS child
welfare services programs) instead of sticking to Body of Christ service (tending
to the needs of the flock of Messiah – the flock was left to fend for themselves
and they scattered aimlessly, many feeling – and rightfully so! – that their
concerns were no longer the concerns their pastors, lay-pastors, youth leaders,
pastor’s wives, and fellow brethren cared about anymore), and church buildings were
closed except for the Sunday service hour … and an ill-willed wind began to
blow across the globe with the kick-off of a wicked religious movement in
Toronto, Canada, dubbed ‘the toronto blessing’; that delusional religious hype then
spread to Lakeland, Florida and Brownsville in Pensacola, Florida. In the 1990’s
vineyard and ihop (international house of prayer), both behind the ‘blessings
revivals’ organizations began an intensive takeover of American churches willing
to promote NOW-one-world-church pogroms. And so we have today churches that no
longer preach from the Bible, but rather preach governmental pogroms; pew-sitters
who have NO IDEA WHY they are claiming to be {a christian} – and have NO
INTENTION of adhering to the Godly example exampled and preached by Yeshua Ha’Maschiach:
they gather together to complain about REAL Christians and flaunt their immodesty,
new tattoos and piercings, and to compete musically (who can sing the best or
play the best guitar riff). Traditional marriage has been shelved, and lgbt
relationships applauded. Babies ARE A RAREITY as abortion rights and ‘the new
norm’ of relationships smothered The Gospel in those dens of iniquity. Bibles
have been rewritten to appeal to the world and are being preached; perverting
and changing the text to tickle the ears of the deluded that gather together to
wallow in their narcissistic sins.
It is sad that we, who are of the true Body,
cannot find a place to fellowship together anymore. Even when we do obey Elohei
and go to where He sends us to fellowship … we are eventually told by the
pastor to leave because we “do not fit”. Meaning we are doing the work of
Adonai and questioning what is going on there – and he is being convicted and
is more concerned about head count and money flow than soul saving and working together
for the good of the brethren. How can a Christian ask for divine healing from a
gathering of proclaiming believers … or even a self-proclaiming pastor … that
is relying on the medical field and pharmaceuticals themselves? Christians are
astounded by the willingness of church leaders and pew-warmers to help the
world’s homeless and needy – but they mock and ridicule homeless Christians and
needy Christian families MADE SO BY the pogroms preached in their buildings!
Common sense and Faith seems to have been kicked to the curb along with Yeshua
in this NWO-one-world religion era. We have actually been told BY {pastors!} not to pray for people who are struggling ... and we have been told not to teach the Gospel. Tragic. We are indeed in the End of Days
foretold by Yeshua.
The self-proclaimed and self-promoting
{pastors} and {Christians} of today should take heed and repent lest they find
themselves in the same position as Ananias and Sapphira …
And PRAY FOR and SUPPORT any way the Ruach Ha'Kodesh leads you to do, for ACTUAL Christians who ARE living their Faith and DOING what Elohim leads them to do. In this way you will be reaping blessings as well as blessing those blessing others ;-)
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Acts ~ Chapter 5
There was also another man, Ananias by name, whose
wife was called Sapphira, and he, too, sold his property. With his wife’s
knowledge and consent, he kept back a part of the selling price and brought the
remainder and laid it at the feet of the Apostles. But Simon Peter said t him, “Ananias,
why did Lucifer (Satan, the Devil) come into your heart, causing you to lie to
the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Holy Spirit) and keep back a part of the money you got
from your estate? Before it was sold, was it not your own? You have not lied to
men, but to Elohei (God).” On hearing these words, Ananias fell down, dead. And
a great fear came upon all who heard what was said. Then the younger men got
up, wrapped up his body, carried him out and buried him.
About 3 hours later, his wife also came in,
but she did not know what had happened in the meantime. Then Simon Peter asked
her, “Tell me, was it for so much that you sold the estate?” And she replied, ‘Yes,
that was the price.’ Then Simon Peter said to her, “Alas, why did you 2 conspire
together to tempt Adonai Ruach Ha’Kodesh? Listen! The feet of those who buried
your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” And immediately she
fell down at his feet and died. As the young men came in they found that she
was dead, so they took her out and buried her by her husband.
The news of this brought a great fear upon
the whole Church, and upon all who heard it.
Many signs and wonders were being performed
among the people by means of the Apostles. They all gathered together regularly
on Solomon’s Porch of the Temple. None of the outsiders dared to join them,
although the people esteemed them highly. And so both men and women believers
were added in increasing numbers of Adonai’s People. They would even carry out their
sick, placing them on cots and mats, so that if Simon Peter came that way his
shadow might fall on some one of them. Great numbers of people streamed into
Jerusalem from the neighboring towns, and they brought with them their sick
ones and some who were troubled by foul demons, all of whom were healed.
All this aroused the High Priest and his
associates, particularly the party of the Sadducees, and made them furious.
They laid hands on the Apostles and put them in the public jail. Then an angel
of Adonai opened the doors of the prison during the night, let them out, and
spoke to them. “Go,” he said, “take your stand in the Temple, and teach the
people all about this life.”
Following this instruction, they went into
the Temple at dawn, and began to teach. Meanwhile, the High Priest and his
party came together and convened the council, the entire Israelite senate, and
then sent to the prison to have the Apostles brought before them. But when the
officers arrived, there they did not find them in the prison. They, therefore,
re turned and so reported. ‘Yes,’ they said, ‘we found the prison door shut,
everything securely locked, and the keepers on guard before the doors; but when
we opened them, we found nobody within.” When the High Priest, the captain of
the Temple and the chief priests heard this report, they were much perplexed
and wondered what this might mean. Then someone came and told them, ‘The men you
put in prison are now standing in the Temple and teaching the people.’ The
captain and his men then went and took them, but without violence, for they
were afraid that the people might stone them. And when they had brought them
in, they set them before the council and the High priest questioned them. ‘Did
we not give you strict orders,’ he asked, ‘not to teach in this Name? But see!
You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you plan on bringing this man’s
blood on us.’
In reply, Simon Peter and the Apostles said, “One
must obey Elohei rather than men. The God of our fathers has raised up Yeshua.
You killed Him by hanging Him on a cross. Elohim has, with His right hand, exalted
Him to be a prince and Savior, and to bring repentance and remission of sins to
Israel. We are His witnesses concerning these things, and so also in the Ruach
Ha’Kodesh Whom Elohim gives to those who obey Him.”
On hearing this, they became infuriated and
planned to kill them. Meanwhile, a member of the council, a Pharisee named
Gamaliel, who was a teacher of the law and who was held in honor by everyone,
ordered that the Apostles be sent out of the room for a short time. He then
spoke to the council, saying, ‘Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend
to do to these men. Once there was a man, years ago, named Theudas. He claimed
to be somebody, and a number of men, about 400, joined him. Well, he was put to
death, and all his followers were dispersed and nothing came of it. After him,
Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census, and he induced many
people to follow him, but he, too, perished and his followers were scattered to
the winds. And so in this case, my advice is to stay away from these men and to
leave them alone. For if this teaching and this work be from men, it will be
overthrown, but if it be from Elohei you cannot overthrow it. And besides, you
may even find yourselves opposing Elohei.
Gamaliel’s advice prevailed. However, they
again called in the Apostles and flogged them. Then they gave strict orders
that they must not speak in the Name of Yeshua, after which they released them.
So they left the council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to
suffer indignities on account of His Name. And then every day, in the Temple
and in the homes, they kept on teaching about Yeshua Ha’Mashiach and preaching
the glad tidings about Him.
