Daily Devotional
Sincerity in Our Worship
“Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter answered her, ‘Tell me whether you sold the land for so much?’ She said, ‘Yes, for so much.’ Then Peter said to her, ‘How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.”
Acts 5:7-10
August 17, 2024
Ponder This
Ananias and Saphira were pretending a devotion to Jesus they did not have. They were hypocrites. It’s easy to point to the finger and say, “It’s too bad they did that.” But have you done the same thing? Have you sung the words in worship such as, “Naught that I have my own I call, I hold it for the giver. My heart, my strength, my life, my all are His, and His forever.” Have you meant it? Have you stood and sung, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give?” If we are not sincere about it, we are no better than Ananias and Saphira.
There are some who have sung the hymn “Take my silver and my gold; not a mite would I withhold.” But we hold it with all our might; it’s pretending. Words are cheap. We must be careful. The root of this sin is pride, and the fruit is pretense.
- What are some ways you might be guilty of singing or speaking words of devotion to Jesus you didn’t really mean?
- Why is it easier to point the finger at someone else rather than seeing the hypocrisy in our own lives?
Practice This
Sing a worship song with a heart of sincerity to God.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
