On This Day: When God Serves Notice on Sin

   But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 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. 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? 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.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

   After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.” 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.”  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. And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. (Acts 5:1-11)

   Yes, I have kazillions of questions about this. However, they come down to two main ones. Why doesn’t God judge liars in the church today the way he did that one time? And what is the church to do about lying, hypocrisy, cheating in business, deceiving, bearing false witness, and whatever synonymous expressions come to mind?

   When we face scenarios where God did something once and it never appears to be repeated, I see it as God serving notice. A singular event can still reveal things about what God is like as a person, what he wants us to understand about what he’s up to, and how he works to get things done. Noah’s flood will never happen again, but we certainly learn a lot about God in that unique event. Moses’ burning bush was a once-in-history experience, but through it we come to know so much about who God is as the great “I AM”, and how he speaks to his people about what he is doing so we can join him in his work.

   When we come to God’s death sentence on Ananias and Sapphira, and the way it instilled godly fear in everyone when they realized how seriously God took dishonesty, we must accept that this is still what he is like, it is still how he feels about falsehood, and he still wants us treating lying and deceiving as seriously as he does.

   The church is living between that unique event when God pronounce a death sentence on Ananias and Sapphira, and the coming judgment when “all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). God has served notice through his judgment on the church’s first two liars, and he has served notice of the judgment that will come on all who live in such sin.

   When I then consider how the church is to live in light of this revelation of God, I am aware that many of us may wonder why God doesn’t do this judgment again with those people who have hurt us so terribly by lying about us, bearing false witness about us, and deceiving people into believing their lies instead of the truth. Yes, I have often asked God why it wouldn’t be advantageous to stop liars from doing so much damage to the church!

   The problem is stated by the Psalmist: “I said in my alarm, ‘All mankind are liars’” (Psalm 116:11). You see, if God put to death every liar in the church there wouldn’t be any church! Okay, maybe that is an exaggeration, but I think you get the point. Who hasn’t lied? Who hasn’t pretended to be doing well when inside we are really dying? Who hasn’t listened to slander about another believer because it was one of our favorite people telling the story? Who hasn’t answered someone to their face with one story and then gone and told our people a totally different one?

   My point is that God served notice how he feels about the sin of lying, and we are now to help one another in the church take this seriously. This means that the church, the body of Christ, must address lying in the church without favoritism or partiality. We side with the truth. We “speak the truth in love”. We worship God “in spirit and in truth”. We seek to be our real “in Christ” selves with all people so that, even when we can’t tell people everything going on inside us, we certainly don’t promote external appearances that contradict our inner love of truth. We must express genuineness, realness, sincerity, so that, even if we keep to ourselves things that only concern us, what we express and say to others is still our truthful and real expression of trying to “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). We can absolutely aim to do that in sincerity and truth even while having other struggles and difficulties inside us that we are dealing with just between us and God.

   Obviously, there is much more to say on this matter. However, the main point for me is that, through Ananias and Sapphira, God has told us how deadly serious he is about lying because it is so not him, and it is so Satan. We can ask God if it would be advantageous to do this again in scenarios that seem even more grievous to us than what that first partners-in-crime brought into the church. However, he has left church discipline to the church, so we must follow Jesus’ instructions, follow the apostles’ teaching and examples in the New Testament, and be absolutely truthful in any participation regarding lying, dishonesty, and deception in the church no matter who it is we must side with and who it is we must hold to accouny for sin.

   And, since so many churches can’t discipline the liars because of the power of church politics, we need to be at peace with God that “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19).   

   Today we must look in the mirror of God, his word, and his Spirit, confess anything in us that smacks of dishonesty, repent and reconcile with people we have hurt with our lying, entrust to God’s sovereign goodness and justice anyone who has wronged us and never repented, and go into our days seeking to “walk in the light, as he is in the light,” because that is the way “we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

  

© 2025 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

 

On This Day: The Words That Comfort Richly

   “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:13-15)

   While my first interest in seeking God in his word is always what he is teaching me (because however I put his words to me into practice affects everything I do in seeking to love and bless others), there are times when God’s ministry to me comes in the way of him telling me how he thinks of others. 

   Often this is positive, as in helping me see how to apply his word to me because he shows me his love for others, his forgiveness of others, his gifting of others, and he wants me to share that with him.

   Other times it is negative, as in identifying his view of what people have done to me by showing how he related to the same things himself, through his messengers, or especially through his Son. 

   All that to say that every word of today’s Scripture told me God’s view of people who were relating to Jesus a particular way. And by showing me God’s view, it comforted me so much about my experiences with similar people since God is good and will bring every wrong to justice one way or another.

   A Scripture that often guides me in how personally I interact with God’s word is this: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). When I picture what God has in mind for me to let his word dwell in me richly, I see a heart that treasures God above all others, that treasures God’s word above all words, and that treasures living by God’s words above any thoughts or opinions of men, me included! 

   When I come to a Scripture like this one in Luke, every phrase speaks comfort into my heart because it gives God’s view of real-life heartaches. To let those words dwell in me richly involves attaching to how personal God is with me. He sets a stage so familiar to my own. He reveals the hearts of people so I can see them in his own words. He presents them as they really are and answers them as he really is. It’s all so plain and clear that it comforts me as much as I will let it dwell in me richly.

   I hope that my sharing of this helps to do the “teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” part. 

   I can’t think of any songs that capture this particular passage about Jesus rebuking the Pharisees that would fit “singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God”, but I know we have songs that glorify God for his justice, mercy, and faithfulness in handling everything according to his sovereign goodness and working all things in our lives together for good. 

   Today, I already feel the richness of God’s comfort in telling me both sides of the story. Hypocritical narcissists are nothing new. They often look like they are winning, just as the Pharisees appeared to be victorious when they succeeded at putting Jesus to death. 

   But those who love God instead of money are the ones who live as “more than conquerors through him who loved us,” knowing that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39). 

   And so, we set our hearts on God as our supreme treasure, we set out into the day to use our money, our time, our spiritual gifts, to serve others in love, and we do so in the hope that someone out there will be encouraged to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, to love their neighbor as themselves, including using our money for God’s glory and their good.

© 2025 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com 

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

On This Day: To Rest in What is Revealed

   In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 
   All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” (Luke 10:21-22)

   One of the biggest things I want people to know is that eternal life is to KNOW God. Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). 

   Yes, that is the essence of what it means to receive eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus has secured the salvation by which we can return to the God who created us and know him as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

   This means that our daily interest should be in how well we know God. And, for some of us (at least people like me), how well I know God rests completely on how he feels about knowing me. 

   The stage on which Jesus has made his heart known to me over the years has been one littered by broken relationships. I grew up in a family that was broken. My attachment-light got stuck in the “always on” position because I was desperate to not miss the hope-springs-eternal time that someone might actually want to attach to me. When I learned that the term “hyper-vigilant” describes a mindstate that has been trained to be on guard against danger, I wanted to know how to bring that into my relationship with God.

   Or, how God was shining his spotlight onto my broken radar system so he could heal what was wounded and bring me to peace in my relationship with him.

   Since I had my first conscious awareness of God’s interest in me almost 6 decades ago, and then learned how to listen to him in his word in the most real and personal of ways almost 33 years ago, I can chart a relationship with God that has been growing because I am God’s child. My security with him doesn’t rest on how well I hang on to him, but on how settled his love is for me. My significance to him doesn’t depend on what I do for good, but what his goodness has delighted in for me before I was even created. My acceptance with God doesn’t rest on my good behavior that must always be that 1 ounce more than anything I do wrong. Rather, my acceptance with the Triune God rests on him accepting me in his beloved Son.

   No matter who I talk with, and no matter who I imagine might read this, my supreme interest is in how they know God. I regularly remind people to see the grace and peace of God in the Beatitudinal Valley because the way God blesses us is typically so different than religious (and irreligious) life has taught us. We need to attach to God in our poverty of spirit in order to know what it means to truly have peace with God. 

   Today it feels like God is comforting me in some of the most painful losses I have experienced as he shows me the reality of his desire to find me and have me as his own. Yes, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Yes, the judge of all creation. Yes, the eternal Father, the glorious Son, the comforting Holy Spirit. They have a personal desire for me to know them and have gone through hell (so to speak) to have me. 

   If no one has told you this, stop pretending, and meet with God as you are. Tell “our Father in heaven” how you are doing. Be the child. Lay your complaints before him. Tell him what you don’t understand. Be honest. Be real. 

   And then listen. 

   Yes, open God’s word and listen to him. He is speaking. His Holy Spirit is with us to teach us all things and bring to our remembrance things we have already known. Whatever stands out, talk to him like that is what he is saying to you. Converse. Dialogue. Meditate on what he says. Cling to it with all your heart. 

   And today, let my testimony that learning “the Son CHOOSES (desires) to reveal” the Father to his beloved brothers encourage you that he will do the same for you as much as for me. Why? Because the level ground at the throne of grace is faith. Not necessarily great faith. Not even mature faith. Just faith that comes like a child and wants to get to know God. Yes, get to KNOW him!

   Eternal life comes through believing in Jesus Christ. And Jesus gives eternal life to us because we must be alive to know the Triune God. As John wrote, “In him (Jesus) was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).

   The darkness has not overcome Jesus’ work to pour the love of God into my heart by the Holy Spirit he has given us. Come to Jesus as you are and let him overcome the darkness in your life so he can lead you to know God better than you have ever known him before. 

© 2025 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com 

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

On This Day: How to be Angry at Sin Without Sinning

   On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus. (Luke 6:6-11)

   I’m writing this part after I had my time with God in his word, after I shared my box of sharing (to the left) online, and after having a time of prayer that followed the example of Jesus who “would withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Luke 5:16). God wove these three stands together to minister to me in so many ways that left me knowing what he was saying, seeing what he was doing, and joining him in his work. 

   Have you ever read something about Jesus in the Bible and thought, “You mean that Jesus experienced the same things as me?” 

   The way this hit me today was in the definition of “watched”, as in, “And the scribes and Pharisees watched him…” The word carries nuances of meaning that are very telling of their soul-condition, but also very comforting to know that our Savior faced such things!

   “Watched” means “to observe (keep watch over) v. — to watch attentively, as keeping a record of activities in the mind (for later use)” (Bible Sense Lexicon). When we picture the religious elites watching Jesus, we must include these factors. They were watching attentively, but not with curiosity about what they could learn about him. It wasn’t to see if his actions would answer questions about whether he truly was the Messiah. 

   Rather, it was the attentive eyes of narcissistic hearts building a record of Jesus’ activities that they could save as weapons for later use. And the extent of this narcissism is clarified in what they did when Jesus healed the man, “But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus” (vs 11), meaning, “how to destroy him” (Mark 3:6). 

   It helped me to look up Mark’s description of how Jesus felt about these religious narcissists: “And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored” (Mark 3:5). The kind of anger Jesus felt in response to the hardness of heart in the scribes and Pharisees was “Anger: wrath n. — a feeling of intense anger that does not subside; often on an epic scale” (Bible Sense Lexicon). Yes, Jesus was THAT angry!

   I learned a long time ago that anger is a secondary emotion. It is triggered by a primary emotion. In this case, Jesus’ primary emotion was “grieved at their hardness of heart” and his secondary emotion was intense anger that they were willing to destroy the work of God while claiming to be the teachers of the people of God. 

   The short story on how God ministered to me while I was praying was to turn my attention from what I have experienced to how it has affected me. He affirmed the narcissism I grew up with in my home. He agreed with my memory in all the narcissists I have seen destroying families and churches. And then he showed me that he saw the pain it had caused in me and how I learned from an early age to try to protect and defend myself.

   The conclusion was that I attached to God in repentance and faith, repenting of every way I have succumbed to defending myself from the narcissists’ fault-finding instead of relying on him, renouncing any and all ground I may have surrendered to the enemy by relying on myself in this area, and declaring my faith that I would learn to trust him when in the narcissists’ line of fire the way Jesus did. 

   Now I am watching for who needs ministry along with me today and I intend to join God’s work in them with faith that Jesus is still at work to set the captives free. I also will watch carefully my feeling of anger at the narcissists who keep trying to destroy God’s work in others. I am eager to see what God does in me and around me as I walk with him today. 

© 2025 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com 

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)