Hello, my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
Have you ever been the recipient of wonderful generosity but then discovered there were ‘strings attached’ that complicated the situation and perhaps even caused you to feel cheated or betrayed? Yesterday I left you in Jerusalem, about 2000 years ago, as a remarkable thing was happening.
Jerusalem was being turned upside down by a spiritual revolution accomplished by God’s Holy Spirit at work in radically transformed people who had put their trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord! One of the amazing evidences of changed lives was OUTRAGEOUS GENEROSITY as these new Jesus followers were sharing their resources with those in great need. (Acts 4:32-35) In Acts 4:36 we are introduced to a man caught up in this euphoria. His name is Joseph, a Levite from the island of Cyprus.
Joseph sold a field he owned, and he brought the proceeds to the apostles to be used to help those in need, as the Holy Spirit led them. (Acts 4:36,37) This Joseph had a nickname, “Barnabas” which means “son of encouragement”. The “Bar” portion of “Barnabas” means ‘son of’. Perhaps this means Barnabas had the great privilege of growing up in a joy filled family who were always looking for ways to be a blessing of encouragement to other people.
It appears Barnabas had learned a vital economic principle: Material things can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on how you view the resources and allow them to influence your life. Have you learned that lesson, my friends? Repeatedly, God had challenged His people to understand that HE, Almighty God, is creator, sustainer and owner of ALL resources. And furthermore, God entrusts resources to people to manage and use for the good of humanity and the glory of God. Do you understand this fundamental principle in life? Are you living it, ignoring it or rejecting it?
How do you know? Here’s a test: While your name is on your bank account or the title deed to your home or the car you drive or even if you tend to say “my home” or “my clothes” or “my golf clubs” or “my investments”… how did those things come into your possession? Has God faithfully supplied for your needs? Has God even blessed you with more than your basic necessities in life? WHY did God bless you with all you have?
If all you and I have is God supplied, then does God have authority over it all to direct you and me in how GOD wants ANY and ALL of it to be used to accomplish HIS purposes in our world? Can we see ourselves as resource partners with God? Do you see the exciting privilege of God channeling His resources through you and me to accomplish His purposes? Now that is a life changing resource management philosophy straight from heaven! It’s radical and I urge you to pause to consider how close or far your heart is to the truth of God’s authority over ALL God’s resources?!
Moses used all of Deuteronomy chapter 8 to explain this concept to the Hebrew slaves as they fled their captivity, carrying the bounty of Egypt with them, (Ex. 12:36) and finally as they prepared to enter the land of God’s promise. If you haven’t read that chapter lately, I urge you to do so today. And if you want to understand God’s design for resources more clearly, add 1 Timothy 6:6-10, and invite the Holy Spirit to help you understand how to live the God given principles you’ll find there. It’s a very exciting way to live an abundant life under the Lordship of Jesus! (John 10:10)
Barnabas had embraced Deuteronomy 8 and evidently built his personal financial philosophy upon those principles. Barnabas discerned the Holy Spirit was guiding him to sell a field that he owned because the resources would be better used to meet very real human need, especially among those now trusting Jesus to be their Savior, Lord and Messiah, in Jerusalem. Pause. Have you ever sensed God leading you to do something dramatic with resources which you have? Was that a struggle for you? If so, why?
Now when we hear the word ‘resources’ probably we think of money, right? But may I urge you to widen your scope. Resources from God’s perspective include all our God given TIME. You and I cannot fabricate one minute of time! Also, God’s resources are our Talents; our Personality; our Relationships and ANY THING, including finances, which we feel we have authority to use or dispense. Have you discovered the thrill of discerning the Holy Spirit leading you to use resources for God’s glory… especially in meeting needs which God brings to your awareness?
Luke, the author of the book of Acts, does not tell us exactly what the value of Barnabas’ field was nor what the apostles did with the money. But in Acts 5:1-11 we meet a couple named Ananias and Sapphira who evidently heard about the generosity of Barnabas and they followed suit. Tomorrow, we’ll look closely at how Ananias and Sapphira contradicted and defiled the generosity of Barnabas and what it cost them as God reacted with judgment.
For today, I’d like to urge you to take the time to read or listen to Deuteronomy 8 and 1 Timothy 6:6-10 and then write down in your journal what the Holy Spirit of God tells you about God’s attitudes toward our use of ALL the resources God supplies to us.
Furthermore, I urge you to consider writing out in your journal your personal financial philosophy. What guides you in how you handle the resources which God DAILY entrusts to you? How often do you sit with God seeking to know God’s guidance for your attitudes, your choices and your use of the resources God has given you? Do you sense that God has some very significant things HE would like to include you in with Him in 2026 if you’ll learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in your resource utilization as Barnabas was learning?
This is so important we’re going to pause right here and take time to dig into the ‘lessons learned’ study notes at the link below and I urge you to make time today for serious evaluation of what Barnabas did and how that compares to how you and I handle resources.
Tomorrow, we’ll see a dramatically different action by Ananias & Sapphira, and you may be shocked at God’s response! A worship song is ready for you, of course, and I’ll meet you here tomorrow in Acts 5.
Today’s Scripture: Acts 4:32-37.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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