Good morning. There was not a needy person among them, for
all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of
the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to
each as any had need. I don’t know if these were houses that they currently
lived in or if they were investment homes. Now Barnabas (which means son of
encouragement), who was called that by the apostles, and who owned a tract of
land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. He was
born on the island of Cyprus, which will come into play later. He was probably
mentioned because he would later be a companion of Paul, and as a contrast to
what was to follow. But a man named Ananias, with his wife, sold a piece of
property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full
knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. He
knew that everyone would think that he had given all of the money to help the
poor. Peter said why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and
to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it
not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why
is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men
but to God. He did not have to sell the land; but he would look bad with
everyone else doing it, especially if they knew he had the land. How do we know
that he was pretending that it was all that he received – by what Peter asked
his wife later. We will see next time what happened then. Father help the
reader to have a great day!
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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