Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-02-18

liberaIity and the outpouring of Gods
blessing. Some people are keeping away
the blessing that God wants TO give
| them because they are so sparing In
their sowing, because they are not giving
hilariously.
one of the most notable examples of
( this liberality was In n Leyite from
Cypress, Joseph by name. He was rich
but the grace Of God had been poured
out upon him, and he was filled with the
( holy spirit. Although not a resident o:
/ Jerusalem, he outdid all the others in
his expressions of love for the brethren,
and added 20 his words OF comfort and
/ exhortation all the money which he re
| ceived for the sale Of his possessions in
! Cypress. In fact, his life and words
were so encouraging that he received
new name. Joseph Bar Naba (Joseph the
son of exhortatlon, the son of comforD,
1 by which name Barnabas he is better
known today.
| But in marked contrast to Barnabas
was a couple in Jerusalem that had be-
/ come followers Of the apostles. They
were stimulated by the example of
Barnabas and desired the praise Of the
people in somewhat the same measure
/ that they We're giving it TO Barnabas.
They talked the matter over and finally
/ decided to sell piece OF property they
/ had: but instead OF giving all Of the
price, they agreed that they would re-
I tain a portion Of it. for themselves.
probably to take care of a rainy day,
as they did not know how long this lib
| crafty on the part of the disciples woula
/ last; but they would not let anyone
know about this, but present the ba!
! ance as if it were the whole amount
/ This Ananias did.
| Peter recognized his hypocrisy
| through some divine discernment. he
asked him why he had allowed Satan
/ to influence him 70 lie to the Hol,
/ Spirit by giving only part of that
] amount as if it was the whole, since
I it was purely voluntary on his part
whether he gave or not, or the amount
I that he should give; and charged him
/, with falsehood to God. Upon hearing
these words Ananias fell dead~ and was
| carried out by the young men and bur-
! led. About three hours later, his wife
| coming in, and not knowing what had
happened, told the same lie to Peter in
answer to Peters question, and met
with the same punishment.
GREAT FEAR.
As the result of this great fear came
upon all of the people so that no one
/ Joined them from that time on without
due consideration, fearing like punish
met for their hypocrisy. But believers
a multitude both of men and women,
were added to the Lord each day. IL
had a salutary effect in keeping out
what are called in China Rice Chris
tians," people who Join the church for
| what they can get out OF it, and also in
producing a closer examination on the
part of the believers that they might
realize that their motives were true,
their conservation entire.
| Space foI.bids an extensive application
Of the many truths in this lesson. Sui
flee it 20 say that Christian socialism is
not socialism. but is stewardship OF the
highest type, which makes man rccog-
nizc that everything belongs TO God,
is left with him for Gods use, primarily
and his own use socndardily.
Again, this is the divine order-gIeat
1 lsberality, great grace, great power.
great fear. We must be emptied o:
self before we can be filled with Spirit.
Again, 4 lie is an untruth with tire
purpose of deceiving. Truth is the
most adamantine thing in the world. !;
IS when ones conception Of the thinS
tallies absolutely with the actual con
dition. The least variation betwce'
concept son and condition, between
thought and reality is untruth. There
fore. there are no such things rs white
| lies" they are all black, and have come
from the heart Of the devil himself.
Again. it is indeed fortunate that Col
/ does not punish every liar as he die
Ananias and Sapphire; and especially!
those who for selfish reasons, who liii'
Ananias and Sapphira, have not rea-
love for God or for the people, but who
| forget God and look only toward thci.
own glorification.
/ Again, Is there anything of hypocrisy
I'm -FOUR life? Is your consecratio
/ absolutely entire? Have you kept bac!
anything Tor your own selfish purposes