Acts 5 | Renewed Integrity

Monday: Read Acts 5:1-11
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This portion of Scripture can be difficult to fully grasp. Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit—yet in Acts 3, Peter told a crowd that they had killed the Author of life, and still offered them forgiveness, repentance, and eternal life. Why would God extend grace to those who crucified Jesus, but not to a couple who lied about an offering? One way to understand this is to see how seriously God views the integrity of His Church, especially in its early days. In a community built on truth, humility, and shared surrender, deception threatened to corrupt its foundation. This moment wasn’t just about God’s power—it was about His presence among His people, and the reverence it demands.

Rather than push us into fearing rejection, this passage calls us to take God's presence seriously and to respond with honesty. Grace is powerful—but it was never meant to be permission for spiritual performance. Ananias and Sapphira weren’t judged merely for lying, but for pretending to be more devoted than they truly were. Their story warns us of the danger of seeking the approval of others more than the approval of God. In His mercy, God calls us not to perfection, but to truthfulness. When we live honestly before Him, His grace doesn’t just forgive—it transforms.

Spiritual Practice: Silence and Self-Reflection

In a culture that often celebrates image over authenticity, silence offers a sacred space to become honest with ourselves before God. Set aside 10–15 minutes this week to practice silence as a way to invite self-examination and deeper truthfulness. Here’s how:

1. Find a Quiet Space: Sit in stillness—no music, no distractions. Invite the Holy Spirit to gently search your heart (Psalm 139:23–24).
   

2. Reflect, Don’t Perform: Ask questions like: Am I being real with God? Am I pretending in any area of my life? Do I crave the approval of others more than the presence of God?
   

3. Listen for the Spirit’s Conviction, Not Condemnation: The goal isn’t to feel shame, but to allow God’s light to bring clarity and healing. Write down what He shows you.
   

4. Respond with Confession: Speak honestly to God. Name what’s real—your fears, pretenses, or pride—and ask for the grace to walk in truth.

5. End in Restful Assurance: God’s presence is not just holy—it’s safe. He sees the real you and invites you to draw near without fear.

Want to Dig Deeper?

Study: Psalm 139:23–24, Proverbs 10:9, Matthew 6:1, 1 John 1:6–9

Tueday: Read Acts 5:12-16
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After the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, we read that great fear came upon the whole Church. The news must have spread quickly throughout the region—God would not tolerate deception, nor allow His work to be distorted by those seeking attention or control. A holy fear—marked by reverence and awe—settled not only on the Church but also on the watching world. Verse 13 says, “None of the rest dared join them,” indicating that the people hesitated to casually align themselves with this movement. Following Jesus wasn’t about joining a feel-good community; it was a serious invitation to transformation and holiness.

The people’s hesitancy wasn’t because of doubt in the apostles’ message or the reality of the miracles. That part was compelling. The real tension came with the cost: surrendering control, abandoning old ways, and being accountable before a holy God. Yet despite that more believers were added. The Gospel carried such power and beauty that people were willing to face their fear, embrace accountability, and commit their lives to God’s glory.In the end, the fear of the Lord wasn’t meant to drive people away—it was meant to call them into something deeper, a life of true transformation and surrender. The Gospel isn’t just an invitation to join a group—it is an invitation to live a completely different life for God's glory.

Spiritual Practice: Integrity in Action

This practice helps you live out truthfulness and integrity in real-life situations by intentionally aligning your words and actions with your faith. It's about following through, being dependable, and choosing honesty—even when it costs something.

Steps to Practice:

1. Pick One Area to Be Boldly Honest: Choose a specific relationship, responsibility, or setting (like work, family, or church) where you may be tempted to hide, exaggerate, or coast. Commit to showing up with integrity this week.
   

2. Follow Through on a Promise: Keep your word—If you said you’d do something, do it. Integrity is built through consistency, not grand gestures.
   

3. Speak Honestly—With Kindness: Look for a real-time opportunity to speak the truth in love. practice truth with grace.

4. Let Someone Hold You Accountable Ask a trusted friend or mentor to check in with you at the end of the week. Accountability fuels growth.
   
   

Reflect and Give Thanks – Reflect on your acts of generosity, thank God for His empowerment, and pray for strength to remain obedient and generous.

Want to Dig Deeper?

Study: Psalm 15:1–2, Proverbs 10:9, Titus 2:7–8, James 1:22

Wednesday: Read Acts 5:17-21
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The apostles had been thrown in prison by the religious elite. We don’t need much imagination to picture the angry faces of the religious elite or the stoic faces of the Apostles as they sat shackled in the dark. But what gives me pause is imagining the angel’s perspective as he delivered God’s message: “Go and stand in the temple and tell the people all about this life.” (Acts 5:20)

Peter would later write in 1 Peter 1:12 that angels long to look into these things—this gospel, this grace, this indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Angels don’t get to experience salvation the way we do. So perhaps, as the apostles faithfully proclaimed “this life,” angels leaned in to listen too, in awe of the mystery unfolding through human redemption.

The apostles weren’t sent to teach a theology course or recite spiritual credentials—they were simply told to tell people about the life they had received in Jesus. This wasn’t a future hope for heaven alone, but a present reality—a Spirit-filled, grace-soaked, eternity-anchored life that begins now. It’s a life rooted in Christ and made possible by His resurrection power. And it’s still available today to anyone who will trust in Him.

Spiritual Practice: Speak of This Life

The angel didn’t tell the apostles to defend themselves or argue theology—he told them to talk about this life. This practice challenges you to speak honestly this week about what life with Jesus really looks like for you—not polished or perfect, but real.

1. Identify One Person: someone who might benefit from hearing something real about your faith journey.

2. Share Honestly, Not Impressively: Find a natural moment to share something true about your life with Jesus this week.

3. Avoid the Filter: Resist the temptation to make your story sound more “together” than it is. Let your honesty reflect the beauty of a God who meets us in our real lives.

4. Ask a Simple Question: After you share, ask: Have you ever thought about faith or life with God? Then listen with care and let the conversation grow naturally.

Want to Dig Deeper?

Study: Romans 6:4, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 2:4–5

Thursday: Read Acts 5:22-32
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In Acts 5:22–32, we see a striking difference between the fear of God and the fear of man. The apostles, freshly freed from prison by an angel, boldly return to the temple to preach—fully aware it could lead to arrest or even death. Their obedience reveals a deep reverence for God that outweighed any fear of human consequences. In contrast, the temple guards hesitate to use force when re-arresting them, not out of conviction, but because they feared backlash from the people. 

The fear of God is a holy awareness of who He is—His power, authority, and holiness—that moves us to respond with reverence, obedience, humility, and worship. In contrast, the fear of man is rooted in anxiety over “what ifs,” often driven by imagined outcomes rather than truth. Acts 5 confronts us with a crucial question: are we living in bold obedience to God, trusting His authority above all, or are we held back by the need to please others and protect ourselves? Today, will you choose to live in the truth of who God is—or in the fear-driven uncertainty of “what ifs”?

Spiritual Practice: Live Before an Audience of One

This practice helps believers strengthen integrity by choosing to live and speak as if God is their primary audience. Instead of being driven by the fear of others’ opinions, we cultivate bold obedience to God by practicing truth in our daily conversations and decisions.

1. Be intentional Today: Throughout the day—especially when you feel anger, frustration, or fear—remind yourself that you live in the presence of God.Want to Dig Deeper?

2. Pray for Boldness (Acts 4:29): End your day by asking God for renewed courage to walk in the truth that you live before His presence. Thank Him for any moment you chose integrity over image and ask Him to deepen your reverence for Him above all else.

Study: Psalm 16:8, Matthew 6:6, Hebrews 4:13, Galatians 1:10

Friday: Read Acts 5:33-42
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The obedience of the apostles led them to defy the orders of the religious leaders, who had commanded them to stop teaching about the resurrection of Jesus. In response, God sent an angel—not only to free them from prison but to instruct them to return to the temple and continue preaching. The apostles did everything right—they obeyed, they taught as commanded, and yet they were still arrested in public, threatened again, and beaten. Commentators note they were likely flogged with 39 lashes, their skin torn from their bodies. Still, the apostles were unwavering. Their conviction to obey God outweighed any fear of consequences. They believed Jesus when He said that following Him would not be easy, popular, or widely accepted. The life He called them to required self-denial, suffering, and unwavering loyalty. Today, we are reminded that life in Christ is not a promise of ease, but a call to perseverance—even when we face hardship, rejection, or pain, whether from non-believers or fellow believers. Our call remains the same: obey Him to the very end, no matter the cost.

Spiritual Practice: Practice Courageous Integrity

This practice is designed to help followers of Jesus live truthfully and obediently in daily life, even when it's difficult. Like the apostles in Acts 5, we’re called to obey God rather than people—speaking and living in truth no matter the cost.

• Start with Surrender: pray: “God, help me to obey You today—no matter what it costs.” This frames your day in submission to God's authority rather than the fear of others’ opinions.

• Name a Pressure Point: Identify one area where you're tempted to compromise—whether it's people-pleasing, staying silent when truth is needed, or hiding failure. Write it down or speak it out loud as a way of confronting it honestly.

• Take One Courageous Step: Choose one small act of integrity today. It might be confessing a mistake, standing up for what’s right, or being honest in a hard conversation. Let this be your way of saying, “I must obey God rather than men.”

• Anchor in Scripture: Meditate on Acts 5:29 or Psalm 15:2—"He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart." Let God's Word shape your understanding of integrity, not the standards of the world.

Want to Dig Deeper?

Study: Luke 12:4–5, Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 10:35–36, Revelation 2:10