First Church Of God-New Boston

10/21/2026

Sermon Clip: “Someone Pays” from the message, “Don’t Hold Back” - October 18, 2026. For more, visit www.newbostonfcog.church .

10/21/2026

THE STOREHOUSE - Daily Devotionals on Pastor Chris's Sunday Sermons October 19-23, 2026 — "Don't Hold Back"

WEDNESDAY, 10/21: The Costume We Wear

READING: Acts 5:7-10

I think each of us has a one time or another seen someone's public face differ from their private character. Maybe it's even been us from time to time. That's acting, a show for the benefit of others or possibly for ourselves. But it's not new, and it's not unique to just us.

That's the same costume Ananias and Sapphira wore. Their performance was convincing enough to fool a whole church full of believers, but it was just theater, and underneath it there was nothing. They wanted a seat at the table without surrendering to the One the table exists to serve.

Here's the sobering part, though. I believe they'd convinced themselves everything was fine. Their routine had gone on so long that they couldn't tell the difference anymore between devotion and habit. That's a dangerous place to live, friend, and it's closer to home than any of us would like to admit.

Real membership in God's family runs far deeper than attendance. It asks us to put Him and His will above every other loyalty, first and always.

TODAY'S GOSPEL SPARK: God isn't impressed by the costume. He's looking for a heart that's actually surrendered.

PRAYER: Father, search me and show me where I've been performing instead of surrendering. I don't want a routine that looks like faith. I want the real thing, even when it costs me. In Jesus' name, amen.

10/20/2026

THE STOREHOUSE - Daily Devotionals on Pastor Chris's Sunday Sermons October 19-23, 2026 — "Don't Hold Back"

TUESDAY, 10/20: When We Hold Back, Someone Else Pays

READING: Acts 5:4-6

Have you ever watched a team lose a game because one player wouldn't pass the ball? Everybody on the field pays for that decision, not just the one who made it.

That's what holding back does in the family of God. Ananias and Sapphira didn't need what they kept. They had a roof over their heads and food on the table. But there were people in that young church who had genuine need, and the money they withheld could have met it. Their private choice left a public shortfall, and real people went without. But it's not just about a dollar amount.

We do the same thing when we hold back our gifts, our time, our effort, or our willingness to speak up for Christ. Somebody misses a meal. Somebody misses a blessing. Somebody never hears about Jesus because we stayed quiet. Our decision to keep something back always lands on someone else.

Now, are there things that are genuinely out of our control? Of course there are. We can't do everything. But that's not the issue. The question is whether we're giving our best, not our best as someone else measures it, but our best as God sees it. He knows the difference, and so do we.

TODAY'S GOSPEL SPARK: Every time we hold something back, someone else carries the weight of it.

PRAYER: Lord, forgive me for the times I've kept back what You asked me to give. Open my eyes to the people around me who feel the shortfall. Help me give my best, not to be seen, but because You're worthy. In Jesus' name, amen.

10/19/2026

Sermon Clip: “Total Commitment or None at All” from the message, “Don’t Hold Back” - October 18, 2026. For more, visit www.newbostonfcog.church .

10/19/2026

THE STOREHOUSE - Daily Devotionals on Pastor Chris's Sunday Sermons October 19-23, 2026 — "Don't Hold Back"

MONDAY, 10/19: The Part We Keep

READING: Acts 5:1-4

There's a drawer in most homes that nobody talks about. It's the one where things get pushed when company is coming. The clutter isn't gone, it's just out of sight, and we know it's there every time we open it.

I imagine Ananias and Sapphira had a "drawer" like that, and it held a portion of the money from a piece of land they sold. But that part isn't the scandal. Peter makes it plain that the land was theirs and the money was theirs, and nobody in the church had demanded a thing. They were free to keep all of it or give all of it or even give a little bit of it. The trouble came when they laid a portion at the apostles' feet and let everyone believe it was the whole amount.

That's the part we need to spend some time with. The sin wasn't in the size of the gift. The sin was in the gap between what they claimed and what was true. They wanted the reputation of full surrender without the cost of it, and they thought nobody would ever know the difference.

But God saw their "drawer." And He sees our drawer, too. He sees the corner of the life we've kept back and quietly reserved for ourselves. Maybe it's a habit, maybe it's a grudge, maybe it's a plan we've never laid down. Whatever it is, He isn't asking for a percentage of us. He's asking for us.

TODAY'S GOSPEL SPARK: God doesn't measure how much of us He gets. He asks for the whole heart, and He's worthy of it.

PRAYER: Father, You see every corner of my life, including the parts I've kept back. Give me the courage to open that drawer and hand You what's inside. I want to be honest before You, not just impressive before people. In Jesus' name, amen.

10/18/2026

Faith in Focus Sermon Study Guide - October 18, 2026

10/18/2026

Good day, Friend! We hope you're blessed through the service today! Be sure to like and share this video on your Facebook timeline so we can reach as many people for Christ as we can! And if you have a prayer request or would just like to say hello, please leave a comment!

10/18/2026

Service Bulletin - October 18, 2026

10/18/2026

10/16/2026

Sermon Clip: “Vertical” from the message, “Reputation” - October 11, 2026. For more, visit www.newbostonfcog.church .