Acts 4:31

Acts 4:31 says, And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.  We see the first thing the disciples did after Peter and John were released was to pray.  Prayer should always be the first step, not the last resort.   God moved in a mighty way as they were assembled together, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke God's word with boldness.  Some might say this indicates second coming of the Holy Spirit, but I believe it means the Holy Spirit within those united there moved in a mighty way.  I believe this can still happen today if God's people unite in doing His will, yet too often we do not proclaim His word boldly Verse thirty-two states, And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.  Then come the verses we tend to downplay as something that was only meant for that time.  They were of one heart and one soul, counted nothing their own, but had all things in common. This, I think, was the meaning of giving it all to God.  Often, when we say that we are talking about our problems more than our blessings. Verse thirty-three adds, And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.  Then, they gave great witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and a great peace came on them.  If we don't have great peace in our relationship with Christ, then maybe we are too concerned with holding on to the things of this world.   Verse thirty-four continues, Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold.   People willingly sold everything they had and laid the money at the feet of the disciples.  Now, a lot of televangelists call for us to send our money to them, but I don’t believe this is nearly the same thing.  The disciples did not ask these early Christians to give their possessions to them, but they did it by the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and the disciples did not use the gifts just to make life easier for themselves.  Verse thirty-five concludes, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.  This does not say that people had everything they desired but that everyone had their needs met.  We don’t need to confuse the two things today.  Verse thirty-six says, And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,  Verse thirty-five adds, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.  Joses, surnamed Barnabas, the son of consolation, a Levite from Cyprus, had a piece of property he sold.  Then, he gave the money to the disciples.   Joses, or Barnabas had not been forced to do what he did, and I see no evidence that he did it for self-glorification.  He did what he felt God wanted him to do.  Since many had evidently done the same thing, I'm not sure why he was singled out, unless it was to contrast what was going to happen in the first eleven verses of chapter five.  If there are Christians today who are struggling in need while I live with abundance, am I truly giving it all to God?