Daily Verse: Acts 19:26-27

"You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited…”

The text above was spoken by a silversmith that was in the business of making silver shrines for the god Artemis…a man-made god. He was troubled by the fact that Paul preaching the Gospel might turn people away from worshipping Artemis and towards worshipping Christ…and this would hurt the shrine business that was providing him with such a healthy income. This same thing happens in our world today. Just look at the Corporations in our country…many maintain steadfast indifference in terms of spiritual beliefs for fear that they may scare away a potential customer, negatively impacting their bottom line. In fact, it’s not just corporations that are taking this “neutral” position…it’s individuals as well. Many people hesitate to express their beliefs in the Lord for fear that it might negatively impact their jobs, their social status, or their friendships…placing their own personal needs ABOVE the needs of the Lord…convinced that maintaining their livelihood is more important that sharing the Gospel. As Christians, we should be ecstatic about the message of the Gospel…and we should stand ready at all times to share that news with another. Now we don’t have to drag a chair out into the middle of a conference room and start into our sermon…but when there is a chance to provide hope to someone in despair, bring some light into an otherwise dark situation, or give credit where credit is truly due, we should embrace the opportunity to bring the Lord into the equation. After all, Christ should be #1 in our lives…and we should stand proud of our faith in him…for as Paul says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”.  To God be the glory!