As I was reading this verse today, I couldn’t help but look at it from “both sides of the story”.

Acts 16 16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

Written by Luke, the book of Acts shows us the actions of a few Spirit-led saints.

They SPENT their lives doing everything they could to get this Word, this beautiful and vital work of art, in our hands today.

Their obedience to the Lord, their conviction from the Holy Spirit, and their devotion to Jesus Christ should inspire us to walk in the same call.

Today —  The Lord has convicted me to talk about cost.

To Paul and Silas, and everyone in their circle, the cost was worth paying.  Fully devoted, they SPENT their days, their money, and their effort to give the gospel to the world.  In this case, it caused them great agony.  They were stripped and beaten and imprisoned for their actions.  

But what about the owners of the slave girl?  What about their actions?  To them, the end-all was to make money.  And at what cost?  They were willing to enslave, to deceive, to seek a master who was destined for the pits of hell … and for what?  Money.  Money had become their god.  And that god was driving every decision that they made.

I am a fan of America.

I believe that we have something to fight for.

Freedom.

Capitalism.

One Nation Under God.

I am proud of the men who set up what we have today—for all Americans.

But, that being said, we need to make a couple things clear.

Capitalism, without God, can turn into something hideous.  Men and women, filled with greed, can turn to things that are hideous—JUST LIKE THE MEN IN THE STORY.  The love of money can lead people to the wrong end.  And, as Jesus said:

Matthew 16  26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?

Indeed.

What good is it?

When we say the words:  One Nation, Under God

We need to take heed.

Because without the Under God part of that statement, there is no One Nation.

We have work to do my friends.

It is to Go And Make Disciples, To Love Others, and To Love Our God With All Of Our Hearts.  All of these things are IMPOSSIBLE without the power of God working in us.

Holy Spirit—

Move On Us This Very Day

That We Might Influence

And Love

And Bring Your Gospel To The World

No Matter The Cost

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

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Coach J