YOU MUST REMOVE THOSE ITEMS THAT COME BETWEEN YOU AND GOD – Acts 19:19
Acts 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
The Christians in Ephesus determined in their hearts that it was time to remove from their possessions anything that came between them and God. All the things that they held so dear to their hearts prior to their committing their lives to the Lord needed to be destroyed because it was not of God. It did not matter what the value of these possessions were, they needed to be removed so that not only would they not cause them to stumble but also anyone else.
These Christians understood that they should not have in their possessions things that would cause them to worship any gods other then their Creator. They understood that these books promoted false gods and as such, it was not something that they should have in their house. Furthermore, they should not sell these books because they were now in the business of being fishers of men. They understood that they should not make a profit on something that was contrary to the message of the Gospel. These books promoted the opposite of what they were commanded to promote so they had to be destroyed.
Jesus told us that it is better that we die then that we cause a child to stumble who believes in HIM. Paul told the Corinthian Church that they should not eat meat sacrificed to idols if it would cause another to stumble. As Christians, we have an obligation not only to ensure that we live our lives pleasing to the Lord, but also that we live our lives in such a manner that someone else does not stumble into sin. The church in Ephesus understood this principle and they cleaned out of their house anything that caused them or others to stumble.
It takes faith to remove from your life things that you cherish that you spent your time and money to obtain. Jesus told us that if your eye causes you to stumble then you are to pluck it out. These books were a stumbling block in the Ephesus church and as such, they needed to be removed.
Is there anything in your life that causes you to stumble and fall short of the glory of God? Is there anything in your life that might cause others to stumble and fall short of the glory of God? If there is, what can you do to get rid of it? What can you do to clean up the things in your life so that you and others might be free to fully serve God?
It is your faith in the ONE true God that will cause you to desire to serve HIM. As you desire to serve HIM, look for those things that hinder your relationship. You must make the conscience effort to remove all hindrances from your life. As you remove those things that hinder your relationship with HIM, HE is able to bless you and draw you closer to HIM. However, purifying your life before HIM is not a one-time event. As you continue to draw closer to HIM, you will discover that other things will arise in your life that will try to crowd out your relationship with God. You must be willing to constantly be purifying your life of things that prevent you or others from fully serving HIM. Your faith will grow as you remove obstacles in your life that come between you and a perfect relationship with God.