"I may make the gospel free of charge"

 In this Sunday's reading from 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, Paul gives me good reason not to run ads on the pages of this blog.

If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe betide me if I do not proclaim the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel.

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law) so that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, so that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

I have always been leery of otherwise Christian internet sites that sell space to advertisers. Spreading the Good News of Jesus as Lord and Savior should not be a money making concern. Reaching others is reward enough.

While it does not cost me a thing to run this blog, it does cost Google something to maintain the servers and the software, and for that I am thankful. 

Little does Google know that they are helping to make the Gospel available to all free of charge.

If their monitors ever find out what is in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they will probably shut me down.

But if by some chance they open their hearts to the Gospel, they might start advertising this blog themselves and others like it!

I kinda doubt that will happen, but it is a miracle that might be worth praying for.