Tag: God and money
Impossible to serve two masters!
Scripture reading for July 19th: Luke 16, Psalm 143, Proverbs 19
Luke 16: 10-13 “”One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.””
Jesus had just told a parable about a dishonest manager who was shrewd to use his position to win friends to care for him after he was removed from management. Jesus explained that to be dishonest in even a little–the managing of another’s money, was to be dishonest in much. Dishonesty is part of our inner life and a lack of faithfulness with this world’s goods will bar us from stewardship of that which is truly of eternal value. Serving God requires truth and integrity in our inner man. Apart from our humble repentance and God’s grace, we end up serving the flesh and the devil who uses our flesh. We must sell out to serving God and invite Him to lead us on the level ground of faith on a day by day basis.
Psalm 143:9-10 “Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! I have fled to You for refuge. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God! Let Your Good Spirit lead me on level ground.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for this simple instruction on honesty. Forgive me when I have not been a wise or honest steward of that which belongs to You. Giving You the tithe is an act of stewardship and integrity. Continue to help me and guide me on the level ground of faith. Thank You for promising to provide for all my needs if I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness and faithfully serve You alone.
Proverbs 19:1 “Better is a poor person who walks in integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.”
Are you faithful in the ‘very little?’
Scripture reading for April 1st: Joshua 9-13, Luke 16
Luke 16:10-13 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Faithfulness is the first requirement of a good steward. Jesus said that what we have to manage here on earth is a test of our faithfulness and He considers all earthly wealth as ‘very little.’ Earthly wealth is also ‘unrighteous’ and fleeting. When we leave this earth, nothing will go with us. Scripture also teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil and this might be why Jesus called it ‘unrighteous.’ As a steward we actually serve God, Who owns it all. (The earth is the Lord’s!) The Pharisees were lovers of money and justified themselves concerning their use of it. Jesus reminded them that God knows all hearts and what we justify that’s sinful is an abomination in God’s sight. Not one person can serve both God and money!
Luke 16:14-15 “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the stewardship that you have given me. Forgive me for not always being faithful in the little. Help me to use the money and resources You give me to manage in ways that further Your kingdom. I realize that like the tribe of Levi, You are my priceless Inheritance, my Portion, and my eternal Reward!
Joshua 13:32-33 “These are the inheritances that Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan east of Jericho. But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the Lord God of Israel is their inheritance, just as He said to them.”
Much land to possess!
Scripture reading for April 1st: Joshua 9-13, Luke 16
Key Scriptures: Luke 16:10-13 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Money is also a necessity of life to buy what we need. It is not evil in itself. Jesus taught His disciples that the “very little”, money, was a test for all men of their faithfulness. Their honesty in dealing with money, their own and others, showed where their heart really was. When money was the center and people spent all their time serving money and controlling it, they would not be right with God and could not serve Him. He did not say it was hard to serve God and money, but it was impossible! Choosing to put God at the center is possessing the ground of our heart.
Faith Confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for trying at times to serve You and money. In my old age, there is still much for me to possess of Your truth in my own soul. Jesus Christ is Lord of all! Money is “very little” but God is everything!
Joshua 13:1 “Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.”
The prosperity gospel in Luke!
Scripture reading for October 25th: Luke 16-18
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.” Luke 16:13-14
Jesus spoke very plainly: “You cannot serve both God and money.” In America, there is a popular variation of the Gospel called the “prosperity” teaching. This teaching plays on man’s desire for money and prosperity by taking verses of Scripture and using them to promote wealth as a sign of God’s blessing. God’s word does proclaim blessing on God’s people for obedience and faith. Some who walked in faith were blessed and obtained great wealth in this world. But God is more concerned about our hearts. He said it was impossible to serve two masters.
The Pharisees of Jesus time had a teaching very similar to this prosperity message of today. They taught that God’s blessing was on the rich and that the poor were under a curse. This had some scriptural backing from Deuteronomy 28 and other places in the Old Testament. Jesus taught us to see things in a different light by telling a story about a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus. These two real people lived on earth and both died. At death there was a great reversal. The rich man ended up in the torment of Hell, the place of the departed wicked dead. The poor beggar, Lazarus, ended up in Abraham’s bosom, a place of comfort and blessing. They could see each other but were separated by a great gulf. (Luke 16:22-26)
This ‘story’ struck at the hearts of those who loved “money”! Money could not and did not save the rich man! He left earth without it and ended up in hell. The poor beggar was not under the curse the Pharisees had presumed. His faith in God had taken him to Abraham’s bosom, a place of God’s favor. True prosperity is a state of the heart that trusts in God for daily provision and lives by faith in Him. It is impossible to serve two masters, God and money! Quit trying and pursue the kingdom of God and His righteousness! You’ll be eternally blessed and prosperous as God intended!