Tag: serve God
Jesus teaches an impossibility!
Scripture reading for October 25: 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 Christian circles today, there is a popular variation of the Gospel called the “prosperity” teaching. This teaching says that God wants you to be rich in order to use your riches as a testimony to the world of the blessings of God’s kingdom. Now God’s Word does proclaim blessing on God’s people for obedience and faith. Those who walked in faith were often blessed and obtained great wealth in this world. But God is more concerned about our hearts. He said it is impossible to serve two masters.
The Pharisees had a teaching very similar to this prosperity message of today. They taught that God’s blessing was on the rich and that if a person was poor, he was under a curse. This had some scriptural truth to it from Deuteronomy 28 and other places in the Old Testament. However, Jesus came to help them see things in a different light. He told 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 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 in itself struck at the hearts of those who loved “money”! Jesus went on to tell about the conversation in the underworld between this rich man and Father Abraham. The rich man asked to have Lazarus come and bring a drop of water to comfort him in his torment. This request was refused. It was impossible! This rich man then asked about sending Lazarus back to earth to warn his five brothers so that they would not end up in Hell. This request was also denied. The Law and Prophets provided all the warning that God was offering to them.
We have this Word from Jesus today to warn us as well! He has risen from the dead and is speaking to us with an unchanging Word. Pursue the kingdom of God and His righteousness, not money! Beware of the spirit of the Pharisees, who loved money. Beware of those who preach a false prosperity gospel! It is impossible to serve Jesus and money!
Waiting for the Son!
Scripture reading for September 12th: 1st Thessalonians 1, Psalm 33, Proverbs 29
Key Scriptures: 1st Thessalonians 1:8-10 “For not only has the Word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and in Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
When someone is truly saved and has believed God’s Word, they most often become vocal about sharing their faith. They tell others what has happened to them and share the Word of God with lost friends and acquaintances. The Thessalonians had turned from serving dead idols to now accepting adoption by the God who is alive and true. They knew the wrath that would have been theirs under the darkness of idolatry and excitedly waited for the return of Jesus Christ and eternal life.
Faith Confession: I tell the good news of Jesus Christ to those God places in my path. Jesus saved me from idolatry to sin and self and gave me a vision of His coming again with full salvation for all who believe in Him.
Psalm 33:18-20 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, that He may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord, He is our help and our shield.”
Single-hearted serving!
Scripture reading for March 23rd: Joshua 22-24, Judges 1, 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.”
Jesus warned his disciples about the danger of compromise. To be faithful servants of God requires a single focus. You cannot serve God and place something else in His place, vying for your affection. It is impossible!
Joshua 24:14-15 “”Now therefore fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you well. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.””
Prayer: Lord, I choose again today to serve You Alone, to devote my life to You and love You. Amen.
Anointed to Serve!
Scripture reading for February 5th: Exodus 38-40, Leviticus 1, Matthew 26
Key Scriptures: Matthew 26:6-11 “Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to Him with a jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to Me.””
Jesus was preparing for His last few days on earth before offering Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of mankind. A woman came up to Him with a jar of expensive ointment and anointed his head. This was a special act of love that Jesus said would be remembered everywhere the Gospel was preached. With this anointing, Jesus was set apart for His mission as our High Priest and the final blood sacrifice. This is prefigured in the Old Testament in Exodus.
Exodus 40:12-13 “Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and shall wash them with water and put on Aaron the holy garments. And you shall anoint Him and consecrate Him, that he may serve Me as priest.”
Prayer: Holy Father, thank You for anointing Your Son as my High Priest, set apart for Your service in giving His life blood for us. Anoint me afresh today with the Holy Spirit that I might serve You. Amen.