Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

The impossibility of living for God and for money is stated here in terms of masters and slaves. No one can serve two masters. One will inevitably take precedence over the other in your loyalty and obedience. So it is with God and mammon which is the biblical word for wealth. They present rival claims and a choice must be made. Either you must put God first and reject the rule of materialism or you must live for temporal things and refuse God’s claim on your life. You cannot serve two masters because a time will come when they will make opposing demands. Jesus advises all of us to invest in our future with Him by giving of ourselves; mammon encourages us to collect material objects for our own present enjoyment. Certainly, Jesus is talking about the heart here. Many people would say they love God, but their continual commitment and service to money shows that, in fact, they have greater priorities.

Challenge:

How can you tell who or what you are serving? One way is by remembering this principle: you will sacrifice the most for what you serve. You will sacrifice the most time. You will sacrifice the majority of your resources. You will sacrifice the greatest amount of energy. For instance, if you will sacrifice for the sake of money, but will not sacrifice for the sake of Jesus, don’t deceive yourself: money is your God. Challenge yourself this week to put God as your first priority. Make it your habit of thinking about God and thanking Him before you do anything, go anywhere, or make any decision. When God becomes intregal in the smallest of your decisions He will eventually become the center of all your decisions. We have all rushed into making all kinds of choices and later regretted our choice. Exercise a little patience this week. Before you leave your house for work, or for the store, or for your school, ask Him to be with you and to protect you as you drive to your destination. Prior to making any large purchases, first check with the Lord and see if what you want is truly a current need. When you invite the Lord to help you and guide you, He will surely answer you, ultimately in a way that is best for you. May the Lord bless you.