For Thursday, February 2, 2023:
Matthew 6:24 NLT, Jesus speaking: “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to mammon: money and wealth.”
Taking what Jesus said a step further, you cannot serve God and worship anything else! Pick a side. You can choose to be with the good guys or the evil ones, but you cannot pick both! Jesus says it won’t work that way!
Example: The Lord had introduced himself to the ancient Israelites, yet they persisted in keeping idols to other gods. That was wrong. Jesus says we cannot have it both ways. Scripture tells us that our Creator is a jealous God, and to worship Baal is to despise God. We cannot worship multiple gods without putting them in order, and since the other gods aren’t real, we can dismiss them and place the only one remaining, YHWH, at the #1 position!
Nowadays an idol can be anything that diverts your attention from God. Careers, sports, television, fitness and family taken to excess can become our competing “god.” None of these things are bad in moderation, as long as they’re not contending for the #1 spot on your agenda. What is competing with God for your time, talent and treasure?
Don’t serve your money. Let your money serve the Lord, and it will serve you!
Pastor Norton Lawellin
Jesus in the City Fellowship
No comments:
Post a Comment