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| It is really just paper, after all, holding no actual value in and of itself. It is what it represents that represents the problem to our hearts. |
I’ve heard it, you've heard it. Money is the root of all evil. Just a small twist, a tiny four letter word
left out and once more, the scurvy enemy satan is able to convince through
deceit and lies that “sin ain’t so bad.”
The problem is MONEY, not you.
Not your lust for it, it’s your NEED for it, and what choice do you
have? There’s bills to pay and food to
buy, and money is a necessity to live in this world.
True or false? Sounds
like the answer is easy, but it isn't!
Luke 16:14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also
heard all these things, and they derided Him.
2 Timothy 3:2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,
boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in
their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
It is the LOVE of money from which springs all kinds of
evil.
The distinction is important.
When you love something, you will do anything to protect it;
even unreasonable, unholy acts. Things
you never thought yourself capable of doing, you could suddenly find yourself
doing.
When you love something you value it above all other things.
Things like integrity, respect and even the lives of other people.
When you love something, you give it a place of honor in
your heart.
Whatever it demands of you,
you willingly give. You don’t count the
cost, you don’t consider the consequences.
Because you honor it, it controls you; your thoughts, your feelings and
your behaviors.
When you love something you give it power over you. To acquire it, to keep it you will do
anything, say anything, be whatever it needs you to be in order to appease it.
When you love MONEY, there can be no appeasing, no pleasing,
no honoring, no protecting with integrity.
Because money is simply an inanimate object. The only value it holds is the value men
place on it. The value placed on money
actually represents a spiritual state of being.
That state of being is almost always in direct opposition to the will of
God.
Jesus rightly declared “You cannot serve God and mammon”
(money).
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.
Luke 16:11 Therefore
if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit
to your trust the true riches?
Luke 16:13 “No
servant 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.”
Love of money will demand you bow and worship the systems of
the world – in direct opposition to Gods command to bow and worship only before
Him.
Love of money will demand you put the pursuit of it first
without regard for others property, rights or lives. God demands you Love Him with ALL your heart,
mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.
Love of money does not allow this kind of
selflessness.
Love of money does not
allow peace, or prosperity or generous kindness. It demands greed, and avarice and a violent
diligence in guarding the keeping of it.
Love of money is deceitful in every way. It demands you sacrifice for the acquisition
of it and the protection of it; it does not sacrifice for you.
Love of money keeps you in a constant state of FEAR. Fear you will lose it, fear you will not have
enough of it, fear that others will cheat you out of it.
Love of money ROBS YOU.
It ROBS you of the peace of God; ROBS you of the joy of your salvation;
ROBS you of the pleasant company of friends, ROBS you of a sound mind, ROBS you
of the love of other people.
MONEY STEALS FROM
YOU EVEN WHILE TEMPTING
AND INSPIRING YOU TO STEAL IT.
Money steals your heart and soul and mind and NEVER GIVES
BACK ONE THING
OF TRUE VALUE.
Sure, it is the currency of the world, necessary to pay the
bills and buy food. Beyond that, it has
NO VALUE. It will try to tell you different, but it
will be lying. It offers no value in the
Kingdom of the Living God because there is no
need in Gods Kingdom that isn’t met by God, generously, according to His
will and His RICHES IN GLORY.
Ultimately, it is about priority. Who/What will sit on the throne of your
heart? That is the real question that
must be answered by each person. Will we
pursue the righteousness of God or the useless money the world has put a false
value to? Consider and choose this day
who/what you will serve. For you cannot
have two masters.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
I sincerely hope you will choose the same and together, we
will honor the Lord with all our substance,(Proverbs 3:9) by reaching out to those in need
and giving, generously, according to the measure God has given us. When you see a fellow human being in need, don't say "be filled and be warm." Give them something to fill their stomachs, give them a way to be warm through shelter or clothing. These are the pursuits that please God. Fancy buildings, rich trappings of glitter and glitz; they bring no joy to the heart of the Father.
Truly did Job utter these words of wisdom: Job 1:21
And he said: “Naked I
came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall
I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
We come with nothing.
We go with nothing. The pursuit
of “something” is an empty pursuit ending in futility and misery. The pursuit of the righteousness of God ends
in ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH CHRIST.
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