How does a Christian handle wealth and finances so that God is still first? Jesus talked about that.
Sherry and I are thankful for the physical blessings we have: good health, financial blessings, a wonderful family, good and faithful friends, a free country, and more. But our focus is on our spiritual lives, not how much stuff we can get. Jesus Christ is our Lord, not worldly wealth or pleasure.
The Challenge
Our Lord taught us that you’re only fooling yourself by trying to serve two masters.
Jesus taught a parable about a steward who used his financial connections to resolve a negative situation. Our Lord said we should be faithful in the physical part of our lives, so we can be entrusted with true spiritual service.
Luke 16:9-12:
And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?
But Jesus also said we must see things from God’s perspective. Our first allegiance is to Him, not physical things.
Luke 16:13-15:
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.
The adversary, the Devil, offered Jesus all worldly power if he would serve him. Jesus boldly spoke the truth:
Matthew 4:10:
Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Walking by the Spirit, Serving the Lord
We only serve our heavenly Father, the Creator of the heavens and earth. And we do that by making His Son, Jesus Christ, our only Lord. We say and act with Jesus as Lord, knowing that God raised him from the dead for our salvation.
Romans 10:9:
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Just as earthly servants serve a master, we walk by God’s spirit within us to serve our Lord Jesus Christ. He is at God’s right hand and will judge fairly.
Ephesians 6:9:
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
We don’t need to serve earthly desires that are only temporary. Instead, we put on the Lord Jesus and walk by the spirit.
Romans 13:14:
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.
We want to purge ourselves of anything that holds us back from being ready to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 2:21:
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
In order to really serve the Lord Jesus, we must be born again and walk by the spirit of God and obey the scriptures, the Word of God. Then we can truly say that Jesus is Lord of our life.
1 Corinthians 12:3:
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the holy spirit.
Let’s truly make Jesus our Lord by allowing our Father to work mightily in us with His Spirit. We can pray in the spirit and with our understanding. We can live and speak and serve so that we please our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen. I love you.
