Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." If we look at this verse, it clearly states you cannot serve two things at one time. God also says in Ephesians 3:16, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." It's amazing what this verse really means. Through Christ and his riches, we may be strengthened with his power in us and through us. The joy of living in His presence outshines all other pleasures. God says, He wants us to reflect His joyous light by living in increasing intimacy with Him. Wow. Living in increasing intimacy. Let me just say, God is a jealous God. He is our Father, and for Him to see us serve something or someone else, makes Him jealous. He loves us to the point of watching us worship, serve idols in our lives so that we may realize that we are not made to worship or serve two masters. We come to a point where we need Christ, we need that intimacy with our Father. If God is truly our Master, you will desire to please Him above all others. If pleasing people is your goal, you will be enslaved to them. People can be harsh task makers when you give them this power over you. And if Christ is the master of your life, He will also be your first love. You're serving Christ is rooted and grounded in His vast, unconditional love from you. The lower you bow down before Him, the higher He lifts you up into intimate relationship with Him. This also relates to God's greatest commandment. In Matthew 22:34-40, it says, "Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducee s, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law,tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” The Pharisees ask Jesus what the greatest commandment is, and he says, "You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." The second on is like it; "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Christ makes it very clear all that He asks of us. Which is not very much. Christ also says, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." The word "If," is said, because we as Christians have a fleshly self that may not always love or want to keep Christs commands all the time. We try to fit His love into our lives, when we really need to give our self-pride up and let His love consume our lives.
The world's way of pursuing riches is grasping the hoarding. I attain God's riches by letting go and giving. The more I give myself to God and His ways, the more He fills me with inexpressible, and heavenly joy. Psalm 29:2, 1 Peter 1:8. Though I have not seen Him, I love Him. Though I do not now see Him, I believe in Him and rejoice with joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment