You Can't Serve God and Money

PRAYER PRACTICE

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.

DAILY READING

Luke 16:1-31

DEVOTION / REFLECTION

You Can't Serve God and Money

by Diane Ward

It is hard to be dispassionate about money, it challenges our emotions of scarcity and abundance. I have often thought of wealth as a burden, its tentacles easily wrap around our hearts and minds. We betray ourselves as did Judas when we give over the sacred place of our spirits. As we make our way back to Jesus’ lordship, we see the signposts of compromise along the way, the distractions that stole our peace. I have been there, and I know the playing field is larger than money.

Jesus warned of the seductive power of money. He used an example of a shrewd manager who knew how to make money work for him to compensate for mismanagement and breech of employer’s trust. Jesus used a powerful example, the scenes vividly pictured of a rich man with everything and poor man with nothing. The rich man failed to remember the words of the prophets asking that Abraham might forewarn his family of the penalty of “money before God.” Jesus said to him, “if they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:29-31.)

Are we listening or silent to Jesus’ command to love the Lord with all our heart, soul mind and strength and our neighbors as ourselves? (Luke 10:27.) “And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made, and the sign flashed out its warning in the words that it was forming, and the sign said; The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls and whispered in the sound of silence.” (Paul Simon)

Are we investing in Kingdom currency? “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So, let each one give.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7.) John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) traveled throughout the Midwest planting seeds 45 years. It is estimated he spread more than 300,000 seeds. He understood the principle of sowing and reaping.

Lord Jesus your last request on earth was for us to feed your sheep, to be harvesters, to be like You!