WEDNESDAY APRIL 29, 2020.
SUBJECT: OUR GREATEST TEST AND TRUST!
Memory verse: "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (Luke 16 vs 11.)
READ: Luke 16 vs 9 - 13:
16:9: And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.
16:10: He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.
16:11: Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?
16:12: And If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?
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.”
INTIMATION:
The greatest test and trust God put before us is money, hence one quarter of the teachings of Christ during His earth walk was on money. Most people fail to realize God’s perception of money, both a test and a trust. God uses money to teach us to trust Him. God’s interest is on how we use money, and also how trustworthy we are with the money available to us. It is noteworthy that money belongs to God, not us. It can be used for good or evil; let us use ours for good. Money has a lot of power; let us use it carefully, wisely, and thoughtfully. We must use our material goods in a way that will foster faith and obedience to God.
Our use of money is a good test of the lordship of Christ. God says there is a direct relationship between how you use your money and the quality of your spiritual life. How you manage your money ("worldly wealth") determines how much God can trust you with spiritual blessings ("true riches"). If we use our money to help those in need or to help others find Christ, our earthly investment will bring eternal benefit. Let me ask: “Is the way you manage your money preventing God from doing more in your life? Can you be trusted with spiritual riches?”
The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God's purposes, not how much you can accumulate for yourself. When we obey God’s Will, the unselfish use of our money will follow. How do you treasure your money? Does your money free you to help others? Does God's love touch your wallet? If your answer is yes, then you are storing up lasting treasures in heaven. The material possessions that are acquired on this earth are not wrong within themselves. What is wrong is how they were acquired and idolized (First Timothy 6 vs 10; Second Timothy 4 vs 10).
The greatest lesson in the passage we read today is in Luke 16 vs 9, Jesus said, “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” The shrewd and unjust steward was even commended by the master, because he had dealt shrewdly by making friends with possessions entrusted with him.
Jesus noted that “The sons of this world (the unbelievers) are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light (believers or Christians)” (Luke 16 vs 8). How? The unbelievers are a lot more better than Christians at making friends with their possessions. Philanthropy (goodwill toward mankind, voluntary promotion of human welfare) is far much practiced by unbelievers than Christians in our society. But this is an error; Christians, as followers of Christ, should be better stewards of the resources God entrusted them with. They should be selfless rather than being selfish.
God blesses you so as to be a blessing to others. God said to Abraham, "...I will bless you; and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12 vs 2). This is a very important truth. One cannot take his or her possessions along into the dwelling of the new heavens and earth, but he or she can take the results of his or her giving. Money and possessions are not evil, but the love and selfish use of them. Riches are wrong when they lead one into sin. How then do you manage the blessings God entrusted with you? Are you serving Him with them? Are you blessing others with your talent, money, possessions, etc., or are you greedy and selfish with them?
Money has the power to take God's place in your life. It can become your master. We live in a materialistic society where people serve money. They spend all their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind. Their desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. They become slaves to money. Jesus said to His followers, “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12 vs 33 - 34).
It is also important to note that our integrity is often put in line in money matters. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily ignore. Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have), we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom. See that you maintain your integrity in all money matters, whether big or small. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? Ask yourself; ‘Do I think and worry about it frequently?’ ‘Do I give up doing what I should do or would like to do in order to make more money?’ ‘Do I spend a great deal of my time caring for my possessions?’ ‘Is it hard for me to give money away?’ ‘Am I in debt?’
Money is a hard and deceptive master. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Those who are lovers of money are not faithful to God in their acquisition of wealth (Matthew 15 vs 3 - 6). They cannot be good stewards of God’s heritage because they had proved themselves dishonest by taking advantage of people in order to take care of own material well-being. One’s correct use of material things will determine one’s right to eternal life. A man’s faithfulness is determined by what he does with what he has. Great fortunes can be made, and lost overnight, and no amount can provide perfect health, happiness, or eternal life. How much better it is to let God be your Master. His servants have peace of mind and security, both now and forever.
Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to manage Your resources entrusted with me properly, that I may earn Your approval, and enter into Your rest, in Jesus’ most precious Name I have prayed, Amen.
PRAISE THE LORD!
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