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Wednesday, October 24th (Day Ten)

Read:
Matthew 6:19-24

"You cannot serve God and money."

Reflect:
Money is a cruel master. It is cruel because it is inconsistent and toys with you if you allow it to. If money is your master, you are elated when it allows it, but you are devastated when it desires. The irony is that we accept this abuse from money in a way that we would not from any other relationship we have.

That is why you cannot serve both God and money. While money is inconsistent, God is the "rock of your salvation." While money is fickle, God "never leaves you or forsakes you." He is a consistent and kind master even when money leaves you high and dry. If you are placing your trust in him, you will not be arrogant in times of wealth, nor will you be completely devastated during times of want.

This is true freedom, and it frees you to stop laying up treasure on earth, which will not last and will not be sufficient to provide you with strength for your soul. It also frees you to be radically generous, laying up treasures in heaven for the Kingdom of God to advance so that more and more people would serve the one true and good master - the Triune God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Apply:

1. Think about all of the ways you serve money as your master. How and when has it let you down? What lessons should you learn from this?
2. In what ways can you lay up treasures in heaven? Is this a struggle for you? How does the freedom you have in serving Christ alone as your master encourage you in this?

Pray:

1. That you would not serve both God and money but God alone.
2. That God as your good and gracious master would free you to lay up lasting treasures in heaven that his Kingdom might advance through your generosity.