God’s Greatest Enemy (Part Two)

Good morning

Until Monday morning, 6^th August, we are going to look at some extracts from my book.

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money,” [Mammon KJV] (Matthew 6:24).

Mammon uses subtle strategies. If the devil would approach someone and say, “I’m the devil, follow me,” how would that person react? She would run as fast as she could. Instead, he operates the same way as someone who wants to boil a frog. If you throw a frog into a pot of boiling water, what does it do? It jumps out. However, if you drop it into cold water and gradually turn up the heat, the frog will not notice it is being cooked.

Satan uses our desires, subtle suggestions, and circumstances to lure us into disobedience to God and servitude to other gods. Mammon obtains power over us in the same way.

For example, ambition can lead to disobedience. Suppose a little girl decided to become a doctor. She had the ambition of meeting the health needs of the community and dreamed of helping people. She studied hard to become a good doctor. As she started her career, she submitted to her colleagues’ influence and began to focus on money. This could change her ambition from becoming a good doctor to becoming a wealthy one. She now must decide whether to care for the community’s needs or her own. Should she charge a fair price that the poor of the community can afford, or should she raise her fees and give care only to those who can afford it?

If she chooses to serve the needs of the whole community, she will live a comfortable, average life. If she cares for only the elite, she will become wealthy. Who will command her life: God, with principles based on love and giving, or Mammon, who emphasizes the material? The choice between God and Mammon is simple: serve God and obtain treasure in heaven, or serve Mammon and have treasure only on earth.

We can’t have both. We can’t please Mammon without following his rules. In the process, we bend or break God’s rules of love, giving, and righteousness. I often have to choose between recommending an expensive item or a cheaper one that is just as effective. I also have the option of pricing items from bulk or individual packaging. Whom do I want to love, the customer or myself? Which is the right choice in God’s eyes—and in Mammon’s? Whom do I love most, my neighbour or myself? Mammon or God?

In contrast with Mammon’s strategies, we can see a perfect example of God’s methods when we observe Jesus working. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8).

Jesus became a servant. He was offered the option of serving Mammon, but He chose instead to live a simple life, totally dependent on and devoted to Father. He did nothing on His own behalf. He didn’t arrange for any gain or power, although He could have done so (Matthew 26:53). Every action He took was for the benefit of those He served and loved, that is, us and the Father. As His reward, God exalted Him above all else (Philippians 2:9-11).

To be continued.

Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.

Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.