Who are you serving? I mean we all serve somebody, right? You may say that I only serve myself. In all actuality that statement there indicates that you’re serving Satan. Consider these words “4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4
To serve yourself is to serve Satan, in which there’s a blindness that results in wandering around and filling your appetites with all manner of this world’s delicacies. We cannot serve two masters. How many bosses do you really have? It’s hard enough trying to please one, but can you imagine multiple bosses? It sounds a lot like slavery to me. Consider Jesus’ words:
24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 — Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”
Matthew 6:24-34
I want to hone in on verse 33, I added the context here to clarify the title of this blog post. Verse 24 Jesus talks about two masters, God and mammon. Mammon is the ‘god’ of materialism, possessions, riches, and the like, and then you have the Kingdom of God. Think about this you work your 9-5 to only spend for the things you want and need to only have to do it all over again week after week. Where’s the real satisfaction in all of this? Sure, you may have a few good days here and there, but it’s not lasting, and it’s not fulfilling.!
I know, because I have been in the retail industry over 36 years. However, if we seek God’s Kingdom and his righteousness, all “these” things will be free given to you. That’s right, you don’t have to work a hard and laborious job to scratch your way in this life! So, what’s the difference?
Mammon is a god. God IS God. Two distinct persons here. Both have their Kingdoms as well. Jesus here in this dialogue spells it out. What’s interesting about Jesus’ stance is that he is urging people to consider God’s Kingdom and not mammon’s. Why? One leads to freedom, and the other leads to bondage.
So, what is the Kingdom of God? Is it a place? Where is it at? The Kingdom of God is anywhere God is at. If you received Jesus as your Lord and savior, then the Kingdom of God is within you! (Luke 17:21). So how do these scriptures fit into my needs being met? God made deposits within you giving you gifts to have. (Eph. 4:1-7). More specifically, these gifts are spiritual abilities enabling you to serve God and help your fellow neighbor.
Alongside with the tithe, when you begin to examine what gifts God has given you and allow God to develop them, as you use them, you are being employed by God seeking (striving to look for) God’s Kingdom. His righteousness is adopting God’s holy standard for right living and conduct. Now’s the interesting part.
So, if you have done parts one and two, part three is next: all these things will be given to you. Just like David said in Psalms 23, “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life… ” In short, everything you need for a fulfilling and satisfying life are within you. Like any gift, you have to only open it up, read the instructions, and enjoy.
So, I’m going to ask again, which God are you going to serve?
Leave a Reply