GOD AND MAMMON

MONEY IS A GOOD SERVANT BUT A BAD MASTER.
Jesus said “You cannot serve God and Mammon.” Matt. 6:24
“Mammon” means money or wealth - but especially when it is something people trust or value too much.

WHEN MONEY IS A SERVANT IT CAN PAY FOR -
LIVING - what we need for ordinary living expenses.

RELATING
- friendship, family, travel, gifts, postage etc. Contact with people costs money and this is a good use of it. An occasional celebration with family or friends is part of the relationship and good. But lavish spending leads to shortage.

CARING - meeting others’ needs

SERVING - there are expenses to pay when we serve the Lord.

GIVING
Give secretly so as not to get glory for ourselves on earth (Matthew 6 1-4). Give simply, undesignated (Romans 12:8).

EARNING MONEY CAN ITSELF BE A SERVICE.
If we earn our money by baking bread we are blessing people by providing them with bread. Our work should both earn us money and benefit others.

MONEY BECOMES A MASTER -
IF WE SPEND BEYOND OUR INCOME OR LET IT GET OUT OF CONTROL
- Proverbs 27:23 “Take care to know the state of your flocks and look well to your herds.”

IF OUR AFFAIRS GET TANGLED WITH OTHERS’
- Prov. 11:15 “He who guarantees a debt for a stranger will suffer for it. To be safe, never guarantee anything.”

IF WE GET INTO DEBT

IF WE HAVE TOO MUCH - OR TOO LITTLE
- Proverbs 30:8 “Give me neither poverty nor riches - just the food I need.”

IF WE WANT TOO MUCH MONEY
- OR WANT MONEY TOO MUCH
1 Tim. 6:9-10 “Desire to be rich is a lure and a trap, folly and waste. Love of money is at the root of all sorts of evils, those who want it wander away from the Faith and impale themselves on misery.”

IF IT FILLS OUR MINDS - with worry, or with busy plans.

IF IT FILLS OUR HEARTS - and takes our love from others. Why love money - it will never love you?

IF IT STEALS TIME AND ENERGY - so that we do not have enough left for people, or even for rest and enjoyment.

IF IT RULES OUR DECISION-MAKING

IF IT COMES BEFORE CHRIST IN OUR LIVES.

OR IF IT IS EARNED BUT NOT BY SERVICE.
Desire for money can lead us to the kind of work which contributes nothing worthwhile to others - or even harms them.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.”
Matthew 6:33

See Genesis 14 and 2 Kings 5 how Abraham did - and Gehazi did not - seek first the kingdom of God.

MONEY AND MARRIAGE.
Many marriages suffer because of money. If either husband or wife allows money to be their master rather than their servant it will harm the relationship.

Normally it is best for husband and wife to discuss their financial arrangements and agree on them together, including main expenses and decisions. Sometimes only one is able to handle the money, or one may not want to have much share in it. Whatever practical arrangement is made, the relationship is always more valuable than the money.

It is good, if possible, for each to have just a little to spend without discussing it - how else can they surprise each other with a present, or be free to make a normal small purchase when on their own.