Mattthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Serving God Above All
It is crucial for every Christian to remember a fundamental truth: we cannot allow ourselves to lose sight of whom we are truly called to serve. In our modern society, countless influences compete to become the primary focus of our lives. The relentless pursuit of wealth, the desire for power, and, for many, even the daily challenge to meet basic needs, all vie for our attention. Any one of these pursuits can easily take center stage, distracting us from our highest calling—to serve God first and foremost.
Ultimately, our lives will not be measured by worldly standards but by the love for which God created us. When we live according to the world’s expectations, true peace and fulfillment remain elusive, as we are always striving for the next goal or achievement. In contrast, when we devote ourselves to serving God alone, we discover the peace that surpasses all understanding, as promised in scripture. By making God our only true master, we open ourselves to a life of serenity and purpose.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Serving God Above All
It is crucial for every Christian to remember a fundamental truth: we cannot allow ourselves to lose sight of whom we are truly called to serve. In our modern society, countless influences compete to become the primary focus of our lives. The relentless pursuit of wealth, the desire for power, and, for many, even the daily challenge to meet basic needs, all vie for our attention. Any one of these pursuits can easily take center stage, distracting us from our highest calling—to serve God first and foremost.
Ultimately, our lives will not be measured by worldly standards but by the love for which God created us. When we live according to the world’s expectations, true peace and fulfillment remain elusive, as we are always striving for the next goal or achievement. In contrast, when we devote ourselves to serving God alone, we discover the peace that surpasses all understanding, as promised in scripture. By making God our only true master, we open ourselves to a life of serenity and purpose.
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
The evil present in our world encourages us to embrace greed and selfishness. Society often promotes the belief that we must prioritize our own needs above all else, leaving little room to genuinely care for others. This mindset suggests that the struggles and needs of others are theirs alone to manage, and that our main concern should be our own advancement. In such an environment, true joy is elusive, as life becomes an endless pursuit of personal goals and achievements. The constant glorification of our own accomplishments, even when it comes at the expense of others, only reinforces this cycle of self-importance.
Jesus taught a radically different message, which Paul continued to spread. The good news was not about self-promotion, but about becoming servants first. Jesus exemplified this through His life, and ultimately, through His death on the cross. We are called to embrace humility, putting the needs of others before our own. It is in this act of valuing others above ourselves that we truly live into our purpose and reflect what we were created to be.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
The evil present in our world encourages us to embrace greed and selfishness. Society often promotes the belief that we must prioritize our own needs above all else, leaving little room to genuinely care for others. This mindset suggests that the struggles and needs of others are theirs alone to manage, and that our main concern should be our own advancement. In such an environment, true joy is elusive, as life becomes an endless pursuit of personal goals and achievements. The constant glorification of our own accomplishments, even when it comes at the expense of others, only reinforces this cycle of self-importance.
Jesus taught a radically different message, which Paul continued to spread. The good news was not about self-promotion, but about becoming servants first. Jesus exemplified this through His life, and ultimately, through His death on the cross. We are called to embrace humility, putting the needs of others before our own. It is in this act of valuing others above ourselves that we truly live into our purpose and reflect what we were created to be.
James 4:6 (NIV)
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[c]
Grace: A Gift Received in Humility
The central message for us is clear: God’s grace is a free gift. It is not something we earn, nor is it something we could ever be worthy of through our own actions. Instead, grace is given to us out of God’s unconditional love. To fully embrace and experience this gift, we are called to approach God with humility. Rather than taking pride in what we have accomplished or earned, we are encouraged to be thankful for what God has generously provided. It is from this place of humility and gratitude that we discover true peace, recognizing and resting in the depth of God’s love for us.
6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”[c]
Grace: A Gift Received in Humility
The central message for us is clear: God’s grace is a free gift. It is not something we earn, nor is it something we could ever be worthy of through our own actions. Instead, grace is given to us out of God’s unconditional love. To fully embrace and experience this gift, we are called to approach God with humility. Rather than taking pride in what we have accomplished or earned, we are encouraged to be thankful for what God has generously provided. It is from this place of humility and gratitude that we discover true peace, recognizing and resting in the depth of God’s love for us.
Leviticus 19:18 (ERV)
Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
We are reminded of the moment when an expert in the law tried to test Jesus by asking Him which commandment was the greatest. Jesus responded, in essence, with the instruction to love God and to love your neighbor. It is important to remember that this teaching was not a new concept introduced by Jesus; rather, it was rooted in the original instructions given to the Jewish people. As highlighted in today’s scripture, this command was first established in the book of Leviticus and reiterated in Deuteronomy. In quoting these scriptures, Jesus was affirming the enduring truth found in the Jewish law.
This commandment is not merely a rule for behavior but reflects the very essence of how God calls us to live. It is, in fact, the foundation of our created purpose. When we choose to love our neighbors, pray for our enemies, and serve others, we are embracing the life that God designed for us. Through these actions, we open ourselves to the peace and joy promised in scripture, experiencing true communion with all that God has made.
Forget about the wrong things people do to you. Don’t try to get even. Love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
We are reminded of the moment when an expert in the law tried to test Jesus by asking Him which commandment was the greatest. Jesus responded, in essence, with the instruction to love God and to love your neighbor. It is important to remember that this teaching was not a new concept introduced by Jesus; rather, it was rooted in the original instructions given to the Jewish people. As highlighted in today’s scripture, this command was first established in the book of Leviticus and reiterated in Deuteronomy. In quoting these scriptures, Jesus was affirming the enduring truth found in the Jewish law.
This commandment is not merely a rule for behavior but reflects the very essence of how God calls us to live. It is, in fact, the foundation of our created purpose. When we choose to love our neighbors, pray for our enemies, and serve others, we are embracing the life that God designed for us. Through these actions, we open ourselves to the peace and joy promised in scripture, experiencing true communion with all that God has made.
James 1:2 – 4 (The Message)
2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
I know there are times that we think, "Please God, enough." Where we do not think that we can take any more. But it is in these times that we are given the opportunity to learn to let God and His Spirit take the lead. This is so contrary to what the world would have you believe.
We have all heard the saying that God only gives you what you can handle. I used to add to this by saying that God’s opinion is higher of me than my own. But it is in these times of extreme struggle that we can learn the most important lesson from God. Put your faith in God and God’s love. When kneading dough for bread it must be worked repeatedly until it’s ready for the next step where the yeast grows the bread from within. From there that bread is baked as the finishing touch. If any of these steps is cut short the finished product, while still being bread, is not what was planned. The same is true for our faith and its development. Trust in God and God’s plan. God’s timing is perfect. In those times of tests and challenges trust in the Lord’s plan for your growth and development.
2-4 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.
I know there are times that we think, "Please God, enough." Where we do not think that we can take any more. But it is in these times that we are given the opportunity to learn to let God and His Spirit take the lead. This is so contrary to what the world would have you believe.
We have all heard the saying that God only gives you what you can handle. I used to add to this by saying that God’s opinion is higher of me than my own. But it is in these times of extreme struggle that we can learn the most important lesson from God. Put your faith in God and God’s love. When kneading dough for bread it must be worked repeatedly until it’s ready for the next step where the yeast grows the bread from within. From there that bread is baked as the finishing touch. If any of these steps is cut short the finished product, while still being bread, is not what was planned. The same is true for our faith and its development. Trust in God and God’s plan. God’s timing is perfect. In those times of tests and challenges trust in the Lord’s plan for your growth and development.
Genesis 1:1 – 2
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
I have only included the first two verses of the creation story because it is too long to share here. But if you have the time, read all of Genesis Chapter 1.
The reason that I chose this for today is that we need to understand something. That creation by God did not end on the sixth day. My very first class for Course of Study the teacher talked about a creator God. I remember listening to him but not fully comprehending what he was saying. The reason for that is the same for most of us. We need to come to the realization that God continues to create every day. There is no limit to God’s creation because there is no limit to God. We as humans cannot understand this because we are finite beings.
Most of our earthly problems stem from the idea that there is a finite amount of everything, including the love and gifts of God. Nothing could be further from the truth. And because of this belief in limited supply we then are drawn to compete for that limited love and gifts. We then work to acquire more of these gifts and hoard them so when they do run out. Guaranteeing we then will still have ours when the supply runs out. But if we transition to a belief that God, being infinite, continues to create then we move past the need to accumulate and into the space of sharing. We then can give as God would want us too. Because there is no fear that we will run out. Only when we place our faith in an infinite God and God’s promise of love and grace can we see and live into what Jesus calls the Kingdom of Heaven. That peace comes not from the finite we can earn but to the infinite God can give. And with this, we know that God’s well will never run dry.
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
I have only included the first two verses of the creation story because it is too long to share here. But if you have the time, read all of Genesis Chapter 1.
The reason that I chose this for today is that we need to understand something. That creation by God did not end on the sixth day. My very first class for Course of Study the teacher talked about a creator God. I remember listening to him but not fully comprehending what he was saying. The reason for that is the same for most of us. We need to come to the realization that God continues to create every day. There is no limit to God’s creation because there is no limit to God. We as humans cannot understand this because we are finite beings.
Most of our earthly problems stem from the idea that there is a finite amount of everything, including the love and gifts of God. Nothing could be further from the truth. And because of this belief in limited supply we then are drawn to compete for that limited love and gifts. We then work to acquire more of these gifts and hoard them so when they do run out. Guaranteeing we then will still have ours when the supply runs out. But if we transition to a belief that God, being infinite, continues to create then we move past the need to accumulate and into the space of sharing. We then can give as God would want us too. Because there is no fear that we will run out. Only when we place our faith in an infinite God and God’s promise of love and grace can we see and live into what Jesus calls the Kingdom of Heaven. That peace comes not from the finite we can earn but to the infinite God can give. And with this, we know that God’s well will never run dry.
𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐚𝐡 𝟓: 𝟐𝟎, 𝟐𝟑
𝟐𝟎 𝐖𝐨𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥,
𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬,
𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.
𝟐𝟑 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞,
𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭.
We need to remember what it was that led to the exile that Isaiah writes about. The fundamental failure was that the people were lead away from God’s covenant by leaders that were not consistent in their following of the mosaic law. And through their lead became the selfish beings that humans are when they live outside of God. They started to put their faith in men, not God.
The same has been true throughout history and we are cycling back again. We are bombarded everyday by two realities. We must then choose which is the one that is in service of God and which is driven by man. What we must recognize is that what we see in our world today is God’s plan skewed to meet man’s desire. We must test all by the full word of God, not just the parts that match our world view.
God’s view of the world is one of love of others, of being a servant first, and celebrating the diversity of God’s continued creation. So, when we are trying to decide in whom to put our faith there is only one answer. Our faith must remain in God and all God’s word. When we do this by his will, we then receive that peace that is promised in scripture. And in so doing recognize good from evil and light from dark.
𝟐𝟎 𝐖𝐨𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥,
𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬,
𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫.
𝟐𝟑 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞,
𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐲 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭.
We need to remember what it was that led to the exile that Isaiah writes about. The fundamental failure was that the people were lead away from God’s covenant by leaders that were not consistent in their following of the mosaic law. And through their lead became the selfish beings that humans are when they live outside of God. They started to put their faith in men, not God.
The same has been true throughout history and we are cycling back again. We are bombarded everyday by two realities. We must then choose which is the one that is in service of God and which is driven by man. What we must recognize is that what we see in our world today is God’s plan skewed to meet man’s desire. We must test all by the full word of God, not just the parts that match our world view.
God’s view of the world is one of love of others, of being a servant first, and celebrating the diversity of God’s continued creation. So, when we are trying to decide in whom to put our faith there is only one answer. Our faith must remain in God and all God’s word. When we do this by his will, we then receive that peace that is promised in scripture. And in so doing recognize good from evil and light from dark.
