Money – LPM WordPress

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.

Matthew 6:24

Last Thursday, my BFF Tammy and I met to have a day to ourselves and it was one of the best days I’ve had in a long time! We bought some fun stuff before sitting down to have a nice chat. We found ourselves reminiscing, talking about our writing, and the Industry from a Biblical perspective which led us to discuss serving two masters.

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The Bible makes it clear: WE CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS! There is a reason why the world is filled with hatred, greed, and jealousy. Why there are so many robberies and frauds taking place. Why our entertainment (magazines, TV shows, books, commercials, etc.) are filled with blaspheming products that are not of God (gambling, drug overdose, nudity, etc.). Why professing Christian actors play ungodly roles in movies. Why professing Christian musicians neglect to drop God’s Name from their lips. Why preachers thirst after riches. For the mammon (money, wealth, and material things) makes them compromise their relationship with God. And when you serve mammon, you do not serve God, but Satan, thus you’ll do ANYTHING for it.

So you go to church
Read the holy word
In the scheme of life
It’s all absurd

Want your pot of gold
Need the Midas touch
Bet you sell your soul
‘Cause your God is such
You don’t care
You kill for the money

You do anything for money

Money, Michael Jackson

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Don’t get caught up in all that glitters for what does it profit a man to gain the world, but lose his soul (Mark 8:36)? The world may look good dangling before our eyes, but the lust of this world cannot satisfy us like Christ can. God is our Sustainer and He doesn’t want us to worry (Philippians 4:6-7). Rather, we should learn to be content in whatever state we’re in (Philippians 4:11). When we’re content, we do not lust after mammon in any form, for we’ll be putting our trust in God for our provisions (Proverbs 3:5-8; Matthew 6:31-34).

We’re to be set apart from the world (1 John 2:15-16) and not conform to it (Romans 12:2) for the enticing, sparkly, glittery, shiny things of this world is deceitful (Mark 4:19).

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Reflection

Are you storing up treasures on earth or in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21)? Be honest with yourself during your self-evaluation for God doesn’t do compromises.

Encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

1 Thessalonians 5:14

Okay, I’m going to talk about Tom Cruise a little bit, so bear with me. I once dubbed Tom the greatest actor to ever grace a screen, but what I loved most about him was what he did off-screen and here are a few examples:

^ Zac Efron said that Tom taught him to ride a bike. Tom has to find time to do that.

^ Tom never forgets birthdays.

^ Billy Wilder was some sort of legendary director. There’s a long story in there, but to make it short, Tom would just listen to his stories and write him notes. When Billy passed away in 2002, Tom was at the memorial and he let everyone know how much he loved Billy.

^ Another boy was supposed to be the kid set to steal the show in Jerry Maguire, but he eventually left and Jonathan Lipnicki replaced him. A few weeks later, the boy’s mom calls Cameron Crowe (the director) to tell him to thank Tom for helping her son transition back to his normal life by sending letters and gifts. Crowe couldn’t get over why Tom didn’t tell everyone, but there was no need to shout a good deed from the rooftop.

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What’s the moral of some of those stories? You don’t always need money to help someone. Sometimes, all someone might need is a listening ear or a word of advice or even a little bit of your time. Your thoughtfulness. And what if it’s money? If you’re being led to help someone by giving them money, do not selfishly give to feel better about yourself for we should give without sparing (Proverbs 21:26) while delighting in the Lord (Psalm 37:4).

Some of us are only willing to help someone in need when a reward is involved (Matthew 6:2), but our giving shouldn’t be advertised on a billboard (Matthew 6:4) as it’s supposed to be a thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11).

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