There’s one particular section of Jesus’ teaching that always stops me in my tracks. It’s found in the middle of His famous Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7). This particular section to this very day still shoves us out of our comfy chair.

“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.” (Matthew 6:24 NIV)

Jesus is letting us know there is a tug-o-war going on with our heart. Make no mistake about it, money is right there in the thick of it. We’ve got to make a choice. A few verses before this He gives us the key to hang onto if we want to get this right.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21 NIV)

From this verse, Randy Alcorn phrases our principle this way:

My heart always goes where I put God’s money.

We already learned it’s all His. Today we’re figuring out that what we do with His money determines the condition of our heart.

Take a moment, if you dare, and look through your checkbook or online bank activity and see where your heart is going.

Prayer thought:

God doesn’t need our money, He wants our heart. He is telling us that He can’t have one without the other; that we can’t give one and not the other. So the truth, as harsh as it may sound, is that if we are still holding on to our money and not giving it, then we have not fully given our heart to Him. 

The good news here is that our God loves us, He is patient with us, and He is leading us one step at a time to a place of complete obedience and surrender. He is speaking to us even now, offering us an opportunity to free ourselves from the grip money holds on our hearts. He is extending an invitation; it is up to us if we choose to accept it. I don’t know about you, but I am brought to my knees at the very thought that He is even asking.  

Let’s start our prayer time in thankfulness, thank the Lord for the personal invitation He is bringing before you today and for the way He has brought you to this very place.