Matthew 6:24 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.
This passage of scripture tells us that if money is the central theme of our lives, then it's impossible to serve God, for the service of God and mammon can never be reconciled. The Bible teaches us to be diligent, and that pecuniary gain will accrue as a result of implementing the principles of frugality, consistency, faithfulness, and hard work done temperately, for The Lord always adds His blessings where His instructions are faithfully adopted and practiced, as outlined in the Bible. Let's read:
Proverbs 10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Proverbs 3:9 Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: 10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Deuteronomy 8:18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
However the scripture never advises us to make the acquirement of wealth our main focus in life, for doing so will inevitably cause us to lose our lives eternally. It was this lopsided view of temporal wealth and eternal realities that caused Ananias and Sapphira to lose their lives prematurely.
After the day of Pentecost, there was a move made by several members of the newly established Christian church, to sell their possessions and to give the proceeds into a general fund for distribution among the saints. Ananias and his wife also pledged a parcel of land to be sold for the same purpose, but after thinking it over, they decided that they would not follow through on their promise, for apparently the sum of money thus acquired seemed to be too great to give to the Lord's work.
With an outward show of pretense in the presence of the congregation, they then returned only a portion of the proceeds to the Lord, hoping by so doing to harmonize the love of money with the love of God. Our passage for today shows us that this is impossible, and an immediate correction was administered so that everyone, including future generations would understand clearly that all efforts to synthesize God and mammon will prove futile. Let's read:
Acts 5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
In our day there seems to be a frenzied rush to make money, to the neglect and disregard of God and spiritual things, and there are still robbers like Ananias and his wife, who pledge to the Lord and then retract that which they solemnly promised to give. God is not to be trifled with, and so He gives us warning in His word not to put the transient things of this earth before Him, for this constitutes a certain type of idolatry. Vows made to God should be held sacred, even though they may cause us great inconvenience, and under no circumstances should they be canceled, if they do not cause us to commit sin. Let's read:
Ecclesiastes 5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. 3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
It's very important for us not to partake of the prevailing spirit of commerce and consumerism, being controlled by circumstances, neglecting God and making His word subservient to temporal pursuits. We should never allow ourselves to become obsessed and overwhelmed with the acquirement of money and material things which perish. On the United States dollar bill we see these words, "In God we trust". Let's make certain that by the grace of God our "god" is not the almighty dollar, but rather The Almighty God who reigns in heaven and on earth.
It's necessary for us to always have God first in our affections, and if we do, He has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. Let's read:
Matthew 6:31 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.
May The Lord grant us His grace and His Spirit that we may have our priorities in the right order, for the things of this world will pass away, but he that doeth God's will, abides forever.
"Good night" and God bless!