Serving God or mammon…who will you serve?

From Matthew 6:24, Jesus said, “You will either serve God or mammon, but you can’t serve both.” Mammon is the god of riches, stuff, and materialism. Mammon speaks to us and is a spirit that is in the world today. It represents a prideful, arrogant spirit of humanity that says, “We don’t need God, we can do it on our own.” God is our source; He is the one that gives us security, identity, hope, happiness and a future. These are the things that only God can provide. Jesus never told anyone that the answer to their problems was more money! The decision to serve God or mammon lies directly with us. One indicator that reveals who we serve is whether or not we tithe. If we tithe, we are saying God is our source. If we don’t, we are saying mammon is our source. We can’t serve both. So we either serve God or we don’t. So the next time that you get paid, you can choose to serve God or mammon.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

In our society, we have replaced obligation and responsibility with rights and privileges. People are fighting for their rights, what they deserve and what they want because they perceive something is unfair. In doing so, we do not take care of our obligations and responsibilities. It’s unfortunate that our society has moved towards this line of thinking. Excuses are abundant, from our President, who is always quick to blame someone else, to the attitude that it’s “never my fault,” to the herds of companies that don’t do the right thing with other people’s money. This attitude is destroying our country. “Responsibility” comes from the root word “response,” which means “constituting a reply or a response.” In essence, to be responsible means an action or reply is demanded!

You hear the saying, “pay your fair share,” and what we need to ask ourselves is who determines what is fair? We should take responsibility for our lives, our decisions, and do the right thing every time. If we seek to do that, everything will get better and healthier for the next generation. A failure to do so will doom our society and things will get worse instead of better.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

Have you ever thought about the statement, “Things happen for a reason?” I think sometimes people think like this as a way to absolve themselves from any responsibility for what happens. At other times, it could be a coping mechanism to help them through a tough or hurtful situation. I believe that, for the most part, things do happen for a reason.

One mom said, “Everything happens for a reason, but sometimes the reason is because you’re stupid and make bad decisions.” I wonder why people have a hard time taking responsibility for their actions and decisions and want to lay it off on someone or something else. Sometimes people use this reasoning to blame God or to justify some decision they have made that didn’t work out. Again, maybe this is a coping mechanism to keep their sanity through a difficult time.

Taking responsibility is the first step towards change and becoming healthier as a person. To accept the things we have done and the choices we have made and leaving them in the past is the only way we can truly be better and live better.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

I’ve noticed that the happiest people I know are people who give of themselves and their resources. On the other hand, the most miserable people I know are selfish and greedy. Coincidence? We should develop a heart for giving. Once we learn this principal and apply it to our own lives, I believe we’ll have more joy, peace and happiness. In church terms, people think that if they tithe, they are givers. Even though it all begins with tithing, (and every Christian should give their tithes to a local church) in reality, tithing is returning to God what is rightfully His. Giving starts after the tithe, not before it. You return a tithe, and give an offering. Being a giver means that you give as the Holy Spirit prompts or directs. God is a giver and we should act and think like Him. We don’t give to get, we just give. Our society has become more selfish and as believers, we sometimes listen to the world and its’ philosophies instead of honoring God and obeying His Word. Let’s learn to become true givers and watch how God restores peace, joy and happiness back into our lives. The word “blessed” means: “happy, fortunate, to be envied.” Let’s be that.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com

It is a new year, so along with it, let’s develop a new attitude, where we learn to be content. Contentment isn’t being lazy, complacent or satisfied to the point of not growing, aspiring or achieving. Contentment is an attitude of the heart that keeps us peaceful and quiet through any circumstance in our lives. It keeps us trusting and submitted to the will of God no matter what goes on in our lives. It is independent of the situations in our lives. Discontentment is all about our circumstances, and a restless feeling to have more. Most of our issues are because of us and the root cause is inside of us. People who are discontent envy those who seem to have more than we do. The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11 said, “I have learned to be content in whatever state I find myself in.” We can also learn to make the most out of life if we work on it each and every day. We don’t allow circumstances to dictate our attitude, but we should be eager to do more and achieve more, by not giving up on our circumstances. We determine our attitude in the midst of our circumstances, by learning to be content and making the most out of life.

Just a Thought,
PSS
Legacychurch.com