Two Masters Or Just One? A Word from THE WORD!!! #377

I want us to think about our focus, our allegiance, devotion and service today; we live in a world determined to distract us, to lead us astray from God, and lead men, women, boys and girls straight to hell!  Oh, how I pray that you will consider these things and choose to examine yourself and evaluate your own allegiance.  Jesus makes it clear that He is to be our total focus!

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,

where moth and rust

doth corrupt,

and where thieves

break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

where neither moth nor rust

doth corrupt,

and where thieves do not

break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is,

there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye:

if therefore thine eye be single,

thy whole body shall be full of light.

23 But if thine eye be evil,

thy whole body

shall be full of darkness.

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness,

how great is that darkness!

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.

25 Therefore I say unto you,

Take no thought for your life,

what ye shall eat,

or what ye shall drink;

nor yet for your body,

what ye shall put on.

Is not the life more than meat,

and the body than raiment?”  Matthew 6:19-25

Jesus clearly tells us that we have a choice of mindset; we can set our minds on earthly things or the heavenly things, and the reward will be given accordingly.  If we spend all our time seeking and keeping earthly treasures, we may be neglecting the eternal treasures.  And in this same chapter, Jesus reiterates this same principle.

“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.”  Matthew 6:31-34

I pray that we will heed the words of our Lord, and measure our choices by HIS WORD, and not popular opinion—in our behavior, our speech, our actions and activities.  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test; but even more than that, Jesus gave us instruction to pray very specifically, and it surely lends credence to His words here.

“But when ye pray,

use not vain repetitions,

as the heathen do:

for they think that they shall be heard

for their much speaking.

8 Be not ye therefore like unto them:

for your Father knoweth

what things ye have need of,

before ye ask him.

9 After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

in earth,

as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day

our daily bread.”  Matthew 6:7-11

Let’s just peruse some of these ideas that Jesus was calling us to consider; if we want to please our master (if Jesus is your master, if not then you can bow before Him in repentance and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for our sins) our focus needs to be on today!  We aren’t to fall into vain repletion, thinking that we can twist God’s arm (so to speak) and get what we want.  Our desire is to be what God wants us to be and do in and through the lives of His own, and when I belong to Jesus, I can understand what the Proverb is saying to me!

“Boast not thyself of to morrow;

for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

2 Let another man praise thee,

and not thine own mouth;

a stranger,

and not thine own lips.”  Proverbs 27:1-2

Peter has some great advice for us, and I encourage you to heed his words, for God is faithful who has promised!

“Humble yourselves therefore

under the mighty hand of God,

that he may exalt you

in due time:  

7 Casting all your care upon him;

for he careth for you.

8 Be sober,

be vigilant;

because your adversary the devil,

as a roaring lion,

walketh about,

seeking whom he may devour:

9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith,

knowing that the same afflictions

are accomplished in your brethren

that are in the world.

10 But the God of all grace,

who hath called us unto his eternal glory

by Christ Jesus,

after that ye have suffered a while,

make you perfect,

stablish,

strengthen,

settle you.

11 To him be glory and dominion

for ever and ever. Amen.”  1 Peter 5:6-11

In closing, I simply want to ask, “Who is your master?”  Have you come to Jesus or are you going your own way—even if it’s a ‘religious’ way, if you haven’t been born again as Jesus said (John 3:1-19), you are still going your way; yet you can bow before Him, and give Him your life, and let Jesus save you today.

“Come unto me,

all ye that labour

and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you,

and learn of me;

for I am meek and lowly in heart:

and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy,

and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Even as John tells us, may we come to the cross; if you hear His voice don’t turn away without Him?

“But if we walk in the light,

`as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin,

we deceive ourselves,

and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

to forgive us our sins,

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

10 If we say that we have not sinned,

we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us.”  1 John 1:7-10

I will pray for you as the Psalmist says:

“Search me, O God,

and know my heart:

try me,

and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way

in me,

and lead me

in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139:23-24

Who’s your master? May you hear and heed His voice?

Amen and Amen!!!