What the Bible Says About Relationships and Money
Week of October 16, 2005
This Week’s Scripture Reading
Matthew 6:19-21, 24
19“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. 20Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. 21Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be.
24“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Prayers for the Week:
Sunday |
Heavenly Father, Thank You for a new week of life! I praise You for the opportunity to worship You with my brothers and sisters through Your Son, Jesus. Fill me and all of us anew with Your Holy Spirit! This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Monday |
Heavenly Father, as I start this Monday, I pray that You will show me how to store up treasure in heaven. Forgive me for making worldly treasure such a priority, and let me us it instead to advance Your coming Kingdom! In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Tuesday |
Heavenly Father, I know that the only treasure I can store in heaven is people! I know that as I bear testimony to Your great grace and salvation through my thoughts, words and actions, You will use that to bring people to Yourself, so use me today to Your glory and honor! In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Wednesday |
Heavenly Father, I know that I CANNOT serve two masters, so today I give myself--body, soul and spirit—to You! Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may turn from all sin and temptation to put anyone or anything first except You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Thursday |
Heavenly Father, I want to love and serve You and You alone. Let every thought, word and action of my life today fulfill that desire. Turn my decision to follow You into commitment to follow through. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. |
Friday |
Heavenly Father, take money out of competition for my allegiance, and let You alone be my Master and God. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that my life may be a blessing to others, because I am living in Your blessing. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Saturday |
Heavenly Father, as this week draws to a close I pray that You will help me to see that only Your presence in my life gives me a reason to live. Only You are worthy of honor and praise. May I serve You fully today and always. In Jesus’ name. Amen. |
Background on the Text
Today’s Scripture is found within the Sermon on the Mount, and is at the beginning of a section on putting God first—before money, before worry, before ANYTHING! Jesus makes it clear that wherever we put our “treasure”—and treasure can be money, or relationships, or anything we value—that is where our hearts will be. Jesus tells us to store our treasure in heaven, which means to help as many as possible to come to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus also tells us that it is IMPOSSIBLE to serve two masters. It isn’t hard, or challenging. It’s impossible. Then Jesus asks us to choose between God and money. Even in Jesus’ day, money was a powerful distraction from serving God, and could even be a master. How much more do we need to beware of money’s influence in our day! Jesus calls us to devote ourselves to God, to love Him, because only then can we call Him our Master. This week’s Scripture reminds us again, that unless we seek God first, we won’t seek Him!
Monday
Observation: What does the text say?
Tuesday
Interpretation: What do these verses mean?
Wednesday
Application: How can I respond to the text’s insights and teachings?
Thursday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
Encouraged and strengthened me by:
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Fallen short areas
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What will I do with these insights?
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Friday
After reading and studying this text, reflect on the following discipleship growth points:
What did God say to me this week?
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Share insights and growth points
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Changed/transformed how?
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Saturday
Reflective Thoughts