Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.”  Matthew 6:24 (NIV)

I said on Sunday that we cannot but serve our treasures.  We labor all day for them and think about them all night.  They fill our dreams.  But it is not uncommon for people to think that they can treasure this world and the kingdom of God as well, that they can serve both.  Perhaps we can make this work for a while.  But there will come a time when one must be subordinate to the other.  We simply cannot have two ultimate goals or points of reference for our actions.  

You cannot be the servant of both God and the things “on earth,” because their requirements conflict.  Unless you have already put God first, for example, what you will have to do to be financially secure, impress other people, or fulfill your desires will invariably lead you against God’s wishes.  That is why the first of the Ten Commandments, “You shall have no gods who take priority over me,” is the first of the Ten Commandments.

The outcome is you will hate one and love the other.  It means you that will neglect one of them while trying to please the other.  It means that you will be forced to choose.  If we choose money and wealth over God we will find ourselves stooping to all kinds of evil practices.  Wealth can change your dedication that belongs to God alone.  Don’t let it.  Choose God!