The Mammon Trap
This week we are going to look at the ‘Mammon Trap’ which I am hoping will serve as a nice bridge from our series on the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ to our new series on spiritual battle we are calling ‘The Fight’.
Matthew 6:24 (NKJV)
24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
The NIV translates this verse as:
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
24 “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.
It is important to note, that while money and Mammon are related, Mammon is more than money. Mammon is a type of evil also referred to as a power, force, or principality .
Mammon wants worship. Mammon is one of those things that we can put in God’s place. We can falsely look to Mammon for what we believe money provides for us; peace, power, position, pleasure, security, freedom, etc.
But when we are looking to money/mammon to provide those things for us, we are allowing Mammon to take the place of God in our lives. God is the true source of our peace, our power, our position, our pleasure, our security and our freedom.
Money is Not Evil
1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The love of money is the problem. Money is of itself neutral. It can be used for good and for evil.
Money Reveals Your Heart
Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
God already knows your heart. How you handle money reveals the condition of your heart to you.
Steve Lawes is a church encourager and the lead pastor of Keys Vineyard Church.
