Status

The Million Dollar Life

By William M. Self, Sr.

Jesus said you cannot serve two masters

Which road is your status on?

Riches or Righteousness

 

Status

Throughout history human nature

has developed cultures.

A common practice in nearly all

cultures is the ranking of people…

Placing them into social levels or cast.

The highest positions in these social systems is

generally given to those with the greatest wealth.

It is this status in life, Jesus and the

Scriptures, seem to often address.

God knows that it is our human

nature to trust in riches.

The more wealth we have,

the more confident we feel.

Consequently many people lose their value

of self-worth because of their debt.

There is no doubt… Money is

 power in our social world.

The trusting in riches is not just a problem

 for the wealthy, it is a problem for the poor.

Getting caught up in poor man’s thinking,

 or rich man’s thinking, will lead to

devastating effects and an unfulfilled life.

If you see yourself poor like Tevye, a poor

milkman, who struggled to support his wife

and several daughters in “Fiddler on the Roof”…

 

You, too, have pondered being a rich man or woman.

Trvye asked God… “Would it spoil some vast

eternal plan if I were a wealthy man?”

One of the things Jesus said about this is…

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is trying to show the contrast.

The status of this world…

“Trusting in riches”

 vs

The status in the Kingdom of God…

“Trusting in righteousness”

This is why Jesus talked about two masters…

Which will it be in your life…

 Riches or Righteousness?

Jesus says…

“Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness”.

The one who always keeps righteousness

first in his life Jesus says…

“And all these things will be given to you as well.”

 

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 1:18-19 NIV

18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened

 in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you,

the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

Proverbs 11:28 NIV

28 Whoever trusts in his riches will fall,

but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf.

Mark 10:23-25 AMP

23 And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples,

With what difficulty will those who possess wealth and 

keep on holding it enter the kingdom of God!

24 And the disciples were amazed and bewildered and perplexed at His words.

But Jesus said to them again, Children, how hard it is for those who trust

 (place their confidence, their sense of safety) in riches to enter the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than

 for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:24, 33 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.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,

and all these things will be given to you as well.