Timely Insights into God's Word from Khandielese Reyes

“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.” (Matt 6:24) 

The prosperity gospel is the most popular, most preached gospel in America today.  No matter what topic most ministers begin with, they seem to always end on the subject of money, leaving the congregation with more of a hunger for wealth and material gain, than a hunger for fellowship with The Lord.  Individual prayer life begins to change where the focus is shifted from seeking the Lord for oneness and growth, to seeking the Lord for material gifts.  While there is no sin to having wealth, the trouble begins when the heart is so consumed by the hunger for it that it takes the place of the hunger for Christ.  The believer desires Christ, but only for what he can give them and they buy into the doctrine the more they give (monetary), the more they’ll receive back from him thus they give with this expectation.  However, oddly the only one that seem to profit greatly by this doctrine are the ones that teach it, while those who give diligently continues to suffer great lack.  Some ending up worse off than they were prior to chasing after this “false” doctrine, with finding themselves now being in a position of not being able to even meet their basic daily needs.  Thus, now having this great hunger for wealth has not caused them to gain more, but rather lose.  Somehow in the midst of teaching on prosperity, the “teacher” failed to mention the Lord NEVER promised to supply all our WANTS, but has promised to supply all our NEEDS.  “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But, seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt 6:31-3) Therefore, not everything we “want” will we receive as not every “want” is profitable for our spiritual growth.  Priority to man may be wealth, but priority to the Lord for His own is growth and fellowship thus he will not supply us with a “want’ that may hinder our spiritual growth and fellowship with Him.  Man may receive wealth, but IF it has separated him from fellowship and oneness with the Lord, the wealth did not come through a blessing from God, but by some other means.   Despite what has been preached from the pulpit, the truth is The Lord will not supply a want to a child of His where this supplied gift would then become the master and his child the servant to.  As the word of God declares in Matthew 6:24, “no man can serve two masters”, thus we cannot be the servant of God, and at the same time the servant of wealth but must serve ONLY one: “God or Mammon”.   

When The Lord bless one with great wealth, it is not only for the benefit of the recipient , but is also given that the receiver may be a blessing to another.  As The Lord has promised to supply all our needs, His usual method is working through willing vessels of His who are desirous to share the blessing he so freely gave to them with others in need.   Through the sharing, the Lord is glorified as the one who sought the Lord in prayer for a genuine need of which he promised to supply, was met through the giving of another.  As one gives out of love and obedience expecting nothing in return, the Lord can then bless the individual with more for his heart is not on His wealth, but on obedience to The Lord and such can be trusted with an overflow of abundance.  

Wherever your heart is, therein shall lie your treasures.  If ones heart is on wealth and the things of this world, it will manifest itself through prayer, through speech and through action.  If the heart is focused on the Lord and the things of God, this will be manifested in like manner, through prayer, speech and actions.  How one prioritize the things in his/her life, would determine the level of importance.  When we place God and our relationship with the Lord first above ALL else, The Lord will often bless us with things we didn’t even ask for as our hearts have been tested and proven to be for Him.  Such was the case of a man appointed by the Lord as king over His people Israel, that man being, Solomon.

King Solomon, the son of David was chosen by the Lord to be king of His people Israel.  He characterized himself as being that of a “little child” meaning one of little to no experience, yet he humbly accepted the will of the Lord for his life despite his lack of experience in the area of his calling.  The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and declared He would give him whatever he asked: “In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.” (1 Kings 3:5)  Here began the testing of Solomon’s heart.  Here was his chance to request anything from the Lord and according to the Lord, He would supply him what he asked.  There’s no question what many would have replied to the Lord had this question been asked of them.   Many in leadership would have asked for great, large and successful ministries, beautiful church buildings that could house thousands, great wealth and the like.  But, lets look at how Solomon responded to the Lord’s question.  The first thing that came to Solomon was the position the Lord had called him into and what was needed by him to fulfill this calling of the Lord effectively.  Understanding that he had no experience in the area of leadership, yet wanting more than anything to do an effective work and be pleasing in the eyes of the Lord he replied: “Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?  Thus, Solomon asked for wisdom, wisdom to effectively do the work the Lord had called him to do.  Without hesitation this is what he asked of the Lord and scripture tells us that Solomon’s speech pleased the Lord so much so that he not only gave Solomon that which he asked for, but he gave him that which he didn’t ask for as well and the wisdom Solomon received was unlike any other.  “And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.  And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honor; so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.”  (1 Kings 3:11-13)    

Solomon was wise in his decision as he chose wisdom over wealth and The Lord God gave him both.  We to must be as wise.  “God or Mammon”?  A believer can have both, BUT can ONLY be the servant to ONE.  Which one will you choose to SERVE?

I love you all so very much. Have a blessed week in the Lord and remember: Whatever we do, do ALL for the GLORY of GOD, who ALONE is worthy of the GLORY and the PRAISE!

The Lord be with you this day and always!  Shalom Uvracha (Peace and Blessings)…….. 

Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh,
Adonai Elohim Tzeva-ot
Asher Hayah Va-ho-veh VaY’vo

Holy, Holy, Holy
Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come!

May the peace of the Lord be with you today and always……

Khandielese
Daughter & Servant
   of the Lord God