WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8
John 12:1-8
Matthew 6:24

"… Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

BLINDED BY THE LOVE OF MONEY

Every Christian must be reminded that Satan tries to drive believers every day to sin. Although we are not under his dominion, he puts us under his surveillance to take every opportunity to trip us. He desires to accuse us of infidelity against our Lord and Saviour. He rejoices every time we sin and brings railing accusations against us. Therefore, we must learn to repent early lest Satan’s continued harshness on our souls lead to his reign over us. As soon as we are abandoned to Satan’s tyranny, his rage will have no bounds.

On the other hand, Satan enters into the reprobates and takes possession of all their senses, overthrows any fear of God, extinguishes the light of reason, and destroys every feeling of shame. The unbeliever is swallowed up, and with insatiable unbelief, hastens to do every wicked and abominable work of the flesh to his own destruction.

The cause and source of so great a blindness in Judas was his love of money. He was a reprobate. One manifestation was that his eyes were fixed on jewels rather than on Jesus. His love was set towards gold, and not towards God. He valued carnal security more than eternal security.

Judas was an embezzler and a pilferer. He desired the money to be entrusted to him, that he might secretly enrich himself. "… he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein" (John 12:6). Satan used the lust of covetousness in Judas as a means by which the iniquitous result was accomplished. Judas preferred money over the Master, sin over salvation, and hell over heaven. "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). Which of the two are you serving?

THOUGHT: Is money the love of my life?
PRAYER: "Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day" (Ps 25:4-5).