Luke 16:13-15 (Jesus stated) 13 “No servant 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.” 14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
John 8:47 (Jesus said) He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.
We HEAR God through a
IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF A HEARTFELT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD:
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Isaiah 50:4-5 “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to hear as the learned. 5 The Lord GOD has opened My ear; and I was not rebellious, nor did I turn away.
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Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand my watch, and set myself on the rampart,
and watch to see what He will say to me,
and what I will answer when I am corrected.
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Jeremiah 33:3 ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’
A Challenge Question Today: Is there anything impeding or obstructing your relationship with God?
Luke 16:13-15 (Jesus stated)
13 “No servant 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.” 14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. 15 And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
JESUS USES A STORY TO STATE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR:
1. Two
Luke 16:19-21 (Jesus said) 19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Matthew 22:36-40 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
JESUS USES A STORY TO STATE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR:
2. Two
Luke 16:22-23 (Jesus said) 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
JESUS USES A STORY TO STATE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR:
3. Two
Luke 16:24-28 (Jesus said) 24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ 27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’
JESUS USES A STORY TO STATE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR:
4. Two
Luke 16:29 (Jesus said) Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them HEAR them.’
The
Luke 16:30-31 (Jesus said) 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Matthew 6:33 (Jesus said) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Conclusion:
You have a choice between the two. The hard truth is your choice is final!
Luke 16:13 “No servant 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 (wealth/affluence based in this world).”
What will you choose to HEAR?
Hebrews 12:2 looking unto JESUS, the AUTHOR and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.