Thursday, August 29, 2013

LOVE FOR GOD




Acts 8:18-24
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
KJV
The Simon referred to here in our text was a sorcerer who was now a follower of Christianity. He was now a member of the church at Samaria but He was not yet truly converted. He was still bound by the love for money and power. Even though Simon was in the church, he was still bound by iniquity.
Unfortunately, there are people in the church today that are still bound by iniquity; their reality is still centered around sin because they have not fully come to an understanding of the kingdom of God.
Peter referred to this man’s malady as wickedness and this only reminds me of the verse of scripture that says the love of money is the root of all evil. My question for you today is ‘do you love God more; is your love for money stronger than your love for God?’
The kind of love we are to have for God in order to inherit His kingdom is such that we love Him with all our heart and mind. This means that He is the only one you love; every other person or thing you love is through Him, thankfully, He is love, He now tells you to love your neighbor as yourself. Contained in this instruction is that you first love yourself. So you are to love God, love yourself and love people. This love for God is what is strong enough to diffuse the toxic love for money that ultimately hinders the kingdom life in believers. You cannot love God and mammon.

Go into today knowing that you are God’s responsibility. He does not want you to have to love money; instead He wants you to use money as a tool to show your love for Him and your neighbor.


YEARLY BIBLE READING= READ: Genesis 16-19 OR LISTEN

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