money

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Weird Money, Money February 5, 2012 Text: Matthew 6:24 (p. 960)

Normal in our world is to _________ ___________ money. Jesus didn’t avoid this issue at all. A good ________ of the recorded words of Jesus in the Bible relate to the topic of finances – more than His teachings on heaven and hell combined. This word at the end of v.24 isn’t the ____________ __________ used in Jesus’ day for money. Though there are several references to money in the New Testament, this word is only used here and one other passage. Mammon was the Syrian god of ___________. Mammon was a false god – an idol, and Jesus is specifically referencing this false god. When the Bible calls idols or something a false god, it doesn’t automatically mean _________ ___________. It means not in line with the true God. (1 Cor. 10:19-20) Often an idol – a false god – has a ____________ ___________ behind it. Jesus is referencing mammon - a subtle yet very strong, ______________ demonic spirit that uses money to lure our hearts away from God.

The basic lie mammon continually feeds us is simple: man doesn’t need God. We can be self-sufficient. All we need is enough (which normally means ________ ) ___________. Jesus says money can be used for righteous or unrighteous purposes depending to whom it is ______________: God or Mammon.

Normal is to put our ____________ in money. People will at least consider doing things for money they would never normally do because money, at least in our minds, _____________ _____________. Have you ever found yourself, especially at a time of difficulty or stress, daydreaming about winning the lottery or having a long-lost relative die and leave you a _____________ of money? That is mammon ____________ to us - saying money will do for us what God alone can do. It is putting our hope in money (which is normal in our world). It is creating something else which is normal when it comes to finances. ____________. Remember the Capital One commercials with the tag, “What’s in your wallet?” That’s not the best question – but only weird people will dare ask the real question. The real question – “What’s in your ___________?” Our attitude toward and handling of what’s in our wallet is one of the ____________ ____________ of what’s in our hearts. It’s weird to be _____________ for all we have financially and to seek to _____________ it the way God wants us to. It’s weird not to really put our hope in money but in ____________.