There is a relationship between your ability to follow Christ and let Jesus lead your life and your willingness to get your financial house in order.
Luke 16:13 (NLT) “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
If you have two bosses, it is hard to keep them both happy.
You can get torn between your devotion to stuff and your devotion to God. If money is your master, you can’t do what Jesus is asking you do.
You can love to come to a worship service and sing the songs, and enjoy learning more about the bible but when it comes to actually doing it – you can’t. You have allowed your mismanagement of money to keep you from becoming a 100% follower of Jesus.
If your financial world is out of order, you can’t do what he says.
You need to create margin, so that your relationships are better, your life is better and you can really follow Jesus.
God doesn’t want you to be driven by Standard Of Living. God wants you to be driven by Quality Of Life.
I want is better than I owe. I want that car is better than I owe for that car. I want that house is better than I owe on that house. I want to eat at that restaurant or buy those shoes or that piece of electronics is better than I owe more on my credit card.
The chief competitor for your heart is not the devil. The chief competitor for your heart is stuff. Jesus came not only to provide forgiveness. Jesus came to be the leader of your life. He can do a better job of leading your life than you can. He wants to be your leader.
Creating margin financially may lower your standard of living but will raise your quality of life.