Mike Mazzalongo The Almighty or the Almighty Dollar

“The constant desire to have still more things and a better life, and the struggle to obtain them imprints many Western faces with worry and depression.” - Alexander Solzhennits

“The more money, the less virtue.” - Henry Thoreau

“Our pocketbooks have more to do with heaven and hell than our hymnbooks.” - Helmut Thielcke

“Things are to be used and God is to be loved. We get into trouble when we begin to use God and love things.” - Jay Kesler

And He said, “A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.' So he divided his wealth between them. - Luke 15:11-12

And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. - Luke 15:13-14

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. - Luke 15:15-16

But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; - Luke 15:17-18

I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."’ So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. - Luke 15:19-20

And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; - Luke 15:21-22

and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' And they began to celebrate. - Luke 15:23-24

Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions. - Luke 16:1

And he called him and said to him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. - Luke 16:2-3

I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the management people will welcome me into their homes.’ And he summoned each one of his master's debtors, and he began saying to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' - Luke 16:4-5

And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' And he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' - Luke 16:6-7

And his master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings. - Luke 16:8-9

“He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? - Luke 16:10-11

And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." - Luke 16:12-13

And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, 'What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' - Luke 12:16-17

Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' - Luke 12:18-19

But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." - Luke 12:20-21

Lessons About Money 1. How you handle your wealth in this world will largely determine your wealth in the next world.

Lessons About Money 2. Some people can't tell the difference between true gold and fool's gold.

Lessons About Money 3. When it comes to money, everyone has two choices: - We can serve God with our money - We can serve money as our God.