God or the Bag? You Can’t Chase Both.
Here’s what this Luke 16:13 taught me about serving money vs serving God.. and how most of us don’t even realize we already picked a side.
Welcome to Verse #029 of Yapper4Jesus. Each day, I send one simple verse to help you hear from God. If you’re ready to go deeper, join the YES Club.. a private space where you can unlock one full chapter a week, letting God’s wisdom lead our growth. If one verse isn’t enough anymore… you know where to go.
Verse of the day:
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” -Luke 16:13
Jesus said:
“You can’t serve two masters… You can’t serve both God and money.” (Luke 16:13)
And here’s the part that hits:
You can’t give your heart to two things. At the end of the day, one will win.
You’ll either:
Cling to one and ignore the other,
Or obey one and disrespect the other.
And most people don’t even realize they’ve already made a choice.
Most people won’t sell their soul to evil… but they’ll trade it for stability.
Let’s be so real here:
We’re not out here choosing evil… we’re just not choosing what’s right.
We’re choosing comfort.
We’re choosing control.
We’re choosing survival.
And that’s the scary part…because we’re not actively following evil…
But we’re not exactly following peace either.
73% of Americans are stressed about money.
That’s nearly 3 in 4 people living under quiet pressure every day.
We say things like:
“I’m grinding.”
“I’m building.”
“I’m trying to make something of myself.”
But if money becomes the reason you move, the idol you chase, the comfort you trust more than God…
Then you’ve already picked your master…and it’s not God.
You thought you were surviving, but lowkey you were submitting.
It’s not just money.
It’s anything you treat like it owns you …wealth, status, security, possessions.
Mammon = materialism.
It’s not that money is evil. But serving it?
Letting it guide your choices, dictate your peace, control your self-worth?
That’s when it becomes your master.
And the truth is?
Some of us didn’t get here with bad intentions.
We just looked at our debt…looked at everything we owe…and without realizing it, we started living in a way that made money our leader.
We didn’t do it on purpose.
But here we are… exhausted, anxious, and always reaching.
Your wrestle isn’t between God and Satan.
Your wrestle is between His majesty and your money.
Between God and your bank account.
Between supporting the Kingdom… or keeping everything in your house.
And that wrestle isn’t just spiritual. It’s mental.
Because our unhealthy attention with materialism is what’s leaving us:
Stressed
Insecure
Distracted
Worried
This verse isn’t just a warning. It’s a mirror.
And if you’re brave enough to look into it… you’ll realize how quietly this world has shaped your heart.
Money’s not just in your wallet… it’s been living in your mind.
No guilt. No pressure. Just awareness.
If a $1,200 iPhone can stress you out when your balance hits $12…
If your mood can switch just because your bank app did…
If your self-worth crumbles the moment you can’t “keep up”…
Then it’s not just money you’re managing…it might be money that’s managing you.
But here’s what I learned the hard way:
The more you chase money…the further you drift from peace.
The more you grind to feel secure…the emptier you start to feel.
You might not be chasing the “devil” or doing anything evil.
But if your heart is chasing money…if it’s where you place your trust, your comfort, your identity…
Then whether you realize it or not…you’ve already chosen a master.
And no one ever tells you that part.
We grow up hearing “don’t do this, don’t do that…”but where do you ever hear:
“Be careful what your heart is chasing…because it might not be God.”
You could spend your whole life running after a number…and never realize it’s the very thing keeping you from the peace you’ve been looking for.
The moment your comfort, identity, and security are rooted in money…you’re not just earning it anymore.
You’re obeying it.
Because the truth is:
You don’t have to say money is your master for it to start ruling your life.
Jesus doesn’t say “it’s hard to serve two masters,” He says you literally can’t.
Because your heart only has one throne.
Prayer:
Dear God,
Let’s be real…I’ve been stressed.
Not because You’re not good…but because I keep trying to be in control.
Money has been loud. The bills. The pressure. The fear of “what if…”
And sometimes I don’t even realize I’ve made money my master.
But You… You’ve always been the Provider. The One who never changes.
The One who already knows what I need before I even say it.
So I’m asking right now… shift my heart.
Don’t just fix my situation…fix my focus. Help me stop waking up with worry,
and start waking up with trust.
I want to live like I’m Kingdom-first.
I want to move like I’m already covered.
I want to build with peace, not panic.
So show me how. Because I’m done letting money run my mind.
I want freedom. I want peace. I want You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If today’s verse hit you too… the best way to let me know my writing’s helping is to like this or send it to just one friend. You never know who else might need to hear from God today.
Btw..
I write these at the coffee shop every day…just me, my matcha, and God.
So if you were sitting across from me right now, and had the chance to ask something… anything…about this verse, about God, about what you’re going through..
Here’s your moment.