Universal Utterings

for September 22, 2025

A Godcast

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09-22-2025 Luke 16 v0813 Cannot Serve God and Mammon

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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 16 Verse 8 thru 13

8 And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

In Luke 16:8-13, Jesus presents a profound lesson about the nature of wealth and the priorities we set in our lives. The verses illustrate the shrewdness of a dishonest manager, who, in facing the loss of his position, wisely makes friends by reducing debts owed to his master. This clever maneuver highlights the importance of using temporary resources for lasting relationships. Jesus then draws a crucial conclusion regarding the stewardship of wealth, stating, “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” He explicitly states, “You cannot serve both God and mammon” (or money).

The comparison of God and mammon reveals a fundamental truth about divided loyalties. Mammon symbolizes the materialistic pursuits and the allure of wealth that can easily distract us from our spiritual commitments. When we prioritize financial gain above all else, we risk falling into a trap where our values become compromised, leading us away from God’s teachings.

Serving God involves love, compassion, and the pursuit of righteousness, whereas serving mammon often implies self-interest and a relentless drive for more—qualities that contradict true faithfulness. When material wealth becomes our master, it influences our decisions, shaping our actions and attitudes in ways that can lead to moral compromise.

Ultimately, Jesus calls us to a single-minded devotion to God, emphasizing that our hearts cannot be divided. To fully embrace the teachings of Christ, we must seek first His kingdom and righteousness, using our resources to glorify Him rather than allowing them to rule our lives. True fulfillment lies in serving God, where we find lasting joy and purpose, free from the ensnarement of materialism. Amen.

Join me as we pray our daily prayer of forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer.

At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.

I am sorry Lord. I believe You died and rose for me. Please forgive me as I forgive others. I share You as my Lord and Savior seeking to live your Will in all things. Prayers for wife Toni and my mother Betty pray for our children especially our two oldest Alexandra & Allen Son in Law Mark Stern; Julian, Gabriel and Jeffrey and our grandchildren Oliver, Julian and Elliott. We pray for those we’ve said we’d pray for and those who’ve asked us to pray for them. We pray for the dying as we do each day Lord give them peace in their last breath. We pray for Holy Mother Church. Our prayers for our niece Brittany. In Jesus Precious Blood by His Name we pray. Amen.

I am a poet obedient to Christ,

Catholic Evangelist Thomas Cruz†Wiggins

†Spirit led God inspired Christ fed†®

Ephesians 6:17-20

09-22-2025 Luke 16 v0813

**Cannot Serve God and Mammon**

In shadows deep, the steward schemes,

With shrewdness wrapped in worldly dreams.

He casts aside the weight of sin,

To buy friends where the riches spin.

He counts the debts, his time is short,

In fleeting wealth, he seeks his cohort.

But Christ unveils with piercing light,

The heart’s true way, the path of right.

“No servant stands with twofold aim,

For love and loyalty must reclaim.

One Master reigns, the other must fall,

In God’s embrace, we’re called to call.”

Yet mammon whispers sweet and low,

Enticing hearts with promises of gold.

But as we chase what fades away,

We lose the gifts of grace today.

So choose your path, oh wandering soul,

Embrace the truth, let Christ make whole.

For in His hands, true treasure lies,

Beyond the earth, to endless skies. Amen.

© Thomas Joe Cruz†Wiggins

September 22, 2025 @ 04:34 AM EST

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