This is true; Jesus did make that statement. But what did He mean by it? Did He mean you can’t serve God and have money? Did He mean if you have money you can’t serve God? What does it mean to serve money?

Actually, we find that Jesus was talking about the issues of "love" and "trust" in this Scriptures as it relates to money. He is saying that you can’t trust in both God and money; your trust must be in one or the other. So, is it possible to trust God and still have money?

Jesus said, "No one 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. You cannot serve both God and money." (Matthew 6:24)

Then, the apostle Paul wrote, "Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy." (1 Timothy 6:17)

We can see the same thought in both of these Scriptures—that we are to love God, trust in Him and serve Him. We are not to love, trust or serve money. It’s impossible to love and trust in money and in God at the same time. But Jesus isn't saying that it’s impossible to love and trust in God and still have money.

It's interesting to note that sometimes those who are poor are serving money more than they serve God, just as those who are rich sometimes do. Actually, if you think about it, if you have wealth and your needs are met, you don't have to spend so much of your time consumed with seeking money.

We serve the things we trust. We give our time, attention and energy to the things we trust. If we trust money, we will serve money. We will be slaves to our jobs. Workaholics. If we trust God, we will serve Him. We will be free indeed to do what He calls us to do and to go where He calls us to go. We will live the reality of the cliché, "where God guides, He provides" if we truly trust and serve Him more than we trust and serve money.

Again, the issue isn't God being against people having money or wealth; the issue is a matter of the heart and where our trust is placed. We trust God. We love God. We serve God. If we have money, praise the Lord, we trust Him. If we don't have money, praise the Lord, we trust Him.

For further study, I recommend my book, "Getting a Grip on the Basics of Prosperous Living."