Ascension Lutheran Church

Dear fellow believers in Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Jesus tells us, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” God expects us to be responsible for ourselves, and work to provide for our needs. God gives us our abilities, and our health, and our opportunities. God blesses our work, giving us everything we have. He wants us to enjoy what He gives us. We read in the book of Ecclesiastes, “It is good and fitting to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward” (5:18, NASB). At the same time, the Lord warns us to watch over our heart, and not let our heart’s devotion get divided between Him and things of this world. If we do that, our heart’s devotion can end up being turned away from God altogether. Our God, who tells us, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jer. 31:3), wants our heart’s devotion, and deserves our heart’s devotion. He tells us in His Word, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Dt. 6:5).