YAHWEH vs. MAMMON

Luke 14:33 “So, then, everyone of you who does not give up all that he has, is unable to be My taught one.”

This is the basis of this article; ignored by most, and those that acknowledge it explain it away with, “He was talking to His disciples”, “I would if He asked me to…” or genuinely, “how much is all?”

Firstly, Yahushua was NOT speaking to the taught ones. The Scriptures state He was in the “house of one of the rulers” (14:1) and was speaking to “those who were invited” (14:7). A whole range of people obviosly, including Pharisees and those learned in the Torah (14:3)
The second excuse is answered by the first, in that Yahushua WAS talking to ALL who are listening both THEN and NOW, and is testified by the closing statement of the chapter: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” 
Yahushua said, “He who possesses My commands and guards them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21). If He reveals Himself to only those who guards all His commands; is it any wonder in this day and age why so few hear from Him? Yahushua also gave specific instructions to His taught ones:
Matthew 10:9 “Do not acquire gold or silver or copper for your moneybelts”
And again:
Luke 12:15  “Mind, and beware of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the excess of his possessions.” 
The genuine response ought to be, “How much did Yahushua mean when He said forsake ALL?” It is quite clear from Scripture that Yahushua Himself and His taught ones possesed clothing and staffs and items of general living but little else: “And Yahushua said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the heaven nests, but the Son of Adam has nowhere to lay His head.” (Mat 8:20) 
It is possible that some of the disciples had humble homes, as they had wives.

Most people in this world (including believers) work in the world’s system, have many possessions and positions in this world that they take pride in…
1 John 2:15
“Do not love the world nor that which is in the world. 16 Because all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.”
James 4:4
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim? Whoever therefore intends to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim.” 
Romans 12:2
“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.” 
Many who initially recognise the worldliness in their lives when Yahweh leads them will be zealous for His Word and obedience, yet seem to reach a point where they lose that ardour and slowly slide back into the world’s system and capitalistic theology, compromising the Commands by hoarding possessions (mostly graven images) and spend hours serving them by increasing wealth to purchase bigger and better things and cleaning and polishing them. 
The Messiah warned of this:
Matthew 13:22
“And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the worry of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.” 
2 Peter 2:20
“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Master and Saviour Yahushua Messiah, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the first.” 
The most unmistakable observation of the collection of earthly possessions is:

THE MORE POSSESSIONS – THE LESS TIME FOR YAHWEH. 
When a Torah observing person asked Yahushua, “What shall I do to inherit everlasting life?” Yahushua responded, “You know the commands, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not rob,’ ‘Respect your father and your mother.’ ” 20 And he answering, said to Him, “Teacher, all these I have watched over from my youth.” 
It seems as this was not enough in this case and possibly many of our own day and age, “And Yahushua, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One matter you lack: Go, sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven. And come, follow Me, taking up the stake.” 22 But he, being sad at this word, went away grieved, for he had many possessions. 23 And Yahushua, looking around, said to His taught ones, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter into the reign of Elohim!” (Mark 10:17-23) 
This is quite a staggering statement for some to take in, and indeed many who were listening to His words could not handle this Truth, “And they were immeasurably astonished, saying among themselves, “Who then is able to be saved?” (Mark 10:26)

The question must be asked – what is our purpose in this world? The Scriptures refer to true believers many times as “sojourners” or “pilgrims”. Spiritually and physically we are no different than Yahweh’s people sojourning in a worldly “wilderness”, waiting for our Messiah to take us into His “promised land”.
1John 2:17 “The world passes away, and the lust of it, but the one doing the desire of Elohim remains forever.” 
We are raised learning from those before us that to be considered successful in this life we ought to have a good education from a credible college, a moderate to high paying job, a car for the husband and one for the wife, a nice home in the suburbs, blah, blah, blah, etc…
2 Timothy 2:4 “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in the affairs of this life, in order to please onlyHim who enlisted him as a soldier.” 
We have no excuse to involve ourselves in all this nonsense. All these “things” involve “serving” them. The education systems in this world are NOT for Yahweh! They teach as fact; things (evolution etc.) spoken against in Scripture and promote worldly success. Scripture instructs US to “raise a child in the way they should go”, NOT give them into the hands of Satan’s system. We serve the loans on our fancy cars and mortgages on our homes… We are SLAVES to the world when we involve ourselves in materialism 
1Peter 4:1-2 “Therefore, since Messiah suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 so that he no longer lives the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but according to the desire of Elohim.” 
According to Scripture which one is the desire of Elohim?
1.) Storing up worldly goods for oneself, or…
2.) Going into all the world to share the Good News.

Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Why do the majority of believers pursue their own selfish pleasures and gains while this world is lost in sin and millions of people die daily who may benefit from YOUR testimony! People who live in bondage to their evil governments, who are forced to work for cents per day, children who are sold in to slavery or prostitution. Some of these people long to hear of a Heavenly Father who loves them and sent His Son to redeem them from their disobedience. 
James 1:27 “Clean and undefiled religion before the Elohim and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” 
Another warning from the book of James applies to those in these last days: 
James 5:1-3  “Come now, rich ones, weep, crying aloud over the hardships coming upon you! Your riches have rotted, and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have become rusty, and their rust shall be a witness against you and shall eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.”

A COMMON EXCUSE
1Timothy 5:8 “And if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the belief and is worse than an unbeliever.”

At the heart of this excuse is usually a self-justification for the accumulation of temporal possessions. Then again this is a legitimate concern for those of us with families, but does “provide” constitute all the things listed above: worldly education, houses, cars, boats, toys, bikes, ornaments (idols), excess clothes & shoes, furniture, trinkets, etc, etc… 
To provide simply means the bare necessities of life, and Yahushua even stated that we need not worry about these:
Luke 12:29-31 “And do not seek what you shall eat or what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying. 30“For the gentiles of the world seek all these, and your Father knows that you need these. 31 “But seek the reign of Elohim, and all these shall be added to you.” 
What simple advice from the Master; the one who we ought to follow.Some may say that work is part of the curse when Adam sinned, but again, he was to work for necessities of life; to provide for his family, not all the trappings this age sells us. Ask yourself who you work for… Is your company or organisation working for the betterment of Yahweh’s people or is it just another worldly “fat-cat” organisation serving their own bellies? If the latter is the case, then you are serving the world!
Listen to the advice given to Timothy:
1Timothy 6:8-11  “When we have food and covering, we shall be satisfied with these. 9  But those wishing to be rich fall into trial and a snare, and into many foolish and injurious lusts which plunge men in ruin and destruction. 10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some, by longing for it, have strayed from the belief, and pierced themselves through with many pains. 11  But you, O man of Elohim, flee from all this…”
It is also ironic that we feel the need to purchase washing machines and dryers and dishwashers, etc. that will supposedly give us more free time, yet we work many extra hours to pay for them! Then we are trapped into paying extra dollars for insurances and regular servicing, and more often than not the device breaks down just after the warranty expires.
The simple truth is that to aquire all the possessions of this world that bring conformity nearly always involve some sort of DEBT!
Proverbs 22:7 “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower is servant to the lender.” 
There is a general sense of warning about getting loans as you read through Scripture and when you borrow money from the banks of the world, you become their SERVANTS.

Luke 16:13 “No servant is able to serve two masters, for either he shall hate the one and love the other, or else he shall cling to the one and despise the other. You are not able to serve Elohim and mammon.”

You CANNOT serve Yahweh AND your loan. How much clearer does it need to be? Debt always brings pressure to the debtor to pay on time and whether or not they can afford the necessities after having repaid. Loans cause WORRIES.
Luke 21:34
“And take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down by gluttony, and drunkenness, and worries of this life, and that day come on you suddenly.” 

Much more could be said with many examples from Scripture but let’s just end with a few more words of wisdom.
John 12:25 “He who loves his life shall lose it, and he who hates his life in this world shall preserve it for everlasting life.”
Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, and wife, and children, and brothers, and sisters, and his own life too, he is unable to be My taught one.” 
Colossians 3:1-2 “If, then, you were raised with Messiah, seek the matters which are above, where Messiah is, seated at the right hand of Elohim. 2 Mind the matters above, not those on the earth.”