I Had to Make a Choice. Who Was I Really Serving?

 
For twenty three years I presented clients and prospective clients investment choices, insurance choices, and financial planning choices.  Ameriprise Financial always did a fantastic job of due diligence on making sure the clients were placed in investments with strong companies.  It was my responsibility to explain the products and investments to clients.  We also had government regulators checking to see if we complied with the regulations pertaining to clients knowing the products and their suitability for them.

When I was convinced my proposals of investments or insurance were suitable for each client, I would present the benefits and features of what I was proposing.  I had to state the truth about each product. The company compliance department would also be thorough in making sure everything said was truthful and if any deception was noted on my part, my franchise contract would have been terminated immediately.  Achieving clients financial goals demanded truth, without any deceptions or false statements just to make the sale.  I would not have had it any other way.  My livelihood depended upon it.

Today I want to make a proposal to you.  I will present the features and benefits just as I did with my clients.  I will present the truth with no deceptions allowed.  This may take several post to cover, but it will be eternally important for you to see the comparison I make and the consequences of choosing one over the other.

I had a problem for several years. I called myself a Christian. I was a good Christian on Sunday, and very bold within the Sunday School class, but silent the other six days of the week.  No I didn't go out and do bad things, but one thing I did, I wanted to walk with God on Sunday and hold hands with the world the other six days.  This created  internal battles within my soul.  I wanted to have a successful career, make lots of money, and be financially independent.(Nothing wrong with this if kept in its proper place.)

I purchased and read every self-help book I could get my hands on. In chasing my financial dreams, worry set in and began to control my thinking.  This led to many sleepless nights.  The scriptures written below began to haunt me.  I was deceiving myself, and the result was, "I was serving the wrong master".  Satan knew my weakness and was using the lust of the eyes and the pride of life to weaken my spirit and try my faith.

I look back now, and all of my focus was on making more money and being independent.  Pride was a large problem for me.  I wanted to show people I could be successful.  In dealing with people and their money for almost forty years, whether they were rich or poor, money or the lack of controlled their thinking. I was one of them.

I allowed my wanting the things of the world to be my focus, and I was going to be "All In" for serving God when I accomplished my success.  I don't think that is what God has in mind for us. When I read what Christ said, "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 4:32), it started my search for that truth. I needed to be free of the world and wanted to have only one master to serve.

I was searching for an abundant life and peace in all the wrong places. I could not profess to be a Christian before my children and not live my life trusting and serving God, my creator, the way He desires. In the next few posts, I will just show you how I made the choice to put God first, and the peace I now have.

Are you ready?  First, Christ tells us in Luke 16:13, No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.  In the Old Testament Joshua said, But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15, NKJV)  We cannot be a friend of the world, doing the things of the world and be a friend of God.  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. (James 4:4, NKJV)

What is the world or the things in the world?  Do not love the world or the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For 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. (1 John 2:15-16, NKJV)  If we walk according to the course of this world, we do so according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. (Satan) (2 Corinthians 2:2)

So we all have a choice.  We will either be following and serving God, or we will be following or serving the world. (Satan).  At the end of this study you will know the choice you have made and stay with it or change from it.  I will try to explain benefits and consequences of choosing one over the other.  In the end you will love the one and hate the other. You will not be able to hold on to both. I have tried in the past to hold on to both. You can't do it. It will make you miserable. I made a choice, and I want to show you how, and why I did it.  Maybe this will help you to choose. Praying you will make the right choice, and your everyday living will reflect that choice.

If you or someone you know wants to follow along in this study, please send me your or their email, so I can notify you each time I post something new. My email is rhepler52@gmail.com. Your questions and comments sent to me will be confidential.  I have kept clients financial matters confidential for 40 years, and I can keep your concerns and questions confidential as well.  If you want me to personally invite someone to join in this study, just send me their email.  I will not mention you unless you ask me to.

Thanking you in advance for your reading and participation.  Our country can be great spiritually again.  We just need to want to follow the right master.

Rick