mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.” Money often is a temptation, which at its very heart causes us to rely on it rather than on God as our source of contentment. As humans, we like or prefer what we can see and touch to what God promises and gives. This in essence is idolatry. Many of us have not considered the surrender of our wallets to the Lord as an act of discipleship, allowing Him to lead and guide as to its contents and overall purposes. How we spend, manage and invest our money is a reflection of our spiritual condition and priorities. The question then is whether we can live lives fully surrendered to God if we do not address the pocketbook. The book, Wealth, Riches and Money by authors Earl Pitts and Craig Hill says this: “In church we teach on tithing, giving, sowing and reaping, prosperity, but leave people to their own devices and perhaps vices regarding the management of their own personal consumption. Most people are then highly influenced by the spirit of mammon and never really understand what is happening to them long-term.” Money has a key role on our journey as a disciple of Christ. As our relationship with Jesus grows and we mature as His disciples, we want to protect our intimacy with Him and keep growing. We 2 8 | u n m a s k i n g m a m m o n Unmasking_Mammon_book_4.5.indd 28 2018-07-11 7:41 AM