Trusting God Even When It’s Hard | Ashley Wooldridge

Trusting God Over Mammon

Scripture References

Primary text

• Matthew 6:24

Other references

• Jeremiah 29:11
• Ephesians 6
• 1 Timothy 6:10
• Acts 20
• Deuteronomy 8
• Matthew 3:10

Overview

Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:24 set the agenda: no one can serve two masters—God or Mammon, but never both.
Guest pastor Ashley Wooldridge unpacked the largely forgotten word “Mammon,” showing it is not mere cash but a demonic spirit that tempts us to trust money for what only God can supply. Drawing from Scripture and his own marriage story, he described how shifting from consumption to generosity loosened Mammon’s grip, freed his family from debt, and opened the way to joyful, faith-filled giving. The message ends with a heartfelt challenge: examine your finances, test God with the tithe, and watch Him prove faithful.

Context

Ashley serves as senior pastor of Christ’s Church of the Valley in Phoenix. He and his wife Jaime shared how God transformed their finances and marriage, moving them from corporate salaries at Intel to lives marked by radical generosity.

Main Points

The Forgotten Word: Mammon

• Jesus chose the Aramaic term “Mammon,” not a generic word for money.
• Mammon = a spirit, a false god “in which one trusts,” promising security, happiness, marriage harmony, etc.
• Because it is spiritual, the battle is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6).

Mammon vs. God: The Battle for Our Trust

“You cannot serve both God and Mammon.”

• Two bosses always end in conflict; eventually we love one and despise the other.
• Money itself is neutral; the love of it (1 Timothy 6:10) births evil.
• American currency bears “In God We Trust,” yet the culture often trusts the money itself.

Pastor Ashley’s Story: From Consumption to Generosity

• Story: Grew up watching parents argue about bills; vowed his marriage would be different.
• Story: He and Jaime earned high incomes at Intel but fought over spending.
• Story: A budgeting spreadsheet exposed they were giving 7.6 %—below the biblical tithe. When he raised it to 10 % the numbers turned negative, yet they chose to “test” God (Matthew 3:10 as cited).
• Story: Immediate raises followed, enabling increased giving, accelerated debt payoff, and eventually a mortgage-free home. Today they give more than 50 % of their income.

Principles That Broke Mammon’s Grip

• God owns everything; we are stewards (Deuteronomy 8).
• Every spending decision is a spiritual decision.
• Live on a budget.
• Learn contentment; life is not measured by possessions.
• Attack debt—it is “slavery.”
• Generosity is “kryptonite” to Mammon; it trains the heart to trust God.

A Call to Test God and Trust Him with the Tithe

• Malachi’s (cited as Matthew 3:10) invitation to “bring the whole tithe…test Me in this.”
• The tithe (first 10 %) is the baseline; offerings above that stretch faith further.
• Examine your bank statement: does it reveal trust in God or in Mammon?
• The local church advances the gospel; generosity fuels life-change stories like Richie’s testimony shared earlier in the service.

Key Truths

• A person can have only one master; God and Mammon are mutually exclusive.
• Mammon disguises itself as safety and success but ultimately lies.
• Money is neither good nor evil; the heart’s attachment to it decides.
• We manage God’s resources, we do not own them.
• Regular, increasing generosity dismantles greed and draws us closer to God and each other.

Response

• Evaluate your spending and giving; identify where trust truly lies.
• Begin or restore the full tithe to your local church.
• Build and live by a realistic budget that reflects stewardship.
• Attack existing debt with urgency.
• Each year, prayerfully raise your percentage of generosity.

Closing

Pastor Ashley reminded the church that time is short and only people last forever. By choosing generosity over consumption, believers partner with God to impact eternity and experience His faithfulness here and now.

“Generosity is kryptonite to the power of Mammon in your life.”

Prayer

Jaime prayed for courage to obey: that we would reject the spirit of Mammon, choose the Spirit of God, and walk in life-giving faith this week.