Proverbs: Don't trust money, trust God

Speaker: Matt Hails

Notes

Principles for handling money from the book of Proverbs

Work hard

Proverbs promotes hard work, diligence to work - taking responsibility for your work, doing good quality work. It's one of the most prominent themes in Proverbs. (10:4; 6:9 - 1; 12:11; 10:5; 12:24; 12:27; 13:4; 14:23; 18:9; 19:24; 20:4; 20:13; 21:5; 21:25; 22:13; 24:30 - 34; 28:19)

Echoed in NT: 2 Thess 3:6 - 10.

Gain wealth righteously

How you acquire wealth does matter. The end does not justify the means. God's blessing is on wealth acquired through hard work that respects the rights of others, not on wealth obtained through unrighteous means.

Proverbs 16:8; 10:22; 13:22; 1:19; 13:11; 10:2; 21:6; 22:16; 28:8; 28:20.

Manage money wisely

These principles may seem like common sense, but that doesn't make them easy to follow, and many of us struggle to do so. We need to have the attitude that we are stewarding God's money, rather than thinking of it as ours to do as we please.

1. Live within your means. Proverbs 21:20; 21:17. Need for budgeting.

2. Avoid debt. Proverbs 22:7; 22:26 - 27.

3. Plan ahead. Proverbs 24:27; 27:23 - 27. Example: Joseph - storing in 7 years of plenty. Factors against us: skilful marketing (e.g. "buy now, pay later"); peer pressure.

Don't trust money, trust God

1. Trust God. Proverbs 22:4; 10:3.

2. Wealth is temporary, and not worth all your effort. Proverbs 23:4 - 5. Matt 6:19 - 21. It can help make life easier and can make you a bit happier, but money won't meet your deepest need and can't make you fulfilled.

3. Wealth is unreliable and can be a weakness. Proverbs 13:8; 18:11; 28:11.

4. Best to be neither rich nor poor. Proverbs 30:8 - 9. Paul builds on that - be content with whatever you have. Phil 4:11 - 13.

Be generous with your money

• Give generously to God. Proverbs 3:9 - 10; 9:17; 14:21; 121:13; 28:27.

• Trust God - he promises to provide. Philippians 4:19.

• Be generous with your money. Proverbs 11:25; 21:26b; 22:9; 23:6 - 8; 28:22.

Application

1. Have you ever had to trust God for a financial or material need? Describe any time that God has clearly provided for what you needed.

2. Read the section “Manage money wisely” above. What do you find the most difficult aspect to managing your money?

3. What areas of our culture come against us in attempting to manage money in a Bibical way?

4. Read the section “Be generous with your money” above. Do you find it easy to be generous with your money?

5. How do you work out how much money to give away, and where to?

6. Read the section “Don't trust money, trust God” above. Do you find it easy to trust God with your financial situation?

End by praying in 2s / small groups for each other in whatever area you feel God has spoken to you.

Posted: 22 Nov 2009