The Fulfilled Life | February 8, 2026 | Coastline Bible Church

Devotional

Day 1: Hard work brings dignity and provision.

The value of diligent labor is a theme woven throughout Scripture. It is not merely a means to an end but a way to honor God and serve our neighbors. Hard work provides for our needs and grants a sense of dignity and satisfaction in a job well done. This perspective transforms our daily tasks into acts of worship, as we work with our whole hearts for the Lord. True wealth is found in this faithful stewardship. [59:03]

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV)

Reflection: In your current work, whether a career, homemaking, or volunteering, how can you shift your focus from just completing tasks to working with your whole heart as an act of service to God?

Day 2: Live within your means to find financial peace.

Living beyond our limits creates a burden of debt that Scripture warns against. Financial peace is found not in endless accrual but in wise management and contentment with what we have. Creating a budget and spending plan is a practical way to tell our money where to go, rather than letting our expenses dictate our lives. This discipline leads to freedom from the slavery of owing others. [01:06:56]

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.
Proverbs 22:7 (ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your spending where you tend to live beyond your means, and what is one practical step you can take this week to create a healthier boundary in that area?

Day 3: True wealth is found in godly wisdom.

Our hearts are easily tempted to chase after silver, gold, or financial security. Yet, these temporal things are unstable and cannot satisfy our deepest longings. Godly wisdom, which comes from His Word and His Spirit, is of far greater value than any material possession. Choosing to seek this wisdom first reorients our entire lives around what is eternally significant. [01:09:12]

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Proverbs 8:10-11 (ESV)

Reflection: Where are you currently seeking security or satisfaction in something financial or material, rather than in the wisdom and presence of God?

Day 4: A godly legacy impacts generations.

The inheritance we are called to leave is about far more than money. It encompasses a legacy of faith, character, and spiritual stability that can bless our children’s children. This kind of legacy is built through a life of integrity, intentional discipleship, and generosity. It changes the spiritual trajectory of a family line for generations to come. [01:15:12]

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.
Proverbs 13:22 (ESV)

Reflection: Beyond financial planning, what is one intentional step you can take this year to invest in the spiritual legacy you will leave for your family or those you disciple?

Day 5: Use money as a tool to lift others up.

God entrusts us with resources not for hoarding but for stewardship that blesses others. We are explicitly instructed not to exploit or crush the poor but to use our means to help them. This can be done through local acts of service, global partnerships, and generous giving. Our finances become a powerful tool for gospel ministry and compassion. [01:18:32]

Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, for the Lord will take up their case and will exact life for life.
Proverbs 22:22-23 (ESV)

Reflection: How is God inviting you to adjust your perspective on money—from something to be possessed to a tool to be used—and what is one concrete way you can use it to help someone in need this month?

Sermon Summary

The congregation heard a plain, pastoral call to reframe money as a stewardship issue shaped by wisdom, not accumulation. Personal stories—an ill‑timed college credit card, the clarity found in a Financial Peace University class, and immigrant grandparents who sacrificed for future opportunity—anchor practical teaching from Proverbs. Five Proverbs‑rooted lessons shape the talk: labor with diligence because work honors God and produces practical provision; live inside God‑given limits to avoid the bondage of debt; root the heart in wisdom rather than in silver; build a legacy that transcends bank accounts; and use money as a tool to lift the poor rather than crush them. Each lesson balances biblical conviction with everyday application—work is dignifying without promising riches, budgets and community wisdom protect freedom, and generosity re‑orients identity away from possessions toward Christlikeness.

Statistics and concrete resources sharpen the pastoral urgency: credit card and car‑loan debt threaten households, Financial Peace University is offered locally to teach budgeting and debt freedom, and local ministries like City Center and Family to Family model mercy in practice. The global dimension is also stressed through 360 Serve partnerships—pastor sponsorships, new churches planted, and hundreds baptized—showing how modest sacrificial giving can yield disproportionate spiritual fruit. The time of prayer asks listeners to let God examine their hearts and to apply all five Proverbs lessons together, not selectively, so money no longer masters them but serves kingdom purposes. Announcements close the gathering with invitations to serve, to enroll in financial discipleship, and to welcome Channel Islands Vineyard into shared life, underscoring a church trying to live these teachings intergenerationally and practically.

Key Takeaways

1. Hard work brings practical wealth Diligence cultivates resources that sustain families and open ministry opportunities; it is not a promise of status but a posture of faithfulness. Work done "for the Lord" resists the temptation to hide behind entitlement or to chase only worldly prestige. The Gospel dignifies honest labor while exposing work's limits as a source of ultimate hope. [56:41]
2. Live within God given limits Debt reshapes relationships and narrows spiritual freedom; living within means restores agency to choose generosity and vocation. A budget is not a legalistic trap but a tool that redirects desires and prevents others—creditors, apps, or lenders—from dictating life. Financial discipline protects callings that require time, margin, and integrity. [62:18]
3. Set the heart on wisdom Choosing God’s instruction over silver reframes value: wisdom forms character, not consumption. Seeking counsel, Scripture, and community disciplines the affections so money is judged, not idolized. Wisdom’s returns are relational and eternal, translating daily decisions into faithful witness. [67:51]
4. Leave a godly family legacy Inheritance in Proverbs names identity, blessing, and stability as much as currency; legacy is cultivated by character transmitted across generations. Teaching faith, stewardship, and work ethic shapes descendants long after bank accounts change hands. Such a legacy resists short‑term impulses and invests in durable flourishing. [73:13]
5. Use money to lift others up Scripture repeatedly refuses exploitation; wealth must be a means to restore dignity and fight injustice. Local food ministries, transitional housing, and global pastor support demonstrate how modest sacrifice can relieve need and multiply gospel witness. Economic stewardship is therefore moral theology lived out in neighborly care. [78:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[50:33] - Series introduction: money and life
[55:13] - Five Proverbs: overview
[56:41] - Lesson 1: Hard work and dignity
[62:18] - Lesson 2: Live within limits
[67:51] - Lesson 3: Wisdom over silver
[73:13] - Lesson 4: Leaving a godly legacy
[78:16] - Lesson 5: Use money to lift the poor
[85:17] - Global impact: three sixty Serve report
[91:08] - Summary and application
[92:03] - Prayer and worship response
[97:59] - Announcements and guest info
[98:58] - Channel Islands Vineyard joining
[102:16] - Student ministries: camp prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
Proverbs 10:4–5 (ESV)
A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.

Proverbs 22:7 (ESV)
The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

Proverbs 8:10–11 (ESV)
Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

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Observation questions

According to Proverbs 10:4–5, what are the outcomes of diligence versus laziness?
What does Proverbs 22:7 say about the relationship between borrowing and freedom?
In Proverbs 8:10–11, what is compared to wisdom, and how is wisdom valued?
What practical example was shared about the danger of credit card debt and the freedom found through financial discipline? [52:20]

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Interpretation questions

Proverbs 10:4–5 speaks of wealth coming from diligence, but how might "wealth" be understood beyond just financial terms?
Why does debt have the power to enslave a person, and how does living within limits actually restore freedom and choice?
If wisdom is more valuable than silver or gold, what does it look like practically to "choose instruction" over financial gain in daily decisions?
How can leaving an inheritance for future generations be about more than money, and what role does character play in legacy? [13:13]

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Application questions

What is one area of your financial life where you tend to be diligent, and one where you might be tempted toward slackness? What would it look like to work "as for the Lord" in both? [59:03]
Are there any forms of debt or financial pressure that are currently limiting your freedom to be generous or respond to God’s leading? What’s one step you could take this week to move toward greater freedom?
Where do you typically seek wisdom when making money decisions? How could you intentionally prioritize God’s instruction and godly counsel over cultural or impulsive financial choices?
What does a godly legacy look like for your family? What’s one tangible way you could invest in the spiritual or character formation of the next generation this month?
How are you currently using financial resources to "lift others up"? Is there a local or global need you feel stirred to engage with—whether through giving, serving, or advocating? [19:30]
If you were to implement one change from the five proverbs lessons this week, which one would it be, and what would that actually look like in your daily routine?
Who is one person in your life you could invite to join you in pursuing financial wisdom and freedom—whether through a class, a book, or just a honest conversation?

Sermon Clips

It's a really simple lesson. But sometimes, you and I, we can mess up this lesson. We look at this and we say, oh, if I work hard, I'll be wealthy. That doesn't actually say that. It says you'll have wealth. One thing that we need to talk about as we frame this whole sermon for the proverbs is we must remember that proverbs are not promises. Proverbs are not promises. They're proverbs. They're wise sayings. That's what they are. And so what God's word teaches us is that if you work hard, you'll have wealth. Do you notice it doesn't say you will be wealthy? [00:57:03] (37 seconds) #ProverbsNotPromises

You might have a great job. You show up every day. You've heard me say this before, show up fifteen minutes early, stay fifteen minutes late, you'll always have a job. And you do that, you get a paycheck, and you can pay your bills, that's wealth. Maybe not in the world's eyes, maybe not if you're comparing to the Joneses. I don't even know who the Joneses are. You might not have millions in your bank account, but you could sleep well at night. You could know you're a good human. You can know you're caring for people around you. [00:57:49] (37 seconds) #WealthIsEnough

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The Fulfilled Life | February 8, 2026 | Coastline Bible Church

Devotional

Day 1: Hard work brings dignity and provision.

Day 2: Live within your means to find financial peace.

Day 3: True wealth is found in godly wisdom.

Day 4: A godly legacy impacts generations.

Day 5: Use money as a tool to lift others up.

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

The Fulfilled Life | February 8, 2026 | Coastline Bible Church

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