Understanding Wealth: Blessings, Dangers, and Generosity

 

Summary

In our exploration of the book of Proverbs, we delve into the profound wisdom it offers regarding wealth. Proverbs celebrates money as a blessing from the Lord, emphasizing that it is a good gift that brings no sorrow when it is recognized as such. The diligent work of our hands is the means through which God often chooses to bless us, but it is crucial to remember that God is the ultimate source of all blessings. This understanding allows us to enjoy wealth without the burden of guilt or fear.

However, wealth also presents significant dangers. Money can become a rival to God, luring us with promises of power and control, only to demand more from us as a master. It is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. We must be cautious not to envy those wealthier than us, as they face greater temptations and responsibilities. Money can ruin us, especially when gained hastily, as it may lead to moral and spiritual downfall. It cannot save us, as it distracts from the reality of our mortality and the judgment to come. Instead, righteousness is what delivers from death.

Money also tempts us in various ways: to exert control, to cheat, to credit ourselves for our success, and even to deny the Lord. The book of Proverbs warns against these temptations, urging us to honor God with our wealth by prioritizing Him in our financial commitments. This involves giving the first fruits of our income, demonstrating that God is first in our lives.

Finally, Proverbs presents the opportunity that comes with wealth. By giving freely, we grow richer, much like a farmer who sows seed and reaps a bountiful harvest. This principle is mirrored in the New Testament, where generous giving is encouraged as a reflection of our love and gratitude to God. As we grow in love for Christ, our desire to give increases, and we store up treasures in heaven, where they are safe and eternal.

Key Takeaways:

- The Blessing of Wealth: Wealth is a blessing from God, meant to be enjoyed without guilt or fear when recognized as a gift from Him. It is through diligent work that God often chooses to bless us, but He remains the ultimate source of all blessings. [01:45]

- The Dangers of Wealth: Money can become a rival to God, luring us with promises of power and control. It is a wonderful servant but a terrible master, and we must be cautious not to envy those wealthier than us, as they face greater temptations and responsibilities. [04:12]

- The Temptations of Wealth: Money tempts us to exert control, cheat, credit ourselves for success, and even deny the Lord. Proverbs warns against these temptations, urging us to honor God with our wealth by prioritizing Him in our financial commitments. [14:11]

- The Priority of Giving: Honoring God with our wealth involves giving the first fruits of our income, demonstrating that God is first in our lives. This principle of priority helps us manage our finances wisely and reflects our love and gratitude to God. [23:21]

- The Opportunity of Generosity: By giving freely, we grow richer, much like a farmer who sows seed and reaps a bountiful harvest. Generous giving is encouraged as a reflection of our love for Christ, storing up treasures in heaven where they are safe and eternal. [32:27]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:15] - Introduction to Wealth in Proverbs
- [00:30] - The Blessing of Money
- [01:45] - God as the Source of Blessing
- [03:11] - The Danger of Money as a Master
- [05:29] - Money Can Ruin You
- [09:36] - Money Can't Save You
- [13:23] - Pursuing Righteousness Over Riches
- [14:11] - Temptations of Wealth
- [17:08] - Temptation to Control
- [18:46] - Temptation to Cheat
- [19:49] - Temptation to Credit Yourself
- [20:37] - Temptation to Deny the Lord
- [22:50] - Mastering Money
- [23:21] - Honoring God with Wealth
- [32:27] - The Opportunity of Generosity
- [36:00] - Jesus' Example of Giving
- [39:58] - Storing Treasures in Heaven

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Proverbs 10:22 - "The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it."
2. Proverbs 11:4 - "Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death."
3. Proverbs 3:9-10 - "Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine."

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Proverbs 10:22, what is the source of wealth, and what is unique about the wealth that comes from this source? [00:44]

2. How does Proverbs 11:4 contrast the value of riches with righteousness, especially in the context of judgment? [09:36]

3. What does Proverbs 3:9-10 suggest about the relationship between honoring God with our wealth and the resulting blessings? [23:21]

4. In the sermon, what are some of the dangers associated with wealth as mentioned in Proverbs? [13:54]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the understanding that wealth is a blessing from God (Proverbs 10:22) change a person's perspective on their financial situation? [00:44]

2. What does the sermon suggest about the role of diligent work in acquiring wealth, and how does this relate to the idea of God being the ultimate source of blessings? [01:28]

3. In what ways does the sermon describe money as a potential rival to God, and how can this rivalry manifest in a person's life? [03:26]

4. How does the principle of giving the first fruits, as mentioned in Proverbs 3:9-10, reflect one's priorities and relationship with God? [23:21]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current financial situation. Do you view your wealth as a blessing from God, and how does this perspective influence your financial decisions? [00:44]

2. Consider a time when money tempted you to exert control or cheat. How did you handle that situation, and what might you do differently now? [14:11]

3. How can you ensure that money remains a servant in your life rather than becoming a master? What practical steps can you take to prevent money from controlling you? [04:12]

4. In what ways can you honor God with your wealth this week? Identify a specific action you can take to prioritize God in your financial commitments. [23:21]

5. Think about a recent financial decision. Did it reflect a heart of generosity and trust in God, or was it driven by fear and self-reliance? How can you align future decisions with biblical principles of generosity? [32:27]

6. Identify an area in your life where you might be tempted to credit yourself for success. How can you acknowledge God's role in your achievements and blessings? [19:49]

7. Reflect on the concept of storing treasures in heaven. What is one practical way you can invest in eternal treasures this month? [40:29]

Devotional

Day 1: Recognizing Wealth as a Divine Gift
Wealth is often seen as a blessing from God, a good gift that brings no sorrow when acknowledged as such. It is through the diligent work of our hands that God frequently chooses to bless us, yet it is crucial to remember that God is the ultimate source of all blessings. This understanding allows us to enjoy wealth without the burden of guilt or fear, as we recognize it as a divine provision. By acknowledging God as the source, we can appreciate the fruits of our labor while maintaining a humble heart. [01:45]

Deuteronomy 8:17-18 (ESV): "Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day."

Reflection: How can you actively acknowledge God as the source of your financial blessings today, and what steps can you take to express gratitude for His provision?


Day 2: The Perils of Wealth as a Master
While wealth is a blessing, it also presents significant dangers. Money can become a rival to God, luring us with promises of power and control, only to demand more from us as a master. It is a wonderful servant but a terrible master. We must be cautious not to envy those wealthier than us, as they face greater temptations and responsibilities. Money can ruin us, especially when gained hastily, as it may lead to moral and spiritual downfall. It cannot save us, as it distracts from the reality of our mortality and the judgment to come. Instead, righteousness is what delivers from death. [04:12]

1 Timothy 6:9-10 (ESV): "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."

Reflection: In what ways might you be allowing money to become a master in your life, and how can you realign your priorities to ensure it remains a servant?


Day 3: Resisting the Temptations of Wealth
Money tempts us in various ways: to exert control, to cheat, to credit ourselves for our success, and even to deny the Lord. The book of Proverbs warns against these temptations, urging us to honor God with our wealth by prioritizing Him in our financial commitments. This involves giving the first fruits of our income, demonstrating that God is first in our lives. By doing so, we resist the temptations that wealth brings and maintain a heart aligned with God's will. [14:11]

Proverbs 30:8-9 (ESV): "Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God."

Reflection: What specific temptation related to wealth do you struggle with the most, and what practical steps can you take to resist it today?


Day 4: Prioritizing God Through Generous Giving
Honoring God with our wealth involves giving the first fruits of our income, demonstrating that God is first in our lives. This principle of priority helps us manage our finances wisely and reflects our love and gratitude to God. By prioritizing God in our financial commitments, we acknowledge His sovereignty and express our trust in His provision. This act of giving not only honors God but also cultivates a spirit of generosity within us. [23:21]

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (ESV): "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Reflection: How can you prioritize God in your financial decisions today, and what changes can you make to ensure your giving reflects your love and gratitude to Him?


Day 5: Embracing the Opportunity of Generosity
By giving freely, we grow richer, much like a farmer who sows seed and reaps a bountiful harvest. Generous giving is encouraged as a reflection of our love for Christ, storing up treasures in heaven where they are safe and eternal. As we grow in love for Christ, our desire to give increases, and we store up treasures in heaven, where they are safe and eternal. This principle is mirrored in the New Testament, where generous giving is encouraged as a reflection of our love and gratitude to God. [32:27]

Luke 12:33-34 (ESV): "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Reflection: What is one way you can practice generosity today, and how can this act of giving help you store up treasures in heaven?

Quotes



Proverbs celebrates the blessing of money as a good gift from the Lord. Proverbs chapter 10 and verse 22: the blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it. Now Proverbs has something else to say alongside this, and that's in chapter 10 and verse 4: a slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. [00:30:43]

Solomon affirms the value and the importance of hard work and notice how these two phrases parallel each other: the blessing of the Lord makes rich, the hand of the diligent makes rich. Now this reminds us of a very important principle in the Bible, which is that God works through means, and the normal means by which God prospers us is through the diligent work of our hands. [00:65:52]

Proverbs makes very clear that when you know that what you have is a gift, a blessing that has come from the hand of God, you have the freedom and the peace to enjoy it. No sorrow is added, and so Proverbs celebrates the blessing of money as a good gift from the Lord, and we should do the same. [00:163:92]

Money is a power. It lures us as a rival to God himself and then makes increasing demands upon us if we follow the lure. Remember Jesus said no one can serve two masters. You cannot serve God and money. In other words, money is a master. It will seek to take control of your life. [00:206:08]

Never envy those who are more wealthy than you are, and the reason I say that is this: because someone who's more wealthy than you are has more temptations in this regard than you do, more responsibilities in this regard than you do, and more to account for one day before God than you do. [00:259:19]

Money makes us more comfortable in this world, and so it has a tendency to distract us from the very plain reality that not one of us is going to be here for very long. It is, the Bible says, appointed for a person wants to die, and after that comes the judgment. [00:598:64]

Money will tempt you in regards to control, to use money as a means of exerting control. That's the first temptation that comes with it. Proverbs 11:26: the people curse him who holds back grain, but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. Now what's happening here? [00:855:12]

Money may tempt you to credit yourself. Proverbs 28 and verse 11: a rich man is wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has understanding will find him out. Now Proverbs is suggesting to us here that quote being wise in your own eyes, that is thinking that you've got all it takes to sort everything out. [00:1126:40]

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce. Then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. Honor the Lord with your wealth. What does honor mean? Honor simply means give weight to, give weight to the Lord with your wealth. [00:1405:20]

God is honored, God is shown to be first in our lives when what we set aside for him is our first commitment and not our last commitment. What we give is not to be taken out of what's left when everything else has been attended to. We honor the Lord, we show that he is first in our lives. [00:1476:32]

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer. Another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Now you read that and you think this is counterintuitive. Surely if I give freely, I will have less, yet the proverb says one gives freely yet grows all the richer. How does that work? [00:1956:96]

Think about farming. The farmer has a sack of seed, and what does he do? He scatters it, he throws it out there, gives it away to the earth. He does it freely, and when the harvest comes, what he has scattered comes back to him in greater abundance. Now the New Testament takes up that picture. [00:1994:24]

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