Well, this morning, I want us to talk about a problem,
a major problem in this country, money problems.
Many people struggle with money matters.
A lot of it, really, as we're going to see here in a moment,
a lot of it is with money management.
And you see that because it happens across the board, all walks of life.
Single people, I'm talking about single adults working, making good money.
You see it in married couples with both of them working.
You see money problems, obviously, in some people's lives who have low-paying jobs,
but you see it a lot in people who have high-paying jobs.
And money problems is no respecter of race.
There's money problems in white and black homes and every race.
The source of many people's problem is not that they don't have enough money.
Now, it is for some people.
But the source of the problem for many people is they don't know how to manage it
or they're not willing to exercise the self-control and personal discipline necessary
to wisely manage their resources.
As I look back on my grandparents that I grew up right beside and knew very, very well,
they were like another set of parents to me.
They never had a lot of money.
They both worked hard all their lives, but they both, neither one ever had high-paying jobs.
My grandfather had a, what you'd call a decent-paying job,
and my grandmother, it was not as good as his.
But they never, never ceased, as far as I could tell,
to live what they considered to be a comfortable life.
Now, you understand what I said.
They lived what I observed to be, they thought it was a comfortable life
because it didn't take a whole lot to make them comfortable.
It didn't take a whole lot to make them happy.
They were content to work, to save, to give to their church, their family,
and to neighbors in need, and to always live within their income.
They lived 65 years in what, when they started out,
was an old five-room frame house.
They never owned two cars at the same time.
They didn't take vacations.
Now, I'm not exaggerating here.
They always seemed to be just happy and content with who they were and what they had,
never complained about what they didn't have,
and never said anything of a negative nature about people who had more than them,
people who were obviously better off than they were.
They always managed to give to people in need and just to the people they wanted to.
When I was in seminary, and we were in seminary for three years,
every month, my grandmother sent me a letter with a $5 bill in that letter,
every month for three years.
And you know, even back, I know that's a long time ago,
but even back then, back then, $5 was not a whole lot,
but $5 meant a whole lot to us,
knowing it came from Nan,
because she just didn't have a lot.
It was a gift of love more than anything.
My grandfather died at age 88.
Three years later, my grandmother died at age 85.
They had $20,000 in the bank.
They had 60 acres of land.
They had no debt.
But their real legacy was one of love, generosity,
and a model of contentment.
Now, I have known of other people,
and so have you,
who were very wealthy,
but either wouldn't or couldn't manage their money wisely.
Most of you in here know who Mike Tyson is.
He's a world heavyweight boxing champion.
Well, he made over $400 million in his boxing career.
$400 million.
When he filed for bankruptcy,
he owed $27 million.
I know everybody here knows Willie Nelson.
You were always on my mind.
I could sing that for you right now.
He made, I don't want to put Brian,
I don't want to make him feel bad, you know,
if I got up here and sang that.
If we have a fire, I will sing that,
because that will evacuate the building very quickly.
But Willie Nelson made millions of dollars
during his country music hall of fame career.
But he had to file for bankruptcy.
You know why?
Some of you, a lot of you maybe remember,
the IRS found out he didn't pay his taxes.
He owed $16 million in back taxes in 1990.
To pay it off, he released this album
with the title,
The IRS Tapes,
Who Will Buy My Memories?
And he sold a lot of tapes,
and every dollar went to pay his back taxes.
Many people in this country
who have serious financial problems
work every day.
Their problem is not that they don't make enough money.
Their problem is that they don't wisely manage
the money they have.
They don't discipline themselves
to live within their means.
The book of Proverbs
provides us with much wise counsel
for dealing with financial issues,
financial problems.
In fact, this book
just has a tremendous amount to say
about money,
all aspects of money.
From any angle you want to look at money
and wealth,
Proverbs has something to say.
We have spent the past eight weeks
looking at
what Proverbs has to say
about our speech,
our words,
how we use our tongue,
because there's so much there
about that.
Well, we cannot be in a study
of the book of Proverbs
and not touch on the subject of wealth.
We're just going to do it in one message.
I know it gets some people uptight
to talk too much about money,
so we won't do an eight-week series now,
maybe later on.
But this morning what I want us to do
is look at what Proverbs has to say
in a general kind of way.
But I want to challenge you
to read the book of Proverbs.
There's 31 chapters.
Read a chapter a day.
And as you read through it,
read through it,
looking for what does it say
about money,
about material possessions,
about wealth.
Because you're going to find
it has things in there
about how to make it,
how to save it,
how to give it away,
how to spend it.
It also tells us some things
about disciplining ourselves
in the way that we use our money.
It may be that
if you have some real financial problems,
in addition to reading the book of Proverbs,
you need to find some real practical help
by looking at some resources
by somebody like Dave Ramsey.
Crown Financial Ministries
has good material.
Ron Blue.
There's a lot of things out there today
written from a Christian perspective,
a biblical perspective
that will help a person
get their spending under control,
retire some debt,
learn to save, invest,
learn to manage their money wisely.
And if you have that kind of issue,
I encourage you to find someone.
It may be a friend that you know.
They may have less money than you do.
They manage it more wisely.
Talk to them.
Seek help.
But this morning,
what I want us to do
is look at what Proverbs has to say
about money in terms of valuing it.
We ought to value money.
But also, we're going to see
there's some warnings
about what we do with money.
There's even some dangers about money
found in Proverbs.
So, let's look at it.
Let's look first of all
at the value of money.
And I want to say
at the very beginning,
money has value.
And it's just foolish
for some people,
some Christians,
well-meaning,
to say things like,
well, money doesn't matter to me.
The Bible teaches
that money matters.
It has value.
Money is an important part
of our lives.
In order for you to continue
living where you're living,
you've got to have money.
You've got to either
make a house payment
or you're going to pay rent.
If you've already paid
your house off,
you've still got to pay
your utility bills.
You've still got to maintain
that home.
There's going to be repairs
that you have to make.
If your car breaks down today,
you're going to need money
to get it repaired.
You've got to go to work.
You've got to go to school.
You've got places to go
and you need that car.
So you've got to get it repaired.
If your oven goes out today,
many families won't know it
for a month.
And that,
eating out all the time,
may be contributing
to some money problems.
The writers of Proverbs
understood the importance
of money or wealth
as it's sometimes referred to.
And they made several observations
about its value.
That's what we're going to look at now.
I want you to look at several things
that Proverbs says
that talks about money
in a positive way.
It's a valuable thing.
Number one,
money can be used
to honor God.
I want you to look at Proverbs 3,
verses 9 and 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.
We looked at that in detail
back in November.
November.
But I want you to notice that
and understand that
everything the Bible says
about the positive use
of our wealth
talks about putting God
first with it.
Honoring God
with our wealth.
Giving to God
should be our first
financial priority.
Anyplace you look in Scripture
and find something
about our money,
our wealth,
our material things.
What God gives us.
We need to acknowledge Him
as the source of it
and we need to honor Him
by giving back to Him
a portion of it.
But we've looked at that
in detail in days gone by
so let's move on this morning.
Look more broadly
at the subject.
Number two,
money can keep us
from living in poverty
which can become
a stumbling block
to a right relationship
with God
and I want to add
and to other people.
money is good.
It can help us avoid
living in poverty.
Look at what it says
in Proverbs chapter 30
verses 7 through 9.
Two things I ask of you Lord.
Do not refuse me
before I die.
Keep falsehood
and lies
far from me.
We know
that's important.
We know that's
an important prayer.
Hopefully we have prayed
something like that.
But look at the next.
Give me neither poverty
nor riches
but give me only
my daily bread.
I bet a lot of us
in here
we have prayed
something along
the lines of
Lord
keep me out of poverty.
Give me this.
Meet my needs.
But how many of us
have ever prayed
give me neither poverty
nor riches
but give me only
my daily bread.
Verse 9
move on.
Otherwise
I may have too much
and disown you
and say
who is the Lord
or I may become
poor and still
and so dishonor
the name of my God.
We're going to come back
to this verse
later in this message
and look at that part
that says
give me neither poverty
nor riches
but only my daily bread.
But right now
I want us to look
at that other part.
Give me
neither poverty
and look at the last line.
Or I may become
poor and still
and so dishonor
the name of my God.
Now I want to make
something real clear here.
The writer is not
even implying
that most poor people
are thieves.
Some of the most godly
and honest people
in the world
are poor.
In fact scripture
repeatedly
tells us
God has a special place
in his heart
for the poor.
And we're supposed to.
We're supposed to be generous.
We're supposed to meet
the needs of those
who are poor.
So this is not talking about
poor people
are dishonest.
but
let's don't miss the point.
Living in poverty
can tempt someone
to be dishonest
to cheat
or to steal.
And you think about it.
If your children
are hungry
your children
don't have
adequate clothes
don't have
a heavy coat
to wear to school
this week
when it gets down
in the low 20's
if your children
do not have
any heat
in their home
there would be
a great temptation
to steal
to lie
to cheat
to do whatever
you could
to keep your hungry
child from starving
to keep your
cold child
or spouse
from being cold.
that's just
common sense.
When things
get bad
there's all kinds
of temptations
even honest
people
to steal
when necessary
to meet
some needs.
And so this is
legitimate
prayer.
He's saying
here we should
pray
that we don't
live in poverty
and the idea
is writing
to God's people
because we don't
want to dishonor
the Lord.
We don't want
to be unfaithful
to Him
and we don't
want to defraud
people.
Money can keep
us from living
in poverty.
That's good.
Number three
money used
correctly
can lead
to a life
of blessing.
Look at this
from Proverbs
11
One man
gives freely
yet gains
even more.
Another
withholds
unduly
but comes
to poverty.
A generous
man will
prosper.
He who
refreshes
others
will himself
be refreshed.
People curse
the man
who hoards
grain
but blessing
crowns him
who is willing
to sell.
This is similar
to the law
of the harvest.
We reap
what we sow.
You understand
Proverbs
not promises.
Proverbs
are general
statements
of how life
normally
works.
And the
general
teaching here
is God
blesses
generosity.
Generous
people
often
prosper
in all
kinds of
ways.
They develop
more wealth.
They develop
good relationships.
look at the
passage there.
He's talking
about someone
who's been
blessed and
they're not
stingy.
They don't
hoard what
they have.
They're willing
to give
or sell.
They're willing
to meet
people's needs
as they
can.
Some of
the wealthiest
people,
some of the
wealthiest
Christians that I
have ever known
over the years
were very,
very generous.
I've known
some men
in particular
that God
has just
blessed them
in what
they did.
Their goal
in life
was not just
to be rich.
Their goal
in life
was to do
something,
one particular
job,
this career
path they
took,
and God
blessed them
with real
wealth.
And these
men I'm
thinking about,
they were
serious-minded
Christians.
They truly
loved the
Lord.
They looked
at what
they had.
It was a
blessing from
Him.
And they
sought to
bless as
many people
as they,
let me
rephrase it.
They sought
to bless
other people
that were
obviously in
need.
They were a
blessing a lot
of times behind
the scene.
And I truly
believe you
can see in
their lives
how God
blessed them
and used
them to touch
some
children's
homes,
for an
example,
to touch
some single
parents who
needed help
to do some
things for
their church
that they
could do
and the
church could
benefit from.
Money,
as you see
that,
used correctly
can lead to
a life of
blessing for
the one who
has it,
but oftentimes
it's a life
of blessing
for the one
who has it
because he's
willing or
she's willing
to be a
blessing to
other people.
Number four,
money can
give us a
certain degree
of security.
We're going to
come back to
this idea about
security in a
minute, but I
want you to
look at it.
Money can
give us a
certain degree
of security.
Look in
chapter 10,
verse 15.
The wealth
of the rich
is their
fortified city,
but poverty
is the ruin
of the poor.
The wealth
of the rich
is their
fortified city.
It's talking
about somebody
who has money
because they've
saved, they've
invested, they've
managed it well.
We need to learn
to save for both
short-term and
long-term need.
It's a blessing
for you to so
manage your
money that when
an emergency
arises, you've
got the money
to pay for it,
to take care of
the need.
It is a blessing
for you to save
and have a
retirement account
building up so
that when the day
comes and you
can't work, you
will have a way
to have a living,
to have your
needs met.
These kinds
of things,
that's the kind
of security
that money
can provide
for us.
But hold that
thought.
That's not the
last thing Proverbs
says along this
line.
Proverbs teaches
us that it's
wise for us to
value money
and wealth
to a degree
because it
does have an
important place
in our lives.
We need to
value money
enough to
see it as a
precious resource.
Something not
to squander.
Something not
to just take
lightly.
Something that
needs to be
managed well,
managed wisely.
If you just
read through the
book of Proverbs
you're going to
see things like
the importance
of working
and acquiring
money or wealth
honestly.
We're not going
to go, we're not
going to spend a
whole week on
this or anything
like this.
Proverbs has a
lot to say,
just absolutely
condemning
laziness.
Referring to such
person as a
sluggard.
You don't
want to be
known as a
sluggard type
person.
You don't
want to be
lazy.
You don't
want to be a
bum who
refuses to
take responsibility
to work,
to save,
to try to
take care of
yourself and
your family and
your needs.
God made
us in such
a way in
His image to
be responsible.
to manage
His creation,
to manage our
own resources
and with
dependence upon
Him, provide
for ourselves
and our
families.
That is
important.
We need to
learn to work,
to work and
make money
honestly.
We need to
learn to save,
to invest it
wisely.
We need to
learn to be
generous in
giving to God
and to people
in need.
We need to
learn to spend
what we spend
wisely.
We need to
know when to
borrow cautiously
and wisely.
Debt is a
trap.
Debt is
part of the
reasons why
people are
having so many
money problems,
living above
their means.
Proverbs warns
us, God's
word warns us
about such
things.
I want to be
clear.
God does not
condemn the
accumulation of
wealth.
God does not
condemn wealthy
people.
But he does
hold all of us
responsible for
what he gives
us.
He holds us
responsible for
the wealth that
he entrusts to
our care.
He expects us to
be good stewards,
good managers.
I want you to
look at what I
think is sort of
a summary statement
of how we
should think of
wealth and
wealthy people.
In 1 Timothy
chapter 6,
Paul is
writing to
Timothy,
who is sort of
the overseer of
the church at
Ephesus,
that obviously
has some
wealthy people
in it.
Look at what
he says.
As for the
rich in this
present age,
charge them
not to be
haughty,
nor to set
their hopes
on the
uncertainty of
riches,
but on God
who richly
provides us
with everything
to enjoy.
Notice that.
Just stop for a
moment.
Rich people
should not be
prideful,
should not
put their
hope on the
uncertainty of
riches.
Our hope
should be on
God, the
one who
provides us
with the
riches.
But look,
he provides
us with these
things to
enjoy.
If you
work, you
have income,
you invest,
you have income,
however it is,
there's nothing
wrong with
using it wisely,
spending it,
and enjoying
what, the
things that
money can
buy.
That's not
wrong.
That's not
sinful.
We shouldn't
have to
explain every
dollar we
spend,
especially on
something that
might bring us
joy or
pleasure, or
someone else's
joy or
pleasure.
God gives
us, richly
provides us with
everything to
enjoy.
But look at
the rest of
it.
Talking about
people who
have something,
and in light
of the world,
that's all of
us in here,
by the way.
They are to
do good, to
be rich in
good works, to
be generous and
ready to share,
thus storing up
treasure for
themselves as a
good foundation
for the future.
That's talking
about heaven.
so that they
may take hold
of that which
is truly life.
If God
blesses you with
resources, use
it in a way
that He will
consider it to
be good.
Be generous.
Be ready to
give.
Our wisely
using the
resources God
gives us.
Our having the
right attitude
toward it.
Using it wisely.
Using it to
benefit others.
Use it to
honor God.
That's helping
us.
That's a part
of, only a
part of, storing
up treasures in
heaven for one
day.
That's what He's
saying here.
A good summary
statement.
Look at it.
Write it down.
1 Timothy 6, 17
through 19.
Money has
value.
Christians should
not say foolish
things like,
money doesn't
matter.
I don't care
about it.
We should
care.
It's important.
But money does
not have ultimate
value.
And the truth
is there are
more warnings
in the Bible
and in Proverbs
about the
limitations of
wealth and the
dangers of wealth
than anything else.
So let's look now
at the limitations
and dangers of
money.
Look at two
things.
Number one,
money can give
us false
security.
We talked about
security a while
ago.
Money can give
us a certain
level of security,
but money can
also give us
false security.
We saw in
Proverbs 10, 15
that wealth can
give us a certain
degree of security,
but it's not
high level security.
Look at
Proverbs 18.
The name of the
Lord is a fortified
tower.
The righteous run
to it and are
safe.
The wealth of the
rich is their
fortified city.
They imagine it a
wall too high to
scale.
These verses
contrast the
security of a
true godly
person with the
imagined security
of a rich
person who's
not concerned
about being a
godly person.
Some people
think of money
or wealth being
strong and
secure like a
wall that will
always protect
us.
But money is
not that way.
Money is very
limited in what
it can do for us.
I don't know who
came up with what
I'm about to share,
what will be on the
screen, but it's
good.
Look at it.
What money can
and cannot do.
Money can buy a
house but not a
home.
Money can buy a
bed but not sleep.
Money can buy a
clock but not time.
Money can buy a
book but not
knowledge.
Money can buy
medicine but not
health.
Money can buy
sex but not love.
Money can buy
insurance but not
safety.
There's a lot of
things money can
do.
But the most
important things
in all of life,
money cannot buy.
Our ultimate
source of security
is found in Jesus
Christ and Him
alone.
I want you to
understand that.
Our ultimate
source of security
is found in having
a right relationship
with Jesus Christ.
He is the only one
who can provide us
with eternal
security.
And we should
never, must never
forget that.
Money is not only
limited what it can
provide, money also
has many dangers
associated with it.
And if you will read
through the book of
Proverbs, you will
find several but I
want to look at the
one that's at the
top of the list.
Money can become
our God.
Let's go back now
to Proverbs 30.
Two things I ask
of you, Lord.
Do not refuse me
before I die.
Keep falsehood and
lies far from me.
Give me neither
poverty nor riches,
but give me only
my daily bread.
Otherwise I may have
too much and disown
you and say,
who is the Lord?
The writer of
Proverbs knew that
having too much
can ruin a person's
life.
Having too much
for some people
can be just as bad
or even worse than
having too little.
I have seen, and I'm
sure you have too,
how people change
as they make more
money and become
more prosperous.
There's one person
that sticks out in my
past.
He was committed,
not in this church,
not in this county.
Don't try to put a
name and face to it.
You cannot.
But this one man
was in church with us,
dedicated Christian,
involved in everything,
great family.
But he was in a
profession where he
could move up and do
very well, and he did.
Sharp guy.
Worked hard.
And I noticed over
several years,
as he advanced up
the ladder of success
at his company,
he fell down the
ladder of church
involvement.
I don't know what was
going on in his
personal life,
but it seemed it
wasn't just his
church involvement
that was sliding.
It seemed like it
was his whole
relationship with
God.
Because as he
dropped out,
he avoided me,
and he avoided
some others in the
church that he had
served in various
ways with.
And eventually,
he and his
family dropped
out of church.
Success hurt him
spiritually.
Success hurt him
in more ways
than it really
helped him.
Now let me say,
that's not true
about everybody
who does well.
That may not be
true about anyone
you know.
But it does happen.
For some people,
money pushes God
out of their life.
Money becomes,
see,
their love,
their joy,
their goal,
money.
For some people,
money really does
become their God.
That's why Jesus
warns us
about the dangers
of money in Matthew
6.
Look at it.
Jesus said this,
no one can
serve two masters.
For either he will
hate the one
and love the other,
or he will be
devoted to the one
and despise the other.
You cannot serve
God and money.
When it comes to
your relationship
with God
and your relationship
with money,
God must be
first,
supreme.
He must be
Lord,
not money.
Proverbs helps us
to see that there
is value in money
and there's
absolutely nothing
wrong with acquiring
wealth as long
as we do it
the right way,
God's way.
So I want to ask
you real quickly
here.
Are you honoring
God
with your wealth?
Think about it
this way.
Are you honoring
God in the way
that you are
acquiring your wealth?
In the way that
you're saving it
and investing it?
Are you honoring
God in the way
that you give it
to him and
other people?
Are you honoring
God in the way
that you spend
your money?
You know,
sometimes I think
we as Christians,
some Christians,
have a mistaken
notion about tithing.
The idea,
well,
God gets 10%,
another 90%
is mine.
No,
that's not true
at all.
God owns it
all.
100%.
And if you
give faithfully
a tithe of all
that you make,
good.
But you need
to seek
his wisdom
as you spend
the other 90%.
And do that
in a way
that honors him
and serves his
purpose for your
life.
Are you honoring
God in the way
you spend your
money?
Are you honoring
God in the way
that you borrow
money?
Let's back up
a little bit.
Are you honoring
God in the way
you think
of money?
Proverbs also
points out the
limitations and
dangers
of money.
The truth is
money is very
limited.
It cannot buy
the things that
we value most
or the things
we should value
most.
That's a right
relationship with
God, a right
relationship with
other people.
You know,
many people have
found out the
hard way
that money
is causing
more problems
in their life,
in their
relationships,
both with God
and others
than anything
else.
that's why
money is
dangerous.
It can blind
us and cause
us to lose
sight of what
really and truly
matters,
of what our
priorities really
ought to be.
Do you have the
right perspective
on money?
Is money
serving you
or are you
serving it?
is money a
tool in your
life or is
money your
God?
A Christian
organization ran
an ad in a
magazine with a
picture of
stacks of
cash, stacks
of $100 bills,
$50 bills,
$20 bills,
$10 bills.
And the
caption beneath
the picture read
this,
throughout
history,
countless
Christians have
fallen victim
to the power
of money.
So if you've
been struggling
to find the
balance between
finance and
faith,
remember this,
real security
is not a matter
of what's in
your pocket,
but who's in
your heart.
The most
important thing
right now
is not what
we've got in
our pocket,
in our wallet,
or in our
bank account,
or investment
account.
The most
important thing
is that we
have a right
relationship with
God through
faith in Jesus
Christ.
Make sure
that your
God is the
living God,
the Father of
our Lord Jesus
Christ.
Make sure your
Lord is Christ
Jesus,
not money.
Let's pray
together.
Dear God,
all of us in
this room,
have,
need,
and use
money.
We are
accumulating
wealth.
Father,
help us to
see that it
can be very
good,
and that it
is valuable.
But Lord,
help us to
clearly see it
has many
limitations,
and it can
be very,
very dangerous.
So Lord,
we pray that
you will teach
us,
or convict us,
or confirm to
us what we
need to know,
experience right
now concerning
concerning our
attitude and
actions toward
money and
wealth.
And Lord,
help us to
respond to
you, to
make commitments,
decisions,
changes that
will enable us
to leave here
pleasing you
with our
attitude toward
and actions
with our
money.
And then in
an attitude of
prayer, listen
to the Lord and
respond to him.
Please do what
he wants you to
do.
I'd be happy to
pray with you
here at the
front if you
want to come
during this
time.
But just do
what God's
telling you to
do about your
money and wealth.