Managing God’$ Money: “How do I earn it?” Proverbs 13:1-18

Review> Review last week. Money isn’t the most important thing, it reveals the most important thing, what we love. God’s the owner. We are the stewards. 1) Whose is it? 2) How do I earn it? 3) Why should I give it? 4) Where do I put it?

INTRO> Does anyone know what this is a picture of? (PIC) This is a picture of one of the very first lottery ticket in American history, it’s from 1744, according to history the lottery was a way that the early colonies funded themselves. And the lottery has really stopped ever since, American citizens spent, $77.7 billion dollars in 2018 on the lottery! Here are some crazy stats:

• • • According to multiple studies, about 70% of all lottery winners end up going broke and filing for a bankruptcy.
    • 44% of lottery winners had spent all of their winnings within 5 years of winning the lottery.
    • Lottery winners with a prize of at least $50,000 are more likely to file for bankruptcy within 5 years of winning their prize.
    • This is Jack Whittaker in 2002 Jack won $314,900,000 in the powerball and received $113,386,407 in cash. In 20 months he was divorced, dependent upon alcohol and said, “I wish we had torn the ticket up.” It took him 4 years to squander his wealth.

APP> If money isn’t the problem in these scenarios then what is? What’s the big deal? When is comes to acquiring wealth and money, the bible has a major question to ask, “How did you get it?”

CONTEXT> Today we are in proverbs chapter 13. Proverbs is a very practical book written by King Solomon. If we are talking about money, we should hear from this guy! According to the Bible he was the wealthiest man to ever live because he asked God for wisdom not money. Money – Wisdom = Pain We think Rich and Poor. Proverbs thinks Godly and Ungodly.There is a thread that Solomon says all through the book of proverbs is this:

Big Idea > Godly people earn money honestly, diligently and humbly.

1. Earn money honestly. v11

• • • • The word “hastily” in the ESV means fraudulently. I like the way that the NIV translates it, “ Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” The NLT breaks it down this way… “Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.”

APP> Do you know why this is a big deal? “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.” Ephesians 4:28

APP> Dishonest gain always damages other people.

APP> So what does this look like as Christians? If we are followers of Christ and we have gained wealth in a dishonest way, what do we do? Remember, if you grew up in church, Zacheeus? “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Luke 19:8 APP> If you have been dishonest in acquiring money in any way, make it right.

APP> We don’t live honestly so God will love us, we live honestly because God loves us.

2) Earn money diligently. v4

• • • • “while the soul of the diligent..” the word diligent here literally means to be “sharpened to a point” in its etymology. This is a picture of somebody who has been molded… but molded over time.
      • “sluggard” Proverbs has some strong words to talk about laziness… it’s mentioned over 34x in Proverbs!

APP> This is a problem in our society but this is also a problem in the church and was a problem in the NT Church.

• • • • “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat. 11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. 12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” 1 These 3:10-12

APP> It’s very important for us to understand,

• • • Work is not a result of sin. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15
    • Work is a struggle because of sin. “And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:17-19

APP> There is no substitute for hard work.

3) Earn money humbly. v18

• • • • “Poverty comes upon him who ignores instruction..” This is honestly THE theme through proverbs…

APP> It’s like Proverbs asks this question, “Are you teachable?” Do you know how we can test this when it comes to our work? God actually gives us instruction on work…. it’s called “rest”

• • • • “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.” Genesis 2:2

APP> For some of us, the most humbling thing that we can do is take a day off. This really gets down to it doesn’t it?

*ILL> I mean, the best example of this is the Lord’s Chicken right? Chick-fila? They only operate 2,225 restaurants and they gross per restaurant more than McDonalds, Starbucks and subway combined and… they are closed on Sundays.

APP> God can do more with your finances in one day than you can do on your own in six days.

CLOSE> God is inviting you to earn a living his way by asking this question, “Do you trust me?”

Big Idea > Godly people earn money honestly, diligently and humbly.