Proverbs - Wisdom for finances

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Good morning. I'm gonna do something a little bit different this morning. I actually want you all to pull out a phone. Okay I thought about doing a survey like we usually do hands up stand up whatever but I figured let's do a little bit different. I need 50 willing volunteers to scan that code. If you can't quite get the QR code you can just go to menti.com and put in the little code there. I'm not gonna read it if you can read it. If you need help ask someone beside you. If you're online join us as well. I need 50 people. This is gonna be our case study as a church. It's gonna be very simple questions. It should all be anonymous as long as you don't put your name in there so don't feel like we're gonna be seeing you and what you're saying. But this will be a good little guide for us. We've got 19 people. Yes good. 1920. Well everyone's still logging into that. Good morning. My name's Dylan. I said that before but this morning we're continuing in our series through the book of Proverbs as we seek wisdom for living as disciples. And just to recap to prime the pump for what we're talking about this morning. So far we've discovered that when it comes to wisdom when it comes to seeking God's wisdom through the book of Proverbs you and I every time we see God revealed every time he shows us the way in which he created us to live we have a choice. We either fear the Lord and seek to obey him. We seek to live in accordance with the way that he created us to live in this world that he created to go with the grain the way it was designed. Or we choose to continue in the foolishness of sin. We choose to disregard wisdom and knowledge and live according to what seems good and right to us. In other words we live against the grain that God has built into his creation. Over the last two weeks Pastor Dave's guided us through some practical wisdom on topics such as family and parenting and work. Wonderful we're all in. How good. Okay so we're going to move to the first question. We're going to start off easy so you can get an idea of how it works. You've already found the yes button. So now can we flick to the next question. Nice and easy. What did you have for breakfast? Let's see who's healthy and who's not so much. What other breakfast is there? A lot of people doing nothing. 20% for coffee 19. Okay do we understand how this works? Yeah we've got a survey of people will get an idea of what's important what's not. That's brilliant. Who actually won? Cooked breakfast. Sunday morning cooked breakfast. I'm impressed you guys got up early enough. And coffee. Nice. Alright next question Neo. What is the most valuable thing that you own? What is your price possession? Don't think too hard too deep. First thing that comes to mind if it's a price possession what is the one thing you're taking with you to show off to all your friends. The Bible, the car, car's huge. Phone. House. All the Bible's making a comeback. Family. Yeah there we go. Children, books, wife, piano. Very nice. Computer. I'm gonna allow 10 more seconds. Alrighty. So our price possession. Family, house, Bible, phone. Phone's huge that makes sense. Home and house. I feel like house would be bigger if home and house would combine but that's okay. Lego is up there. Sister. Someone's got a good brother or sister. That's impressive. Okay we're getting the hang of it. Next one. On a scale of one to ten how important is money? Seven. I don't know who's spamming the like button but I love it. Keep it going. That's fantastic. I feel like that's enough time. Okay so as a church congregation the survey says that money is about a seven out of ten in terms of importance. Okay how well do you manage your money? So we've discovered that money's pretty good and how well do you manage it? We do have some accountants who are managing money extremely well. Okay so pretty good. Okay could be better. A lot in that middle section. That's good to know. That's helpful. Okay we're all content. We've all answered that one. No cries of outrage yet. Good. Okay next question. Do you have and stick to, that's the important part, do you have and stick to a budget? Wow no came up quick. I have no idea but sticking to a budget is optional. Okay. Okay so we're looking like a fairly even mix. Most of us yes, good chunk no, some of us go I have a budget but it's kind of optional. Don't really stick to it. It's kind of just so I feel good when people ask this question. Next question. Rank in order of importance. So number one the first thing you click will be the most important thing and number eight will be the least important thing. So we've got Netflix, food and water, God, money, clothing, phone, car, prize possession. In order from one to ten what is most important to least important? We must be at a church. God's already up there is number one. Oh a bit of movement. Phone is more important than food. Oh no. It wouldn't surprise me because you can get you can get food and water through your phone. Man streaming services they hit their way down. Car, phone, all phones made it come back. Alright we'll hold it there. What have we got? These are the important questions okay. In order of importance where's a church the survey says God is number one by a good amount. Okay God is number one of importance then we have food and water makes sense we need to survive. Then we've got money which makes sense because everything else can be bought with money. We've got clothing, car, phone or clothing's more than money okay. Car, phone, prize possession. Someone's playing with me and then Netflix or some sort of streaming service. Does someone have a pen can someone write that down? Oh now we'll have it up the back. Next question. How much did you engage with each of these things this week? So the same eight options time spent total time spent with each of these same things. There we go. Now we're being honest. Who spent more time on their phone this week than with God? Who spent more time driving this week than with God? We settled we're happy with that. Okay good answers thank you. Is that the last question there? Yeah thank you. Appreciate you getting your phone out for being a part of that. We'll keep all of that in mind. If you haven't pieced it together already this morning we're talking we're looking in the Proverbs about wisdom for finances for money for wealth for riches for debt but before we dive into what the Proverbs have to say on this topic would you join me as we pray? Heavenly Father we thank you for your word. We thank you that you reveal yourself through it. Lord thank you that you've revealed how it is that you've created us to live. Lord as we seek your wisdom this morning we pray that we would not only hear you but respond to you appropriately. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Okay you might be sitting there going Dylan what wisdom can the book of Proverbs actually give us when it comes to money? And I want to begin let's begin with a very very broad overview and summary. This wasn't my own work I found someone who had already done it for me. In 2023 there was a Forbes article written by seasoned financial advisor and author Tim Mora and when talking about the financial wisdom found in Proverbs he stated this in only 31 chapters I found more than a 130 references to things financial. Money, riches, wealth, prosperity, poverty and fulfillment beyond the material. He went a step further there's a lot in here but he went a step further and he categorized he cataloged all of these references and as he did that he came out with six prominent themes that the references display. These categories he describes as prosperity and poverty we see throughout the Proverbs there's this dual this dualistic look at prosperity and poverty. We see throughout the Proverbs there's a call to generosity there's a call for compassion for the poor. There's warnings of pitfalls that come with ill-gotten gains, borrowing and lending. There's a major thing that money is not the ultimate end and there's another theme which is the benefits of advice. Unfortunately we're not going to have time this morning to explore all of these references. Can I encourage you to continue reading through the Proverbs follow the Bible reading plan that we've put together for this series seek that out they're all in there but we need to narrow our focus and so if you have been journeying along with the daily reading plan this week you will have read Proverbs 10, 11 and 12 and so this is where we're going to keep our attention this morning in these three chapters and the way this is going to work in a moment I'm going to read sections of chapter 10, 11 and 12. Okay I'm going to read the chapters that reference some sort of finance wealth debt whatever and then after I read each section I'm just going to quickly try and summarize the main points so we don't get too bogged down. Okay can we manage that? Proverbs 10 verses 2 to 5. Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit but the righteousness delivers from death. The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the cravings of the wicked. 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. From the get-go to summarize this we must be intentional and honest when it comes to this topic of finances. We must be intentional and honest. Chapter 10 verses 15 to 16 and then 22 on the end of it. A rich man's wealth is his strong city. The poverty of the poor is their ruin. The wage of the righteous leads to life. The gain of the wicked to sin. Verse 22 the blessing of the Lord makes rich and he adds no sorrow with it. Quite simply this tells what we've discussed and looked at what the recap of all the Proverbs has been. When it comes to finances like any other wisdom we have a decision to make. Either the path of righteousness and wisdom which leads to life or the path of wickedness and foolishness which leads to sin. Proverbs 11 1 to 4 a false balance is an abomination to the Lord but a just weight is his delight. When pride comes then comes disgrace but with the humble is wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. Riches do not profit in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death. Theological truth in this statement God is a just God. He hates dishonesty when it comes to finances. He loves a just weight. And you and I we have a decision to make when it comes to riches to finance possessions. We can either take on the attitude of pride or of humility and there's a warning in this section of scripture. Let's read it again. Verse 4 riches do not profit in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death. Put very simply riches money stuff things they're all useless when Jesus comes again. Proverbs 11 7 and then 18 to 20 when the wicked dies his hope will perish and the expectation of wealth perishes too. The wicked earns deceptive wages but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward. Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live but he who pursues evil will die. Those of crooked heart are an abomination to the Lord but those of blameless ways are his delight. Church to summarize that we can't take wealth with us when we die. It stays here. The wages of the wicked are deceptive. We there's a danger that's highlighted here that we can feel secure we can feel in control we can feel like we've got things all sorted but money's deceptive riches a deceptive the wages of the wicked a deceptive. Proverbs 11 24 to 28 one gives freely yet grows all the richer another withholds what he should give and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and the one who waters will himself be watered. The people curse him who holds back grain but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it. Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor but evil comes to him who searches for it. Whoever trusts in his riches will fall but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Put simply to summarize those who freely give to others in need as led by the Holy Spirit will have all their needs looked after and those who withhold what they should give will only ever want for more. Proverbs 12 2 to 3 a good man obtains favor from the Lord but a man of evil devices he condemns. No one is established by wickedness but the root of the righteous will never be in moon. Summaring the path of wickedness gains nothing of true and lasting value. And finally Proverbs 12 9 to 12 better to be lowly and have a servant than to pay than to play the great man and lack bread. Whoever is righteous has regards for the life of his beast but the mercy of the wicked is cruel. Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. Whoever is wicked covets the spoil of evil doers but the root of the righteous bears fruit. Summarize live within our means. Here we have over three chapters a wealth of insight of wisdom for finances for money for riches for treasure for debt all of it and it seems very clear as we read through this that you and I have a decision to make when it comes to finances to money to possessions to all of these things. We have a decision to make and I want to this morning just piece this all together because I know it's a little bit confusing we've jumped through three chapters of the Proverbs but I want to piece it together because whilst God revealed this wisdom many many years before I truly believe that Jesus summarized this well in his teaching in Matthew chapter 6. We're going to connect the parallels. Matthew chapter 6 verse 19 to 24 says do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys where thieves do not break in and steal for where your treasure is there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body so if your eye is healthy your whole body will be full of light but if your eye is bad your whole body will be full of darkness if then the light is in you is darkness how great is the darkness no one can serve two masters for either he will hate one and love the other or he will be devoted to one and despise the other you cannot love and serve God and money we have this teachings in Jesus which highlights some of what we've just read let's flick back to the Proverbs and piece this together what is Jesus said you cannot love God and money your earthly riches here will rust and be eaten by moths and be meaningless so store up heavenly treasure set your mind on greater things Proverbs 11 1 to 4 a false balance is an abomination to the Lord but it just wait is his delight when pride comes then comes disgrace but with the humble is wisdom the integrity of the upright guides them but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them riches do not profit in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death riches do not profit in the day of wrath but righteousness delivers from death same message Jesus just said it a different way hey all the stuff the things the objects you have at the end of the day best ain't here they'll get old they'll rust they'll be destroyed your riches won't be of benefit when the day of wrath comes but righteousness delivers from death first seven of chapter 11 the wicked die and his hope will perish and the expectation of wealth perishes too there's no lasting wealth there's no lasting hope in possessions and things and stuff verse 18 to 20 it highlights the struggle that you and I have here on earth the wicked earns deceptive wages that means that it looks desirable for us we may think that we're secure we may think that we've got it down pat but here the Proverbs tell us if they earn deceptive wages but the one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward let's continue with Jesus's words Matthew chapter 6 verses 25 to 32 therefore I tell you do not be anxious about your life what you will eat or what you will drink nor about your body what you will put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing look at the birds of the air they neither sown or reek nor gather into buns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them are you not more important than they are you not of more value and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his life and why are you anxious about clothing consider the lilies of the field how they grow they need the toil nor spin yet I tell you even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of them but if God so close the grass of the field which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown in the oven will he not much more clothes you owe you of little faith therefore do not be anxious saying what shall we eat or what shall we drink or what shall we wear for the Gentiles seek after all these things and your heavenly Father knows you need them all where's this in the Proverbs you ask chapter 10 verses 2 to 3 treasures gained by wickedness do not profit but righteousness delivers from death the Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked here we have a promise that God knows everything that we need are we not more valuable than the birds of the air will he not so provide for what we need to eat and drink and wear verse 22 of chapter 10 the blessing of the Lord makes rich and he adds no sorrow with it here we see these two parts see finances wealth gain it's not all bad if the heart the motivation the perspective is correct we're told that God's blessing can bring riches and with it is no pain or sorrow Proverbs 11 24 to 28 one gives freely grass that they give away of their possession one gives freely and yet grows all the richer I don't know about your bank account but when I put money out it doesn't come back in with interest but here we have the proverb saying one gives freely and yet grows all the richer another withholds what he should give and only suffers once whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered the people curse him who hold back grain but a blessing is on the head of him who sells it now I'm not saying let me make this very clear I'm not saying if you go and give away all your money that God's going to give you that back okay that's prosperity gospel that's heretic okay but what we are saying is that if God knows our needs if his promise is to provide for our needs if in his design he's created you and me and all of humanity to look out for one another to love one another to make sure that we're able to survive here on earth then what it's saying is if God prompts you to give freely to those in need don't hesitate if God prompts you to give freely give freely and trust that he will continue to provide for all of your needs the last part of Matthew six verses 33 to 34 these are Jesus words but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself sufficient for the day is its own trouble Proverbs 12 2 to 3 a good man obtains favor from the Lord but a man of evil devices he condemns no one is established by wickedness but the root of righteousness will never be moved and so what are we to do with all of this earlier we did some rankings and we're in a church so it makes sense in order of importance God was number one right God was number one that makes sense because he should be there and then down from that we had some of the essentials like food and water and phones because we can't live without those nowadays food water phones then clothing and so on and so forth and we saw it a little bit the disconnect happened when we then ranked them in terms of our engagement time isn't it fascinating that if God is the most important things in our life this week as a whole we spent more time focused and engaged with food and water I don't know how long it takes you to eat I grew up in a household of boys we ate very fast but my meal time is usually no longer than five minutes so if I eat three meals a day that's 15 minutes that I've spent engaging with food now I don't want to call anyone a liar but I think if I was being honest phone would be much higher than anything else on there right we use our phone all the time to message to email it's part of our work life to scroll through Facebook or whatever the latest app is and if I was being honest my engagement time with those things up there God is much lower down on the list and I only spend 15 minutes eating a day now that's not every day that's not every week but there are weeks and times where if we're honest we forget about God we don't give him the place that we ought to and I want to suggest this morning that sometimes that's because we can give into that urge that we've got it under control I'm earning good money I've got food in the fridge I've paid all my bills got everything I need I actually don't need God to provide for this because I've got it myself church I want to ask us a raw question this morning do we own our possessions or do our possessions own us in your life do you own your possessions or do your possessions own you what we're talking about is what is the greatest treasure in your life what is the thing of most importance in your life where our time where our money is spent gives us a good indication to that see if we own our possessions then God can truly be our greatest treasure if our greatest treasure is God if we seek to follow him to trust him and his promise that he will provide for all of our needs then our possessions are just things and stuff that God has blessed us with that we can use and steward for his good and glory we recognize that this holds no significant meaning in eternity and yet there's a danger church the path of foolishness when money possessions things and stuff they become our greatest treasure our lives start to revolve not around God and what he's calling us to do but around stuff about getting that promotion about getting this new latest thing so I can show everyone so I can feel accomplished to get this next step so that I can be secure so that I have an ability to provide for all my needs and my family's need so I can look after myself and when we start to think that way our possessions become number one they step in the place that is rightfully God's and when we do that we tend to steward our possessions according to what seems good and right to us and not God we saw through Jesus's words through the Proverbs as well we cannot serve two masks we asked the question this morning but I think it's something that we should be asking ourselves regularly because it's all so easy for God to be put down the least we can't serve two masters we have a decision to make the Proverbs tell us that if we choose the path of foolishness and folly our treasure our wealth will be of no profit we will continue down a path which arrives at sin and death our hope security and wealth will perish when we die our wages while they might make us feel secure are deceptive if this is the path that we walk and we will always want from all we will never be content with what we have that's path one the foolishness of sin path two when it comes to this wisdom for the Proverbs and finance is to choose the fear of the Lord and walk in the path of wisdom to live in the way that God created us to live and the Proverbs we've read this morning tell us that if we do this will be delivered from death see God might richly bless us with riches and wealth and stuff and things and that's good and okay God is God and he can do that but within ourselves they won't be the thing that gives us purpose God will be and all these riches these possessions these things these stuff that God has given us the heart the desire for all of it will be to use it and steward it well in accordance with his will the Bible tells us if we walk down this path our needs will be provided for we will receive life we will have a sure reward and we will be blessed as we steward well the resources God has given to us we sang this morning that we will follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus that declaration is I will put God in his rightful place he is number one in my life make sure those aren't just words declare that from your heart who do we serve who do we put our trust in who do we put our hope in is it God or isn't money see money finances they're not a bad thing God created them God uses them they become bad they become sinful we start to turn down the path of foolishness when we put money and resources and the stuff that God gives us above God himself our giver so church this week will you walk in wisdom in fear of the Lord or will you walk in foolishness will you allow things and stuff and possessions that have no eternal value to direct everything you do to draw your attention away from what is truly valuable one path leads to life incompleteness the other to death and want for more choose wisely let's pray heavenly Father we thank you that there is nothing on this earth that we can work for obtain that you haven't already created and given to us that isn't already yours thank you that you are God and Lord not only have you created all things not only is all of this creation rightfully yours but beyond that even while we rebelled against you you loved us so much that you paid even more in the midst of our rebellion in walking the path of foolishness where we put other things in your rightful place you still loved us so much that you sent Jesus to pay a debt that we could not pay that we might be able to receive forgiveness to draw close to you our God to turn back to repent from our sinful ways and walk in the ways in which you've created us to live Lord thank you for your provision of all our needs thank you for the gifts that you give to us Lord thank you that you bless some of us so richly Lord wherever we are in our finances would you help us help us to surrender them to you knowing that you have created you have paid far more for each of us than we could ever Lord help us to be content with that to keep you in that rightful place is the most valuable thing in our lives and Lord to use what you do give us the resources the things the stuff that you do bless us with in accordance with your will that you may be honored and glorified we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.