Bible Study for July 17: View Money Properly

Posted

Proverbs 23:4-5; 30:5-9

Derek Berry, pastor

Tabernacle Baptist Church, Hiram

Striking a healthy balance with your finances is key to their being blessings or burden, says Hiram pastor Derek Berry. GETTY IMAGES Striking a healthy balance with your finances is key to their being blessings or burden, says Hiram pastor Derek Berry. GETTY IMAGES

Proverbs 23:4-5 – Riches are fleeting

I was watching a show about people who have won millions of dollars. Some of them had nothing but always wished they had money. Their time had come and they received millions. Some of the people lost it as fast as they received.

Don’t spend your time chasing earthly treasures. Rather, store up treasures in heaven. The treasures you store in heaven will never be lost or stolen.

Life is about more than money and possessions, yet many people become completely consumed with the pursuit of worldly treasure. It becomes the purpose and the drive behind their labor.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 Jn. 2:15-16).

Money is temporary and quickly disappears. A simple but vivid picture illustrates the fact. Money is like a bird: when you begin to look and focus on it, it flies away. It cannot be caught, and it cannot be called back. It is here one moment and gone the next.

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Mt.6:19-20).

Jesus taught that the desire for worldly possessions keeps us from bearing fruit for the Lord.

Proverbs 30:5-6 – Look to God’s Word

Agur confidently confessed that every word of God is pure. “Pure” is the word used of metals that were refined and tried in the furnace. Whenever the Bible is put to a sincere and honest test, it is proven to be true and authoritative.

God’s Word is without error and cannot fail.

Scripture is the Word of God, and God accomplishes His powerful, life-changing work through it. Agur testified that God is a shield (salvation) to those who flee to Him and trust Him. Agur learned about God and salvation in His Word. He believed God’s Word and he demonstrated saving faith by trusting God and taking refuge in Him.

Proverbs 30:7-9 – Be content with what God provides

Agur asked God for contentment. He asked God to provide what he needed, but only what he needed. He recognized that if he had an abundance, he would be prone to forget the Lord and not depend upon him.

Agur wisely understood the importance of having a purpose, or need, in life. The purpose would cause him to walk in fellowship with God and to rely on Him daily.

Agur also recognized that he was capable of stealing and dishonoring God (v. 9b). He never wanted to do anything in his life that would bring reproach to the name of Jehovah, His Savior and Lord.

Many people ask God to meet their needs, but how many people genuinely ask God to give them nothing beyond what they need?

Are you content with what God has given you?

balance, blessings, finances, money, responsibility