Healthy Homes, Healthy Lives

Healthy Finances

May 25, 2003

There’s a fine line when it comes to talking about money …

Proverbs 30:7-9

⁷ "Two things I ask of you, O LORD ; do not refuse me before I die: ⁸ Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. ⁹Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD ?‘ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. 

God is calling committed believers to understand:

1.  The SCOPE of His lordship.

                 “love the Lord your God with ALL ...” (Matthew 22:37)

Proverbs 3:5,6

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 8:17-21

¹⁷ I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. ¹⁸ With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
¹⁹ My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver. ²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, ²¹ bestowing wealth on those who love me and making their treasuries full.

2. That DEBT is destructive.

                                  to our health

                                  to our family

                                  to our souls

Proverbs 12:9

Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

Proverbs 15:16,17; 17:1

^15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
¹⁷ Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

^17:1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife. 

Proverbs 13:7,8

⁷ One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.
⁸ A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

                        D = Is it a Desire or Need?

                        E = What is the Eternal value?

                        B = Is it Budgeted?

                        T = Is the Timing right?

3.  The BLESSINGS of stewardship.

Proverbs 3:9,10

⁹ Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;
¹⁰ then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. 

Proverbs 10:22; 11:24

^10:22 The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

 ^11:24 One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

What is spiritual wealth?

“what does it profit a man …" (if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?) - Jesus

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 11:4

Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath,
but righteousness delivers from death.