Money, Possessions, & Eternity

The Book of Proverbs

Part 1

It might surprise you to know that Jesus said more about money than anybody else in the Bible,

and He said more about money than any other single subject.

Money is an index to a person’s character.

It is a measure.

It is a manifestation of the heart.

We cannot fully survey everything that Jesus said about money obviously, but, briefly, this lesson

 will put you in touch with the most important things that He said which help us to understand the

importance of money and how it is that measure of our spiritual life.

Here’s what God explains in Proverbs about Money, Possessions, and eternity.

And all God’s people said, Amen. Now that’s a Greek word, you know that. Amen. Jesus said that. Verily,

verily, I say unto you. In the New Testament, in the gospels, when He says that, He’s saying the Greek

word, Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen in English means truly or that you agree.

Okay. All of Proverbs is about living life God’s way. All of Proverbs reflects the wrong way to live,

 man’s way. Now remember, Proverbs is going back and forth between Solomon remembering how David raised

him, and Solomon talking about how he raised his own son, Rehoboam. Do any of you know how Solomon did

in raising Rehoboam? How did Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, turn out? Not good. He was a spoiled brat, which

is what we would call him in America. A rich kid, spoiled.

Proverbs, God’s way is wisdom. Living life God’s way.

It might surprise you to know that Jesus said more about money than anybody else in the Bible, and He said

more about money than any other single subject.

Money is an index to a person’s character.

It is a measure.

It is a manifestation of the heart.

We cannot fully survey everything that Jesus said about money obviously, but, briefly, this lesson will put

you in touch with the most important things that He said which help us to understand the importance of money

 and how it is that measure of our spiritual life.

Here’s what God explains in Proverbs about Money, Possessions, and eternity.

So, as we go through Proverbs. First of all, Proverbs teaches us about our relationships, but with whom? I’ve

summarized it so that you can see everything in one place. It talks about how we relate to our parents, how we

 relate to children, how we relate to friends. So, think about that. Think about it. It’s all relationships,

and I’ve covered parent, child, husband, wife, worker, employee, and all that. But I want you to think about

just the broad spectrum. Our relationship with our parents, whether we’re a parent to our children or our parents

 with our children or as children and with our friends.

Secondly, Proverbs teaches us God’s will for our character. By the way, what’s character? Character is what you

are when no one’s watching you. It’s your default setting. It’s like when your phone goes crazy and there’s something

wrong, you restart it. I have an Apple phone, you have to restart it, and they go back to their default settings.

Character is our default setting. When I have interviewed people for jobs in the past. People really give you the best,

 they’re all smiles, they dress great, and they’re on time and everything. That’s not what I’m interested in seeing.

 I want to see their character, and what their default setting is. When nobody is watching them, what are they like?

Proverbs says God has a will for what I’m like when no one’s watching. Okay?

Number three, my relationships. God has a will that He’s revealed in Proverbs for how I relate to people.

Number four. How I talk.

How many chapters are in Proverbs? 31. How many days are in most months? 31. See, Proverbs is a great book

to get in the habit of reading a chapter a day, so you go through it every month. I read through Proverbs on a daily

basis, just a little bit of it, so that we are exposed to this wisdom. I talk all the time about the fear of the Lord

 as the beginning of wisdom. That verse is in two places, but the first time in chapter 1 it says the fear of the Lord

 is the beginning of knowledge. What chapter first mention the fear of the Lord? Chapter 9.

Okay, where does God describe wisdom from above? James 3.

Oh, did you know that James 3? It’s the very last section of James 3. James says but the wisdom that is from above

 is first pure, peaceable, gentle, easily entreated. What chapter of the Bible is the wisdom from above, where would

it be? James 3.

Do you remember I showed you a chart that said that there are books of history and books of prophecy and in the middle

 are books of poetry? Which grouping is Proverbs? Is it prophetic? No. Is it historical? No. It’s poetry.

God’s will for my character includes choosing His way. See, look at this God’s way instead of choosing man’s way.

Which is better? Choosing God or pleasing self. So, I have to choose God’s way. So that’s His will for my character.

 Now remember what character is, character is when no one’s watching, but God. He wants me to pause.And I think

before I do or sway anything.

James 3

1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

14But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

15This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

17But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.