DAILY DISCIPLINE #76
By Colleen Donahue

Everyone needs to make and spend money in order to live. This is the topic of this study. As the world's richest man, Solomon gives us advice about making money and investing. Let's study the real purpose of our work and how we should handle our money.

PROVERBS--Part 5 - Making Money, Investing and Giving

 

MAKING MONEY & INVESTING

Day 1- Profit is the bottom line for making money. What WILL NOT profit?
Proverbs 10:2 / 20:17 /21:6

Day 2- Who (not what) is the real cause of our wealth?
Proverbs 10:22 / Deuteronomy 8:17-18 / I Samuel 2:7-8

Day 3- The goal for many in life is to get what they need and then to obtain all they want. What are God's clear priorities for us?
Matthew 6:33

Day 4- When we are diligent to do well what God has set before us, how are we rewarded?
Proverbs 10:4 / 12:27 / 13:4 / 14:23

Day 5- While diligence and hard work is commended, there is a difference between doing our job diligently unto God and working hard just to get more money and more things. What does the second motive lead to?
Ecclesiastes 2:11/ 4:8/ 5:10,16/ 6:7 / Isaiah 55:2

Day 6- How are we to do our work as unto God?
Matthew 25:22-23 / John 6:27 / I Peter 4:10-11

Day 7- When the glory of God is the goal and motivation in our life work what does God promise us?
Proverbs 2:1-9 / Matthew 6:33B

This was Solomon's own experience:
2 Chronicles 1:7-12

.... and Hezekiah's too:
2 Chronicles 31:20-21

Day 8- The Israelites had many times in their history when they just forgot God and busied themselves with their own concerns for a good life. What resulted?
Haggai 1:2-11

Day 9- To get rich quick is the dream of someone winning a lottery, or the grand sweepstakes. Many that "play" the stock market or take up gambling hope also to "hit the jackpot" and skip over the work. How are we to make our money grow?
Proverbs 13:11

Day 10- What is not recommended for increasing wealth?
Proverbs 12:11B/ 16:8 / 21:6/ 22:16/ Jeremiah 17:11

Day 11- Work is not a dirty word but a holy commission by God. By it we will have our needs met and often more than enough to share.
Genesis 2:15 / Proverbs 14:4, 23/ 27:23-27/ 28:19-20/ 31:13-31

Day 12- Solomon says that a BRIBE is like a magic stone in the eyes of him who gives it and wherever he turns he prospers (Proverbs 17:8). This is one way of prospering that is acceptable to many but strictly forbidden by God.
Exodus 23:8 / Isaiah 33:15 / Proverbs 15:27

Day 13- Why does Solomon (and others) advise us not to work just to make money?
Proverbs 23:4-5 / 27:24/ Isaiah 55:2a / Matthew 6:19-21

Day 14- If we aren't to work to just make money to get our food and shelter then why should we work?
John 6:27 / I Corinthians 15:58

Day 15- Although there is nothing wrong with making money and become wealthy, what special temptations does it lead to?
Deuteronomy 8:13-14/ Mark 4:19 / I Timothy 6:9-10, 17

Day 16- What miseries will a man or woman face that is concerned only with their wealth and what it can get for themselves?
James 5:1-6

Day 17- What was King David's prayer for his own life concerning temporal riches?
Psalm 119:36-37

Day 18- What was the Apostle Paul's attitude about the things this world had to offer and the things that God offers?
Philippians 3:8

GIVING

If giving seems the opposite of investing, then you'll be interested to read God's word over these next days.

Day 19- Early in Proverbs, Solomon gives simple advice concerning the things we own.
Proverbs 3:9-10

Day 20- You'll notice that "honoring" the Lord and our fellow men is tied closely to such a practical thing as giving.
Proverbs 14:31 / 19:17/ Matthew 25:34-40,45

Day 21- We've perhaps heard that we ought to give the Lord a tenth of what we earn. This figure started with Abraham when he wanted to honor Melchizedek the high priest of his time.
Genesis 14:18-20

Day 22- When Solomon talks about giving the "first fruits" he makes reference to an agricultural society that has just harvested. The idea is that the first and best should go to God and not if we have any leftovers!
Exodus 23:19/ 34:26 / Deuteronomy 26:1-4

Day 23- The Israelites in some of their earlier and best days were an example of how giving should be. Can you imagine what life would be like if this situation happened today amongst God's people?
Exodus 35:20-29 / Exodus 36: 2-7

Day 24- What does God warn us about when we start to increase our wealth?
Deuteronomy 8:10-18

How might we actually be ROBBING God?
Malachi 3:8-10

Day 25- If you feel a real emptiness and unfulfillment with what you own and are doing, then you might consider the following as a possible reason why.....
Haggai 1:3-11

Day 26- But what if we don't have much to give?
2 Corinthians 8:12

Day 27- What does the Apostle Paul suggest might happen if we gave as much as we were able and even a little beyond?
2 Corinthians 8:13-15

Day 28- Why can we "afford" to be generous, giving people.
Philippians 4:19

Day 29- The attitude of our giving is as important as the actual giving itself.
2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Day 30- How does real love extend itself through our giving?
Proverbs 3:27-28 / I John 3:16-18

Day 31- Although we are not to expect back when we have given, how does God often reward us?
Proverbs 3:10/ 11:24-26 / 22:9 / Malachi 3:10/ Luke 6:38

 

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