Pro 10:22  The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.

 

Need & Greed

• Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:15
• Luk 12:16-19 And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully,  (17)  and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’

 

What Do We Tell Our Soul

(18)  And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  (19)  And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:20-21 NIV

 

Needing More for Happiness

the dominant message you will hear from culture is what you don’t have is what you need to be happy and fulfilled in life. What you don’t have, that’s what you need. You need more, you need this, you need that and if you finally get what you don’t have, that’s what’s missing. And that’s why Jesus said you have to be on your guard. Your life does not consist in the abundance of stuff.

 

Using Essentials for Glory & Fame

• We use food clothing shelter or vehicle – for fame & not merely as needs
• We exhibit food we ate & where we ate on social media
• We display our branded clothes
• We decorate not only our house but also our gate & wall
• We make a fame statement with the vehicle we use

 

Riches – Good News & Bad News

• The good news is: You are rich!
• Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:19 NIV
• ! 2.The bad news is: You’re rich!

Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:24-25 NIV

 

I am blessed & I am rich

• Ecc 5:19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil–this is the gift of God.
• I am blessed & I am rich
• I have enough & some to share

 

Smart Rich or Stupid Rich

• Smart Rich – My Soul Magnifies the Lord & my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour
• Stupid Rich – my soul magnifies food clothing shelter vehicles acquisitions – more & more stuff

 

God Richly Provides for Our Enjoyment

• Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17 NIV
• How will you enjoy riches – to give God the Giver Joy
• They’re like stupid rich. If I was rich, I’d be smart rich.

 

Rich in Good Deeds

• 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.
• Providing a Foundation for Future & for generations – 1Ti 6:19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
• ! God has blessed me with more than I need.
• I’m rich. But I will not trust in my riches, but in Him who richly provides.
• Because I have more, I will give more and do more.
• Rich in the Church
• Those who provided for Jesus’ travelling ministry
• Philemon – aristocrat in Colosse
• Zaccheus
• Erastus – Rom_16:23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you.
• Cornelius

 

Seven Rules for Prosperity & Riches

• Law 1 Character above riches – Pro 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
• Law 2 Riches follow favour – and favor is better than silver or gold.
• Law 3 Provide Livelihood for Poor with your riches – Pro 22:2 The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the maker of them all. God will make you richer
• Pro 22:9 Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.

 

Seven Rules for Prosperity & Riches

• Law 4 Safe Practices in Investment by godly wisdom & prudence – Pro 22:3 The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.
• Law 5 Keep Humble & Get Richer Pro 22:4 The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Meek inherit earth, God’s Way
• Law 6 Never jeopardize your soul in pursuing riches Pro 22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the crooked; whoever guards his soul will keep far from them. – my soul magnifies the Lord

 

Cyrus Anointing

• God plans to translate treasures from darkness to light, in view of the coming second exodus
• Isa 45:1-4 THUS SAYS the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him, and I will unarm and ungird the loins of kings to open doors before him, so that gates will not be shut.  (2)  I will go before you and level the mountains [to make the crooked places straight]; I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut asunder the bars of iron.

 

Translating Treasures

• (3) And I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, Who calls you by your name.  (4)  For the sake of Jacob My servant, and of Israel My chosen, I have called you by your name. I have surnamed you, though you have not known Me.

Recovering 400 Yr of Back Wages

• Exo 12:35-36 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.  (36)  And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

 

 

• Psa 49:16-18 Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.  (17)  For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.  (18)  For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed –and though you get praise when you do well for yourself–

 

 

• Psa 112:1-5 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!  (2)  His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.  (3)  Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.  (4)  Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.  (5)  It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.

 

 

 

• Pro 3:16 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.
• Pro 8:18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
• Pro 3:9 Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;
• Pro 13:11 Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.
• Pro 13:22 A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

 

Petty Rich

• Angry that your fast food order took 20 min
• Angry that your head phones didn’t work or your wifi is slow
• Upset that our favourite salad was below par – when other had prepared your food & delivered to your table on a dressed up plate in a dressed up plate
• Watch for signs of the angry rich
• We don’t want to go there

Poor May Have More

• you realize they have something you don’t have.
• They’ve got time with people and they’ve got relationships
• and they often have intimacy with God.
• And what they don’t have that you have is stress and anxiety and the burden of managing stuff.
• a small part of yourself jealous of their simplicity, of their intimacy, of their love for one another, their appreciation for community and their adoration for God. It’s a disadvantage sometimes to have so much.

To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required.

it’s great you’re rich ’cause you truly can enjoy what God has given you and that honors God.

But God also expects more and because we’re rich, we truly have a greater responsibility. And all the time we’re rich, every moment of every day, culture shouts at us. What you don’t have is what you need. The newer phone, a better TV, a brand new purse, the shoes, the watch, the sunglasses, the wallet, the jacket, the backpack, the speakers, the car, the flooring, the furniture, the countertops, accessories, the artwork and  vacations.

• Because what you don’t have is what you need. And that’s why Jesus said, Be on your guard
  I am blessed with more, to give more
  I am blessed & rich that I have more than 95% of my nation’s populace.
• I will not trust in my riches but in Him who richly provides
• I am blessed with more, to give more
• I am blessed with more to do more
• John Wesley – earn all you can, save all you can, give to God all you can

Curse of Money

• Whenever we believe that lie and it comes at us all the time, every day in every way. Whenever we believe the lie that more money, more things, more stuff that’s truly what we need to be blessed and be happy, we have to recognize that we are under the curse of money. Whenever we believe that our problems can be solved by more stuff and more money, we are under the curse of money.