Sermon Tone Analysis

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mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none'>*/“Do you understand Poverty & Wealth”/*4-29-07 Fellowship Baptist PM

 

In order to properly interpret these questions you need to realize that when we refer to “wealth” and “poverty” we are speaking relatively.

You do not have to be in “utter poverty” for these biblical principles to apply.

The opposite is also true.

You do not need to be listed in the Forbes top 100 to be considered “wealthy.”

1.

Is a man poor “when he does not have enough money to pay his bills?”

(Yes or No) –Isa 58:7

 

2.

Is “poverty” such a relative thing that it is more “a state of mind” than a genuine condition of the pocketbook?

(Yes or No) –Prov 30:8-9

 

3.

Is genuine wealth to be determined by how much money or how many possessions a person has? (Yes or No) –Rev 3:17

 

4.

Can anyone who really sets their mind to it make money and gradually become wealthy (in the worldly sense of the meaning)?

(Yes or No) –Lam 3:37; Hag 1:9

 

5.

Is there a cause and effect connection between losing money and violating God’s Word? (Yes or No) –Prov 5:10; Prov 6:11; Prov 10:3; Prov 10:4; Prov 11:15; Prov 11:24; Prov 11:29; Prov 13:11; Prov 13:18; Prov 14:23; Prov 19:15; Prov 21:13; Prov 21:17; Prov 22:16; Prov 23:21; Prov 28:8; Prov 28:19; Prov 28:22

 

6.

Is there any other remedy given in Scripture to correct the behavior of a slothful person aside from not giving him food?

(Yes or No)  - 2 Thess 3:10; Prov 6:10-11; Prov 20:4

 

7.

Does God allow wicked people to prosper financially?

(Yes or No) –Matt 5:45; Rom 2:4; Prov 15:6; Psalm 37:35-36

 

8.

Is it possible then for a /truly dedicated Christian/ to be financially poor to the point of needing to daily beseech God for the most basic necessities of food and clothing?

(Yes or No) –Psalm 37:25; Phil 4

 

9.

Does God have special punishments for those who take advantage of someone who is poor, a widow or fatherless?

(Yes or No) –Prov 14:31; 19:17; 21:13; 22:16; Isa 3:14; Ex 22:22-24

 

10.

Is it unscriptural for a dedicated Christian to have an abundance of  worldly riches?

(Yes or No) –Psalm 39:6; 1 Tim 6:17; Jas 5:4; Psalm 62:10; 2 Cor 9:8

 

11.

Should a Christian feel that it is proper for him to automatically adjust his standard of living up to whatever the income is that God allows him to have?

(Yes or No) –Psalm 62:10; Eccl 5: 1 Tim 6: Prov 11:24

 

12.

What would be a good definition for contentment?

_______________

 

___________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

 

13.

Are the riches of the wicked (or righteous) useful for providing a genuine sense of personal security (toward retirement etc.)?  (Yes or No) –Prov 15:6, 16; Eccl 5:10, 12-13; 1 Tim 5:4

 

14.

Does God choose along the way of life to make some people rich and other people poor?

(Yes or No) -2 Chron 36:11-21; 2 Cor 8:9; Psalm 75:6-7; Deut 8:18

 

15.

Does God compensate the poor by giving them things that the rich cannot readily attain?

(Yes or No) -James 2:5; Eccl 5

 

16.

Has God destined some people to remain poor throughout their whole lives, while others are destined to remain rich?  (Yes No or Maybe) –Psalm 66:12

 

17.

Do you think God has a general method of teaching men that takes people from riches to poverty to riches?  (Yes No or Maybe) –Matthew 16:24-25; Phil 4

 

 

-------Taken from men’s manual Vol 2 pp.

90 ff.

Personal sermon notes:

Intro:

* Choose Scripture reading Philippians 4 & Eccl 5

* Parables in Judges~/ Resurrection~/ Tim

* Lots of jumping around in our Bibles today.

* We are going to deal with a parallel subject like that of Pastor Wesco’s in hiss preaching through 1 Timothy (quote) “…But godliness with contentment …”  “Charge them that are rich in this age…”

 

 

 

*1.

**Is a man poor “when he does not have enough money to pay his bills?”

(Yes or No)  ….Wait for them to answer…*

     *No  *

* *-*Key bank good accounting and track every dollar.

* Tell about different seminars we have heard in recent times.

* What is God’s definition of real poverty?

A man is poor when he is not able to secure sufficient food, clothing or shelter *(Isa 58:7)*.

Many people who have large incomes are not able to pay their bills.

They spend the money which should have been used for food and clothing on other items.

They are not poor in terms of money.

They are poor in terms of managing their money.

* Before giving money to someone who appears poor (like someone coming off street to ask for money) we need to be careful that giving to them will contribute to their growth and not be detrimental to it.

Cig or alcohol

 

 

*/2.

/**/Is “poverty” such a relative thing that it is more “a state of mind” than a genuine condition of the pocketbook?

(Yes or No)/*

     *No *There is no question that poverty is very real for those who experience it.

* If it was not real, God would not command Christians to help the poor, nor would he judge those who take advantage of the poor.

* 2 Cor 10:12 (nt in their notes)-Many of the difficulties which are associated with poverty, are the results of comparison and discontent rather than lack of funds.

A person can be poor by the world’s standards, but very content because he has adequate food, clothing, and shelter.

On the other hand, a person can have an abundance of money and still be discontent and unhappy.

* We ought to each have voiced the plea of Agur “…Give me neither poverty nor riches… Lest I be full, and deny thee… or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain” *(Prov 30:8-9)* 

 

 

*/3.

/**/Is genuine wealth to be determined by how much money or how many possessions a person has? (Yes or No)/*

     *No *True wealth is measured by the value and lasting benefit which it brings to the life of its possessor.

Let’s not ever lose our heavenly perspective!

We need to remind ourselves regularly of the real facts!

* The Christians in Laodicea thought that they were rich, but God said, *“…Thou sayest, I am rich, and increases with goods, and heave need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

(Rev 3:17)*

* Matt 5- “lay not up treasure on earth” Our emphasis should never be on accumulating excessive worldly goods.

* Psalm 73 –We all need to read this passage here in America on a regular basis.

“…when I saw the prosperity of the wicked…they have more than heart could wish…I was envious… Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end…They set in slippery places…they are utterly consumed with terrors.”

Do you read this passage when your children make a comment like “I want to marry someone rich when I grow up?

 

 

*/4.

/**/Can anyone who really sets their mind to it make money and gradually become wealthy (in the worldly sense of the meaning)?

(Yes or No)/*

     *No *There are many more factors to making and keeping money than just putting one’s mind to it.

* God asks: *(Lam 3:37)  “Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not.”

*

* Throughout Scripture God reminds us that He has the final word concerning a man’s wealth:* “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it…” (Haggai 1:9).

*

* Not only this, but do you realize that Scripturally it is wrong for a man to “set his mind” on becoming wealthy since he is then violating the warnings of God not to seek after riches, and he will experience the consequences of doing so.

* Example of a business class I saw attended at a piano convention I was at: “If you did not make x dollars last year come to my class.”

Need to be productive, but focus needs to be right!

*/5.

/**/Is there a cause and effect connection between losing money and violating God’s Word? (Yes or No)/*

     *Yes *The Scriptures clearly establish a cause-and-effect sequence between violating God’s laws and losing money.

Let’s look at some of these from warnings found in just one book of the Bible, Proverbs.

Flip through Proverbs with me if you will.

1).

*Being immoral with a woman.

(Prov 5:10)* –Many examples of this just on our street, including the fellow who used to be purchasing the home next to me on land contract.

*2).

* *Spending too much time sleeping.

(Prov 6:11)*

*3).

** Getting money by doing evil.

(Prov 10:3)  *

·         Karen Isaac and Lottery.

·         Gambling~/lottery~/stealing~/swindling etc. 

·         Being honest in your business is important to God         

            1 Tim 3

*4).

** Failing to be diligent.

(Prov 10:4) *This is so true in business.

Many piano tuners are wash outs because they are incapable of managing themselves.

This is why home-educated young people of the past 20 years so often own their own businesses.

*5).

** Co-signing a note.