Life, Money, Hope, Week 3: The Way Out

Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.” Haggai 1:5-7 (NIV) “The Way Out” But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.  But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.  Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:6-9 (NIV) Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13-21 (NIV) Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”  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 12:13-21 (NIV) And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’” Luke 12:13-21 (NIV) Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.”  And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” Luke 12:13-21 (NIV) 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?” Luke 12:13-21 (NIV) “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:13-21 (NIV) Ungratefulness Ownership Impulsive Hoarding Standard of Living Debt The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 (NIV) The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he sees those who have lost all hope. Psalm 34:18 (GNT) “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!’ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.’ So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” Luke 15:17-19 (NIV) Acknowledge the reality of where you are. I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you're after is truth from the inside out. Psalm 51:5-6 (MSG) Develop a plan of attack. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.  Proverbs 27:12 (NIV) Do it now. I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 (NIV) Humbly ask your Father for help. “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:5-7 (NIV)