Transcript 05-27-12

Solomon’s wealth
• (2 Chronicles 9:22) King Solomon was greater in
riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the
earth.
• (1 Kings 10:14) The weight of the gold that
Solomon received yearly was 666 talents.
• (Ecclesiastes 2:9) I became greater by far than
anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my
wisdom stayed with me.
Solomon’s personal experience
with money
• When we amass money for ourselves, it turns
out meaningless (Ecclesiastes 2:8-11).
• When we love money, we are never satisfied,
which is also meaningless (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
• When we realize we can’t keep money when
we die, its distressing (Ecclesiastes 5:15).
• But when we acknowledge God’s ownership
we can enjoy things, enjoy work, be content
and be grateful (Ecclesiastes 5:19)!
When we don’t trust God
• (James 4:1-3) What causes fights and quarrels
among you? Don't they come from your desires
that battle within you? {2} You want something
but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you
cannot have what you want. You quarrel and
fight. You do not have, because you do not ask
God. {3} When you ask, you do not receive,
because you ask with wrong motives, that you
may spend what you get on your pleasures.
Contentment
• (Proverbs 14:30) A heart at peace gives life to
the body, but envy rots the bones.
• (Proverbs 15:16) Better a little with the fear of
the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.
• (Proverbs 17:1) Better a dry crust with peace
and quiet than a house full of feasting, with
strife.
• (Proverbs 23:4) Do not wear yourself out to get
rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
The choice to be content
Contentment
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
God-focused (15:16)
Emotional Peace (14:30)
Family peace (17:1)
Healthier (23:8; 25:16)
Not worried (10:3)
Wise restraint (23:4)
Satisfied (30:8-9)
Greed
• Envy and illness (14:30)
• Financial worries/ shallow
friendships (23:6-7)
• Trouble (10:22)
• God’s discipline (28:20)
• Poverty (28:22)
• Conflict (28:25; 15:16-17)
• Never satisfied (30:15)
3 choices
Contentment
or Greed
Stewardship
or
Ownership
Trust or
Control