1. Summary of Proverbs Three categories (three M’s) The first ‘M’ is money I Money May Be A Blessing

2. Pro.3:16 Wisdom (13) visits you w. gifts in each hand –Right hand: length of days –Left hand: riches and honor –Wisdom does not come home alone 1 K.3:11-13

3. Pro.10:15 Wealth protects him He can hire guards or burglar devices

4. Must be willing to work Pro.10:4-5 –The sluggard may excuse his laziness: “At least I’m not money- hungry; that is sin” –Does a farmer vacation in harvest season? –No pains, no gains; no sweat, no sweets

5. Must remember source of blessings Pro.10:22 (Cf. 22:2) –True source of wealth –God’s gifts bring God’s blessings w. them

6. God requires Generosity Pro.11:25 –God gives the property and then reimburses the man for his charity –Ac.20:35 –“What we are is God’s gift to us; what we become is our gift to God”

7. II Money May Not Be A Blessing Money is not as important as: RighteousnessRighteousness. Pro.11:4 –With men, money buys almost anything –With God, money cannot buy forgiveness of sins, or turn away His wrath

8. True riches True riches. Pro.13:7 –He strives for wealth, pretends to be rich, but has nothing True friends True friends. Pro.14:20 –Fair-weather friends “Swallows” –Are you a millionaire? Good wife Good wife. Pro. 19:14

9. Good nameGood name. Pro.22:1 –Shop-lifting is the five finger discount! –“Hard work never hurt anybody, but why take a chance?” Permanent treasuresPermanent treasures. Pro.23:4-5 (27:24) –Lk.15

10. Integrity Integrity. Pro.28:6 –Honest poverty is better than corrupt wealth any day –Integrity cares more about character than cash

11. Why is money not so important? Pro.11:28 –1 Tim.6:17 The gospel influenced more wealthy in Ephesus than usual (1 Co. 1:26) –Wealth is not a sin but Paul warns them not to set their hope on it –One may be rich today and poor tomorrow

12. Pro.21:17 –Small leaks sink a large ship –Most large fortunes diminish and sometimes disappear in only two or three generations –“Why most nest eggs dissipate over time is a major problem...” (David Dreman, Forbes Magazine)

13. Pro.22:7, the mind can spoil our blessings if we do not: 1. Learn contentment 1. Learn contentment, Ph.4:6-7 2. Control debt –Young couples try to begin where parents finished –Average American household w. at least one credit card: nearly $9200 in card debt »They pay the minimum, barely covering interest, paying many times what the item cost

14. Pro.23:4 time sensitive –The principle: some things are time sensitive Children Spouse Spiritual growth

15. Pro.28:11 –Dn.4 –The poor man can see right through such people

16. Pro.28:20 (22) –Get-rich-quick schemes should be renamed: The “Lose-it-all-quick” planThe “Lose-it-all-quick” plan

17. III A Blessing Or A Curse? balance is the keyPro.30:8-9 – balance is the key 1.Some are hoarders – They never learn to give 2.Some are wasters – Money burns a hole in their pocket; soon it’s gone

18. What the rich thought about money I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness (John D. Rockefeller) The care of $200,000,000 is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it ( W. H. Vanderbilt) I am the most miserable man on earth (John Jacob Astor) I was happier when doing a mechanic's job (Henry Ford) Millionaires seldom smile (Andrew Carnegie)