INTRODUCTION

Some of the most popular televangelists garner their popularity by falsely teaching that God wants everyone wealthy. God simply does not want everyone to have riches. Yet, if wealth is gained through scriptural means, it can be used to do much good (by supporting missionaries, helping those in need, furthering the gospel, etc.). The Bible clearly teaches that it is wrong for anyone to seek to become wealthy. Yet, one should equally not set out to be poor. As such, every believer should know how to avoid self-induced poverty. According to scripture, there are certain actions or inactions that ultimately lead to poverty: laziness (Proverbs 6:10-11 [10] Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: [11] So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
See All...; Proverbs 24:33-34 [33] Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: [34] So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.
See All...), greediness (Proverbs 11:24There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
See All...), pleasure loving (Proverbs 21:17He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
See All...; Proverbs 23:21For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
See All...), and following vain persons (Proverbs 28:19He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
See All...). These truths hold constant on both an individual level as well as collectively.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For children): Children need to learn to work. Read Proverbs 6:6-8 [6] Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: [7] Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, [8] Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.
  See All... to find out what insect we are to be like. This particular insect has food because she is not lazy and no one has to force her to work. Consider other passages which warn of laziness bringing poverty: Proverbs 19:15Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
  See All...; Proverbs 20:4The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
  See All..., 13; Proverbs 24:30-32 [30] I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; [31] And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. [32] Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction.
  See All....
• (For everyone): What is the financial condition of the country in which you live? Are your countrymen guilty of laziness, loving pleasures, or following vain persons? How has that affected the country’s wealth?
• Is it sinful to be poor? Yet, do some sins lead to poverty? How would you explain the distinction between your answers? Can righteous deeds ever cause poverty?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask the Lord to guide you to the proper balance of wealth.
• Ask God to guard you from the sins that lead to poverty.

HYMN

NOTHING BETWEEN

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