In week 6 of our Bible study on honoring God with our money, we look at what the Bible says about the value of work and God’s commands regarding charity. This lesson concludes our exploration of what the Bible says about money. In the coming weeks, we will examine practical applications in regarding to budgeting and living debt-free.
God commands those who can work to work and provide for their families.
Prov. 10:4 Lazy hands make a man __________, but diligent hands bring __________.
Prov. 21:17 He who loves _______________ will become poor; whoever loves wine and oil will never be __________.
Prov. 28:19-20 He who works his land will have _______________ food, but the one who chases _______________ will have his fill of poverty. A _____________________ man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go ____________________.
Yet God commands us to be generous and share with the poor. What do the following verses tell us about how we are to treat the poor?”
Deut. 15:7 If anyone is poor among you…do not be __________________ or ______________________.
Deut. 15:11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be ______________________ toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.
Read Deuteronomy 26:12, Leviticus 19:10, and Luke 14:13. To which specific groups of people are we commanded to show generosity?
1) ______________________________
2) ______________________________
3) ______________________________
4) ______________________________
5) ______________________________
6) _______________________________
In 2 Corinthians 9:11 and Proverbs 19:17, what does God promise to those who are generous?
1) ______________________________________________
2) ______________________________________________
Read Proverbs 17:15, 21:13, and 28:17. What does God promise to those who do not assist the poor?
1) _______________________________________________
2) _______________________________________________
3) _________________________________________________
Acts 10:1 – 4 Story of Cornelius—
“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”
Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.
The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God.”
What did Cornelius do that attracted God’s attention?
____________________________________________________________
What characteristics of Cornelius’s life should we emulate?
____________________________________________________________
Life Application:
Luke 12:33, 34 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourself that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Susan's Reflections 