Lord’s Day, Vol. 5 No. 09
Seven Fundamentals of Personal Finance (Part 2)
Principle 5: Enjoy the Fruit of Your Labour
Having acknowledged that God is the One who has enabled man to work (Deut. 8:18) and having returned the first fruits to the Lord, man should enjoy good in his labour (Ecclesiastes 2:24), it is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 3:13; 5:19). However, the fruit of our labour should not be wasted upon lustful desires as everything we do must be for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
Principle 6: The Wise Man Saves Up
Proverbs 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
We may thankfully enjoy the prudent gathering, as the fruit of the Lord’s blessing (Proverbs 10:22).
This is not the forbidden “laying up for ourselves upon earth” (Matthew 6:19), a hoarding for selfishness and distrust of God (Luke 12:16-2). This treasure is in the dwelling of the wise. For prudence is not worldliness (Proverbs 10:5; Genesis 41:48); an indifference to coming trial is not faith, but foolish simplicity (Proverbs 22:3). (Charles Bridges) [1]
Joseph gathered and stored grain during the 7 years of plenty and opened the barn for many during the 7 years of famine.
Genesis 41:48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
Bridges further observed, “Even the cottage of the godly poor often contains this desirable treasure due to Christian diligence. Yet poor indeed is the palace, where the Bible with its stores of unsearchable riches is not the grand treasure, and where the oil of gladness, while it poureth out richly, is not his choicest comfort”.
Principle 7: More Blessed to Give
Acts 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
The blessing of giving has to be experienced. How can we understand this truth except through the exercise of faith in our giving? We are to support the weak, those who are unable to return our favour, those who are in need. We have to take God at His Word to give and experience God’s blessing.
There are 3 areas of giving for the Christian’s consideration [2]:-
(a) Giving to God
Giving to the Lord’s work for the extension of His kingdom is to give wisely. By giving, we lay up treasures in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-20 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
How to give? Jesus taught us in Matthew 6:3-4 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
(b) Giving to the Poor
Proverbs 19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
The ordinance of God is, “that the poor shall never cease out of the land.” Hence the universal obligation is, to have pity upon the poor. We must open our heart as much as our hand. (Charles Bridges)
Deuteronomy 15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother.
Deuteronomy 15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
(c) Giving to other Christians
Romans 12:13a Distributing to the necessity of saints…
The injunction is to do good with humbleness of heart. Look out for opportunities to bless a brother or sister in Christ who is in need, with your giving.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee
[1] Charles Bridges, Proverbs, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1846, 383.
[2] Man’s Manual Vol. II, Institute of Basic Life Principles, Inc., 1983, 9.