Member Login

New accounts must be approved by the site administrator. Once you register please check your email for a link to continue the confirmation and approval process.



Northside church building

Sunday Bible class 9:30 am
Sunday worship assembly 10:30 am
Sunday evening worship
 6:00 pm
Wednesday Bible class

7:00 pm

 

 

 

How important is brotherly love? from Paul Pryor on Vimeo.

 

mp3 audio version of Sunday's Sermon

Right-clck the above link and choose "save link as"
 

Prayer List, Events and Announcements:

  • Please remember all of our troops serving at home and overseas

  • Each Sunday evening at 6:00 pm we have Basic Christian Training (BCT) in the annex. This quarter we are studying the book of Deuteronomy. Please join us.
Last Updated on Sunday, 08 January 2012 13:24
 
The Wise Man and His Money, part I
Written by Paul Pryor   

We pick up again our discussion of wisdom and consider how the wise man deals with the issue of money. The issue of money has often been a thorny path for many Christians and fraught with dangers, wrong-turns and bad directions. Contrary to popular belief. Money is not inherently evil, but rather the love of money (1 Tim. 6:10). Therefore, it is not money in and of itself, but rather our attitude toward it and handling of it that challenges us.

The pursuit of money is not inherently sinful. There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. (Proverbs 21:20 emp. mine p.e.p). A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. (Proverbs 13:22) Solomon himself serves as example of the correlation between wisdom and wealth. Often the wise man has wealth and the foolish are impoverished, cf. II Chron. 1:7-12. Here is the warning or 'disclaimer', however, while there is nothing inherently sinful in the legitimate and honest pursuit of wealth, there is a clear and strident prohibition against greediness and the love of money (Prov. 23:4, 28:22, 1 Tim. 6:9). So then there must be a clear line of distinction maintained between the legitimate and honest pursuit of gain and the love of money or greediness. This being the case, how does the wise man view, pursue and handle money?

First, the wise always discern value in their expenditures. The wise woman of Proverbs 31 discerns value in what she spends so that her husband trusts in her (Prov. 31:11). It has been said that a person who doesn't have enough wisdom to earn money will not have enough wisdom to keep it if they happened to come upon money. This truth is demonstrated in the fact many winners of the lottery are broke and deeply in debt just a few years after winning millions of dollars. The old cliché of a fool and his money... is generally true. One of the chief ways people fail to discern value in their expenditures is in the pursuit of worldly pleasures. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich. (Proverbs 21:17). While there is nothing wrong with enjoying life, pursuing pleasure with reckless abandon leads to an empty wallet!

The second trait of how the wise use money is that the wise man makes preparation for the future. There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; (Proverbs 30:24-25 cf. Proverbs 10:5). Why does the ant prepare? Winter is coming when no food will be available. We must prepare for the very same reason. Life is full of cycles. If there is one constant in the world, it is that nothing in this world stays constant.

There are cycles in business and there are cycles in life. If I am in the business mowing lawns then I must realize that throughout the Spring and Summer months I need to working from before sunrise until after sunset and setting aside money for those months when the grass won't need mowing. In life I must realize that there will come a day when my potential to earn will be less than it is now. Therefore I need to be setting aside money in preparation for those years.

I want to personally thank Allen B. Wolf of Balancing the Sword for sharing with me much of the information in these articles regarding wisdom and wealth.
 
The Wise Man and His Money, part II
Written by Paul Pryor   

We pick up again our discussion of how the wise man deals with the issue of money. Last week we learned that money and the honest pursuit of it are not, in and of themselves, evil. A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just. (Proverbs 13:22) There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up. (Proverbs 21:20 emp. mine p.e.p). It is, rather, greed and the love of money that are displeasing to God. Given that, we took note that those who are wise, first, discern value in their expenditures. To spend money is unavoidable, the wise, however, get good value for what they spend. Second, the wise prepare for the natural cycles of life and business, thereby, being prepared for lean times.


Today, let's take a look at two more traits of the wise in regard to their money. First (or third in our list), the wise seek counsel concerning their expenditures and their investments. A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellers there is safety. (Proverbs 24:5-6, emp. mine p.e.p) Of course, one can go overboard and succumb to the paralysis of analysis by searching out more and more advice while never doing anything. A wise man, however, will seek out adequate and qualified advice for significant expenditures and/or investments and then move ahead with his plans.


One needs to be wise enough know that he doesn't know. Many have lost large sums of money because they didn't seek wise counsel regarding and investment. Hucksters and modern “snake oil salesman” prey upon those seeking to “get rich quick”. Television evangelists prey upon those who are spiritually weak and easily led astray by their “health and wealth” gospel. “Plant a seed of a hundred dollars in sending us a check and God will multiply it a hundredfold!” What hokum! The wise will be able to discern what is legitimate and what clearly is “snake oil”.


Of course, the greatest source of counsel is the Bible itself. Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellers. (Psalms 119:24) Some of its best counsel regarding money is the counsel to avoid debt. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. (Proverbs 22:7) cf. Prov. 6:1-5. A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend. (Proverbs 17:18) Many today are in the equivalent of indentured servitude because of burdensome debt.


Secondly, (fourth in our list) The wise work hard and they work smart. If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. (Ecclesiastes 10:10) Small changes can make a huge impact. How much easier the task of cutting wood if one is smart enough to apply a file to the ax. If he is in the business of supplying firewood to the community, then his income is directly proportionate to how much wood he cuts and splits. Is it not foolish to work with a dull ax? More wood equals more income and a sharp ax equals more wood.


Technology today advances at lightning speed. One who is wise will keep up with these changes that he can remain on the “cutting edge” (sorry, couldn't resist the pun). A man has a God-given responsibility to be a good provider for his family, (1 Timothy 5:8). To do so he'll wisely seek ways to leverage his work to accomplish more and earn more thereby being a good provider.


We must adopt the right attitudes toward money. God's word is wise counsel to keep us from the love of it and guide us in the honest and wise pursuit of it. Let's be wise with our wealth!


I want to personally thank Allen B. Wolf of Balancing the Sword for sharing with me much of the information in these articles regarding wisdom and wealth.