WALKING IN WISDOM- Invest in Your Life // Sunday, October 19, 2025 // Jeff Hines, Lead Pastor
/Sunday, October 19, 2025
Real People Living in the Real World Loving the Real God
Invest Your Life
James 5: 1 – 6 (NLT)
Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.
4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.
God is NOT opposed to wealth.
He is opposed to the MISUSE of wealth.
The misuse of wealth:
1. The accumulation of wealth…
Don’t hoard it!
…This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. v.3
Three types of hoarding:
1. Stockpiling food.
2. Collecting clothes.
3. Gathering precious metals & jewels.
Results:
Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded… v.2 & 3
Remember:
James 4: 15 (NLT)
What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”
The misuse of wealth:
1. The accumulation of wealth…
Don’t hoard it
2. The appropriation of wealth…
Don’t steal it!
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. v.4
3. The allocation of wealth…
Don’t waste it!
You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. v.5
The misuse of wealth:
1. The accumulation of wealth… Don’t hoard it!
2. The appropriation of wealth… Don’t steal it!
3. The allocation of wealth… Don’t waste it!
4. The application of wealth… Don’t abuse it!
You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. v.6
The proper use of wealth:
1. The appropriate accumulation of wealth… Save money faithfully!
Proverbs 21: 20 (NLT)
The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get.
A. Keys to saving.
1) Learn to live with a margin.
2) Learn to be content.
B. Valid reasons for saving.
1) It prevents impulsive buying.
2) It allows us to help others.
3) Your money works FOR you instead of you working for money.
The proper use of wealth:
2. The appropriation of wealth…
Earn it honestly…
Proverbs 13: 11 (NLT)
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time.
Proverbs 14: 23 (NLT)
Work brings profit, but mere talk leads to poverty!
A. How much money can I make?
B. Qualifications: As long as it doesn’t hurt…
1) My health.
Proverbs 23: 4 (NLT)
Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich. Be wise enough to know when to quit.
2) My family.
3) Other people
4) My relationship with Christ.
3. The proper allocation of wealth… Spend it wisely!
Proverbs 21: 5 (ESV)
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.
The key: Budget
4. The proper application…
Give generously!
Proverbs 11: 24 & 25 (NLT)
Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. 25 The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Matthew 6: 20 (NLT)
Store up for yourselves treasure in heaven…
How?
Luke 16: 9 (NLT)
Here’s the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home.