LOTS OF WORDS

9.29.11 Labor and God's Apportion

Psalm 135:15  The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

I found this to be a bold and striking statement. But it made me think of some verses in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.  I decided to do a little verse surfing. After reading all the verses about money.  We basically live in a society that worships money. This is clearly a sin. 
-----Proverbs 23:4
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

------Proverbs 8:18-19
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.

------Ecclesiastes 2:24
24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

------Ecclesiastes 3:13
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

------Ecclesiastes 3:22
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

------Ecclesiastes 5:18-19
18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God

------Proverbs 11:28
28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

A job is a gift from God. The job doesn't give riches and wealth, God does. We, Christians, are supposed to enjoy our labor and not obsess over money. God will provide. God knows it takes money to survive in society. He takes care of us.  If we try to live beyond our means, sure, He's not going to support an ostentatious lifestyle but if you hold your end of the deal (faith, working) He will hold His end of the deal and provide food and shelter along with the riches of His peace and happiness.

More verses on topic:



------Proverbs 8:10
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

------Proverbs 8:21
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.

------Proverbs 11:4
4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.

-----Proverbs 13:7
7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

-----Proverbs 15:16
16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.

------Proverbs 22:1
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

-------Proverbs 24:4
4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

------Proverbs 28:6
6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

------Proverbs 28:22
22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him.

------Proverbs 28:27
27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse.

-----Proverbs 16:3
3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

-----Proverbs 18:9
9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

-----Proverbs 19:15
15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger

-----Proverbs 20:13
13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

-----Proverbs 21:25
25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour.

-----Proverbs 22:9
9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

-----Proverbs 22:16
16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

------Ecclesiastes 1:3
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

------Ecclesiastes 2:10-11
10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

------Ecclesiastes 4:8
8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

------Ecclesiastes 9:10
10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

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