7 Ways to Avoid Poverty

Two things before we begin:

• I will be saving the best one for last.
• And I hope you will tell us where you are watching from, who you are with, tagging someone, or sharing this video on your page.

First thing I would do to avoid poverty

• Open the Bible to the book of Proverbs.
• 1 book and so much help!

Second, I would not dream too much.

• Multi-Level Marketing plans often have you dream of what you want to obtain through their program.
• Those dreams are their driving force
• Proverbs 28:19 NIV  Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of
• And since we have referred to MLMs,
• Don’t get in a hurry to rake in all that dough.
• God said,
  • Proverbs 21:5 NIV  The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
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Third, I would not chase my pleasures.

• I love riding motorcycles, and I love traveling.
  • They go together well and are so much fun
  • Maybe yours is hunting/fishing
  • Shopping for shoes.
  • But God said,
    • Proverbs 21:17 NIV  Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

Fourth, I would be someone “coach-able”; that accepts correction.

• Listening to qualified disciplined leaders / coaches is good for us
  • May not be “pleasant” or “fun”, but quite useful.
• Proverbs 13:18 NIV  Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

5^th, We must make sure we are following God’s directions instead of our own ways that can be/ become wicked.

• Those following God’s directions are listening to what HE says on any and all subjects.
  • They abandon their own thinking to simply do what he says will work.
• Proverbs 15:6 NIV  The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings ruin.
• Proverbs 23:21 NIV  for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
• Proverbs 13:11 NIV  Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
• Proverbs 22:16 NIV  One who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and one who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
  • That is plain

 6^th, Spend less time talking and more time working.

• My 6^th grade teacher, Mr. Karl, used this phrase occasional.
  • He needed us to spend more time with pencil on paper, and less time from us boys entertaining each other.
• This is how God wrote it.
  • Proverbs 14:23 NIV  All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.
  • Get your project out of the committee(s).
  • Don’t try to get everything, or everyone, complete before you start.
• Then God added these statements.
  • Proverbs 6:10-11 NIV  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—  (11)  and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
  • Proverbs 24:33-34 NIV  A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—  (34)  and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.
  • Proverbs 20:13 NIV  Do not love sleep or you will grow poor; stay awake and you will have food to spare.
  • Proverbs 10:4 NIV  Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.

7^th, and final,

• It is the one most frequently spoken of in Proverbs.
• And it is not what you might expect.
  • Yet you might have expected to hear about working hard
  • You might have expected being diligent
  • So, we will just read them together.
• Proverbs 11:24 NIV  One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
• Proverbs 11:25 NIV  A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
• Proverbs 14:21 NIV  It is a sin to despise one’s neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy.
• Proverbs 14:31 NIV  Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
• Proverbs 19:17 NIV  Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward them for what they have done.
• Proverbs 22:9 NIV  The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
• Proverbs 28:22 NIV  The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them.
• Proverbs 28:27 NIV  Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses
• So, to avoid poverty, be generous to the needy and poor.