Content Yet Still Wanting - Lesson 3 - Abundance

Proverbs 28:19-20, ‘He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.’

What are we focused on?
He that tilleth his land.
He takes care of what he has.
And it says here he will have bread
He will not be hungry.

What advice do you have for us to help stay focused?





We don’t understand how the Jewish followers could forget all that God has done for them.
We don’t understand how people who walked the planet with Jesus could not follow Him.
Let’s think of it this way
The Jews are God’s chosen people.
The disciples were chosen.
What are we?

Jeremiah 2:7, ‘And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.’

How are we when things are going well?
Do we read less?
Do we pray less?
Do we love others less?

How are we different than these chosen people wandering aimlessly?





Let’s think of what has been given to us.
Our children are not ours they are the Lord’s.
When it is time to give them back to Him
Will they be in the same, better or worse condition?

Even our spouse,
Our spouse was given to us from the Lord.

What do you tell your child if they don’t respect
Something that you gave to them?

If you don’t take better care of your toys,
I’m going to take them back,
Or give them to some little boy who doesn’t have as many toys.





Matthew 13:12, ‘For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.’

Your thoughts here…





Luke 6:38, ‘Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.’

I believe that speaks of the good along with the bad.
I’m not saying the inverse to be true.
If you are receiving bad it is because you are giving bad.
The verse does not say that and we are adding to if we say that.

It says we should expect criticism if we are being critical.
We should expect distance if we are giving distance.
In turn we should expect love if we are giving love.
And we should expect respect if we are giving respect.

What advice can you give us in relations to this verse?





1Corinthians 15:58, ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.’

The previous verse I told you, you should expect what you are handing out.
Possibly love, respect, charity.
Going out of your way for someone else.
It doesn’t mean it is going to be a tit-for-tat scenario.
If you give it in the morning you will be rewarded in the evening.

Thankfully with the Lord we don’t get to pick the consequences for our actions.
And in turn we don’t get to choose what our reward will be
Or when we are to receive it.

What can you share with us to help us endure?





We use and hear the words grace and mercy.
The best definition I have found for these words is…

Grace is when you don’t get what you deserve
And mercy is when you get what you don’t deserve.

What ever you are asking the Lord for,
Ask yourself how it will bring glory and honor for the Lord.
Is it a job or a raise?
Is it a house or a car?

Is it for your children to behave a certain way?
Your spouse to act a certain way?
Those around you a certain way?

Are you praying for a ministry you want to do?

Philippians 4:19, ‘But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’

What advice do you have to help us keep things in perspective?





We spoke of poverty and we spoke of abundance.
We withhold certain things from our children
Until they have proven to us they are ready to be trusted.
Is the Lord possibly treating us the same way?

Are there blessings right around the corner and
We just have to mature a little to be worthy of receiving them?
Are we praying for things that will bring us glory and honor?
Do we trust Him to make things right in the end?


James 4:3, ‘Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.’

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