How to Honor God with Wealth

Primary Text:

Proverbs 3:9-10 - “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; [10] then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”

Listening Guide

Principles from Proverbs on Money

1. Money and the way you relate to it matters to the Lord.
2. Our character is revealed by money. 
3. We must honor the Lord with money, not dishonor Him.
4. Pursue Jesus (wisdom) not wealth.

Additional Texts:

1 Timothy 6:17-19 - “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. [18] They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, [19] thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

Matthew 6:19–34 - “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, [20] but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. [22] “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, [23] but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! [24] “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. [25] “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? [26] Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? [27] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [28] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, [29] yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [30] But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ [32] For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. [33] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. [34] “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Resources used:

• "The Book of Proverbs" Bruce K. Waltke, New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 
• “Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Proverbs” commentary by Daniel L. Akin and Jonathan Akin
• “Find More Money” chapter 3: “God’s Purpose for Money” and chapter 4: “God’s Purpose for Work” by Art Rainer
• “The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn

As many proverbs on money, wealth, etc. that I could find:

1. Proverbs 3:9-10 - “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; [10] then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.”
2. Proverbs 6:6-11 - “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. [7] Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, [8] she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. [9] How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? [10] A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, [11] and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
3. Proverbs 8:18 - “Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.”
4. Proverbs 10:1-5 - “[1] The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. [2] Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death. [3] The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but he thwarts the craving of the wicked. [4] A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. [5] He who gathers in summer is a prudent son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame.”
5. Proverbs 10:15-16 - “A rich man’s wealth is his strong city; the poverty of the poor is their ruin. [16] The wage of the righteous leads to life, the gain of the wicked to sin.”
6. Proverbs 11:4 - “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.”
7. Proverbs 11:7 - “When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.”
8. Proverbs 11:18 - “The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.”
9. Proverbs 11:24 - “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”
10. Proverbs 11:28 - “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.”
11. Proverbs 12:11 - “Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense.”
12. Proverbs 12:27 - “Whoever is slothful will not roast his game, but the diligent man will get precious wealth.” 
13. Proverbs 13:7-8 - “One pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. [8] The ransom of a man’s life is his wealth, but a poor man hears no threat.” 
14. Proverbs 13:11 - “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.”
15. Proverbs 14:20 - “The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends.”
16. Proverbs 14:21 - “Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.”
17. Proverbs 14:31 - “Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.”
18. Proverbs 15:6 - “In the house of the righteous there is much treasure, but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.”
19. Proverbs 15:16-17 - “Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. [17] Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it.”
20. Proverbs 15:27 - “Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live.”
21. Proverbs 16:8 - “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice.”
22. Proverbs 16:16 - “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
23. Proverbs 16:19 - “It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.”
24. Proverbs 17:5 - “Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.”
25. Proverbs 17:8 - “A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of the one who gives it; wherever he turns he prospers.”
26. Proverbs 17:16 - “Why should a fool have money in his hand to buy wisdom when he has no sense?”
27. Proverbs 17:23 - “The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.”
28. Proverbs 18:10–12 - “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. [11] A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, and like a high wall in his imagination. [12] Before destruction a man’s heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.”
29. Proverbs 18:23 - “The poor use entreaties, but the rich answer roughly.”
30. Proverbs 19:1 - “Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.”
31. Proverbs 19:4 - “Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend.”
32. Proverbs 19:6 - “Many seek the favor of a generous man, and everyone is a friend to a man who gives gifts.”
33. Proverbs 19:7 - “All a poor man’s brothers hate him; how much more do his friends go far from him! He pursues them with words, but does not have them.”
34. Proverbs 19:17 - “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed.”
35. Proverbs 19:22 - “What is desired in a man is steadfast love, and a poor man is better than a liar.”
36. Proverbs 20:15–17 - “There is gold and abundance of costly stones, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. [16] Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners. [17] Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel.”
37. Proverbs 20:21 - “An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.”
38. Proverbs 21:5 - “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”
39. Proverbs 21:6 - “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.”
40. Proverbs 21:17 - “Whoever loves pleasure will be a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not be rich.”
41. Proverbs 21:20 - “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.”
42. Proverbs 21:25–27 - “The desire of the sluggard kills him, for his hands refuse to labor. [26] All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back. [27] The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more when he brings it with evil intent.”
43. Proverbs 22:1–2 - “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. [2] The rich and the poor meet together; the LORD is the Maker of them all.”
44. Proverbs 22:4 - “The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.”
45. Proverbs 22:7 - “The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
46. Proverbs 22:9 - “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.”
47. Proverbs 22:16 - “Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.”
48. Proverbs 23:4-5 - “Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. [5] When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.”
49. Proverbs 23:6-8 - “Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy; do not desire his delicacies, [7] for he is like one who is inwardly calculating. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you. [8] You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten, and waste your pleasant words.”
50. Proverbs 25:14 - “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.”
51. Proverbs 27:23–27 - “Know well the condition of your flocks, and give attention to your herds, [24] for riches do not last forever; and does a crown endure to all generations? [25] When the grass is gone and the new growth appears and the vegetation of the mountains is gathered, [26] the lambs will provide your clothing, and the goats the price of a field. [27] There will be enough goats’ milk for your food, for the food of your household and maintenance for your girls.”
52. Proverbs 28:6 - “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.”
53. Proverbs 28:8 - “Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.”
54. Proverbs 28:20 - “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”
55. Proverbs 28:22 - “A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.”
56. Proverbs 28:27 - “Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.”
57. Proverbs 29:3 - “He who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.”
58. Proverbs 30:7–9 - “Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: [8] Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, [9] lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.”
59. Ecclesiastes 5:10 - “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.”
60. Ecclesiastes 5:13-17 - “There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, [14] and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. [15] As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. [16] This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? [17] Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.”