The Limitation of Wealth

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>The Limitation of Wealth</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id229.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Being Slow to Vow and Quick to Keep It"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id230.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Advice for Making the Most of Life"><U><B><IMG SRC="008151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>“The Limitation of Wealth,” Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:9, Berean Bible Church, Oct 14, 2001am</B></div> <bR> <div>      William Bulger said, "Money is not happiness, yet for at least a brief time it can offer a delightfully close imitation." What is the role of wealth and what money buys, in our search for satisfaction? Does it help?</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Problem: Even the wealthy experience a lack of satisfaction.</B></div> <div> Eccl 5:8-9 is a picture of powerful people driven by greed (5:8-9).</div> <div> A. Those who love wealth will never be satisfied with it (5:10-17).</div> <div> B. Wealth has no meaning if it is not enjoyed with contentment (6:1-6). Typically, living a long life and having many kids was considered the height of prosperity. These verses describe a man who had both long life and lots of kids, along with wealth. Yet he was never satisfied.</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Solution: Pursue contentment as a gift from God (5:18-20; 6:7-9).</B></div> <div>      The issue is not wealth, it is contentment. If we think we could be content by having just a little more, we are wrong (How much is enough? “Just a little more” is always the answer).</div> <div>      In Philippians 4:11-13, The Apostle Paul said,  “I learned how to be content.” Whether you have a little or a lot isn’t the point. You can be content with either or discontent with either. Find contentment in God, no matter how much you have.</div> <bR> <div> <B>III. Some Action Steps</B></div> <div> A. Pursue a simplicity of lifestyle.</div> <div> B. Enter into debt carefully and prayerfully. Our credit card use reflects our society’s need for instant gratification. Be very careful and very prayerful.</div> <div> C. Cultivate habit of thankfulness every day.</div> <div> D. Give generously. Giving breaks the hold money and greed have on you.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2001, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>