Life, Money, Hope Part 4

The Way Out of the Mess

Exodus 35:21 – and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved
them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of
meeting…

Exodus 36:3-7 – And the people continued to bring freewill offerings
morning after morning. So all the skilled workers … said to Moses, “The
people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the Lord
commanded to be done.” And so the people were restrained from bringing
more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the
work.

How Do We Get in the Mess?

Luke 15:11-16 – “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one
said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided
his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got
together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his
wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe
famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and
hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to
feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were
eating, but no one gave him anything.”

1. We .

2. We engage in behavior.

3. We from those who can help.

4. We find ourselves in a .

Psalm 88:8 (TLB) – You have made my friends to loathe me, and they have
gone away. I am in a trap with no way out.

Psalm 34:18 (GN) – The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he sees
those who have lost all hope.

Luke 15:17-20 – “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my
father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!
I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned
against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your
son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his
father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was
filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around
him and kissed him.”

1. Acknowledge the of where you are.

Psalm 51:1,5-6 – Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing
love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions…
Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts.

2. Develop a .

3. Humbly  our Heavenly Father .

1 Peter 5:5-7 – “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift
you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

4. Do it .

Proverbs 6:10-11 (NLT) – A little extra sleep, a little more slumber, a
little folding of the hands to rest—then poverty will pounce on you like a
bandit; scarcity will attack you like an armed robber.