Introduction

Hello everyone! Let's continue to study Proverbs 13. If I collect and organize all the information I researched for Proverbs and then put it together, I will name this book “The Fear of God is the Beginning of Wisdom.” Everyone wants to live a better life, but in the end, they live like beasts. Why? Because whatever someone focuses on determines where they go. Some people blindly go until they are fifty or sixty years old and wonder how they got here. But isn't it the path they chose?
How a person wants to live is determined by their own choices, and it is their own choices that have led to today's results. The theme of this chapter is that “the attitude towards money is the defining factor between wisdom and ignorance.”
Why did I choose this theme? Let me tell you, guys. One characteristic of my sermons is that, after listening to them, everyone can apply what they learn to their lives. You will find that every time I go through a sermon, I will share many stories, especially examples of things that have happened in real life. A person's attitude towards money is the defining factor between wisdom and ignorance, between the wicked and the skilled. And it also determines the outcome of a person's life. If you read Proverbs Chapter 13, you will find many passages related to money.

A person's attitude towards money determines the outcome of their life.

A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not respond to rebukes. (Proverbs13:1, NIV)
This passage says that the child should listen to his father's teaching. Because usually, fathers teach their children to be happy and normal people. No father will give bad things and teachings to their children, intentionally leading them to crooked or evil paths, unless the father is a very bad person. But anyone with knowledge will lead their children to the right path.
When I was in elementary school, I liked to go to school with my neighbor's child. Once I saw him kneeling on the washboard with a rolling pin in his hand, and it hurt even to watch. Later, when I asked, I heard that he had stolen someone else's money. Why did the parents punish this child? Because they knew that this behavior would cause extremely profound damage to the child's future. Later on, my classmate did not deteriorate because he followed his father's lesson.
If my classmate thought at that time that he stole money for the sake of the whole family, Why did his parents still beat him? This attitude was not right.
A sister among us has been a believer for over a decade. She was a money lover. However, she has shown a strong love for money, and her entire demeanor reflects an obsession with wealth. The more people look down on her, the more she thinks about making money. She thinks that in the future if she has money, others won't look down on her. When she had money, I asked her to follow me and believe in God. She didn't do. When she owed a lot of debt, she believed in God. I think if she continues to have money, she will still be a slacker and won't listen.
Rich people are generally very stupid and don't listen to anything. Those who can listen are truly smart people. Some people say that stupidity has other reasons, but actually, it all depends on money. The wars in this world are also closely related to money. For example, there is oil underground, and oil can be sold for money. The competition for money has made people fight with each other. If people always want to give money to others, there will definitely be no conflict or war.
From the fruit of their lips people enjoy good things, but the unfaithful have an appetite for violence. (Proverbs 13:2, NIV)

If everything a person says is humble and gentle, can they not be blessed? The reason why the wicked man will be treacherous is because they do everything for money and benefits.
Fighting each other is all about money. The first two World Wars were fought for money, and the third one will be fought for money. Money has made people sacrifice a lot, and some people have sacrificed their lives for money.
There is a saying: "No business without deceit, no official without greed." Although it is unfair to all businessmen, there is a reason why everyone says so. The most important thing for a couple to agree on during a divorce is how to divide the money between them. What they think about in their heads is money. It is rare to hear of a divorce agreement that says everything should be given to the other partner. If this has happened, there would be no need for a divorce in the first place.

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. (Proverbs 13:3-4, NIV)

You will find that things are all related to each other. There is a man who is very greedy for money but cannot obtain it. He was watching Tiktok while others were farming and harvesting. But can he eat Tiktok while other is eating and drinking? If he can't get money, then he will hate the rich. In this world, whether one is poor or wealthy, some are spiritually minded and some are focused on worldly matters. There is also a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, and the determining factor is their attitude toward money and wealth!

The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked make themselves a stench and bring shame on themselves. (Proverbs 13:5)

If someone is generous and always wants to give money to others, will he be a wicked man? If he always wants to bless others, he will be like Abraham. if someone is greedy for money and wants to take advantage of everyone's advantages, will he have a good reputation? If you want to have a good reputation, remember not to love money so much.

Righteousness guards the person of integrity.""But wickedness overthrows the sinner. (Proverbs 13:6, NIV)

Those who commit crimes are doing it solely for money, and some die just for money and food.

One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. (Proverbs 13:7, NIV)

Some people just want to pretend to be wealthy, wearing a fake gold chain. But in reality, they have nothing. This is a problem caused by their mentality. Once, a sister brought an expensive bag and left it on my desk when she came. Later, someone told me that this bag was worth a few thousand dollars. She thought that it was important for her not to take that bag because it could help her build a good reputation. I don’t know how much this bag is worth because it likes a regular bag. She told me, “I bought it for 2000 yuan.” I replied, “Who would spend 2000 yuan on such a bag? There are some bags in the store that only cost 100 yuan; aren’t those fine?” I made her very angry. She just pretended to be rich in front of me.
If you observe, those who are rich don't want people to know that they are rich, but those who don't have too much money like to act like they have money. They want to pretend to have wisdom because they do not like being labeled as nouveau riche. But they can't pretend because their stupidity is exposed as soon as they speak.

A person’s riches may ransom their life, but the poor cannot respond to threatening rebukes. (Proverbs 13:8, NIV)

A truly wealthy person doesn't show off their wealth because, if they do, they might be kidnapped and have to pay a ransom to live. What would you do if you didn’t have money to pay for your life? In the end, it's the money that causes trouble, because money cannot replace life.

The blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it. (Proverbs 10:22, NIV)

I like God’s blessings. If God is my protection, nobody can hurt me. If God is with me, people who want to harm me will walk past, but they will not see me. They can't get anything from me. If someone wants to kill me, let them do it. I will thank them because I have been waiting for this day for a long time already.
If a person has money but does not have God, the money will become the ransom for their life. Brothers and sisters, we should know that our attitude towards money should be: we will be happy whether we have money or not. The most important thing is to shape ourselves into people who can create value. People like me, whether they have money or not, cannot be hungry because they are all covered in treasures and they have a very wise brain. This is something you should envy because the things in my head are different from those in yours. So everyone must become knowledgeable, intelligent, and wise. For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord God is the beginning of wisdom.

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out. (Proverbs 13:9, NIV)

Whether a person's life can emit light is closely related to their attitude towards money. A person who loves money can't emit light, but rather the stench of copper. And such a person cannot become a shining light. The most deadly thing is to waste a lifetime chasing money. In the end, the money wasn’t lawfully earned. But you only have one life, you can’t live again.

Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10, NIV)

Listening to advice does indeed lead to wisdom. People are proud of whatever they have.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12, NIV)

People will be sad if they are unable to obtain what they desire. What I least desire is to become a wealthy person. If a person has knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom, money is a very small thing. That is why I have repeatedly reminded brothers and sisters to become wise individuals.

Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow. (Proverbs 13:11, NIV)

If you work hard and are very talented, then you are an asset to the company, and such people will not lack money. Some people may say I told them to work hard, so they worked hard. But has their attitude towards money changed? You can't focus solely on money. The key to life is to receive God's blessings. Without blessings, someone can not do a good job, and they will have to work very hard. Don't rely on wealth that was not hard-earned. You guys can see that those who win money in the lottery won’t live well.

The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death. (Proverbs13:14, NIV)

The snare of the devil often looks like a good chance. One sister told me that there was a good investment opportunity. I reminded her to be careful, but she felt she could not let it go. After a while, she did not mention it again. Later on, it was discovered that she lost three million yuan. The scams often disguise themselves very well and look like great opportunities. Therefore, brothers and sisters, we must be wise. We must follow the laws of the wise, and we should not be greedy for money either. Whether it’s a scam or an opportunity, don’t take it

Good judgment wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction. (Proverbs 13:15, NIV)

Who is a wicked person? It is those who are obsessed with pursuing money. And a lot of people's attitude towards money is like this.

All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly. (Proverbs 13:16, NIV)

Look at the current class reunion. It seems like everyone has a lot of money. Who knows if they are truly rich or burdened with debt? Nobody wants to be looked down upon by others. During one of our class reunions, a classmate approached me and said, "I am telling you, you shouldn't preach." I replied, "I am not preaching. I simply teach people to become wise." I have blessed a lot of people.

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing. (Proverbs 13:17, NIV)

What is wickedness? What is loyalty? Those who are not tempted by money are faithful, but those who are tempted by money are wicked. For example, if you are a soldier, defending an invading foreign army. If the other party asks you to rebel and surrender by offering 100,000 dollars. Would you surrender? If you go, will they really give you the money? Whether this person is wicked or righteous depends on whether they are tempted by money or not. If I didn’t care about this money, I wouldn't rebel and would be a wicked person.

Whoever disregards discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. (Proverbs 13:18, NIV)
If you reject discipline, not only will you face poverty, but you will also experience shame. A person of honor will never be lacking in money.

A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil. (Proverbs 13:19, NIV)

Human hearts are driven by desires, and if that desire is for wealth and it is fulfilled, you will feel a sense of sweetness within. However, if it remains unfulfilled, that desire can tempt you to become a wicked person. You may not even realize that it is an evil act and mistakenly perceive it as something good.

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. (Proverbs 13:20, NIV)

If you want to bless people and do things that please God, you will be on the road to wisdom, and you will praise God. Some people just want to make bad friends, then they get scammed. Why are people foolish? Because they love money. When they have a chance to take your money, they will take it. Isn’t it dangerous to be around them? If you are friends with a wise and righteous person, you will be blessed.

Trouble pursues the sinner, but the righteous are rewarded with good things. (Proverbs 13:21, NIV)

God decides our fate. If God does not like someone, he will send disaster to follow them. But those who follow God will receive his blessing.

A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. (Proverbs 13:22 , NIV)

What are inheritances? Inheritances are assets. There are assets and debts in the financial balance sheet. Debts are the money you owe, while assets are what earns you money every day. Therefore, the righteous leave inheritances for their children, but the wicked accumulate money for the righteous. You will find that the money in the hands of the wicked is prepared for those favored by God. Do not assume that poor people have a better attitude towards money. In fact, it is not very good.

An unplowed field produces food for the poor, but injustice sweeps it away. Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them. (Proverbs 13:23-24, NIV)

Discipline what? The most important thing is to discipline someone's attitude towards money.

The righteous eat to their hearts’ content, but the stomachs of the wicked go hungry.(Proverbs 13:25, NIV)

Loving money doesn't guarantee that you will have money, and not wanting cancer doesn't mean you won't get it. If someone wants money but has no money, their life will be very bad. But if someone fears God, God will provide food for that man. If someone loves money, they will become evil, and an evil man will go hungry without food. An evil person starves, but someone who praises God will not lack anything. The outcome can be completely different for those who seek to please God and those who provoke His anger. For me, I will try my best to be a person who pleases God, even if it means giving my life for it.

We need to change our attitude toward money

One time a pastor came to me because another pastor he knew had cancer, and the cancer has already started spreading. He asked me if I could serve him. Of course I wanted to serve him, but under one condition: that I want to remove the garbage from his head. If you are a cancer patient, I don’t want to humiliate you. I want you to be cured. But I also want to get rid of the garbage in yours.
If someone pleased God and became a righteous person in front of him, would God give him cancer, poverty, or disasters? I didn’t see this in the Bible. So, brothers and sisters, it is important for us to be awake and become wise individuals.
Frankly speaking, I don’t like to serve pastors, but I still did it. Why? Because I want them to turn away from their sins. They have already been cursed, and they are currently living under it. It is going to be hard to pull them out of the curse because they dislike hearing the word "curse".
Why do pastors have cancer? Because the things they preach don’t line up with what God’s word says. We can refute them with just one phrase: How many of them are like Jesus? They don’t do and practice what Jesus did. And they do a lot of things Jesus didn't do. How can they be like Jesus?
Brothers and sisters, you need to wake up. You have to realize that the dirtiest thing is in your brain. If these people realize that everything they did in their past years was bad, things will be easier, and I can serve them better. So, we need to seek wisdom and not be foolish. Let me tell you, many pastors say they do not love money, but in their hearts, they do. Also, a lot of pastors are very lazy. I am afraid that other pastors are going to lash out at me, saying, “It’s just you that got it right.” No, I am not right; I am still seeking the truth and making it right.
Do you think that I don’t know that money can buy a really good computer or a lot of good food? Of course, I do! But I don’t use money like this; the food I eat is the cheapest, and my life is also very simple. I don't wear expensive clothes, watches, or jewelry. But I can keep all of my tools and materials tidy. I am a very simple person; I don’t spend a lot of money, but I have money. In my heart, there is just one thing: I just want to be like Jesus and spread God’s word. I want to spread Mingding to everyone

Summary:

Trusting in the Lord, you will lack no good thing. This world has too many cravings, and the teachings of this world are very corrupt; they do not even follow God’s word. So brothers and sisters, become smart people with me; be someone who is wise and pleases God. You have to change your attitude toward money. You should know that money can’t solve a lot of problems.
Rather, it is our God that can solve a lot of problems. So you must realize that you need to follow and rely on God. If you please God, you will be a wise, knowledgeable, and favorable person, and you will lack no good thing.

May God bless you all!