Key Verses – Matthew 25:14 - “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 
1 Corinthians 4:2 - Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
 
a prudent spender IS A WISE SAVER 2ND.  *God calls us to save wisely while avoiding hoarding.
 
1● Cultural messages
A○ If you have it, spend it; you don’t have it, spend it anyway.     B○ It is futile and unnecessary to save.
 
2● The Mind and Heart of God
A○ It is wise to save
Proverbs 6:6-8 - 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!  7 It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, 8 yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.  Proverbs 30:25 - Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
Proverbs 21:20 - The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
 
B○ It is foolish, even sinful to hoard
Luke 12:16-21 - 16 And he (Jesus) told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’  18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’  20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
 
3● The Wise Saver - one who builds, preserves, and invests with discernment.
 
A○ Why God wants us to save:
1■ To provide for ourselves and others in time of need
Genesis 41:28-36 - 28 “It is just as I (Joseph) said to Pharaoh: God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do. 29 Seven years of great abundance are coming throughout the land of Egypt, 30 but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land. 31 The abundance in the land will not be remembered, because the famine that follows it will be so severe. 32 The reason the dream was given to Pharaoh in two forms is that the matter has been firmly decided by God, and God will do it soon.
33 “And now let Pharaoh look for a discerning and wise man and put him in charge of the land of Egypt. 34 Let Pharaoh appoint commissioners over the land to take a fifth of the harvest of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. 35 They should collect all the food of these good years that are coming and store up the grain under the authority of Pharaoh, to be kept in the cities for food. 36 This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine.”
 
2■ Difficulties will come – it’s not if but when
John 16:33 - “I (Jesus) have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”     James 1:2 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
 
B○ How God wants us to save:
1■ Diligently.     Proverbs 10:4 - Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth. 
Proverbs 20:4 - Sluggards do not plow in season; so at harvest time they look but find nothing.
 
C○ Saving is for everyone.
 
1■ For those struggling financially: Start somewhere.
A● Start by establishing the discipline of saving, even if just a little     B● Ask God to bless this discipline and enable you to save
C● Focus on emergency saving – short term, for time of need
2■ For those with means: Save with purpose.
A● Save appropriately for both short-term and long-term goals     B● Consider saving for the purpose of giving
C● Watch out for hoarding – stockpiling beyond needs or using goals as excuses to build “bigger barns”.
 
1○ Trust in God rather than worldly wealth for security.
1 Timothy 6:17 - Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
2○ Answer the question, “When is enough, enough?”
Ecclesiastes 5:10 - Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless.
 
Here’s What I Want us To Do this WEEK
1.  Commit to Save Wisely, while Avoiding Hoarding. 
 
2.  Do the Daily Devotions & Assignments for Week 5 – Wise Saver in the FreedUp App.