“Hardship's Help, Prosperity's Peril”

Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Oct.9, 2005  Play video

Aren't You Forgetting Something?

•    shame to omit part of meal, or forget important event

Our Real Resource: Good Land or Godly Living?

•    Canada a very enviable place to live
•    a ‘good land' with water, wheat, minerals, lack nothing (7-10)
•    don't live on bread alone, but God's word; don't set heart on food (3; Lk 12:29,23)
•    God gives ability to produce wealth, examines whether we obey (18; Jer 17:10)
•    reward comes from faith in God, not consumer lifestyle (Heb 11:6; 10:38)

The Peril of Prosperity: Affluenza's Alzheimers

•    satisfied - heart proud - forget God - danger of destruction (12ff, 17, 19f)
•    warning from example of previous inhabitants (Gen 15:16)
•    other proud boasters humbled: Ephraim, Assyria, Nebuchadnezzar (Hos 12:8; Is 10:8ff; Dan 4:30)
•    eccentric H Green millionaire but victim of her own stinginess
•    futile to bustle about heaping up wealth (Ps 39:6)

The Valuable Lesson of Daily Deliverance

•    humble circumstances can make one rich in faith (Jas 1:9, 2:5)
•    God supplied Israel's needs, protected through desert wanderings (3f; 15)
•    hardship discipline / testing to strengthen us (5, 16, 18; Php 4:13)
•    trusting for daily bread helps us not disown God (Prov 30:8f)
•    God cares for us, honours humble contentment (Jas 4:6,10; 1Pet 5:6f; Heb 13:5)

Give Thanks – for Fleas?!

•    Corrie ten Boom & sister learn to give thanks in all circumstances: bugs had hidden benefits

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