Wednesday Night Prayer and Bible Study

is on summer hiatus until September 2010.

Check back in late August for the exact date when we'll resume.

Bible Study is held at the church every Wednesday evening, 7:15-8:15pm.

If you are not able to join us in person, please use our conference line to call in live and participate in the discussion.

Dial in 712-432-6139 (code is 247467)

June 23, 2010

UJAMAA  (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own churches (this is my addition), stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

No one lives in a vacuum.  We all live in communities of some sort.  Even if we live in the forest by ourselves we are connected to the animals, trees and vegetation that surround us.  It is important for us to understand the effect, both positive and negative, that we have on the communities and life systems that surround us.  This month we will look at the economic systems that affect our community. This refers to the church and the community at large.  The Bible is clear about how we as believers should use our financial resources to effect our communities.  From communal type living, giving of tithes and offerings and even to how we should save and invest our money, the Bible speaks.  Let us listen and respond to the Still Speaking Voice of God that is helping the church to address our economy both within and without the church.

Read the scripture text to the right and answer the following questions: 

1. From what socio-economic perspective does the author convey wisdom? 

2. What do you think about these selective sayings?  Are they true or not? 

3. What is the view of the poor versus the prosperous?  

4. What truths coming from these texts need to be conveyed to the community at large? 

5. How is giving portrayed in these texts? 

6. What will you do differently after reading these texts?

Proverbs

Proverbs 3:9-10, 10:2-5, 15-16, 22

^3:9Honor the Lord with your substance
and with the first fruits of all your produce;
¹⁰then your barns will be filled with plenty,
and your vats will be bursting with wine.

 10:²Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,
but righteousness delivers from death.
³The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,
but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.
⁴A slack hand causes poverty,
but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
⁵A child who gathers in summer is prudent,
but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.

^10:15The wealth of the rich is their fortress;
the poverty of the poor is their ruin.
¹⁶The wage of the righteous leads to life,
the gain of the wicked to sin.
²²The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
and he adds no sorrow with it.

Proverbs 11:24-26, 28, 13:7-8, 11, 22, 14:9, 20-21, 23, 31

^11:24Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;
others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.
²⁵A generous person will be enriched,
and one who gives water will get water.
²⁶The people curse those who hold back grain,
but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.

^11:28Those who trust in their riches will wither,
but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

^13:7Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing;
others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.
⁸Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,
but the poor get no threats.

^13:11Wealth hastily gotten will dwindle,
but those who gather little by little will increase it.

^13:22The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,
but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

^14:9Fools mock at the guilt offering,
but the upright enjoy God’s favor.

^14:20The poor are disliked even by their neighbors,
but the rich have many friends.
²¹Those who despise their neighbors are sinners,
but happy are those who are kind to the poor.

^14:23In all toil there is profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
^14:31Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but those who are kind to the needy honor him.

The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved

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