The Valley Of Necessity

Temple Baptist Church - 2-9-2020

Philippians 4:10-19

Introduction: 

A.  The message for this morning may require more than one service but I feel that it is one of great importance to us all.  Finances!

B.  We live in a materialistic world and the lust of the eye associated with it is devastating many of our families.  When I was young, we did not have much to “lust” after.  No mass advertisements or TV commercials, no “Wally World” to walk through.  Not much peer pressure because none of us kids had a lot to look at.  We traded comic books and shot marbles, played with sticks and cans, and did not have the money or the wherewithal to travel much.  Things are so different today.

C.  We live in a day of two income families that have taken the mother out of the house.  Virtually every mom on our block was a “stay at home mom” back in the day.  Today, most of our mothers are “locked in” to have to work.  Their family lifestyle demand that debts be incurred. 

D.  Many families suffer a breakup because of the stress of monumental debt caused by “keeping up with the Joneses.”

E.  God has a biblical plan for finances and those who remain within these bounds are both satisfied and happy.

F.  In verse 16, Paul uses the word (under inspiration of the Holy Ghost) “necessity.” 

1.  Something that is necessary, a requirement, a place of destitution, a lack thereof.  “A day late a and dollar short!”

2.  As one preacher put it, you go down one side of the street paying bills and down the other side apologizing.  The next week, you just do the opposite.

3.  There are times in the lives of most of us when the “BARREL IS WASTED!”

4.  The “prosperity preachers” may disagree but the Bible declares it to be so.

5.  Thus, the Valley of Necessity is a real valley that most of us will face sooner or later.

G.  It would do us well to realize that there are two types of Valleys of Necessity:

1.  Personally Designed Valleys Of Necessity - Luke 15:13-14  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. (Valleys that we create that bring about financial disaster.)

2.  Providentially Designed Valleys Of Necessity - Philippians 4:10-13  But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  (These are valleys of God’s design and He is teaching us through them.)

H.  I want to look at the Valleys of Necessity.

THE PERSONALLY DESIGNED VALLEY OF NECESSITY.

1.  Some Causes Of The Valley Of Necessity (The self-induced valley)

a.  Laziness - Proverbs 6:6-11  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:  Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,  Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.  How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?  Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:  So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.  (Just too lazy and trifling to earn a living.)

Proverbs 20:13  Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

2 Thessalonians 3:10-13  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

b.  Selfishness - Proverbs 11:24  There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

Ecclesiastes 5:13  There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

Ephesians 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.  (Only think of themselves.)

c.  Hardheadedness - Proverbs 13:18  Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.  (Some people never learn and will not take financial advice from the Bible or from others.)

d.  Discontentment - Proverbs 23:21  For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.  (Running up excessive debts for all the wrong reasons.)

e.  Keeping The Wrong Company - Proverbs 28:19  He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.  (Spending time with people who have money and trying to live like them.  “A rich man is rich because he lives as if he were poor; a poor man is poor because he lives as if he were rich!”)

f.  God Robbing! - Malachi 3:8-12  Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.  Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.  And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.  (This valley may be because you have robbed God!)

2.  Some Lessons From The Valley Of Poverty (The self induced valley)

a.  Learn To Be Content With A Little Less Instead Of A Lot More - Proverbs 30:8  Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:  VS. 1 Timothy 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.  (This valley may be because you overspend!)

b.  Learn To Tithe Your Income And Give A Love Offering - Mark 12:42-44  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.  And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:  For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Leviticus 27:30  And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’S: it is holy unto the LORD.

c.  Learn How To Have A Plan To Get Out Of Debt, Not In Debt - Romans 13:8  Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  (You must get out of debt the same way that you got into debt – one dollar at a time!)

THE PROVIDENTIALLY DESIGNED VALLEY OF NECESSITY.

1.  The Cause Of The Valley Of Necessity (The providential valley)

a.  This Is Not A Valley Of Your Making.  Sometimes the valley is caused by physical problems; sometimes the valley is caused by job loss; sometimes the valley is caused - Proverbs 30:8-9  Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:  Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. (Our prayer is for daily bread, not riches or poverty)

b.  This Is A Valley Of God’s Providence - Philippians 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.  (This state was God’s place for Paul)

c.  This Is a Valley Of God’s Purpose - Philippians 4:15-16  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.  For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.  (It took away Paul’s pride, as he was helped, and tested the love of the brethren who gave to him.)

2.  The Lessons Of The Providentially Designed Valley Of Necessity.

a.  Learn To Put Your Trust In God And Not In Uncertain Riches - 1 Timothy 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Proverbs 23:5  Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

Philippians 4:19  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Psalms 23:1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalms 84:11  For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

Matthew 6:25-34  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O ye of little faith?  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

b.  Learn To Let The Money Be Your Servant, Not The Master – Matthew 6:24  No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

c.  Learn To Place Monetary Things In A Right Perspective - Luke 16:11  If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  (Money is a tool to be used, not an end to be sought.)

d.  Learn To Walk By Faith And Not Be Sight - 1 Timothy 6:8  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Philippians 4:11  Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

            1 Timothy 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.

e.  Learn That Little Is Much When God Is In It - 2 Corinthians 8:2  How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

f.  Learn To Chose Right Over Riches – Hebrews 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

Proverbs 22:1  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold

Proverbs 11:28  He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

g.  Learn That Riches Are Temporal And, Therefore Passing - Proverbs 27:24  For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every generation?

h.  Learn That Riches Will Not Satisfy - Ecclesiastes 4:8  There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

i.  Learn That Prosperity Is Not Measured In The Things That A Man Possesses - Luke 12:15-21  And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

j.  Learn That God Will Meet Your Needs And Everything You Want Is Not A Need - 1 Timothy 6:6  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.