"Restless" A Christians Investment Plan

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 The Christians Investment Plan

Future investments are a big source of restlessness

Before we talk about investment as far as finances are concerned, we cannot forget that first and foremost we need to invest in our personal spiritual lives and into the lives of others.
We can’t get consumed with money and forget those issues

The Bible teaches four principles about our finances
1. Give 2. Provide for needs 3. Do good with 4. Invest

The passage we are in tonight has much to do financial investment.
Your decisions now will determine your future joy

Investment Principles

Vrs 1- Willingness to let go (this is a principle not only with investment but with finances in general)

Vrs 2 – Diversify- Invest wisely in many different places because you do not know what will provide for you.

Solomon is saying diversify, we need to do many different things with our money What should we invest in? This is not a financial seminar but I will say this, invest in things that appreciate in value. (generally speaking) Home, retirement plans and college funds. Also invest in things that you will not lose and will work for you, like education. Wise use of money

Vrs 3 Work with what you have. God gives and we are called to be faithful, not make excuses for why we cannot do things but accept the fact that we cannot or can do certain things. Rather then say “if I had” say “with what I have”

Things happen in life that we have little or no control over, so our response should be deal with the consequences of the risk and understand that God sheds grace on us.

Vrs 4-5 Don’t obsess We spend much time trying to figure out what will happen and in that time we may be missing out on what is happening or needs to happen. This is the person who is so afraid of risk they hang onto everything.
Parable of the talents is a great illustration of this Matt 25:14-30

If you obsess, money becomes an idol, and become like the servant who buried the talent. “I need to protect this” You protect that money to your own detriment

Pitfalls when you obsess…
-Greed - we want to keep all our money for the future
-Pride – you start to feel like you are so wise and smart
-False security - Because you have everything taken care of, you feel a sense of invincibility.
When I was 23 I started a retirement plan

V 5 We don’t always need to understand everything to do what God calls us to do. And let go of the things we have and trust Him with the outcome

Vrs 6-Be diligent to attend to the ventures that you pursue and be patient with bearing the fruit of it. Don’t be deceived by get rich quick schemes

Vrs 7-8 Enjoy but prepare. Good times are good but don’t forget that you need to have some degree of planning for the bad and also you will need to make plans for your future income.

Remember you are going to get old and who will take care of you? “Days of darkness” when you are unable to provide for yourself.

Also remember that death is imminent what are you doing spiritual as a preparation for death GOSPEL Jesus invested in you, what return is He reaping from you?

The return of investments will come in many different forms.
1. Eternal Rewards The Believer’s Payday By Benware

2. Temporal rewards, the fruit of investments
If you invest wisely you can do more good. The good you do will bear fruit.

3. Spiritual rewards… fruit, when we invest in others
You are called to give to the Lord’s Work. Why do you think our church has…children’s programs, youth programs, mops, we expect a return, not in a business sense, that is why we need to wisely invest in what provides the best return

Don’t…miss present opportunities
Vrs 9 Don’t get to the point in which you miss opportunities because you are so consumed with the future. Being a youth leader at MBC

Some of you older people here spend so much time thinking about and preparing for the future that you ignore the present

Vrs 10
-wallowing in a bad decision, or the unexpected happened
-spend time doing evil
Some of you young people here blow off good things or don’t have time for good things because you are spending your time on your own pleasure and in many cases to your own detriment.

-stunt your growth (Paul said “when I was a child”)