Proverbs 10:3 (Mini Sermon)

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1.      Pro 10:3 – “The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.”

1. The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish:
2. Suffer v. – II. To tolerate, allow. 12. trans. To endure the existence, presence, or activity of (a person); to bear with, put up with, tolerate. 13. a. To allow (a thing) to be done, exist, or take place; to allow to go on without interference or objection, put up with, tolerate.
3. Famish v. – 1. trans. To reduce to the extremities of famine and hunger; to starve.

iii.    This verse is teaching us that God will not allow righteous people to starve.

1. Notice what the verse does not
2. It does not say that God will not allow the wicked to starve.
3. It does not say that God will not allow the righteous to suffer deprivation such as not having their own house, a nice car(s) (or any car), nice clothes, a smartphone, a computer, the internet, TV, toys, modern conveniences, etc.
4. It doesn’t say that God will not allow the righteous to go without steak dinners or eating out.
5. The LORD will provide for the basic needs of His faithful children (Psa 34:9-10; Psa 37:19, 25; Psa 55:22; Isa 41:17; Mat 6:31-34).
6. This is especially true of those faithful Christians who support God’s ministers (Php 4:19 c/w Php 4:14-18; 1Ki 17:13-16).

vii.  A caveat

1. It’s critical to remember one important thing with reference to Pro 10:3 and all the other verses in the Bible which promise that God will provide for our needs.
2. We must trust God to provide for our needs like He has promised, but we must also do everything that God has commanded us to do to provide for ourselves and our futures.
3. We must not tempt God by doing little or nothing to provide for our own needs and then expect Him to provide for us (Mat 4:5-7).
4. For example:

(i)     I trusted God to provide for my family’s needs when I moved to Missouri to pastor the Excelsior Springs Church when it only had eight members.

(ii)   But I also got a second job for a year when I needed to make ends meet.

(iii) I started a business for the same purpose.

(iv) When God saw that my faith was demonstrated by works, He saw fit to provide for my family’s needs through the ministry alone.

(v)   The very same thing happened during the first year that I pastored the Minneapolis Church.

1. Such promises as Pro 10:3 are made to those who trust and obey God, not to those to tempt
2. “Those that are in the way of God and their duty may expect that Providence will protect them, but this will not excuse them from taking all prudent methods for their own safety. God will keep us, but then we must not wilfully expose ourselves. Providence must be trusted, but not tempted.” (Matthew Henry commenting on Jos 2:21)
3. but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
4. Substance in this verse is wealth.
5. Substance n. – 16. a. Possessions, goods, estate; means, wealth. arch. (chiefly as a reminiscence of biblical language).
6. The Bible often refers to wealth as substance (Gen 12:5; 2Ch 32:29).
7. This verse is teaching that God financially ruins people who sin against Him (2Ch 21:5-6, 16-17; Job 5:2-5; Pro 13:18).

iii.    God destroys the wealth of those who are not generous towards Him (Hag 1:4-11).

1. God takes the substance of the wicked and gives it to the just (Est 8:1-2; Job 27:16-17; Pro 13:22; Pro 28:8; Ecc 2:26).