Week 4-Making Change Life Group Outline

Week Four

Think back to Sunday’s message. What sticks out?

Key Scriptures

“The wise have wealth and luxury, but fools spend whatever they get” (Proverbs 21:20).

⁶ Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. ⁷ Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, ⁸ she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)

Investing Principles

1. You are made to be a Sower

²² While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

2. God gives seed to everyone

⁶ The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. ⁷ Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” ¹⁰ He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. (2 Corinthians 9:6-10)

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. (Ecclesiastes 11:1)

3. Diversify your investments

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. ² Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth. (Ecclesiastes 11:1-2)

4. Only invest in what you understand.

“ By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; ⁴ by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.”. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

5. Be patient

⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (1 Timothy 6:9)

Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it. (Proverbs 13:11)

Note: Money + consistency + time = wealth.

Start talking: Conversation starter: What are some things you wish you were saving for?

• Why do you think it’s so hard to save and invest?
• Do you have any ideas or tips that have made saving and investing more doable for you?
• Does anyone have an investment success or horror story? What did you learn?
• What kind of non-financial investments are you seeing dividends from?
• What will your life look like in 30 years if you start saving and investing more now? What if you don’t?
• What are the strongest barriers keeping you from either saving or investing more? What can you do right away to make some progress?

Start praying. Be bold, and pray with power.

• God, You’ve been so generous with us. Give us the discipline and wisdom to become caretakers of Your resources so that they can be used to accomplish Your work in our world? Amen.

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.

• Visit https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement and look around to find answers for many of your investment questions.
• Make a list of what you wish you were doing to save or invest. Pick something to start with.