Plenty of Bread Prov. 28:19 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

The clear teaching of Prov 28:19 is evident – you must work to eat – that’s what Paul said and that’s what your dad taught you or should have taught you – you have to work to have plenty of bread.

Look at what the Bible says about how to have plenty of bread.

You are commanded to work in order to eat – 2 Thes 3:10 if any would not work, neither should he eat – men work to feed themselves, “for his mouth craveth it of him,” Prov 16:26 – therefore, if you feed him he won’t work – widows are the exception – Paul also commanded that with quietness they work and eat their own bread, 2 Thes 3:12 – and in 1 Thes 4:11 he said, “do your own business  and…work with your own hands.”

You should work also so that you have to give to him in need – Eph 4:28, “let him labour, working with his own hands… that he may have to give to him that needeth.”

You should follow Paul’s example of work – in 2 Thes 3:8-9, we “wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you” – they were an ensample to follow.

You should heed Paul’s warning concerning work – in 1 Tim 5:8 he said that a man who does not provide for his own is worse than an infidel.

Look at how many times the Lord used working situations in his parables:

• In Matt 20, the kingdom of heaven is likened to a householder who hired laborers for his vineyard
• In Lk 17, a servant works and feeds his master before he even eats – long days
• In Matt 13, a sower sows seed in the field
• In Lk 19 and Matt 25, wicked servants are the ones who didn’t work

Prov 28:19 has a fitting spiritual application for us:

• After we are saved we are judged on works at the judgment seat of Christ, 1 Cor 3:11-15
• We are to be laborers in the Lord’s harvest
• In Titus we find that we are to be occupied in good works – Titus 2:7, 2:14, 3:1, 3:8, 3:14
• The trouble with Laodicea is that they are rich and vain not knowing that they are truly wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked – spiritually bankrupt

There is an interesting contrast between this verse and today’s society – many people who work are barley making ends meet and the people following vain persons are getting rich [entertainers, investors] – as we approach the Second Coming of Jesus vain people will be intoxicatingly wealthy – however, at their judgment before God, they will be absolutely bankrupt.  Don’t be fooled in the meantime.