"Wilful waste brings woeful want." - Matthew Henry

"As to this world, they that live riotously waste what they have, and will have a great deal to answer for, that they spend that upon their lusts which should be for the necessary substance of themselves and their families. But this is to be applied spiritually. Wilful sinners waste their patrimony; for they misemploy their thoughts and all the powers of their souls, misspend their time and all their opportunities, do not only bury, but embezzle, the talents they are entrusted to trade with for their Master's honour; and the gifts of Providence, which were intended to enable them to serve God and to do good with, are made the food and fuel of their lusts. The soul that is made a drudge, either to the world or to the flesh, wastes its substance, and lives riotously." - Matthew Henry

We all know the story of the Prodigal Son as recorded in Luke 15 of the Bible. The Lord Jesus related this parable in Luke 15:11-32. One of the things that stands out in this story is the fact that the younger son "wasted his substance with riotous living" (Luke 15:13). In Luke 15:30, the elder brother described his "wasted life" in this way - "hath devoured thy living with harlots."

He "wasted his substance." In other words, he spent his property - living without saving anything. He lived extravagantly - spending upon his lusts what should have been used for his necessary substance. He lived a worldly life - wasting any spiritual opportunities and resources. His life was filled with rioting, drunkenness, wantonness, and debauchery.

In Proverbs 5:8-14, King Solomon warned of such a lifestyle. In Proverbs 5:8-11, he enumerated the consequences of living under the mastery of one's selfish lusts - "Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: Lest thou give thine honor unto others, any thy years unto the cruel: Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labors be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed." In Proverbs 6:26, he added - "For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life."

Let's be sure to "read between the lines" here in these words of Solomon - depicting the "wasted life" of one given over to lusts and pleasures and not to God.

"Give thine honor unto others" - Once your reputation, strength, and wealth is gone, it is very difficult to regain them back.

"Give...thy years unto the cruel" - Solomon is not talking about days, weeks, or months here. He is saying - "years" !

Imagine that! "Years" of one's life are consumed away. How? What is this vicious devourer? It is none other than the lusts of uncleanness. They are termed - "cruel" - and rightfully so, for they prey upon and waste the body and the substance of one's life.

"And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed" - The strength of life is dissipated and oftentimes accompanied by an incurable disease which takes out the life.

"For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread" - Solomon, the wealthiest man on the face of the earth at that time and one who had many wives and concubines, knew firsthand that a life given over to sinful pleasure will eventually bring a man to extreme poverty and want - in one way or another.

Throughout the Book of Proverbs, we find this theme of a "wasted life" repeatedly brought forth -

Proverbs 21:17 says - "He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man..."
Proverbs 21:20 says - "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up."
Proverbs 23:21 says - "For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."
Proverbs 28:7 says - "...he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father."
Proverbs 29:3 says - "Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance."

Solomon calls a man - "a foolish man" - who misspends his time and substance upon his lusts. His entire life is marked by intemperance - making him idle, slothful, and unfit for business. His eventual end is want and beggary.

The Apostle Paul hinted at this type of lifestyle - one given over to sinful pleasures - in Romans 13:13 - "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." As Christians, they were no longer to live in reveling or licentious conduct...lewd, immodest behavior...in fornication or adultery... illicit indulges of any kind... unnatural lusts, uncleanness, or sodomy...or with contention, quarreling, or jealousy.

The Apostle Peter referred to this lifestyle as the "will of the Gentiles" in 1 Peter 4:3 when he said - "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries." Once again, we have the reference made to a lifestyle filled with unbridled lustful excesses... indulgence of corrupt passions... impurity...strong, irregular appetites... acts of lewdness including whoredom and adultery...riotous merry making...and lascivious feastings.

As a Christian, you may be reading this and thinking to yourself that this message does not apply to you - for you have completely turned away from this type of sinful living after totally surrendering your life to the Lord Jesus.

Before concluding this message, we would like to offer you one more thought that will apply to all. Let this be a warning to you that - as Pastor Henry said - "Wilful waste brings woeful want."

In Luke 16:1, the Lord Jesus told a parable about the "steward" who was accused of "wasting his goods." This man did not "keep company with harlots spending his substance." He did not live with unbridled lustful excesses in his life. His life wasn't filled with riotous merry making nor quarrelings and jealousies. He simply embezzled his master's goods. In other words, he squandered, scattered, or misapplied what had been placed in his trust. Through carelessness, he allowed them to be lost and damaged. He failed to make a due improvement of what was entrusted to him.

In Proverbs 18:9, Solomon referred to him as being "slothful in his work" and a "brother to him that is a great waster." In other words, this one who neglected his work...was remiss in it... and lived above his means was of the same family of the "great waster." They are relatives - if you will.

Once again, let's read the opening quotes from Matthew Henry -
"Wilful waste brings woeful want."

"As to this world, they that live riotously waste what they have, and will have a great deal to answer for, that they spend that upon their lusts which should be for the necessary substance of themselves and their families. But this is to be applied spiritually. Wilful sinners waste their patrimony; for they misemploy their thoughts and all the powers of their souls, misspend their time and all their opportunities, do not only bury, but embezzle, the talents they are entrusted to trade with for their Master's honour; and the gifts of Providence, which were intended to enable them to serve God and to do good with, are made the food and fuel of their lusts. The soul that is made a drudge, either to the world or to the flesh, wastes its substance, and lives riotously."

O Saint of God, are you guilty of "living riotously"? Are you spending what you have upon your own lusts when it should be used for your necessary needs or the needs of others? Are you misemploying your thoughts and the powers of your soul... misspending your time and your opportunities...or embezzling the talents or gifts of Providence that were entrusted to you to trade with for Jesus' honor? Have you made your thoughts and the powers of your soul...your time and opportunities...or the talents and gifts of Providence the food and fuel of your lusts?

Have you allowed your soul - your mind, will, and emotions - to be made a "drudge" or a slave to the world or the flesh?

Then you are guilty before God of wasting your substance and of living riotously!

"Wilful waste brings woeful want."

No matter how you look at it - waste brings want.

And it has no respect of persons.

May God Bless His Word,
Connie

© COPYRIGHT Connie Giordano - All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to Daily Bible Messages at - connie@walkingintruth.org .

Walking In Truth Ministry | P.O. Box 383016 | Duncanville | TX | 75138

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Comment by Connie Giordano on June 30, 2009 at 10:46pm
Thank you for this gracious response. You have a beautiful spirit - so humble before the Lord. God bless.
Comment by Kingdom Authority Int.Ministries on June 30, 2009 at 10:33pm
Praise the Lord woman of God. Thank you so much for this word. I would pray that I would be able to look into my heart and see if they do exist in me, that I be graced by God to see it and correct it. God Bless you. I love you.

In His Love & Mine,

Angela

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