Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
 
Dt 26: 15 `Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless 16 God commands you to observe these statutes; therefore you shall be careful to observe them with all your heart and with all your soul

I. Vision: We Reap what we Sow; we inevitably become the product of our thinking, choices, and actions.

Gal 6:7 Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. 8 If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin. But if they plant to please the Spirit, they will receive eternal life from the Spirit. 9 We must not become tired of doing good. We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time if we do not give up. 10 When we have the opportunity to help anyone, we should do it. But we should give special attention to those who are in the family of believers. ncv

Q: Which of our undesirable circumstances are consequences of our actions? What could we do to change and get a better harvest?

II. We must have a Priority of Pleasing God for experiencing Blessings of: protection, pleasure, and prosperity

Pr 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life. 13:23 poor  field may produce but injustice sweeps it away.
Ps 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. Mt 6:9 Our Father in heaven help us honor your name
Ecc 2:24 The best that people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I saw that even this comes from God, 25 because no one can eat or enjoy life without Him.26 If people please God, God will give them wisdom, knowledge, and  joy. But sinners will get only the work of gathering and storing wealth that they will have to give to the ones who please God. So all their work is useless, like chasing the wind ncv
 
Q: What is the result of pleasing ourselves or others rather than God? How does one actually please God?

III. Our Character (value choices) counts:

honestly/integrity, trustworthiness, diligence, faithfulness, patience/perseverance

Gen 39:3 Potiphar saw that the Lord was with Joseph and that the Lord made Joseph successful in everything he did.4 So he was very happy with Joseph... He put Joseph in charge of the house, trusting him with everything he owned. 5...the Lord blessed the people in Potiphar's house because of Joseph; the Lord blessed everything that belonged to Potiphar, both in the house and in the field.ncv cf 50:20
Pr 28:6 It's better to be poor and live right, than to be rich and dishonest. cev  Pr 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches

Q: How can you cultivate the character traits that God blesses? Role of Proverbs?

IV. God uses what have (and place at His disposal) to enable us to profitably Serve the needs of others

Mt 14:17  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish." 18  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  5kð12 baskets
Phil 4:13 it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 
Mr 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Q: What has God given you that you could use to serve the needs of others and benefit them? How can you increase your capacity for service?

V. It is God's will that we Work with Diligence, wholeheartedness, observant initiative, and faithfulness

Col 3:23-24 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Pr 10:4 He who has a lazy hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. 

Q: How do you keep motivated to work in tough situations?

VI. Teamwork & Loyalty

Ecc 4:9 Two people are better than one, because they get more done by working together. 10 If one falls down, the other can help him up. But it is bad for the person who is alone and falls, because no one is there to help. ncv

Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of working with others? How should difficulties be resolved?

VII. Stewardship gives purposefully, spends wisely, saves faithfully, invests in the future, and requites

{God owns it all; What does He want done with His stuff}1Tim 5:3 Take care of widows who are truly widows.4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to do their duty to their own family and to repay their parents or grandparents. That pleases God. 5 The true widow, who is all alone, puts her hope in God and continues to pray night and day for God's help. ncv
Pr 28:20  A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished. 

Q: How can you be a better steward of what you have? How can you invest in your future?  How do you say no to yourself and others?