In our culture the goal of work is often defined as a high salary or the weekend. In this passage, God was speaking to a generation who was a stranger to settled work.  They wandered, under God's direction, in the wilderness for 40 years. Their food had been provided.  They had no permanent housing or upkeep of them.  As they were soon to be introduced to settled work, God through Moses reminds them to be careful they do not define the goal of work in the midst of propserity as prosperity itself.

I. Prosperity may come to God's people through their work.
    A.  Being a Christian does not mean that physical blessing will automatically           follow.
          1. Note the Israelites who served as slaves (Ex. 1ff)
          2. Note Job (Job 1,2)
    B.  God was going to bless the Israelites upon their entrance into the Promised           Land (vv. 3,7-9a)
    C.  Such blessing would come through providentially blessed work
          1.  For 40 years food had been provided. Now it stopped.  (Joshua 5:12)
          2.  They now had to settle down and work. Describe some of their tasks.

II. God's people must realize the danger of forgetting God in the midst of      material blessing (v.14). How this can happen ...
     A.  Our security is placed in riches, not the God of that wealth
                 (I Timothy 6:17)
     B.  We become proud in our accomplishments and independent of God.
                  (I Timothy 6:17)
     C.  We become so busy in our work we do not have time to read the Bible and            pray.  (Luke 10:38-42)
     D.  We become so busy in our work we do not have time to teach our children            about God (Judges 2:10)
     E.  The Lord's Day becomes just another day.  (Exodus 16:4,5)  The Lord had            set the example they are to follow by giving them a portion of manna on            the 6th day so they could remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.            However, in the midst of prosperity, it is easy for people to say, "I have
           become prosperous by working 6 days a week, I can become more            prosperous by working 7."
     F.  Society often idolizes that which works within it, forgetting the work of God.           (Psalm 106:19-21)  An ox did important work in that society.  Thus an idol           was made of it.  Point out what can be idols in our own day — computers,           cars, etc.

III. How we can fight the temptation to forget God in the midst of prosperous work.
     A.  Begin each week by obeying the 4th Commandment (Exodus 20:8 ff).  We            recall God's great work of salvation    (Romans 5:6-11)
     B.  Think of the providential works of God in our live and times
           (Psalm 78:1-4 vv 15-16)
     C.  Faithfully tithe. This teaches us that our income is not ours.  The gifts and            talents by which we earn a living come from God.
     D.  Recall that all work is important before God. Notice the work mentioned in            the texts maintaining houses, vineyards, etc. God notes all our labors.
     E.  Keep technological advances in perspective. Thank God for them.  Do not            become totally dependent on them.
     F.  Remember from whence you have come (8:15:16). God has been pleased            to bring you to the point in your life you are at now in regard to your            prosperity.
     G.   Pray that you will love God more than the blessing He gives.
     H.  Train your children to work. Do not teach them that everything is free or           without cost to them.