Category: Money

Before or After Taxes?

“Jesus said to them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they marveled at him.” Mark 12:17 (ESV) What belongs to God? Everything! God is the Creator and the owner of the entire universe and everything on the earth. As His children, we are simply managers of God’s resources. God expects us to fulfill our civil duty as citizens and pay taxes. God also expects us to fulfill our duty as kingdom citizens and bring the tithe to His storehouse. “‘Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.’” Mal. 3:10 (ESV) My wife and I have had the joy of practicing biblical stewardship together as a married couple for over twenty years. God has proven faithful to His Word! I have often been asked, “Are you supposed to tithe on your income before or after taxes?” A similar question I have been asked on several occasions is, “Do you tithe on your gross income or net income?” Both of these questions are valid. My personal conviction, based on my study of God’s Word, is that your tithe is to be based on your income before taxes are withheld. You tithe on your gross income. The biblical stewardship principles my wife and I have faithfully embraced include: giving proportionately (at least 10% of our income before taxes are withheld), giving consistently, and giving cheerfully. God is faithful. You can trust Him with your life, your future, and your income. God can make 90% of your income, with 10% given to Him, go farther than 100% of your income. God blesses obedience! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Money Stewardship Tithing

Give Proportionately

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV) What will be different in eternity because of your life on earth today? Does it really matter how you live? Does it really matter what you give? Of course the answer is a resounding yes! It does matter how you live and it does matter what you give. Stewardship and Lordship are inseparable. Your stewardship demonstrates Lordship. When you allow Jesus to be Lord of your time, talents, and treasure, then your stewardship bears the fruit of Lordship. You choose to allocate your time based on what Jesus values, to use your talents in service to the Lord, and to give your treasure to expand the kingdom of God. God measures the gift and the condition of the heart of the giver. When you give proportionately to the Lord’s work, God sees both the portion and the proportion. God blesses you based on what you give and how you give. Measure and motive matter to God. Jesus tells about His experience of seeing a poor widow put in two very small copper coins into the temple treasury. He then told His disciples that the rich had given out of their wealth, but this poor widow, out of her poverty, put in everything–all that she had to live on (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus affirmed both her measure and her motive. Will you give proportionately? Will you consider becoming a “storehouse” tither by giving ten percent of your income to the Lord’s work through the local church? If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly. Choose to sow generously and you will reap generously. Assess your level of giving. Evaluate the motive behind the measure. Give proportionately to honor God and to bless others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Lordship Money Stewardship

Willing to Share

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:18-19 (NIV) There are more verses in the Bible about money than about heaven and hell combined. There are more than 2,350 verses related to the issue of stewardship. God is the owner and we are the managers. God entrusts us with the task of being good stewards of His resources. Order your life to honor God and benefit others. Do good. Be rich in good deeds. Be generous. Be willing to share with others. The activity of living to benefit others produces treasure for yourself in heaven. God rewards your faithfulness in His kingdom economy. If you want to take hold of life that is truly life, then order your life around God’s priorities. Your submission to the Lordship of Christ will be reflected in your stewardship of God’s resources. Lordship and stewardship are inseparable. If Jesus is Lord of your life then His Lordship will be evident in your allocation of resources. The world’s philosophy to money management is to earn it so that you can spend it. The average American spends $1.20 for every $1.00 he or she earns. God’s way is that you earn it, tithe it (eternal), save it (future), repay it (past), and spend it. Give God the firstfruits of your income. To tithe your income is to give 10% of your gross income (before taxes) to the Lord through the ministry of His local church. Give proportionately, consistently, and cheerfully. Assess your current financial reality. What do you earn? What do you owe? Where does your money go? Order your life to honor God and to benefit others. Take hold of the life that is truly life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Money Stewardship Tithing

Give Proportionately

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Cor 9:6 (NIV) What will be different in eternity because of your life on earth today? Does it really matter how you live? Does it really matter what you give? Of course the answer is a resounding yes! It does matter how you live and it does matter what you give. Stewardship and Lordship are inseparable. Your stewardship demonstrates Lordship. When you allow Jesus to be Lord of your time, talents, and treasure, then your stewardship bears the fruit of Lordship. You choose to allocate your time based on what Jesus values, to use your talents in service to the Lord, and to give your treasure to expand the kingdom of God. God measures the gift and the condition of the heart of the giver. When you give proportionately to the Lord’s work, God sees both the portion and the proportion. God blesses you based on what you give and how you give. Measure and motive matter to God. Jesus tells about His experience of seeing a poor widow put in two very small copper coins into the temple treasury. He then told His disciples that the rich had given out of their wealth, but this poor widow, out of her poverty, put in everything–all that she had to live on (Mark 12:41-44). Jesus affirmed both her measure and her motive. Will you give proportionately? Will you consider becoming a “storehouse” tither by giving ten percent of your income to the Lord’s work through the local church? If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly. Choose to sow generously and you will reap generously. Assess your level of giving. Evaluate the motive behind the measure. Give proportionately to honor God and to bless others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Lordship Money Stewardship

Willing to Share

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Tim 6:18-19 (NIV) There are more verses in the Bible about money than about heaven and hell combined. There are more than 2,350 verses related to the issue of stewardship. God is the owner and we are the managers. God entrusts us with the task of being good stewards of His resources. Order your life to honor God and benefit others. Do good. Be rich in good deeds. Be generous. Be willing to share with others. The activity of living to benefit others produces treasure for yourself in heaven. God rewards your faithfulness in His kingdom economy. If you want to take hold of life that is truly life, then order your life around God’s priorities. Your submission to the Lordship of Christ will be reflected in your stewardship of God’s resources. Lordship and stewardship are inseparable. If Jesus is Lord of your life then His Lordship will be evident in your allocation of resources. The world’s philosophy to money management is to earn it so that you can spend it. The average American spends $1.20 for every $1.00 he or she earns. God’s way is that you earn it, tithe it (eternal), save it (future), repay it (past), and spend it. Give God the firstfruits of your income. To tithe your income is to give 10% of your gross income (before taxes) to the Lord through the ministry of His local church. Give proportionately, consistently, and cheerfully. Assess your current financial reality. What do you earn? What do you owe? Where does your money go? Order your life to honor God and to benefit others. Take hold of the life that is truly life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Provision Money Stewardship

Before or After Taxes?

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’” Mark 12:17 (NIV) What belongs to God? Everything! God is the Creator and the owner of the entire universe and everything on the earth. As His children, we are simply managers of God’s resources. God expects us to fulfill our civil duty as citizens and pay taxes. God also expects us to fulfill our duty as kingdom citizens and bring the tithe to His storehouse. “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’” Mal 3:10 (NIV) My wife and I have had the joy of practicing biblical stewardship together as a married couple for almost twenty years. God has proven faithful to His Word! I have often been asked, “Are you supposed to tithe on your income before or after taxes?” A similar question I have been asked on several occasions is, “Do you tithe on your gross income or net income?” Both of these questions are valid. My personal conviction, based on my study of God’s Word, is that your tithe is to be based on your income before taxes are withheld. You tithe on your gross income. The biblical stewardship principles my wife and I have faithfully embraced include: giving proportionately (at least 10% of our income before taxes are withheld), giving consistently, and giving cheerfully. God is faithful. You can trust Him with your life, your future, and your income. God can make 90% of your income, with 10% given to Him, go farther than 100% of your income. God blesses obedience! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell