Savings
Health, 16 March 2025
17 03 25 Filed in: Sermons | Master Your Money
Health: Today’s Reality
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Master Your Money
March 16, 2025
Psalm 24:1-2; Luke 16:10-11
Series Big Idea: We can find freedom in our finances through God’s Word.
Sermon Big Idea: God owns it all but allows us to steward it in this life.
God owns it all. Everything we have belongs to Him. We are merely stewards. This was announced in our scripture reading from Psalm 24. This includes our money. There are only four things we can do with money: live, give, grow, or owe. We can find financial freedom through God’s Word.
There are five things we can do with money. I know, I said four, but we’re going to look at them today and what God says about them. Thanks to the Ron Blue Institute, we have another worksheet for you in your bulletin. Fill in the bottom numbers.
Income - $
Give – $
Owe (debt) – $
Owe (taxes) – $
Grow (save) – $
LIVE = Income - (Give + Owe Debt + Owe Taxes + Grow)
Let’s unpack these together.
Give
I have repeatedly said this series is not about what College First wants from you but rather what God wants for you. When we open our hands and give, it allows God to release His resources. We don’t give to receive, but the blessings are inevitable. My friend, David Munn, is one of the most generous people I know. He loves this text:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-9)
This is a quote from Psalm 112:9. I could talk for hours about the truth of these words in my own life. I share this with humility, not to boast about myself but about God’s faithfulness. Throughout our marriage, we have given beyond a tithe (10%), and God has provided in remarkable ways:
Your experience may differ, but I promise that if you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you. While it doesn’t mean immediate financial returns, God will reward our stewardship.
“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Randy Alcorn notes, “However, the cheerfulness often comes during and after the act of obedience, not before it.”
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (Luke 16:10-11)
I’ve heard people say, “Tithing (giving 10% of your income) is an Old Testament principle and we’re not under the old law.” Jesus always took the old law and raised the bar. For example,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
The tithe—10%—is for beginners. Some people give 90% and live off the tithe! It doesn’t matter if you earn $100 or $100,000, the principle remains the same.
Everything we have belongs to God. Not 10%. Not 90%. One hundred percent. But it doesn’t stop there. This extends beyond money to our possessions and homes. When a missionary family needed housing, we gave them our home for a year and lived with friends. We were blessed even more than they were! This shouldn’t be a surprise since…
…the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35b)
The wisdom of Proverbs declares
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)
I know some of you are thinking this doesn’t make sense. I can’t afford to give. My budget doesn’t balance (do you even have one?!). Give to God first and watch God math take over! You can’t afford to NOT tithe! Give your best to God. Give Him the first fruits, not your leftovers.
Grow
Next, it’s important to save for the future.
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)
There is a 100% chance that you will need a rainy day fund because it rains! Some call it an emergency fund. Emergencies happen to all of us, and we can’t predict them. We can only prepare for them.
Next, there are two people we owe: the government and lenders.
Owe (Taxes)
They say the only sure things in life are death and taxes. I know this is radical, but God created the government. It reflects God’s provision. Whether your candidate is in the White House, Governor’s Mansion, or City Hall, we need to pray for them…and pay them!
Jesus was asked about taxes (they’re not new!) by religious leaders.
Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” (Matthew 22:18-20)
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)
Pay your taxes!
Owe (Debt)
Debt is another challenge.
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7)
Credit card debt is particularly dangerous due to high interest rates. Avoid debt whenever possible. If you must borrow, do so wisely. Presuming upon the future is risky (James 4:13-16). My advice to my children—and to you—is simple: Avoid debt at all costs (pun intended). Wait. Save.
Live
Once we’ve given to God, paid off debts, and set aside money for savings, we can create a budget. This is what we live off. It may not be as much as you want, but that’s what you have. Live within your means. That means don’t spend more than you have. We call that…debt!
So What?
The Bible is so practical. It speaks to all five uses of money. What is God speaking to you today? Maybe it’s to take a step of faith and trust that God will bless you for being obedient by tithing. Perhaps you need to take time to create a budget. The formula is right in front of you, the “live” amount is what you assign to housing, food, clothes, and fun. Some of you need to declare war on debt, pay off those credit cards and then take that trip or buy that new tv.
There are only four/five things you can do with money. What will you do with yours? Remember, it’s actually God’s.
Credits: some material from the Ron Blue Institute, some edits by ChatGPT
Kirk Schneemann
College First Church of God
Master Your Money
March 16, 2025
Psalm 24:1-2; Luke 16:10-11
Series Big Idea: We can find freedom in our finances through God’s Word.
Sermon Big Idea: God owns it all but allows us to steward it in this life.
God owns it all. Everything we have belongs to Him. We are merely stewards. This was announced in our scripture reading from Psalm 24. This includes our money. There are only four things we can do with money: live, give, grow, or owe. We can find financial freedom through God’s Word.
There are five things we can do with money. I know, I said four, but we’re going to look at them today and what God says about them. Thanks to the Ron Blue Institute, we have another worksheet for you in your bulletin. Fill in the bottom numbers.
Income - $
Give – $
Owe (debt) – $
Owe (taxes) – $
Grow (save) – $
LIVE = Income - (Give + Owe Debt + Owe Taxes + Grow)
Let’s unpack these together.
Give
I have repeatedly said this series is not about what College First wants from you but rather what God wants for you. When we open our hands and give, it allows God to release His resources. We don’t give to receive, but the blessings are inevitable. My friend, David Munn, is one of the most generous people I know. He loves this text:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
9 As it is written:
“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures forever.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-9)
This is a quote from Psalm 112:9. I could talk for hours about the truth of these words in my own life. I share this with humility, not to boast about myself but about God’s faithfulness. Throughout our marriage, we have given beyond a tithe (10%), and God has provided in remarkable ways:
- We were short $100 one week—$50 arrived in the mail, and $50 was given to us in cash.
- I have found cash taped to my office door.
- We prayed for a minivan, told nobody, and were given one two hours later!
- We faced over $300,000 in uncovered medical bills and ended the year debt-free except for our mortgage.
- When facing financial uncertainty, God provided unexpected jobs, housemates, and generous gifts.
Your experience may differ, but I promise that if you are faithful to God, He will be faithful to you. While it doesn’t mean immediate financial returns, God will reward our stewardship.
“God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). Randy Alcorn notes, “However, the cheerfulness often comes during and after the act of obedience, not before it.”
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (Luke 16:10-11)
I’ve heard people say, “Tithing (giving 10% of your income) is an Old Testament principle and we’re not under the old law.” Jesus always took the old law and raised the bar. For example,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. (Matthew 5:27-28)
The tithe—10%—is for beginners. Some people give 90% and live off the tithe! It doesn’t matter if you earn $100 or $100,000, the principle remains the same.
Everything we have belongs to God. Not 10%. Not 90%. One hundred percent. But it doesn’t stop there. This extends beyond money to our possessions and homes. When a missionary family needed housing, we gave them our home for a year and lived with friends. We were blessed even more than they were! This shouldn’t be a surprise since…
…the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35b)
The wisdom of Proverbs declares
A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25)
I know some of you are thinking this doesn’t make sense. I can’t afford to give. My budget doesn’t balance (do you even have one?!). Give to God first and watch God math take over! You can’t afford to NOT tithe! Give your best to God. Give Him the first fruits, not your leftovers.
Grow
Next, it’s important to save for the future.
Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8)
There is a 100% chance that you will need a rainy day fund because it rains! Some call it an emergency fund. Emergencies happen to all of us, and we can’t predict them. We can only prepare for them.
Next, there are two people we owe: the government and lenders.
Owe (Taxes)
They say the only sure things in life are death and taxes. I know this is radical, but God created the government. It reflects God’s provision. Whether your candidate is in the White House, Governor’s Mansion, or City Hall, we need to pray for them…and pay them!
Jesus was asked about taxes (they’re not new!) by religious leaders.
Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” (Matthew 22:17)
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19 Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20 and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” (Matthew 22:18-20)
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” (Matthew 22:21)
Pay your taxes!
Owe (Debt)
Debt is another challenge.
"The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7)
Credit card debt is particularly dangerous due to high interest rates. Avoid debt whenever possible. If you must borrow, do so wisely. Presuming upon the future is risky (James 4:13-16). My advice to my children—and to you—is simple: Avoid debt at all costs (pun intended). Wait. Save.
Live
Once we’ve given to God, paid off debts, and set aside money for savings, we can create a budget. This is what we live off. It may not be as much as you want, but that’s what you have. Live within your means. That means don’t spend more than you have. We call that…debt!
So What?
The Bible is so practical. It speaks to all five uses of money. What is God speaking to you today? Maybe it’s to take a step of faith and trust that God will bless you for being obedient by tithing. Perhaps you need to take time to create a budget. The formula is right in front of you, the “live” amount is what you assign to housing, food, clothes, and fun. Some of you need to declare war on debt, pay off those credit cards and then take that trip or buy that new tv.
There are only four/five things you can do with money. What will you do with yours? Remember, it’s actually God’s.
Credits: some material from the Ron Blue Institute, some edits by ChatGPT