“If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt.” James 1:5-6 (CEV)
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Did you teach your children (or were you taught as a child) the 3-Envelope method of money management? Remember — one envelope marked “spend,” one “save,” and one “give”?
Does the concept still work now that we are adults? After all, there really are just three things we can do with the money God entrusts to us. We can:
- Spend it on our lifestyle,
- Save it for a near or long-term future, or
- Give it away to others or to Kingdom enterprise.
Beginning with the basic principles of tithing, a common split in the envelope system is 80/10/10. 80% for lifestyle, 10% for savings, and 10% for giving to the Lord’s work. Some families adjust the percentages – but rarely would the “save” or “give” percentage be the largest of the three.
As we mature and grow in living the giving life, a fair question to ponder is: What percentage should I place in each envelope? Should I save more for a down payment on a house, a special trip for the BIG anniversary, or retirement? Perhaps.
Should I give more to my local church, to help the poor and needy in Jesus’ name, or to world evangelism? All good causes make a real and eternal difference.
As managers, trustees, stewards, we make decisions about how to use the Master’s resources. God has entrusted you with some of His resources – both financial assets and your ability to earn — and the income they produce.
James 1:5 tells us that God will help you decide what will honor Him and will be a wise use of His resources. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.” (The Message)
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We also have resources that you might find useful. For a free eBook on financial giving and stewardship, CLICK HERE. If you have questions, we are always available and will do our best to help you discover the answers. contact Jeff coon at jcoon@fameworld.org.
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