Follow along with us!

Struggling with money stress?

Living paycheck to paycheck?
Wondering what the Bible actually says about budgeting?

You’re not alone.

Millions of people feel anxious about money — and many Christians quietly wonder how to manage their finances in a way that honors God without creating guilt or pressure.

In this message from Redemption Church, we walk through practical biblical budgeting principles that help you:

If you don’t lead your money, your money will lead you.

The Bible talks about money more than almost any other topic.

Not because God needs your money — but because money reveals your heart.

Here are four core biblical budgeting principles:

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:21

Your spending patterns reveal direction. And direction can change.

In Matthew 25, Jesus describes stewardship as managing what belongs to the Master.

Biblical budgeting begins with this mindset shift:

You are a steward, not an owner.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” – Luke 16:10

Wealth is built on consistency, not hype.

“You cannot serve both God and money.” – Matthew 6:24

Money makes a terrible master and an excellent servant.

A budget is simply telling your money where to go.

If you want a biblical starting point, evaluate three areas:

Giving reveals trust.

Start somewhere. Give intentionally — not emotionally.

Saving reveals wisdom.

Emergency savings protect your peace and reduce anxiety.

Living reveals priorities.

Cancel drift. Review subscriptions. Stop unconscious spending.

Drift always costs more than direction.

Yes. Scripture consistently teaches stewardship, faithfulness, generosity, and wisdom in managing resources.

A simple Christian budget often prioritizes giving, saving, and living — in that order.

Jesus teaches that money should not master us (Matthew 6:24). Financial peace grows when we align our money with God’s priorities.

Start by reviewing recurring expenses, creating a simple spending plan, building a small emergency fund, giving intentionally, and avoiding financial drift.

Continue the full Well Spent series here.

We created a free Well Spent Toolkit, including a 30-day Well Spent Challenge, to help you:

Download it here.

Follow along or use in your Connect Group.

Download the How to Budget Your Blessing sermon handout here.

You don’t have to figure this out alone.

Whether you’re exploring faith, returning to church, or looking for a way to serve, we’d love to walk with you.

Take your next step with serving, groups, outreach, giving, or sharing your story:

Start here.

Pastor Chris Fluitt – March 1, 2026
Key Scriptures (NIV): Matthew 6:19–21; Luke 16:10–13; Matthew 25:14–30
Big Idea: If you don’t lead your money, your money will lead you.

Welcome back to Redemption Church.

My name is Chris Fluitt, and I’m so glad you’re here.
If you’re in the room, we love you.
If you’re joining us online, we love you too. Let us know where you’re watching from. We are one church family.

Well Spent
Today we’re starting a brand new series called Well Spent.

Every single day, we are spending something.
We’re spending money.
We’re spending time.
We’re spending energy.

The question isn’t “Are we spending?”
The question is “Are we investing?”

Here’s where we’re going this month:

Well Spent Outline

March 8: Kingdom ROI – how to invest your life in what actually lasts forever instead of what fades by Friday. We will have special guests – Matt & Julie Hattabaugh, missionaries to Lebanon.

March 15: Spend Your Time on What Lasts – how to stop being busy and start being meaningful.

March 22: Do Not Burn Out, Burn Bright – Learn the rhythm of Jesus that keeps your soul strong instead of running on fumes.

Value Add – Well Spent Toolkit

We built a free Well Spent Toolkit to help you live this out. You can download it today. It will help you with your money, your time, and your energy.

Today, we’re starting with money.

Today’s message is called:

How to Budget a Blessing.

“Where did it all go?
Wasn’t there money in this account?
How did we spend that much there?”

I’ve had tough months.
Times where I struggled to get to pay day.
Januarys that felt hard because Decembers were expensive.

And I can tell you honestly, money stress steals peace.

There’s something about financial anxiety that just sits heavy.

We know what this is like. Right?

We know what it’s like to swipe the card and hope.
We know what it’s like to avoid checking the balance.
We know what it’s like to think, “If nothing unexpected happens this month, we’ll be okay.”

The $truggle Is Real Stats

• Around 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck.
• More than 50% cannot cover a $1,000 emergency without debt.
• The average household carries roughly $7,000 in credit card debt.
• Nearly 40% of adults have little to no retirement savings.
• 66% Americans say money is their number one source of stress.

This is not rare. Money is a real problem – and we don’t like to talk about it.

But that’s exactly why Jesus did talk about it.

Not because He needed their money.

Because He knew what money does to the heart.

I have 4 quick lessons from Jesus on money and how to stop wasting and start investing.

We cannot compartmentalize our heart and our wallet.

They are in the same compartment.

If our treasure goes toward comfort, our heart leans toward comfort.
If our treasure goes toward the Kingdom, our heart leans toward the Kingdom.

We like to say we care about generosity.
But if our spending never reflects it, it’s just talk.

We like to say we’re disciplined.
But if the ledger says otherwise, something’s off.

Our bank account is not a verdict.
It’s not judging our soul.
It’s not saying God doesn’t love us.

Our spending is revealing direction.
And direction can change.

This is a parable… a story Jesus tells to reveal a spiritual principle.

The money in the parable never becomes the servant’s money. It always belongs to the master. The master’s money is entrusted to the servant. God is the master.

God has put us in charge of His money.

This parable has 3 servants, and they are all given different amounts from the master.

The real difference wasn’t the amount.
It was what they believed about the master.

The 2 faithful servants trusted the master and invested.

The one wicked servant (strong language) said – “I was afraid of you,” and buried the money.

What we do with our money reveals what we think about God.
Fear buries.
Trust invests.

What do you think about God?
Are you burying? Are you investing?

Wealth is built on boring consistency.

Not hype.
Not emotion.
Consistency.

If we can’t manage little, more won’t fix it.

Look back at the verse. God is looking for who can be TRUSTED with more.

We often pray for MORE.
Do we pray to be faithful and trustworthy?

More money does not solve our issues.
More faithfulness solves our issues.

Money makes a better servant than a king.

You cannot serve both God and money.

When money is master, anxiety rules.

When God is master, money serves.

A budget is telling your money what to do, and how to serve.

It’s not punishment.
It’s not stewed beans forever.

It’s declaring money is not my master.

And at the top of that budget should be God. Why?? Because HE is the master who has entrusted us with His money.

What does this mean for you?

Here’s the question.

Is your money well spent?

Is your money revealing the heart you want it to reveal?

Look at three areas this week:

What you give.
What you save.
What you live on.

Let’s talk about what you give.

As soon as I say that, a voice in your head goes, “I KNEW IT. You greedy pastors just want my money…”

So let me calm that down.

This is not about boosting our offering.
We are not locking the doors and taking up a special offering.

This is not about squeezing more out of you.

Here’s what I actually want for you:

I want you to find a place to give that lines up with what you value and the kind of heart you want God to grow in you.

It doesn’t have to be here.

Give somewhere.

Give to a ministry that is feeding people.
Give to an organization that is reaching students.
Give to a person God puts on your heart.

Next week we have missionaries coming from Lebanon.
Prayerfully consider giving toward that.
That would be amazing.

But you don’t have to.

If you give here, if you give there, if you give somewhere else entirely…

What I care about is that you become a giver. HERE IS WHY.

Giving reveals trust.
Saving reveals wisdom.
Living reveals priorities.

How are you doing? Most of us DO NOT KNOW… BECAUSE we cannot evaluate what we refuse to examine.

We have to sit down with the numbers.

And when we don’t, we become victims.

There are companies happy to keep us that way.

Some people are paying for duplicate subscriptions.
Streaming services never alert them.

Credit card companies profit when balances roll into the next month.

We are victims – but often of our own drift.

Drift always costs more than direction.

So this week:

Open your bank app.
Look at recurring charges.
Cancel at least one subscription.

And download the Well Spent Toolkit. Work it.

Imagine if we were a church that was well spent.

Imagine if our families were well spent.

Imagine teaching our kids how not to be victims in the marketplace.

Imagine living in such a way that we could help more people.

Imagine generosity that is planned, not pressured.

Remember what God the master told the servants who managed the money well… Well done, good & faithful servant.

Imagine God saying that about you.
Well done, good & faithful servant.

Your money reveals your heart. This is deeply spiritual.

If we’ve drifted, let’s repent.
Wasting?
Not saving?
Not giving?

How we spend reveals our direction.
Repentance is how we change direction.

Decide this week you will sit down with your numbers.

Stop burying, start managing.

When we work on our money, we work on our heart.

Over the next few minutes, I want breakthrough.

If you need prayer about debt, anxiety, trust – come.

Spend the next moments worshiping and seeking God. This is time well spent.

“If you don’t lead your money, your money will lead you.”

What you give. What you save. What you live on.
Giving reveals trust. Saving reveals wisdom. Living reveals priorities.

Download the Well Spent Toolkit + 30-Day Challenge.

We don’t want this to stay just a Sunday idea.
The Well Spent Toolkit gives you:

Download the toolkit and work through it this month.

This isn’t about guilt.
It’s about direction.

If your money has been leading you instead of you leading it, today can be a turning point.

Consider these steps:

If you’re local to Plano or joining online, you are welcome here.

If you need prayer, have questions about Jesus, want to join a group, or are ready to serve, you don’t have to wait.

Take your next step here.