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Most of us are familiar with the Biblical principle of "stewarding" our resources in such a way that our complex family, church, and Kingdom responsibilities are evaluated carefully. We must first provide for our family (I Timothy 5:8). We must give regularly and systematically to our church (Malachi 3:10; I Corinthians 16:2). We must also consider the broader work of our Lord in the Kingdom (I Corinthians 8:1-7; Galatians 6:7-11). Sometimes the Holy Spirit tugs at our heart to "do" more, but we feel a real conflict between the priorities. Here are a couple of recent examples of those whose choices reflected wise stewardship.
Ownership into Income
A gift of stock purchased some time ago was given to ICR in exchange for a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). The donor could have sold the stock, but would have faced a fairly hefty capital gains tax along with an on-going tax on the interest earned (as small as that is at the present). Instead, by "gifting" the stock to ICR for a CGA, the donor receives a significant tax deduction for the "profit" from the stock (at present market value), and a guaranteed income for life. That income is much larger than could be earned in another guaranteed format, and a large portion of the income is tax-free—thereby compounding the effective yield from his stock. Both ICR and the donor benefit.
Maturity Transfers
Another donor lives in an assisted living home. The nature of the relationship with the home suggested that any "new" assets be given to that organization. When a recent annuity matured, rather than allow a commercial venture to further profit from the resource, the "old" asset was given to ICR. That donor had already taken care of family and church, so it was pleasing to "give" a significant donation to ICR that might have gone elsewhere. The donor's heart of stewardship was satisfied and ICR received wonderful and timely help. Life insurance policies, annuities, maturing bonds and CD's can all be used in this way to "fund" special gifts for the Lord's work.
[body_edit] =>Most of us are familiar with the Biblical principle of "stewarding" our resources in such a way that our complex family, church, and Kingdom responsibilities are evaluated carefully. We must first provide for our family (I Timothy 5:8). We must give regularly and systematically to our church (Malachi 3:10; I Corinthians 16:2). We must also consider the broader work of our Lord in the Kingdom (I Corinthians 8:1-7; Galatians 6:7-11). Sometimes the Holy Spirit tugs at our heart to "do" more, but we feel a real conflict between the priorities. Here are a couple of recent examples of those whose choices reflected wise stewardship.
Ownership into Income
A gift of stock purchased some time ago was given to ICR in exchange for a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA). The donor could have sold the stock, but would have faced a fairly hefty capital gains tax along with an on-going tax on the interest earned (as small as that is at the present). Instead, by "gifting" the stock to ICR for a CGA, the donor receives a significant tax deduction for the "profit" from the stock (at present market value), and a guaranteed income for life. That income is much larger than could be earned in another guaranteed format, and a large portion of the income is tax-free—thereby compounding the effective yield from his stock. Both ICR and the donor benefit.
Maturity Transfers
Another donor lives in an assisted living home. The nature of the relationship with the home suggested that any "new" assets be given to that organization. When a recent annuity matured, rather than allow a commercial venture to further profit from the resource, the "old" asset was given to ICR. That donor had already taken care of family and church, so it was pleasing to "give" a significant donation to ICR that might have gone elsewhere. The donor's heart of stewardship was satisfied and ICR received wonderful and timely help. Life insurance policies, annuities, maturing bonds and CD's can all be used in this way to "fund" special gifts for the Lord's work.
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Here are two ways that we can give "bountifully," simultaneously reaping a greater present participation in Kingdom ministries—while realizing present "bounty" in our own finances.
Gifts of Appreciated Stock
Now that the stock market has rebounded somewhat, there may be some shares that have been held more than one year which have appreciated significantly. Gifting shares of stock directly to a federally qualified charitable organization (like ICR) can provide a significant tax savings. The full market value of the stock is deductible, and gifting the stock avoids any capital gains tax; a double "bounty."
The Charitable Gift Annuity
Assets that are not producing an adequate income (stock, property, cash, CD's, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) can be turned into a Charitable Gift Annuity from ICR that will provide a guaranteed income from the value of those assets, a present tax deduction, and a tax-free portion of the income stream. Another "bounty."
ICR is deeply appreciative of all those who co-labor with us in our work. We simply could not function without your help. We are especially pleased when our partners in ministry are able to "reap" a "bounty" with their gifts as well. Let us know how we can assist you or provide information for your consideration.
[body_edit] =>Here are two ways that we can give "bountifully," simultaneously reaping a greater present participation in Kingdom ministries—while realizing present "bounty" in our own finances.
Gifts of Appreciated Stock
Now that the stock market has rebounded somewhat, there may be some shares that have been held more than one year which have appreciated significantly. Gifting shares of stock directly to a federally qualified charitable organization (like ICR) can provide a significant tax savings. The full market value of the stock is deductible, and gifting the stock avoids any capital gains tax; a double "bounty."
The Charitable Gift Annuity
Assets that are not producing an adequate income (stock, property, cash, CD's, bonds, mutual funds, etc.) can be turned into a Charitable Gift Annuity from ICR that will provide a guaranteed income from the value of those assets, a present tax deduction, and a tax-free portion of the income stream. Another "bounty."
ICR is deeply appreciative of all those who co-labor with us in our work. We simply could not function without your help. We are especially pleased when our partners in ministry are able to "reap" a "bounty" with their gifts as well. Let us know how we can assist you or provide information for your consideration.
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All of God's children must overcome the temptation to allow God's sovereign provision of our needs to be overshadowed by the pleasure of our bounty and blessings—especially during this very American celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are some of the "original" thoughts.
George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; . . . a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:
Now, . . . I do . . . assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; . . .
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; . . . to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best. . . . the 3rd day of October, A.D. 1789. (signed) G. Washington.
Remember the ThanksGIVING
Scripture refers to various ways to express our "offerings" of thanksgiving. Singing (Psalm 30:12); recalling God's creation (Psalm 75:1); telling of God's holiness (Psalm 91:12); remembering those who have helped us (Colossians 1:3).
May this Thanksgiving season be one of great thankfulness to Him for His great blessings and a rededication to use His bounty to please Him and serve others.
[body_edit] =>All of God's children must overcome the temptation to allow God's sovereign provision of our needs to be overshadowed by the pleasure of our bounty and blessings—especially during this very American celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. Here are some of the "original" thoughts.
George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; . . . a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:
Now, . . . I do . . . assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; . . .
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; . . . to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best. . . . the 3rd day of October, A.D. 1789. (signed) G. Washington.
Remember the ThanksGIVING
Scripture refers to various ways to express our "offerings" of thanksgiving. Singing (Psalm 30:12); recalling God's creation (Psalm 75:1); telling of God's holiness (Psalm 91:12); remembering those who have helped us (Colossians 1:3).
May this Thanksgiving season be one of great thankfulness to Him for His great blessings and a rededication to use His bounty to please Him and serve others.
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All of us have seen ripples grow in concentric rings from a pebble plopped in a pond. And most of us are familiar with horrific stories about riptides pulling swimmers to their death, undermining seawalls, and eroding beaches. Both the poet and the six o'clock newscaster love ripples and riptides. But they also make good illustrations of what atheistic and naturalistic science does to truth.
Ken Ham developed a clever cartoon that, while humorous, is a serious challenge to the Bible-based Christian community. In the cartoon, two castles are shown at war. The "Christianity" castle is shooting at balloons of "abortion" and "homosexuality," etc., that are flying above the "Humanism" castle—not doing much damage to that worldview. The "bad guys," however, are shooting most effectively at the base of "Creation," destroying the foundation of the entire "Christianity" castle.
Foundations, Leaven, and Tree Roots
The Bible uses a number of illustrations about the importance of getting rid of the source of the problems. The Psalmist cries out for strength when he sees the enemies destroying the foundation (Psalm 11:3). Jesus warns about the leaven of false doctrine (Matthew 16:12; see also Galatians 5:9), and the prophet notes that if the stump is left, the tree will grow again (Daniel 4:23,26; contrast Luke 3:9). These illustrations warn us to focus on the cause of the error, not the symptoms.
It is tempting to go after the symptoms. The pain of the many effects (abortion, pornography, flagrant promiscuity, easy divorce, etc.) are very real and terribly destructive. But the core rationale (in the educated Western world) for all these anti-God, anti-righteous, anti-authority beliefs is atheistic, naturalistic science.
ICR is searching for Cures to the "Disease."
We are researching to uncover evidence that will expose the atheism in naturalistic science. We are training Christian leaders to expand that research and to teach others. That work is extensive, time-consuming, and expensive. We cannot function without your financial support. We must have your prayer support. Please consider co-laboring with us.
[body_edit] =>All of us have seen ripples grow in concentric rings from a pebble plopped in a pond. And most of us are familiar with horrific stories about riptides pulling swimmers to their death, undermining seawalls, and eroding beaches. Both the poet and the six o'clock newscaster love ripples and riptides. But they also make good illustrations of what atheistic and naturalistic science does to truth.
Ken Ham developed a clever cartoon that, while humorous, is a serious challenge to the Bible-based Christian community. In the cartoon, two castles are shown at war. The "Christianity" castle is shooting at balloons of "abortion" and "homosexuality," etc., that are flying above the "Humanism" castle—not doing much damage to that worldview. The "bad guys," however, are shooting most effectively at the base of "Creation," destroying the foundation of the entire "Christianity" castle.
Foundations, Leaven, and Tree Roots
The Bible uses a number of illustrations about the importance of getting rid of the source of the problems. The Psalmist cries out for strength when he sees the enemies destroying the foundation (Psalm 11:3). Jesus warns about the leaven of false doctrine (Matthew 16:12; see also Galatians 5:9), and the prophet notes that if the stump is left, the tree will grow again (Daniel 4:23,26; contrast Luke 3:9). These illustrations warn us to focus on the cause of the error, not the symptoms.
It is tempting to go after the symptoms. The pain of the many effects (abortion, pornography, flagrant promiscuity, easy divorce, etc.) are very real and terribly destructive. But the core rationale (in the educated Western world) for all these anti-God, anti-righteous, anti-authority beliefs is atheistic, naturalistic science.
ICR is searching for Cures to the "Disease."
We are researching to uncover evidence that will expose the atheism in naturalistic science. We are training Christian leaders to expand that research and to teach others. That work is extensive, time-consuming, and expensive. We cannot function without your financial support. We must have your prayer support. Please consider co-laboring with us.
[typeID] => 4 [visible] => t [pdf] => [publishURL] => ripples-riptides [publishDate] => 0000-00-00 [authorAsterisk] => f [domainID] => 1 [publication] => [volume] => [issue] => [page] => [author] => Henry M. Morris III, D.Min. ) -->
There have been many articles and special programs during the past few months about what to do with money in the "short-term." It seems, however, that the various opinions do not concur on the "term" of the short-term. We can chuckle at the lack of agreement and pass it off as typical pundits vying for recognition in the rather esoteric "science" of financial forecasting, but what does one do in the "short-term"?
The Doubtful Doldrums
One common thread roaming through most of the prognostications is a concern for the strength of the global economic picture. One hears multiple warnings about the lack of support for economic growth in the "near, long-term" (whatever that means). No one really knows, but there does seem to be a consensus that those who are looking for a stable income for their retirement years may be under a serious challenge for the next few years. The Vanguard Funds, a large and widely respected mutual fund company, has recently recommended that older investors consider purchasing annuities to secure a reasonable rate of return on their retirement monies.
The "Confident" CGA
Since the Christian's "short-term" is considerably modified by our "long-term" view of eternal matters, it is encouraging to be able to accomplish both objectives. It is good to be able to secure a short-term solution that will enhance our effectiveness while we are still on Earth, and at the same time insure that our resources will continue to have a long-term impact participating with Kingdom ministries after we have joined our brothers and sisters in eternity.
If you are 70 or above, you might want to investigate the Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) from ICR. Depending on your age and whether or not you want to include another person as a continuing beneficiary, the interest rate could range from 6.1% to 12%. The CGA also allows an immediate tax deduction as well as actual tax-free sheltering of a portion of the income, making the effective rates much more favorable.
ICR can prepare a specific proposal for you to consider that can help you focus your planning. Check the "CGA" box on the donor envelope or call us directly.
[body_edit] =>There have been many articles and special programs during the past few months about what to do with money in the "short-term." It seems, however, that the various opinions do not concur on the "term" of the short-term. We can chuckle at the lack of agreement and pass it off as typical pundits vying for recognition in the rather esoteric "science" of financial forecasting, but what does one do in the "short-term"?
The Doubtful Doldrums
One common thread roaming through most of the prognostications is a concern for the strength of the global economic picture. One hears multiple warnings about the lack of support for economic growth in the "near, long-term" (whatever that means). No one really knows, but there does seem to be a consensus that those who are looking for a stable income for their retirement years may be under a serious challenge for the next few years. The Vanguard Funds, a large and widely respected mutual fund company, has recently recommended that older investors consider purchasing annuities to secure a reasonable rate of return on their retirement monies.
The "Confident" CGA
Since the Christian's "short-term" is considerably modified by our "long-term" view of eternal matters, it is encouraging to be able to accomplish both objectives. It is good to be able to secure a short-term solution that will enhance our effectiveness while we are still on Earth, and at the same time insure that our resources will continue to have a long-term impact participating with Kingdom ministries after we have joined our brothers and sisters in eternity.
If you are 70 or above, you might want to investigate the Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) from ICR. Depending on your age and whether or not you want to include another person as a continuing beneficiary, the interest rate could range from 6.1% to 12%. The CGA also allows an immediate tax deduction as well as actual tax-free sheltering of a portion of the income, making the effective rates much more favorable.
ICR can prepare a specific proposal for you to consider that can help you focus your planning. Check the "CGA" box on the donor envelope or call us directly.
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