We work, we earn, we save. But is that all there is? The book of Ecclesiastes gives us an entirely new perspective on money that impacts our day-to-day lives. Faith Phi's newest study, Wisdom Over Wealth, unpacks life-changing biblical truths about wealth, work, and contentment. This resource will help you grow in how you handle wealth by deepening your trust in God.
Purchase your copy today or place a bulk order at faithfy.com/slash shop. Um What does true generosity look like? Is it about how much you give or something deeper? Hi, I'm Rob West. Jesus once praised a woman who gave only two small coins because it wasn't the amount that mattered, but the heart behind it.
Today we'll take a closer look at the story of the widow's might. and what it teaches us about true generosity. And then it's on to your calls at 800-525-7000. That's 800-525-7000. This is Faith in Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial journey.
You'll find this powerful moment in Luke 21:1 through 4. Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. And he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. for they all contributed out of their abundance but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on.
It's easy to skim over that quickly, but let's slow down and notice what's really happening. Jesus is watching people give their offerings at the temple. The wealthy are making their contributions, probably large ones. Impressive, at least from the outside. Then comes this widow, no status, no fanfare, just two small coins, worth almost nothing economically.
Yet Jesus says her gift was greater than all the others. Why? Because God doesn't measure generosity by how much we give, He measures the heart behind the gift. the widow's gift teaches us something profound. God measures the heart, not the amount.
Jesus points out that the rich gave out of their abundance, meaning their gifts didn't actually cost them anything. Their giving didn't require faith or sacrifice. It was comfortable, convenient. It may have looked impressive on the outside, but it didn't reflect a heart fully surrendered to God. By contrast, the widow gave out of her poverty all she had to live on.
Her gift wasn't just generous. It was sacrificial. It was risky. It was a radical act of trust. Jesus isn't condemning wealth or large gifts, but he's exposing the emptiness of giving that's disconnected from dependence on God.
The leaders may have given more money, but but they held back their hearts. the widow gave much less, but held nothing back. This isn't the only time Scripture flips our expectations about what's more valuable in God's eyes. In I Samuel sixteen seven, the Lord says to Samuel, Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. And in 2 Corinthians 8:12, Paul writes, For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.
In other words, God doesn't hold us accountable to give what we don't have. He calls us to give what we do have, cheerfully, faithfully, and with a heart surrendered to Him. The widow's gift isn't just a lesson in generosity, it's a glimpse of the gospel. Jesus gave everything for us. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says, Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor.
so that you, through his poverty, might become rich. That's the ultimate picture of generosity. Jesus pouring himself out completely, holding nothing back. When we give, especially from a place of trust or sacrifice, we reflect that same kind of love. This story invites each of us to ask some honest questions.
Am I giving out of abundance or out of trust? Do I give because I love God or because it feels expected? Do I see my giving as worship or just another line item in the budget? Maybe you feel like your gift is too small to matter. But remember the boy in John six who offered his lunch?
All he had was five loaves and two fish. Jesus took that modest meal and fed over five thousand people. The point isn't what you have, it's what God can do with it. When we give with open hands and faithful hearts, we step into a kingdom mindset, one that values surrender over status and obedience over optics. The story of the widow's might isn't meant to pressure us to give more.
It frees us from the idea that generosity has to be big to be meaningful. In the kingdom of God, a gift given in faith is never small.
So, whether you're giving two coins or two million dollars, the question isn't how much, it's why. And who are you trusting as you give? Because God doesn't need your money, He wants your heart. If you'd like to explore more topics like this, check out our quarterly printed magazine called Faithful Stewart. It's chalk full of biblical insights on faithful stewardship, and it's sent exclusively to our Faith Phi partners who support this ministry with a gift of $35 a month or $400 or more per year.
As a partner, you'll receive Faithful Steward every quarter directly to your mailbox, along with other exclusive benefits designed to help you on your financial journey. Become a Faith Phi partner today at faith5.com/slash partner. That's faithfi.com/slash partner. All right, your calls are next: 800-525-7000. I'm Rob West, and we'll be right back.
We work, we earn, we save. But is that all there is? The book of Ecclesiastes gives us an entirely new perspective on money that impacts our day-to-day lives. Faith Phi's Study: Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money unpacks life-changing biblical truths about wealth, work, and contentment. This resource will help you grow in how you handle wealth with wisdom and deepen your trust in God.
Purchase your copy today or place a bulk order at faithfy.com slash shop. Faith in Finance is grateful for support from Sound Mind Investing. For more than 30 years, they've offered financial wisdom for living well. SMI provides step-by-step guidance for do-it-yourself investors. from those just getting started to those getting ready for retirement.
More information, including a short video webinar on profit and peace of mind no matter what's happening in the market, is available at soundmindinvesting.org. Thanks for joining us today on Faith and Finance. We've got some great questions coming up here. Looks like we have one line open, though.
So, if you have a financial question, now would be a great time to get in on the conversation. Just call 800-525-7000. Again, that's 800-525-7000. Let's head to South Carolina. Hi, John.
Go ahead, sir. Yes, sir. Um years ago I had Yeah. And I got disabled And um I lost a lot of money, you know, when the market dropped and everything wasn't much in there, so I was out of work. for years and they finally took it out of there and put it in the IRA.
but it's not making any like And for my other told me maybe take it out and put like in a savings.
So I was wondering if I get taxed on that if I did that. Yeah, it's a good question. You would be. That would be a taxable event if you moved IRA money into a regular savings account. An IRA is, as you know, a tax advantaged retirement account.
And once the money comes out, which would be what happened if you moved it to a savings account, it would be considered a distribution, which loses its IRA status. And so that full amount would be added to your ordinary income in the year of the transfer or what's called the distribution. And then if you're under 59 and a half, there'd be a 10% penalty on top of it. Yes, I'm sixty-seven, so that's what I was wondering. Got it.
Now, the other option is if you don't need this money, you know, perhaps you need to look at not the institution, you know, or the type of account, but really more about the investments inside of it. I mean, you've got with an IRA, you've got an unlimited number of investment options. You could have it in a money market, which would be like a savings account because it's basically very stable and paying you a typical yield equal to probably something close to what high-yield savings accounts are paying, all the way, you know, to stocks and bonds and even, you know, gold investments, things like that.
So if you're just looking for more return, it really comes down to how much risk are you willing to take? And then what are the right investments that match that risk tolerance and time horizon that might get this growing for you in a way that you haven't experienced previously? And you should be able to do that right inside the IRA.
Now, if you have another reason to access the money because you need it for something, well, then. You know, you transfer it out and pay the tax, but it could be, it just needs to be repositioned into other investments.
Well, the bank that I have it at said it wasn't enough to invest.
So, I mean, it's like $50,000. and they said there ain't enough for them to invest it. $50,000? Yes, sir. Yeah.
No, you certainly could invest it. I think, you know, it's really just where are you at? I mean, if you rolled it over, where is it right now? Who is the custodian? First citizens, South Carolina, here.
Okay, yeah.
So you're at a bank.
So you'd probably want to be at a brokerage firm. I'd roll it to like a Schwab or a Fidelity. And $50,000 is plenty to invest. You can invest with far less than that. And you could pick a high-quality mutual fund, maybe one of the faith-based investing funds.
You could invest it in indexes. You could even use fractional shares and invest in regular stocks. I probably wouldn't do that. I'd probably use a mutual fund or an ETF, but you absolutely could invest $50,000. Oh, okay.
Okay, and my next question was what's a reverse mortgage? 'Cause my house is paid for, so. Yeah, got it.
So, a reverse mortgage, or what's known as a home equity conversion mortgage, which is basically the long. The more formal name for reverse is the official government-backed reverse mortgage program. And that's what you would want to do if you considered reverse. As long as you're 62, which you are, and you have at least 50% equity, which you do, then instead of making payments to the bank, the bank pays you. And payments back to them become optional while you're living and in the house.
And so you're tapping into that home equity. You still own the home. You have to keep paying property taxes and insurance and maintenance, but they let you access that equity, which is after tax equity because you've already paid the tax on it. And so you can get that money out. you know, by way of either a line of credit, a monthly check for life.
Or by paying off an existing mortgage, although you don't have one. Most people get it as a line of credit. which just means there's a sum of money available, generally equal to about half of the value of the home. That line of credit probably is going to increase over time as your home appreciates, and then you draw money out when you need it. And you don't ever have to make a payment.
Now, the balance that you have draw out is going to grow over time because there's interest and there's some fees. But then when you pass away or move, the house is sold. And just like a forward mortgage, whatever is owed to the lender gets paid out of the proceeds of the home, and then the rest is available for your heirs or to be given to charity.
So that's generally the way it works. Does that make sense, though? Sir, that makes a lot of sense. You answered all my questions. All right.
Listen, if you want to connect with somebody who can help you understand exactly what that would look like in your situation, our team would be happy to connect you with someone. Just hang on the line, okay?
Okay, thank you. All right, John. God bless you, my friend. To Ohio, BJ, how can we help? Real quick, I just wanted to know the best thing to do with real estate proceeds from the the sale of my house.
I want to be a good steward. I want to just put it in that it would be the best investment for the future. Sure. Yeah. Well, you've got to define the best investment for the future because that all comes down to what is your time horizon?
How much risk do you want to take? And what kind of risk-adjusted returns are you seeking?
So, you know, we have different buckets based on the time horizon.
So, if this is money you want to redeploy for some purpose in the next three years, you probably want to take as little risk as possible. If this is money you're saying, no, I want to shift it away from a real estate investment with still maintaining a long-term perspective, but I want to now invest it in stocks and bonds.
Well, that's an entirely different approach.
So, how are you thinking about just the time horizon and the risk and return that you feel like is appropriate?
Well, I really don't need it right away. I would say within the next five years. I was looking at like high yield evenings accounts online and I'm kind of leery about that. And I'll also I've been seeing a lot with the IUL. If that makes sense, I just want to make sure that I'm being the best steward that I can be with it.
Yeah. So you're mentioning IUL and high-yield savings, but I don't hear you mention just investments in stocks and bonds. Is there a reason you would not want to do that?
Well, Dad, so I was wondering maybe if you suggested open I have a 401k Through my job. I I I don't know if I should get like an IRA or I I I just don't know where to start with it. That's that's why I'm calling you. Just a suggestion of where you would think it would be the best the wisest you know, path to take. Yeah.
It's a great question. I think there's a number of options you could take. If you wanted to be on the ultra-conservative end, you'd be in a guaranteed type account. There's no guarantee. I mean, everything has some risk, but essentially, in a high-yield savings, you'd have the full faith and credit of the United States government.
But you're going to get a very low return and it's declining as interest rates come down. Kind of moving up the risk spectrum, you could transfer the risk to an insurance company and an Index Universal Life. It's not my favorite approach because you're locking up the money. They're complicated and expensive. I would probably rather you just connect with a certified kingdom advisor, do some overall retirement planning just to look at your overall situation, how everything's being managed, and then ultimately hire an investment advisor to manage it for you, minimizing the risk.
But growing it, but giving you still complete access to it if you need it down the road without a complicated insurance product involved. To do that, you'd head to our website, faithfy.com, click find a professional, and I'd find a CKA to help you. Hope that helps, BJ. Thanks for your call today. 800-525-7000 is the number to call.
We're gonna continue taking your questions here in the final segment of the broadcast. Maybe room for one more question here in this next segment: 800-525-7000 is the number to call. This is Faith and Finance. Biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. We'll take a quick break and then be back with much more right after this.
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take the first step toward financial freedom today. Visit ChristianCreditCounselors.org or call 800-557-1985. Great to have you with us today on Faith and Finance. We've got some wines open today, taking your calls and questions on anything financial. The number 800-525-7000.
Again, that's 800-525-7000. You can call right now. Randy's in Louisiana waiting patiently. Go ahead, sir. My question is I mean Format.
Federal Work Workers' Comp. And I'm wondering if I'll be able to draw Social Security when it comes time. Yeah, and you're talking about just regular social security benefits, not disability benefits, is that right? Right. I've been told I can't draw the disability benefits.
Okay.
Well, uh okay.
So n separate from workers' comp, you've been told that you can't require you can't get disability or because you're on workers' comp? Because I'm a workers' comp. I can't get disability.
Okay.
I mean, it is possible to receive both. I mean, there are some pretty strict eligibility requirements. They both have different requirements for approval. SSDI provides income when you're unable to work for an extended period, regardless of whether your conditions related to your job. Workers' comp, of course, is just for the injuries or illnesses suffered on or as a result of the job.
Now, if you're receiving workers' comp, it may affect how much you receive from SSDI and vice versa. The total of both benefits can't exceed 80% of what Social Security determines to be your average current earnings prior to when you became disabled. If they do, then SSA will reduce your SSDI to get under that cap. And so, what I would do is go through the application process. You know, it generally takes a few weeks for the workers' comp claim to be approved.
Sounds like that's already happened for you. And then the SSDI application. Of five-month process or more. But it absolutely is possible to receive both. Uh, at the same time, and you can absolutely collect workers' comp and social security retirement benefits, so standard benefits, but again, The key is that the sum of these benefits can't exceed 80% of your average earnings before your disability.
So that's that workers' comp offset rule that they talk about.
So I think that's the key as you just look at the total amount that you could receive between the two. Does that make sense? Yeah, I've already been. It had the SS Diara. And I had to pay it back.
Okay.
of the all sick. I had to pay back what I what I'd gotten. In order to clear it. Yeah, I was just wondering, is it the same rule for regular Social Security? Yeah, so that offset is going to apply for regular Social Security as well.
And so if if that kicked in there, it's going to kick in on the uh regular Social Security benefits as well.
Okay.
Thank you, sir. Have a good day. All righty. Thank you, Randy. We appreciate your call.
One line open: 800-525-7000 is the number to call. Let's go to North Carolina. Hi, Robin. Go ahead. I was wondering.
Uh I have a friend who has not paid her taxes for five years and I did this work. How that would affect her children should she pass, and what steps she could take to kind of get out of that situation. Yeah. Uh so has she just not filed or what is the situation? Right.
Yeah. Okay.
And does she have reason to believe she owed taxes during that time? And did she pay anything in? Yeah. Okay.
Well, as to the question about her children, I mean, essentially the final return that would be filed, or in the case of an, you know, there's not been taxes filed where there was taxes due, that would be settled in the probate process. And so at the end of the day, you know, whatever taxes are owed because of nonpayment would have to be paid by her estate. And then whatever's left over would be distributed to the heirs.
Now, if there's not enough in the estate to pay those taxes, the debt does not transfer to the heirs, but whatever is owed would have to be paid as all of that is settled up by the executor by the estate to pay it in full before anything would remain that could be distributed to the heirs.
So I think the opportunity you have, Robin, is just to encourage your friend to get current. You know, this can seem scary, and yet my experience is the IRS is absolutely willing to work with you, especially if you're the one trying to get on top of this.
So I'd find a CPA who has some experience representing taxpayers before the IRS for what's called offer and compromises or a payment plan, get those tax returns filed, determine what that liability is, and then get on that payment plan to start making progress. Progress toward paying that back and becoming in full compliance. That is absolutely the way to go because there's fees and penalties that are continuing to accrue that are going to be astronomical down the road. And so I think the sooner the better. There's even some forgiveness plans available that the IRS offers, depending upon kind of her financial status, that might even allow some of this to go away completely if she's willing to get in compliance.
So I think visiting with a CPA who has some experience in this area would be the best next step. But as to your question, all of that, these back taxes would have to be paid by the estate before $1 is paid out to anyone else.
So with the estate, like say she owns For example, a trailer, and that's the only thing she owned. that would go to her children. The value of it until her estate was paid. That's correct. Until her debts and liabilities were settled, and that includes a tax liability.
Okay.
Well, thank you very much. I appreciate all you do.
Well, thank you, Robin. I appreciate that very much. God bless you. Let's finish up today in Louisiana. Lance, you'll be our final caller.
Go ahead, sir. Yes, sir. I was calling in I haven't had this question uh I was told That with my current mortgage, it's about $125,000 remaining. And I was told that if I move it and do it under um Home equity line of credit. That I can pay it off in like seven years.
And what they told me is that you take and you basically have your paychecks go into the line of credit deposit to the line of credit every month. But but then use a line of credit to pay your bills and in doing that you'll be able to pay your mortgage off uh anywhere from three to seven years faster. I just wanna know if that is that even true. I just don't like that approach. I mean, yeah, it works on paper.
The problem is, it typically involves you spending a a good bit of money on a fancy software package and It's complicated, and you've got to have a lot of cash flow to make it work. and it can go sideways on you. What I would recommend is a more vanilla flavored approach to paying off your mortgage, and that is just try to send an extra payment a year if you can, and if you can do more, great. but don't try to get fancy with home equity lines of credit and getting your paycheck to go and then borrowing it for your expenses and then paying it back. And yeah, I can run all kinds of fancy calculations that would show you why that makes sense.
But at the end of the day, I think it's risky, it's complicated, and it usually involves a lot of fees that you would have to pay to the people selling the software.
So I would pass Lance with all due respect. Thanks for your call today, sir.
Well, folks, that's going to do it for us. If you want to support our work, you found this ministry helpful to you, just go to faithfy.com and click give. We'd certainly be grateful. Thanks for listening and sharing. And I hope you'll come back and join us again next time for another edition of Faith and Finance.
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