Have you ever stopped to ask yourself this question, how much money is enough? Most of us never really define it. And when enough is unclear, it quietly becomes a moving target, shaping our decisions, fueling anxiety, and keeping us chasing more without ever finding rest. At Faith Phi, we believe God offers a better way. That's why we created our very first FaithPhi field guide, How Much Money is Enough?
an interactive scripture-centered resource designed to help believers explore this question through biblical wisdom, guided reflection, and real-life application. When you support our ministry by becoming a FaithFi partner, before May 31st, you'll receive this field guide as our way of saying thank you. Your gift of $35 a month or $400 a year helps equip believers to manage God's money God's way and find freedom rooted in contentment, not comparison. To become a partner today, visit faithfy.com/slash give. That's faithfy.com/slash give.
Yeah. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and the power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil, this is the gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:19. I am Rob West. What if true joy doesn't come from gaining more, but from gratefully receiving what God has already provided?
Today, John Cortinez joins us to explore what he calls the cycle of grateful living, how it transforms our approach to money and contentment. And then it's on to your calls at 800-525-7000. This is Faith and Finance, biblical wisdom for your financial journey. I always enjoy having John Cortinez in the studio. He serves as director of grant making at the McClellan Foundation, and he's the co-author of God and Money and True Riches.
He's also the author of Faith Vised Study on the book of Ecclesiastes titled Wisdom Over Wealth. John, great to have you back with us. Thanks for having me, Rob. Today, we're going to explore something you talk about in Wisdom Over Wealth called the cycle of grateful living and how embracing it can truly be life changing.
So as we begin, give us a little context.
Well, sure. You know, it's such a joy to dig into Ecclesiastes. And as I was studying that book and reading commentaries, especially with an eye toward faith and our finances, I kept coming back to Ecclesiastes five, eighteen through twenty. You just read verse nineteen. After a lot of study, I've really come to view these as critically important verses.
Ecclesiastes has so much to say about our search for meaning and contentment in life. And these verses come right in the middle of the longest meditation on money, and they reflect on what it means to enjoy the life that God has actually given us.
So we're told that it's good and fitting to eat and drink and find satisfaction in our work. But the key is that even the ability to enjoy what we have, that is a gift from God, too.
So, just to look at those three verses very quickly at an overview level, verse 18 shows us what's good for everyone. If I'm rich, if I'm poor, finding joy in my everyday life and labor is good. Verse 19 introduces the idea that wealth is a gift, not just the possessions and the money, but even the power to enjoy that gift. If we're alive and mentally present enough to enjoy something, then that's a gift from God during our short life on earth. And verse twenty gives us the result of this mindset.
If I'm living this way, God will keep me occupied with joy, not with worry or regret. Yeah. John, I think this is such an important idea. You know, the idea that money is a good gift from God, it's something He created, and it's for, in part, our enjoyment. I think we can miss that in our understanding that, you know, money is dangerous, which it is.
And so we have to be on our guard. But this enjoyment factor, I think, is often overlooked. Do you see that? I do. You know, all of scripture is there for our edification and benefit, and Ecclesiastes provides such a powerful witness to that.
That, of course, wealth is a temptation and a danger. That's clear in scripture. But also, just like you said, it's a gift from God, and he loves to bless his children.
So, I'd love to walk through that cycle of grateful living, if that sounds good. Let's do that.
So, you know, when we look at that, verse 19, it gives us a pattern that I have an acronym for that we use in the study, which is to E-A-T, which of course spells eat. That seems appropriate in a book that tells us to remember joy in our eating and drinking. But in this case, we're saying that stands for Enjoy Except Toil, E-A-T.
Okay. And so E is enjoy God's provision, just like we're saying. We begin by recognizing that everything we have is a gift, not just our wealth, but even the ability to enjoy it. If we have health or freedom or relationships, these are a gift from God that makes enjoying His gifts and creation and provision possible.
So that's to enjoy. A is accept life's brevity. The second step is to accept our lot, our few days of life, our our current season of life, even the limitations that we face. Ecclesiastes meditates on death a whole lot. because it's wanting us to recognize that life is short, And when we recognize this, it gives us a greater sense of purpose in the precious few years that we get on earth.
And then finally T is to toil with joy. because Ecclesiastes does call us to rejoice in our work. And we often dream of escaping work through wealth. But Ecclesiastes tells us that proper joy is found in our toil, not escaping from it. Mm.
That is so good, John.
Well, I can't wait to unpack this a bit more as we begin to talk about this cycle of grateful living, specifically what gets in the way. And for those of us who have been blessed with much, and I would say everyone listening to this broadcast in the most prosperous nation in the history of the world, if we have more than we need, we've been blessed with much. But why does joy get choked out so often in that prosperity? We're talking today with John Cortinez. He's the author of Faith Vive Study on Ecclesiastes, Wisdom Over Wealth.
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So glad to have you with us today on Faith and Finance. Joining me in the studio is John Cortinez. He serves as director of grant making at the McClellan Foundation. He's also the co-author of God and Money and True Riches. He's also the author of Faith Buy's Ecclesiastes study called Wisdom Over Wealth.
You can pick up a copy at faithfy.com/slash shop. That's faithfi.com slash shop. Today, we're diving into one part of that study, what John calls the cycle of grateful living. And he unpacked that around an acronym: eat, to enjoy God's provision. accept life's brevity and toil with joy.
And John, it it's safe to say that most of us wrestle at times with feeling truly grateful or joyful in the rhythms of daily life. What do you think tends to get in the way for most of us?
Well, you know, if Ecclesiastes calls us to enjoy provision, accept life's brevity, and rejoice in our toil, I think it's interesting to say what would be the opposite. I could take God's provision for granted, forgetting to be content and grateful. I could never think about how precious and short life is, and I just trudge along day by day and not give it much thought. And I can complain and bicker about my toil and my work, dreaming about some far off day when I can escape the rat race. But really, how miserable is that compared to the positive vision that Scripture gives?
The big idea Is that this biblical financial vision is not about a someday that I should achieve with good planning, but about today where I'm in the presence of Christ, content and joyful as I'm toiling along in the life He's given me? You know, there's this really popular idea out there called fire or financial independence, retire early. And there's some interesting ideas there, but also I think there's a real danger. I used to really think this way, and it's if I can slave away hard enough, live frugally enough, stockpile enough money for 10 or 20 years, someday I'll own my own time, I'll just kick back and do whatever I want. It sounds attractive, but really it's a mirage.
because the human condition is to be oriented to a purpose, to work.
Now, am I saying you should stay in a job that's miserable with an abusive boss or whatever? No, of course not. But look, even if you're retired, it's not so you can sit on the beach for 20 years. We're all made by God to toil in a wholesome way. to work at accomplishing something good and beautiful.
And as we do that, to be content and rejoice with gratitude as we do it.
So, that vision of getting away from work forever, that's a dream that ultimately won't satisfy our hearts. Oh, wow. Yeah, that is such a big idea. I'm glad you called that out. John, in the study, you offer another powerful insight that while many people today are wealthy by historical standards, very few actually experience joy in their prosperity.
It's a striking observation, isn't it? It really is. And in the context of human history, like you point out, Especially in the developed world, we live like royalty. An upper-middle-class family today, if we've got air conditioning and cars and clean water and food and an annual vacation and good housing, we're living like European royalty from just 300 years ago. and yet we're often anxious and stressed and unsatisfied.
I was talking with someone recently, and the word billionaire came up. He said, Oh, I know lots of billionaires, and I wouldn't trade places with them. They're as unhappy as anyone else.
So clearly, money isn't the answer in its own. And I'd say that's why this cycle of grateful living from scripture is so needed. It teaches us how to engage with our wealth rather than just chase after more endlessly. Yeah, that's right. And the preacher in Ecclesiastes, I think we believe at least, was King Solomon.
So he speaks with authority on this, doesn't he? That's right. He had plenty of wealth and the opportunity to enjoy it, but didn't find satisfaction there. Yeah, that's right. Now, John, you also draw a connection between the wisdom of Ecclesiastes and Jesus teaching in Luke 12.
I'd love for you to spend a minute or so unpacking that for us. Sure.
Well, in Luke 12, it's a great financial chapter. And Jesus reminds us there of the birds and the flowers. They don't worry, and yet their needs are met. And he points out that we're so much more valuable than they are. And it's interesting because this is very comforting, but also sobering.
It's comforting because God is our provider and He cares for us in the days that He's ordained for us on this earth. But it's also sobering because like flowers and birds we have a short life on God's earth. Our time here is brief and it's going to pass by. James actually says this in chapter one of his letter The Rich Will Pass Away Like a Wildflower.
So God provides for that wildflower generously, but the time to bloom is short.
So therefore, again, let's enjoy God's provision while we're here. accept our limitations in the brevity of life, and rejoice in our toil. And let's walk with Christ faithfully for each precious short day that he gives us. Yeah, that's right. John, let's go back for a moment to verse 20.
I'm going to read it for us. It says, He will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with the joy in his heart. What does that kind of life look like, in your view, in practical terms? Oh well, I love this verse, and it's a challenge to me personally, but I think it looks like presence-like a low anxiety life. Remember that image of the birds, right?
They're not anxious about tomorrow, they're just living their happy little bird lives, trusting in God's provision.
So I have a grateful heart. It's too full and happily busy to obsess over regrets or compare to others or get anxious about financial uncertainties.
So, personally, whenever I get too spun up over the geopolitical environment or a work deadline or where my retirement account balance is, I try to step back and say, no, no, let's invite Jesus Christ into this moment. I want to ask his help. To help me do that EAT cycle again to enjoy God's gifts, accept life's brevity, and rejoice in my toil. Because it's a remarkable privilege to be alive in this moment. To have even the opportunity to toil.
Ecclesiastes points out that every previous generation, their turn, has come and gone on this earth, but we're still here. It's our turn right now to honor God. As we look to an eternity of hope in Christ up ahead.
So let's not spin our wheels in stress. Let's be content, like those birds, like those flowers, in the precious moment, sustained by the generous hand of God and able to joyfully engage in the tasks that he puts in front of us. That's the kind of life that God longs for us to live. Yeah. John, as we begin to wrap up here, I'd love for you to share just kind of any practical rhythms you've put in place in your life.
As you've obviously done a deep dive into Ecclesiastes and really processed this at a philosophical level, is there anything that kind of comes to mind that you've done that has been helpful to you? You know, one thing that's really struck me is contentment. Not just on the level of Here's the amount of financial provision I have. Let me be content with it. But actually, contentment in a much larger, almost call it a whole life sense.
You know, I'm part of the generation, I'm a millennial, and we grew up being told: work hard, dream big, you can do anything, you can be anything, you can be president, you can be an astronaut. And part of the wisdom of Ecclesiastes in embracing our lot or embracing the limits of our life. is to really recognize that there's a smallness to our life. And that's different to think in those terms, but Christ is the one who's big and great and eternal and glorious. I'm actually really small, and I'm not going to be here on this earth for long.
But in the days he's given me, let me glorify him. And live in that kind of contentment. And that actually helps me avoid kind of that discontentment of, well, my life should have turned out for more. I could have accomplished more and been more. Say, no, actually, Christ has accomplished it all.
and if he's put me here I'm going to glorify him and let that be enough for me. Wow. Yeah, that's well said. And I guess the bottom line is, John, when we choose to be grateful, we can enjoy God's provision and accept life's brevity and then rejoice in our toil, right? That is that cycle of grateful living.
Wow. Yeah, that's powerful.
Well, unfortunately, we're out of time, so we're going to have to have you back, but I really appreciate your time today and for the work you put into Wisdom Over Wealth. What an incredible resource. And I hope our listeners will pick up a copy. Thanks for your time today. Thanks for having me on, Rob.
That was our friend and author John Cortinez. If you'd like to explore the joy of grateful living more deeply, be sure to check out our study on the book of Ecclesiastes called Wisdom Over Wealth. It's a resource that can truly reshape the way you think about money and stewardship. You'll find it at faithfi.com/slash shop. That's faithfi.com/slash shop.
We'll be right back. What happens when we never define enough? It becomes a moving target, always pushing us toward more. For a limited time, when you become a FaithPhy partner, you'll receive our first ever FaithPhy field guide: How Much Money is Enough. Your gift of $35 a month or $400 a year helps equip believers to manage God's money God's way.
Become a FaithFi partner by May 31st to receive your field guide. Visit faithfuy.com slash give. 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. I'm Faith and Finance. All right, let's head to the phones. We're ready for your calls.
We've got lines filling up, but we do have room for you at the moment: 800-525-7000. We'll begin in St. Louis today. Richard, go ahead, sir. I'm 78 years old.
I'm trying my very best to avoid nursing facilities or long-term care. I can invest about $3,000 a month. Uh how could uh what what would you recommend? As a safe, you know. Yes.
Well, the first thing I would do is, you know, really, it's about stability, accessibility, access to the funds, and then peace of mind, of course. First is, I think I would prioritize safety and liquidity.
So you want money available if your health or housing needs change. That means six to 12 months' worth of expenses and cash. Or high yield savings, certainly high yield savings. If you can get some interest, you should. You could also use some short-term bonds or CDs for additional stability, but I would have that full six months worth of expenses safe, liquid, and earning interest.
That's going to mean high-yield savings or money market. I'd avoid anything volatile or complex. Beyond that, you want to create reliable income streams.
So, since your goal is to stay in your home, predictable income matters more than growth.
So, you may want to look at what's called a bond ladder or a CD ladder for steady income, where you take this money and as you build it up in savings, then when you get to 25 or 50,000, maybe you buy a CD at that point and you stack them on top of each other. Or you could use a conservative income-focused portfolio, where maybe at approaching age 80, we'd probably not want more than 30%. 30% in stocks, 70% in fixed income type investments, which could be done through mutual funds, where you'd have maybe a conservative stock mutual fund for 30%. And then 70% you'd buy maybe a short-term or medium-term bond fund that would have a yield on it and would move with interest rates. And as rates come down over the next few years, it would do well.
I think either of those solutions could work well: the CD ladders or the stock and bond portfolio using mutual funds. If you wanted to go that direction with the mutual funds, our friends at soundmindinvesting.org could give you the mutual funds to buy and allow you to do it yourself, but they'd make it really simple.
So, hopefully, that helps you, Richard, gives you some thoughts around how to think about your emergency fund and then what to do with the rest. We appreciate your call, sir. Lord bless you. Let's go to Sue in Texas. Hi, Sue.
Go ahead. Hi, how are you? I'm great. I'm calling because I have questions about the stewardship. And getting someone to help me with this.
I've gotten into just helping with the outreaches and stuff. And I'm getting a lot of letters from pastors and churches that also need help.
So I need information on how that. I did get started with it. how to keep where to keep it in some bank or credit union or advisor.
So it's mostly information that I need on being a good steward. Sure.
Yeah, we can certainly help with that, Sue. Let's press into that question you asked there a moment ago, though. And we could talk about just general stewardship and where you go from here. But in terms of, you know, you mentioned you're getting a lot of letters and inquiries from people that are asking. It sounds like for you to support them.
You know, do you have a budget? And do you have a specific amount of side that you, a specific amount of money you've determined you have available for giving wherever that is? Because here's what I'm getting at. I'd rather you be the one to kind of pray through your giving and decide in advance how much you have available for giving. And then you can evaluate any opportunities the Lord lays on your heart, whether it comes by way of a letter in the mail or something you hear at church or just somebody you run into in your local area.
You can evaluate any of those needs against the giving plan you've already decided in advance. Because what I don't want you to do is just to feel guilty like you have to give to everybody that asks. I want you to have a plan for your giving.
Now, it doesn't mean we don't have any spontaneity in it. You know, the Lord may lead you just to do something unexpected, and that's okay. But I don't want you to get into a mode of just always feeling like you have to give every time somebody asks for money. Does that make sense? It does, it does, and that's where I'm comfortable getting into And I'm using right now my Social Security and a little money that I had saved.
And it's gone to you know, going through it pretty good. Yeah. And I know God's gonna bless me with money too. I think we just need to be careful with that and make sure that we're giving for the right reasons. I love your generous heart, so don't miss that.
I think that's fabulous. But I also don't want you to give for the wrong reason because when we think about our giving, I think the way that we're to give as we just look at the counsel of scripture and consider our generosity, number one, is we shouldn't be giving in a way that's motivated by guilt. You know, we should give generously to our local churches and ministries that advance God's kingdom. But I think a lot of believers have been influenced by legalism or the prosperity gospel, which suggests that failing to give equates to stealing from God and forfeiting his blessings. And that's just not what we see in scripture.
You know, in 2 Corinthians 9, Paul reminds us: each one must give what he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion. And I think it's that, you know, that under compulsion idea that we need to be careful. God loves a cheerful giver.
So we need to distinguish between guilt and conviction. Guilt is often accompanied by shame, and I think it comes from the enemy and can draw us away from Christ, while conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and draws us closer to him. And so I think you just need to be careful about that. You know, God is not a cosmic vending machine. We don't give to get, we give as an act of worship, and it's just an overflow of our gratitude for Christ's sacrifice.
Mm-hmm. and were freed then from the burden of guilt. In our giving and in our whole lives, because God wants to cultivate a spirit of generosity that's rooted in love. And gratitude for what he's done for us. Let's do this.
I wanna give you a gift today, Sue. And here's what I'm gonna offer. We've got a team of what we call certified Christian financial counselors here at Faith Phi. They're men and women who love Jesus. And they love helping God's people be wise stewards.
And what I'd like to do is offer for one of those certified Christian financial counselors to come alongside you over the phone. And just be an encouragement to you to pray with you, but also to help you create a plan. That ensures that you're giving only as you feel like the Lord leads, and that makes sense in your plan. Not just because somebody asks and because you believe you're going to get more back. Financially, and I think you know, having wise counsel to walk with you in that will be a blessing.
So, let's do this. You stay on the line, we're going to get your information if you're comfortable with that. And I'm going to pay for a certified Christian financial counselor to walk alongside you over a couple of visits over the phone in the month ahead.
So, stay on the line, our team will get your information. God bless you, Sue, and thanks for calling today. We're so thankful for our team here: Devin, Sandy, and Jim. Couldn't do it without them. We'll see you tomorrow.
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