Summer’s officially here! If your plans include the beach, you might be interested to know that while you’re relaxing with your toes in the sand, you can learn a lot about investing. The beach holds some important lessons for making wise decisions about your money. Investing expert Mark Biller is here to tell us about them.

Our guest is Mark Biller, executive editor at Sound Mind Investing. Check out this article atSoundMindInvesting.orgIt’s called Everything I Needed to Know About Investing, I Learned at the Beach.

The first lesson is to make sure the basics are covered.Austin Pryor, who wrote this article, points out that you can’t just leave for the beach anytime you want if you want it to go well. To be able to stay the course, some preparation is required. For the beach, that involves finding a place to stay, maybe lining up a house sitter, getting some extra cash to have on hand, those sorts of things. Translating that to investing, there’s important preparation to be done before just diving in as well. Specifically, investors need to lay the groundwork ofgetting out of debt and saving up an emergency fundbefore setting off on any grand investing adventure.

Figure out your travel plan and stick to it. You’d map the route ahead of time so you know the way. You’d leave on time, drive safely, and avoid taking unplanned detours.That might sound a little rigid to some, but remember, the point is to reach the beach safely and on time. That’s how we think people should think about reaching their retirement goals. When it comes to saving for retirement, the goal isn’t about an exciting journey, it’s thesafe and timely arrival. That means following your personalized stock bond allocation plan, withplenty of diversification, and not taking lots of detours along the way when exciting new investing billboards try to entice you from the side of your investing road.

The next lesson is to be patient with your tanning goals. Don’t fall for those high-risk, get-tanned-quick strategies. It’s too easy to get burned. Keep your tanning strategy simple. You don’t need tanning magazines, seminars, cable television programs or tanning gurus, becausetanning really isn’t all that complicated. If you follow the basics and don’t try to do too much too soon, you won’t go wrong. It’s the same with investing.

Ignore short-term wave patterns.Maybe you like to read at the beach, sitting in one of those low-slung chairs right at the water’s edge. If you’ve done that, you know that you have to move your chair from time to time so you don’t get soaked by the incoming waves. Those waves follow a trend and it’s impossible to predict what a particular incoming wave will do. Short-term, the waves are completely erratic, but longer-term they’re predictable. You have to learn to plan your moves based on what you know about the tide charts and what has worked in the past, not what the waves may be doing at the moment. With investing, that means not trying to predict what the market will do in the short term but to focus on the longer-term trends.

Don’t compare yourself to others. That can be difficult. We’d all like to look like a 22-year-old fitness model at the beach. But for most of us, that’s just not realistic. We’ve got to tailor our beach prep diet/workout strategy to who we are, someone trying to balance family life, work life, church life, etc.If a 60-year-old tries to workout like a 22-year-old, they’re probably just going to end up getting hurt. Likewise, with investing, make sure your approach is tailored to you, not some unrealistic vision of someone else. Slow and steady plodding wins, not crash diets or their investing equivalents.

Expect a few rainy days.If you go to the beach for a week or two, you don’t pack up and head for home just because you get a rainy day mixed in here or there. Instead, ideally, you’ve planned for that possibility and have some books and board games along. You’re committed for the whole week or two of your vacation and you don’t panic that every thunderstorm is going to turn into another Noah’s ark type Flood!There’s an obvious parallel there to our investing journey. Most of us are investing for decades and will encounter multiple bear markets and corrections along the way. We need to have a long term investing plan and stick to it without panicking every time the market takes a dip.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

We’re looking to get life insurance. I’m young, and am trying to determine how much life insurance I need and what term I should be looking for.

We’ve been taking money our of our IRA and gifting it to our daughter who works(we’re paying the tax on it for her). So, she does has earned income. What more can you tell me how to better and properly handle all this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Summer’s officially here! If your plans include the beach, you might be interested to know that while you’re relaxing with your toes in the sand, you can learn a lot about investing. The beach holds some important lessons for making wise decisions about your money. Investing expert Mark Biller is here to tell us about them.

Our guest is Mark Biller, executive editor at Sound Mind Investing. Check out this article atSoundMindInvesting.orgIt’s called Everything I Needed to Know About Investing, I Learned at the Beach.

The first lesson is to make sure the basics are covered.Austin Pryor, who wrote this article, points out that you can’t just leave for the beach anytime you want if you want it to go well. To be able to stay the course, some preparation is required. For the beach, that involves finding a place to stay, maybe lining up a house sitter, getting some extra cash to have on hand, those sorts of things. Translating that to investing, there’s important preparation to be done before just diving in as well. Specifically, investors need to lay the groundwork ofgetting out of debt and saving up an emergency fundbefore setting off on any grand investing adventure.

Figure out your travel plan and stick to it. You’d map the route ahead of time so you know the way. You’d leave on time, drive safely, and avoid taking unplanned detours.That might sound a little rigid to some, but remember, the point is to reach the beach safely and on time. That’s how we think people should think about reaching their retirement goals. When it comes to saving for retirement, the goal isn’t about an exciting journey, it’s thesafe and timely arrival. That means following your personalized stock bond allocation plan, withplenty of diversification, and not taking lots of detours along the way when exciting new investing billboards try to entice you from the side of your investing road.

The next lesson is to be patient with your tanning goals. Don’t fall for those high-risk, get-tanned-quick strategies. It’s too easy to get burned. Keep your tanning strategy simple. You don’t need tanning magazines, seminars, cable television programs or tanning gurus, becausetanning really isn’t all that complicated. If you follow the basics and don’t try to do too much too soon, you won’t go wrong. It’s the same with investing.

Ignore short-term wave patterns.Maybe you like to read at the beach, sitting in one of those low-slung chairs right at the water’s edge. If you’ve done that, you know that you have to move your chair from time to time so you don’t get soaked by the incoming waves. Those waves follow a trend and it’s impossible to predict what a particular incoming wave will do. Short-term, the waves are completely erratic, but longer-term they’re predictable. You have to learn to plan your moves based on what you know about the tide charts and what has worked in the past, not what the waves may be doing at the moment. With investing, that means not trying to predict what the market will do in the short term but to focus on the longer-term trends.

Don’t compare yourself to others. That can be difficult. We’d all like to look like a 22-year-old fitness model at the beach. But for most of us, that’s just not realistic. We’ve got to tailor our beach prep diet/workout strategy to who we are, someone trying to balance family life, work life, church life, etc.If a 60-year-old tries to workout like a 22-year-old, they’re probably just going to end up getting hurt. Likewise, with investing, make sure your approach is tailored to you, not some unrealistic vision of someone else. Slow and steady plodding wins, not crash diets or their investing equivalents.

Expect a few rainy days.If you go to the beach for a week or two, you don’t pack up and head for home just because you get a rainy day mixed in here or there. Instead, ideally, you’ve planned for that possibility and have some books and board games along. You’re committed for the whole week or two of your vacation and you don’t panic that every thunderstorm is going to turn into another Noah’s ark type Flood!There’s an obvious parallel there to our investing journey. Most of us are investing for decades and will encounter multiple bear markets and corrections along the way. We need to have a long term investing plan and stick to it without panicking every time the market takes a dip.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

We’re looking to get life insurance. I’m young, and am trying to determine how much life insurance I need and what term I should be looking for.

We’ve been taking money our of our IRA and gifting it to our daughter who works(we’re paying the tax on it for her). So, she does has earned income. What more can you tell me how to better and properly handle all this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

Have you ever been hit with a big doctor bill and prayed for a miracle, like maybe angels would appear and pay it for you? That’s sort of what happens when you sign up for a medical cost sharing plan. Lauren Gajdek, with Christian Healthcare Ministries, is here to talk about that today. It’s not really a miracle, but it sure feels like one!

Lauren Gajdek isVice President of Communications and Media at Christian Healthcare Ministries. The mission of Christian Healthcare Ministries is to glorify God, to show Christian love, and to experience God’s presence as Christians share each other’s medical bills. CHM’s role is to make Christians aware of the needs of others. Based on New Testament examples, fellow believers then step in to help them using a definable, accountable, and dependable framework.

Members pay a monthly financial gift to contribute to the ongoing medical needs of others. Members of CHM do not have a contract. Instead, members follow the model of the Church, the Body of Christ.

We, as a Christian family, recognize there’s a need. We have a common focus on the need, a personal desire to assist with that need, and a common commitment to voluntarily assist one another with that need.

It’s a biblical model that follows the mandate in Galatians 6:2 to Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. So how can folks be assured that this type of program works?

CHM has a long track record of helping Christians since 1981. And although it’s not insurance and there’s no contract, CHM shared nearly $500 million in members’ medical bills in the last year alone.

CHM is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. It undergoes an annual, independent audit. They even have programs for pre-existing conditions.

Check out blogs and video testimonials on their website,CHMinistries.orgyou’ll probably find a family or two in a situation just like yours. You can also call:800-791-6225.And take a look at the ministry’s reviews on social media.

Christian Healthcare Ministries practice what they preach. Many times, when members call, personnel often take time to pray with folk about their concerns right there on phone.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

Is there a maximum dollar contribution I can make to my retirement account?

My mom just passed away, leaving behind some IRAs and Roths, and I really don’t know what to do with them.

I have a couple of rental houses I’m using for my retirement (I’m 73). I do all the maintenance on them. However, I’d rather not have to keep doing that. Is there another way?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Have you ever been hit with a big doctor bill and prayed for a miracle, like maybe angels would appear and pay it for you? That’s sort of what happens when you sign up for a medical cost sharing plan. Lauren Gajdek, with Christian Healthcare Ministries, is here to talk about that today. It’s not really a miracle, but it sure feels like one!

Lauren Gajdek isVice President of Communications and Media at Christian Healthcare Ministries. The mission of Christian Healthcare Ministries is to glorify God, to show Christian love, and to experience God’s presence as Christians share each other’s medical bills. CHM’s role is to make Christians aware of the needs of others. Based on New Testament examples, fellow believers then step in to help them using a definable, accountable, and dependable framework.

Members pay a monthly financial gift to contribute to the ongoing medical needs of others. Members of CHM do not have a contract. Instead, members follow the model of the Church, the Body of Christ.

We, as a Christian family, recognize there’s a need. We have a common focus on the need, a personal desire to assist with that need, and a common commitment to voluntarily assist one another with that need.

It’s a biblical model that follows the mandate in Galatians 6:2 to Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. So how can folks be assured that this type of program works?

CHM has a long track record of helping Christians since 1981. And although it’s not insurance and there’s no contract, CHM shared nearly $500 million in members’ medical bills in the last year alone.

CHM is a Better Business Bureau Accredited Charity. It undergoes an annual, independent audit. They even have programs for pre-existing conditions.

Check out blogs and video testimonials on their website,CHMinistries.orgyou’ll probably find a family or two in a situation just like yours. You can also call:800-791-6225.And take a look at the ministry’s reviews on social media.

Christian Healthcare Ministries practice what they preach. Many times, when members call, personnel often take time to pray with folk about their concerns right there on phone.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

Is there a maximum dollar contribution I can make to my retirement account?

My mom just passed away, leaving behind some IRAs and Roths, and I really don’t know what to do with them.

I have a couple of rental houses I’m using for my retirement (I’m 73). I do all the maintenance on them. However, I’d rather not have to keep doing that. Is there another way?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

Amazon delivers about 14 million packages a day through its Prime program. But some of them are going to folks who haven’t ordered anything! It’s the latest scam involving the online retail giant and it’s calledbrushing. We’ll talk about that today and what you can do about it.

Have you ever received something from Amazon or any other online retailer that you didn’t order and haven’t paid for? This is different from a mixup where you get the wrong order. We’re talking about getting an item completely unsolicited, even though it has your name and address on it. If so, you may well have been an unwitting participant in a brushing scam.

Amazon allows 3rd-party merchants to sell their products on the Amazon site. When you search for items on these sites, these items turn up in the search results. The sellers know that having their products appear in the first few search results greatly increases their chances of getting an order. That search result pecking order is determined largely by customer reviews. The better the reviews, the higher a product is in search results. Amazon puts a higher priority on verified sale reviews, and this is where the scam comes in.

Unscrupulous 3rd-party sellers hire people (brushers) to purchase their products through temporary, fake accounts. The seller then writes fake, positive reviews about their products. But to complete the process and to have those reviews get the higher verified sale ranking, the items have to be delivered to a real address. And here’s where you come in. Naturally, the scammers don’t want to raise suspicion by having hundreds or thousands of items delivered to their address. So, they use yoursand the addresses of many other people who never ordered the product. Often, these unwilling recipients will get dozens and dozens of unsolicited products over the course of several months. Some people may not even report the deliveries to Amazon.

So far, this almost seems like a victimless crime. But that’s not the case. The real victims are the perhaps millions of customers who buy products online based on fake reviews and then those products turn out to be shoddy.

And there’s a downside for you if you receive one of these unsolicited packages. This means that your personal information has been compromised. A 3rd-party seller (and a shifty one at that!) now has your name, shipping address and maybe even your Amazon account information.

So what should you do if you find an unsolicited package from Amazon on your doorstep? First, try to determine if a friend or relative might have sent you a gift. If not, call the Amazon customer service line and notify them of the unsolicited package. That number is 888- 280-4331. Amazon is well aware of this brushing scam and actively tries to stamp it out wherever it can. This scam compromises the integrity of their business model. Next, contact the Federal Trade Commission and report it. You can do that online atFTC.gov.

Nextand this is really importantchange your Amazon account password. If you use that same password anywhere else (you shouldn’t, but a lot of people do) change it there, also.

One last thought. If you get hit with a bill for something you didn’t orderdon’t pay it. It’s just another scam.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

I need to know about long-term care insurance. Are there still good companies to get policies with them?

How do I properly close a credit card? Is there a benefit to doing this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

Amazon delivers about 14 million packages a day through its Prime program. But some of them are going to folks who haven’t ordered anything! It’s the latest scam involving the online retail giant and it’s calledbrushing. We’ll talk about that today and what you can do about it.

Have you ever received something from Amazon or any other online retailer that you didn’t order and haven’t paid for? This is different from a mixup where you get the wrong order. We’re talking about getting an item completely unsolicited, even though it has your name and address on it. If so, you may well have been an unwitting participant in a brushing scam.

Amazon allows 3rd-party merchants to sell their products on the Amazon site. When you search for items on these sites, these items turn up in the search results. The sellers know that having their products appear in the first few search results greatly increases their chances of getting an order. That search result pecking order is determined largely by customer reviews. The better the reviews, the higher a product is in search results. Amazon puts a higher priority on verified sale reviews, and this is where the scam comes in.

Unscrupulous 3rd-party sellers hire people (brushers) to purchase their products through temporary, fake accounts. The seller then writes fake, positive reviews about their products. But to complete the process and to have those reviews get the higher verified sale ranking, the items have to be delivered to a real address. And here’s where you come in. Naturally, the scammers don’t want to raise suspicion by having hundreds or thousands of items delivered to their address. So, they use yoursand the addresses of many other people who never ordered the product. Often, these unwilling recipients will get dozens and dozens of unsolicited products over the course of several months. Some people may not even report the deliveries to Amazon.

So far, this almost seems like a victimless crime. But that’s not the case. The real victims are the perhaps millions of customers who buy products online based on fake reviews and then those products turn out to be shoddy.

And there’s a downside for you if you receive one of these unsolicited packages. This means that your personal information has been compromised. A 3rd-party seller (and a shifty one at that!) now has your name, shipping address and maybe even your Amazon account information.

So what should you do if you find an unsolicited package from Amazon on your doorstep? First, try to determine if a friend or relative might have sent you a gift. If not, call the Amazon customer service line and notify them of the unsolicited package. That number is 888- 280-4331. Amazon is well aware of this brushing scam and actively tries to stamp it out wherever it can. This scam compromises the integrity of their business model. Next, contact the Federal Trade Commission and report it. You can do that online atFTC.gov.

Nextand this is really importantchange your Amazon account password. If you use that same password anywhere else (you shouldn’t, but a lot of people do) change it there, also.

One last thought. If you get hit with a bill for something you didn’t orderdon’t pay it. It’s just another scam.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

I need to know about long-term care insurance. Are there still good companies to get policies with them?

How do I properly close a credit card? Is there a benefit to doing this?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

If you’re familiar with the treasure principle you know it means that when your money is flowing toward the Kingdom your heart will follow.It’s a timeless financial principle. As we break the control that money has over us God is free to use money in our lives more fully for His purposes. Financial teacher and author Ron Blue is here to tell us how to do that today. Then we take your calls at 800-525-7000.

Ron Blue has written a whole shelf full of books on God’s financial principles. He’s also co-founder of Kingdom Advisors.

One of the main teachings of Kingdom Advisors is giving is not because God needs the money, but it’s in order to break the power of money in our lives.

We need to hold everything with an open hand in order to be free for God to put more in. He can take out whatever He wants whenever He wants it, but He can also put more in whenever He wants to.

Matthew 6:19 to 21. Jesus says,Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So, it’s not where my heart is where I put my treasure. It’s where I put my treasure there is where my heart will go. The heart follows treasure, not the other way around.

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

It’s interesting that in that passage, Jesus doesn’t say that it’s hard to serve God and money; it says it’s impossible to serve God and money. You have to make your choice. It’s one or the other.

1 Timothy 6:10 reads,For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

God will be able to make all grace abound to me, so that in all things, at all times, having all that I willneed.The problem is, we get confused between greed and need. God has promised to meet my needs. That should drive away all fear.

So once again, why does God want me to give? So that He can be the source of everything that I need. And then I will abound in every good work.

Giving breaks the power of money and that’s a concept that needs to be transferred from parent to child and from generation to generation.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I am 59 years old and have 700K in my 401K. It is all in aggressive type funds. When should I move this to more conservative funds?

I lost my husband two years ago. One of our accounts was in his name only. It went through probate and now I have it. Should I put this in a trust?

Who can I trust to invest my money?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

If you’re familiar with the treasure principle you know it means that when your money is flowing toward the Kingdom your heart will follow.It’s a timeless financial principle. As we break the control that money has over us God is free to use money in our lives more fully for His purposes. Financial teacher and author Ron Blue is here to tell us how to do that today. Then we take your calls at 800-525-7000.

Ron Blue has written a whole shelf full of books on God’s financial principles. He’s also co-founder of Kingdom Advisors.

One of the main teachings of Kingdom Advisors is giving is not because God needs the money, but it’s in order to break the power of money in our lives.

We need to hold everything with an open hand in order to be free for God to put more in. He can take out whatever He wants whenever He wants it, but He can also put more in whenever He wants to.

Matthew 6:19 to 21. Jesus says,Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So, it’s not where my heart is where I put my treasure. It’s where I put my treasure there is where my heart will go. The heart follows treasure, not the other way around.

No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

It’s interesting that in that passage, Jesus doesn’t say that it’s hard to serve God and money; it says it’s impossible to serve God and money. You have to make your choice. It’s one or the other.

1 Timothy 6:10 reads,For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

God will be able to make all grace abound to me, so that in all things, at all times, having all that I willneed.The problem is, we get confused between greed and need. God has promised to meet my needs. That should drive away all fear.

So once again, why does God want me to give? So that He can be the source of everything that I need. And then I will abound in every good work.

Giving breaks the power of money and that’s a concept that needs to be transferred from parent to child and from generation to generation.

Here are a couple of questions we answered from our callers on today’s program:

I am 59 years old and have 700K in my 401K. It is all in aggressive type funds. When should I move this to more conservative funds?

I lost my husband two years ago. One of our accounts was in his name only. It went through probate and now I have it. Should I put this in a trust?

Who can I trust to invest my money?

Ask your questions at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab at the top of the page.

A favorite passage of ours is in Luke 12the Parable of the Rich Fool. But do we still need to be concerned about the size of our barns? The short answer is yes. While very few of us even have barns these days, Jesus’ message in that parable is every bit as important for us today.

Let’s look at the first part of the parable, Luke 12:16-19. That’s where Jesus says,The land of a rich man produced plentifully and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’And he said, I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.

There are people in the world who might read that and think, Hey, that sounds like a solid, practical solution! You’ve got too much stuff coming in, your barns aren’t big enough, you need bigger barns. What’s wrong with that? Well, the rich man finds out what’s wrong in the next two verses, which read, But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

If that theme sounds familiar to you, there’s a good reason. Charles Dickens no doubt borrowed it when he wroteA Christmas Carol.Of course there, Ebenezer Scrooge takes on the role of the rich fool, obsessed with money and possessions. But unlike the Rich Fool, Ebenezer gets a second chance. And we do too.

What does rich toward God mean? It’s an unusual phrase and God’s Word doesn’t elaborate on it. But we can get an idea of its meaning by contrast. It’s the opposite of building bigger barns or laying up earthly treasure for yourself. Being rich toward God is acknowledging that we’re made forHim, not for our own pleasure or possessions. Our abundance is in God, not our bank accounts. Rich toward God means counting God as greater riches than anything on the earth. And it means using earthly riches to show how much we value God. How do we do that? By giving generously to His Kingdom.

But the Rich Fool did none of that. He thought only of himself. When he died, he left his earthly treasure behind. But Jesus isn’t saying that our works save us. He’s saying that not doing the good works we were designed for will hurt our relationship with God. Jesus is teaching that money and possessions are dangerous because they can lure us out of love for God and keep us from treasuring Him.

The problem wasn’t that he had become rich, but that the Rich Fool ceased to view God as his supreme treasure. If God had been his treasure what would he have done differently? Instead of saying, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry, he would have said something like this: God, this is all yours. You have made my fields prosper. Show me how to express with my riches thatYouare my treasure and that riches are not. I already have enough. I don’t need more luxury and leisure. Had he said that, the Rich Man wouldn’t have been a fool at all. He would have been a very wise man who was rich toward God. He would have believed what Jesus says in Acts 20:35, It is more blessed to give than to receive. The Rich Fool learned that the hard way, but we don’t have to. We can take God’s Word for it.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

Could you tell me some ways to increase my credit score?

Is there a specific number of times, when a lender pulls my credit, that it won’t effect my credit score?

Other than in a money market account (where I currently have $800,000), what are some better places to put my money where it’ll provide a good return?

How much money is the maximum that you can get from Social Security if you retire at 65 or 70?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1085/29

A favorite passage of ours is in Luke 12the Parable of the Rich Fool. But do we still need to be concerned about the size of our barns? The short answer is yes. While very few of us even have barns these days, Jesus’ message in that parable is every bit as important for us today.

Let’s look at the first part of the parable, Luke 12:16-19. That’s where Jesus says,The land of a rich man produced plentifully and he thought to himself, What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’And he said, I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.

There are people in the world who might read that and think, Hey, that sounds like a solid, practical solution! You’ve got too much stuff coming in, your barns aren’t big enough, you need bigger barns. What’s wrong with that? Well, the rich man finds out what’s wrong in the next two verses, which read, But God said to him, Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

If that theme sounds familiar to you, there’s a good reason. Charles Dickens no doubt borrowed it when he wroteA Christmas Carol.Of course there, Ebenezer Scrooge takes on the role of the rich fool, obsessed with money and possessions. But unlike the Rich Fool, Ebenezer gets a second chance. And we do too.

What does rich toward God mean? It’s an unusual phrase and God’s Word doesn’t elaborate on it. But we can get an idea of its meaning by contrast. It’s the opposite of building bigger barns or laying up earthly treasure for yourself. Being rich toward God is acknowledging that we’re made forHim, not for our own pleasure or possessions. Our abundance is in God, not our bank accounts. Rich toward God means counting God as greater riches than anything on the earth. And it means using earthly riches to show how much we value God. How do we do that? By giving generously to His Kingdom.

But the Rich Fool did none of that. He thought only of himself. When he died, he left his earthly treasure behind. But Jesus isn’t saying that our works save us. He’s saying that not doing the good works we were designed for will hurt our relationship with God. Jesus is teaching that money and possessions are dangerous because they can lure us out of love for God and keep us from treasuring Him.

The problem wasn’t that he had become rich, but that the Rich Fool ceased to view God as his supreme treasure. If God had been his treasure what would he have done differently? Instead of saying, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry, he would have said something like this: God, this is all yours. You have made my fields prosper. Show me how to express with my riches thatYouare my treasure and that riches are not. I already have enough. I don’t need more luxury and leisure. Had he said that, the Rich Man wouldn’t have been a fool at all. He would have been a very wise man who was rich toward God. He would have believed what Jesus says in Acts 20:35, It is more blessed to give than to receive. The Rich Fool learned that the hard way, but we don’t have to. We can take God’s Word for it.

On today’s program we also answer your questions:

Could you tell me some ways to increase my credit score?

Is there a specific number of times, when a lender pulls my credit, that it won’t effect my credit score?

Other than in a money market account (where I currently have $800,000), what are some better places to put my money where it’ll provide a good return?

How much money is the maximum that you can get from Social Security if you retire at 65 or 70?

Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000 or email them [email protected]. Also, visit our website atMoneyWise.orgwhere you can connect with a MoneyWise Coach, purchase books, and even download free, helpful resources like the free MoneyWise app.

Like and Follow us on Facebook atMoneyWise Mediafor videos and the very latest discussion!Remember that it’s your prayerful and financial support that keeps MoneyWise on the air. Help us continue this outreach by clicking the Donate tab on our website or in our app.