Moody Podcast Network

Having an emergency fund is an important part of wise financial stewardship. But building one is only half the battle. You also need to know when to use it.

It can be tempting to dip into emergency savings whenever an unexpected expense—or even an especially appealing purchase—comes along. But if we use those funds too freely, the money may not be there when a genuine emergency arrives.

Proverbs 21:20 offers a helpful reminder: “Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man’s dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.”

The principle is simple: wisdom prepares rather than consuming everything today. Financial emergencies are inevitable. A tire goes flat. An appliance fails. A major medical expense arrives. A job disappears unexpectedly.

We can’t predict every expense, but we can prepare for them.

An emergency fund is one of the most useful tools in a healthy financial plan. We often think about the “offense” of managing money—earning, saving, investing, and making progress toward our goals. But we also need a strong financial defense.

A good starting point is an introductory emergency fund of around $1,000 to $1,500. That can help cover many smaller surprises without immediately turning to a credit card.

Once you’ve paid off consumer debt and are taking advantage of any available employer retirement match, work toward building three to six months’ worth of living expenses.

That larger reserve protects against more serious disruptions, such as job loss or extended illness, and can keep an unexpected setback from becoming a debt crisis.

But once you’ve built that fund, how do you decide when to use it? Here are three questions to ask.

Does this expense need to be handled right now, or could you wait and save up to purchase it?

If something can reasonably wait, it probably isn’t an emergency.

When you’re uncertain, consider giving yourself some time before taking money from the fund. Waiting even 30 days may help you determine whether the expense is truly urgent.

Of course, some situations can’t wait. If your only vehicle breaks down and you need it to get to work, you may need repairs immediately. But if you have another vehicle available, you may have time to save toward the repair instead.

Urgency helps distinguish an actual emergency from an inconvenience.

The second question is whether the expense is truly necessary. This is where distinguishing between needs and wants becomes especially important.

Suppose your vehicle is no longer reliable. Transportation may be a legitimate need, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you need a brand-new car. A less expensive used vehicle might meet the immediate need while allowing you to save toward something different later.

An emergency fund is designed to protect you when essential needs arise—not to finance upgrades or purchases you would simply prefer to make sooner.

Finally, ask whether the expense was actually unexpected. There’s a significant difference between losing your job unexpectedly and realizing in December that you haven’t saved anything for Christmas.

Christmas comes every year. So do birthdays, property taxes, insurance premiums, school expenses, and many home and vehicle maintenance costs.

Those expenses may be irregular, but they aren’t emergencies.

Instead, consider creating sinking funds for predictable expenses that don’t occur every month. Setting aside a little throughout the year lets you prepare without raiding your emergency savings.

If an expense is urgent, necessary, and unexpected, then using your emergency fund may be entirely appropriate.

Passing all three tests doesn’t mean you should automatically spend whatever

Jesus said only one thing is needed ... do you know what it is?  Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe continues his message on making quiet space in busy places.  We’ll discover how getting “the first button right” each morning helps you release what you can’t control, hear God’s still, small voice, and put life into divine perspective.  Tap into God’s fresh mercies for your day … listen to Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe.

Bold Steps Gift: The Church In Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness - Erwin Lutzer and Ed Stetzer

Visit or watch Mark Jobe at New Life Community Church

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Rabbi Dr Natan Slifkin, founder and director of Israel’s unique Biblical Museum of Natural History, will take us on an adventure through the wild animals, plants, and other natural phenomena of the Bible. He will show how the natural world of the Bible plays a central role in Jewish heritage and connects the Jewish People to the Land of Israel, from ancient times, through global dispersion, through to modern Israel. Join us for an overview of the natural world of the Bible and its significance in Jewish thought.

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Jonathan Edwards once said, “True legacy consists not of what we leave behind, but of what we instill in others.” We often think about bequeathing money and assets, but, in Scripture, we are called to also pass on wisdom, character, and a legacy of faithfulness. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West provides ways to prepare the next steward. Learn why it’s crucial to intentionally give wisdom before wealth. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live, biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio.  To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

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He’s known as America’s pastor. Bestselling inspirational author, Max Lucado talks about cultivating a strong faith in an age of anxiety, chaos and exhaustion. With all the uncertainty and fear, headlines riddled with foreboding warnings, how does a Christian thrive? Max says we need to look at an Old Testament prophet and learn from him. Don’t miss a "Best of Chris Fabry Live" conversation with Max Lucado.

Featured resource:
Unbreakable Courage: Strong Faith in an Age of Anxiety, Chaos and Exhaustion by Max Lucado

October thank you gift:
Consider Jesus: Meditations on the Person and Work of Christ by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

Chris Fabry Live is listener-supported. To support the program, click here.

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When you hear the word anxiety, what comes to mind—fear, guilt, or shame? What if anxiety could actually become a way to receive God's grace and deepen your faith? Actress and author Blair Linne joins Chris Brooks to talk about new book, Made to Tremble, and discover the grace that steadies anxious hearts—on this episode of Equipped.

Resources mentioned:
Made to Tremble by Blair Linne

October thank you gift:
The Rekindled Heart: 6 Essentials for Reviving Your Faith by Mark Yarbrough

Equipped with Chris Brooks is made possible through your support. To donate now, click here.

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Jonathan Edwards once said, “True legacy consists not of what we leave behind, but of what we instill in others.”

That’s an important reminder, especially when we think about money and inheritance. All of us have a natural desire to provide for the people we love. Whether it’s our children, grandchildren, or others God has entrusted to our care, we want to leave them in a better position than we were.

That’s a good desire. Proverbs 13:22 says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.”

But Scripture encourages us to think about inheritance as more than simply transferring money or assets. What we pass on also includes wisdom, character, faith, and an understanding of what it means to steward what God provides. Because wealth without wisdom can become more of a burden than a blessing.

Proverbs 20:21 warns, “An inheritance gained hastily in the beginning will not be blessed in the end.” The goal, then, isn’t simply to transfer assets. It’s to prepare the next steward.

Our heirs aren’t merely future recipients. They will become managers of resources that ultimately belong to God. And that changes the way we think about legacy.

Throughout Scripture, inheritance is connected to both identity and responsibility.

In the Old Testament, land wasn’t simply property. It was connected to family, covenant, and the responsibility to faithfully steward what God had entrusted to His people. Families didn’t merely receive something. They were entrusted with something.

The same principle applies to us. If we pass on wealth without preparing the heart, we may leave the next generation with resources they aren’t prepared to steward wisely. But when we invest in their spiritual formation, teach them biblical principles of stewardship, and point them toward God as their ultimate Provider, wealth can remain what it was always meant to be: a tool.

So how can we prepare the next steward?

Long before the next generation receives anything from you, they are learning from you.

More is often caught than taught. The way you spend, save, give, and respond to financial uncertainty tells a story about what you believe.

Do your financial decisions reveal trust in God or anxiety about having enough? Do they reflect generosity or a constant desire to accumulate more? Do they demonstrate surrender to God or a need to maintain control?

None of us will model stewardship perfectly. But our everyday decisions give those who come after us opportunities to see that money is a gift to manage, not a source of identity or security.

Your financial life is already teaching a lesson. The question is what lesson it is teaching.

Another important step is simply talking about it.

Many families avoid conversations about money altogether. Parents may never explain why they give, how they make financial decisions, or what principles shape their approach to wealth. Then, when assets eventually change hands, the next generation receives the resources without understanding the convictions behind them.

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 describes faith being passed from one generation to another through the ordinary rhythms of life:

“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…”

That kind of discipleship includes the way we think about money. Tell your children why generosity matters to you. Explain how you make spending decisions. Share lessons you’ve learned from financial mistakes. Talk about why contentment matters and why money can never provide the security only God can give.

Most importantly, help them understand that money is not the goal. Faithfulness is.

Good stewardship is usually learned gradually. Psalm 78 describes on

Is the noise of life drowning out your peace?  Today on BOLD STEPS, Mark Jobe turns to the story of Mary and Martha in Luke chapter 10.  He uncovers what happens when we don’t have a place to get centered ... the worry, the distraction, even the self-pity ... and why a quiet space with God is essential for your spiritual sanity.  Learn to stop, breathe, and listen ... join us for Bold Steps with Pastor Mark Jobe.

Bold Steps Gift: The Church In Babylon: Heeding the Call to Be a Light in the Darkness - Erwin Lutzer and Ed Stetzer

Visit or watch Mark Jobe at New Life Community Church

Become a Bold Partner: https://www.moodyradio.org/donateto/boldsteps

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who do you want to become? What kind of impact do you want to make—at work, in your community, in the world at large? What is the legacy you want to leave? These are the questions sports agent Kellie Masters asks each one of her players before their professional sports career begins. Being the first woman ever to represent a Top 5 pick in the NFL Draft, career success is a priority for her. But even more, her agency was founded on helping her clients discover who God really called them to be, finding their true purpose in life beyond the field. Join us to hear her fascinating story.

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In the book of Ecclesiastes, we are reminded that our time on earth is fleeting, but what lies beyond is eternal. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores this profound truth and examines what Ecclesiastes conveys about life and money. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio.  To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.