Utah's Hope

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” — Matthew 16:26

Those words from Jesus confront one of the deepest questions we can ask about money and success. Jesus spoke them to His disciples as He taught about the cost of following Him. In that moment, He contrasted two pursuits: gaining the world and preserving the soul.

The question still echoes today: Is there a spiritual cost to financial success?

On today’s episode of Faith & Finance, John Rinehart, founder and CEO of Gospel Patrons, joined the show to explore that very question and what Scripture teaches about wealth, work, and spiritual health.

Financial success itself is not condemned in Scripture. In fact, the Bible includes many faithful believers who possessed great wealth—Abraham, Job, and Lydia among them. Yet Scripture also carries repeated warnings about the spiritual dangers that prosperity can create.

As John explained on the show, wealth can be both a blessing and a temptation. The danger arises when our hearts begin to trust money instead of God.

Jesus addressed this tension directly in Matthew 6:24:

“No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve God and money.”

The issue is not the possession of wealth but the mastery of wealth over the human heart. And in a culture that celebrates success, possessions, and financial independence, those warnings are easy to overlook.

John describes a pattern many people fall into—a cycle of success that can quietly lead to spiritual drift.

It often begins with a view of work that centers on earning money so we can eventually rest. We work hard, pursue success, and over time, our effort produces prosperity. Hard work and prosperity themselves are not wrong. In fact, Scripture often affirms diligence. But prosperity introduces a new danger.

As John noted during the conversation, success can gradually lead us to forget the God who provided it in the first place. When we begin to see wealth as the product of our own ability rather than God’s provision, our dependence on Him begins to fade.

Before long, success that once felt like a blessing can become a spiritual trap.

Jesus illustrates this danger in the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:16–21. In the story, a farmer experiences an abundant harvest. Faced with overflowing crops, he decides to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store them all.

From a purely financial perspective, his plan sounds wise. But Jesus reveals the deeper problem. The man begins speaking to himself as though his wealth guarantees security and ease:

“Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” — Luke 12:19

Then comes the shocking turn.

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you.’” — Luke 12:20

The problem wasn’t the harvest—it was forgetting God. This story hits close to home in a culture that often equates success with building bigger barns.

This warning appears long before Jesus told that parable. As Israel prepared to enter the Promised Land, Moses cautioned them about the spiritual risks that accompany prosperity.

In Deuteronomy 8:17–18, he warned:

“Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth.”

John highlighted this verse as a key reminder: even the ability to creat

What does God’s love look like when your earthly father failed you? He Calls Me Daughter, a new Christian movie by Rick Altizer, follows real stories of father wounds, faith, and redemption. Rachelle Starr’s Scarlet Hope ministry brings hope to women in strip clubs, showing how obedience, prayer, and God’s grace transform broken lives. Watch, reflect, and discover how healing from father wounds can restore identity, trust, and purpose.

Show Notes and Resources

• Watch the film He Calls Me Daughter in theaters for two days only: March 17–18 (get tickets and find theater locations now). visit HeCallsMeDaughter.org.
• Learn more about Scarlet Hope ministry: Visit scarlethope.org for stories, donation options, team info, and ways to get involved.
• Set sail on the Love Like You Mean It Marriage Cruise! Now through 3/31/26, use promo code CruiseMadness27 and enjoy exclusive savings on your stateroom.

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We know we put on our socks before our shoes, and our shirt before our jacket. We all know that the order of things is important. Pastor Greg Laurie says a spiritual awakening will come to our culture after a spiritual revival comes upon the Church. God described that dynamic in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Today on A NEW BEGINNING, we’re learning about the components that lead to revival among God’s people. It’s a part of Pastor Greg’s enlightening series called Jesus Revolution.

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It’s one thing to thank God before a meal. It’s another thing entirely to thank God before sending off a tax payment. For Christians, gratitude doesn’t end where the deductions begin. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West takes a surprising look at taxes—not as an interruption to our finances, but as evidence of God’s provision. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith & Finance Live— biblical wisdom for your financial decisions—weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

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Topics: 

M. Flo Again, Face To Face w/God Question, Salty Humans, Justifying, Jude 22, Does My Life Really Matter, Cave on the Moon, Feeling Messed Up, Kids/Accordion, Hypocrites


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