Jesus and Economics, Part 1

US Christians what Jesus talked about during his earthly ministry. You'd hear things like love, salvation, and send so the last thing you expect here is economics, that's true economics plays a major role Christ teaching as you are about to hear post-Rob West bottoms economist Jerry Bowyer today to help understanding of Christian doctrine that your calls on anything financial 805 five 7800 525-7000 four Jesus economics that's nice right here on moneywise.

Rob will Bowyer's chief economist, advice, and financial. But today were adding author of the brand-new book, the maker versus the takers what Jesus really said about social justice and economics and so packed with interesting information were having Jerry out for two days in a row to talk about what is learned well that's exactly right Steve were delighted to do that because we been waiting for this book to come out and I really think it's fascinating people don't often use the words fascinating and economics in the same sentence in order to break the mold today because this is the exception. Jerry Bowyer, welcome back to the program.

Always a pleasure to be with you and thanks for being part of this journey really from the beginning years ago at the KA conference where I spoke about this and you encouraged me to continue to research this and communicated. I'm so delighted you did Jerry because nobody really has been talking about this side of Jesus ministry. Certainly not with the kind of interpretation and research that you have put into this.

I know your idea for this book came because you saw people misinterpreting Jesus teaching about wealth from both sides of the spectrum liberals and conservatives, perhaps getting it wrong so explain that for us. Yeah I and it started more with the liberals getting it wrong.

But then I realized also ways in which I think the conservatives which I am one. I have been getting it wrong, that it really started when I was on the radio and on someone if people knew that I was Christian and they knew that I believed in free market, so a woman called in and said well you believe in the free markets. I'm a socialist but Jesus is on my side. He said it's harder for you know it's easier for a camel to go through it. I have a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven which is a misquote of course and I you know I had at this immediate reaction which was well ma'am.

Do you know who these we said that about. He had just finished a conversation with the senator so maybe want to rethink whether Jesus is calling for an economic system that gives more power to Senators and you know that I think you might be misunderstanding what's going on because you're ignoring the historical context and then once I was on that. I just felt called pulled dragons to go deeper and deeper and deeper, not just into that instance into all of the times that Jesus is having confrontations over money in the Gospels and every time he's talking about economic and financial matters to see whether the same pattern held in the same pattern did hold on the on the conservative side, though there is a tendency because sometimes if you listen to Jesus with the with the volume kind it down any sort of muffled and he does sound a little socialist and so what conservatives frequently do is they turn that volume down even more. I want to hear that he's just talking about your heart, he's just talking about your personal relationship with money. He's not saying anything about the economy or about the nation are about social justice as I think more about little bit afraid that if they really listen to Jesus. He's gonna leave this politically someplace where we don't want to go and the answer is you have to go wherever Jesus leads don't tell them in advance where he is going to lead. We have to follow and then we see where we end up well Jerry, this is fascinating because in order to understand his teaching.

You've helped us understand, as in every context, not just the theory of money, but certainly it applies here with money and economics. We need to understand the geography we need to understand the economics associated with that time.

We even need to understand the audience in which he's talking to all of those things and more. Give us the full picture of what it is he's trying to communicate them when we come back from this breaker will dive into each of those beginning with understanding the geography and why that's so important here as we talk about the maker versus the takers what Jesus really said about social justice and economics while well today. Our good friend and economist Jerry Bowyer Texas the college as we learn even more about Jesus and what Jesus said about social justice and economics going a little geography as well. Host is Rob West. Of course I'm Steve Moore and would like to think a brief pause back and take some calls later in the program on any financial topic that's of interest to you. 800-525-7000 money and life run on the same track. Unfortunately, sometimes it seems like your money is heading in a different direction from your goal, and never enough three keys to financial contentment. Author Ron blue helps you to break down all your financial options to a basic floor and then shows you how to keep it all chugging along in the right direction on the same track never enough three keys to financial contentment available when you click the store button at moneywise live out of work. You have money in a retirement account for just a general investing. You know, the stock market sometimes is possible to enjoy both profit and peace of mind and investing no matter what's happening.

You can see a short video webinar on sound mind investing.org since 1990 sound mind investing in stocks offer financial wisdom for living well sound mind investing.O RG Mrs. Max McLean what is God's standard for greatness. Listen to the Bible from Matthew 18 the disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, he called child and had him stand among many said I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest kingdom of heaven welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes but if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck. Ground it's so do you feel like your hands are tied with debt, preventing you from serving God.

If you have credit card debt. Christian credit counselors can help through our debt management program we can get out of credit card debt.

About 80% faster while honoring your debt info. For more information on how Christian credit counselors can help visit Christian credit counselors.org Christian credit counselors.org or call 800-557-1985, 800-557-1985 is always a joy to have Jerry Bowyer with us on the program today. He's the author of a brand-new book, among many other things, the title, the maker versus the takers what Jesus really said about social justice and economic Jerry.

I'm so grateful for the work you put into this brand-new book. I hope each of those in our listening audience will pick it up read it digested because I think it gives us a fuller context of what Jesus was communicating around these topics and to better understand that we need to see the role economics play during his ministry. So let's begin by first looking at the geography.

Why is it important to start their well if I get first false important because it's in the Bible God and the inspire of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity could have left the city, and province names out you know that that doesn't have to be part of the text right but it is part of the text.

It's often part of the tax we tend to skim it over, but the gospel accounts themselves don't skim over near Jesus leaves beside up the ghost to copper now on he leaves he leaves Galilee, he goes to Judea were given all of these stage directions were given all this travel log stuff which you know we basically kind of treat as not the main point. Maybe even not important, but if it weren't important, it wouldn't be in the Bible and the other thing is frequently this commentary given Zeno so this is still fulfill. He shall be called a Nazarene or the reason he that he's preaching and Are now is to fulfill the prophecy given through Isaiah were condemning their over and over again. We are given actual biblical reasons why certain places are chosen.

So why do we ignore that we ignore that because it's of no use to us if we don't understand the significance of those place names so if I write a novel and I got in the novel like you know Rabbi travels to Wall Street and it talks to a guy in a $4000 soon who just got out of a limousine and was talking about trades using him to trade your earthly life for the kingdom of God.

All we would get that right know this guy works in finance. This trading theme is intentional. We know that someone in Wisconsin and overalls know someone in Silicon Valley and a T-shirt, but being driven around by somebody else in a previous right. We know those tropes so a novelist doesn't have to tell us that you know someone with a blue collar and a lunch bucket.

We factory right we get all that but 2000 years from now if someone were watching one of our TV shows or reading our novels, they wouldn't understand that. Well, that's the position wherein 2000 years later were reading true history that has all these references to cities and provinces. We don't get those references so we skim over them because they don't offer anything to us and then we try to get to the main point. But Jesus knew who he was and knew where he was. So the main point is tailored for where he is and so we won't really fully understand the main point in less we get these details like geography right and understand each city has an economy. Each city has an economic base and he varies his economic messaging depending on where he is geographically and will miss that if were not paying attention to the geography.

Jerry give us one example of where we look in Scripture and see Jesus teaching and where understanding the actual place.

He was gives us a better understanding of what he was trying to communicate. Yeah what exam I want to give you 20 example, the limits of radio time. So here's the here's the example that essentially drop mainly drives this book. The difference in the way that he talks in Galilee, which was a largely entrepreneurial economy largely small business and largely nonhierarchical sort of flat, decentralized, I think of the Shire. That's my pick. But that's my mind, picture of Galilee versus how he speaks as he travels south towards the tower and gets closer and closer to the temple and the temple elite and the temple had become.

Basically it was God meant it to be a place of liberation but it had become the central point of exploitation and become the central point of exploitation and that's why it's in the temple environs that Jesus says you are devours of widows houses. This is a den of robbers. So Jesus is confrontations over wealth, including the first one which is the confrontation with the rich young ruler are directly proportional to how close he is to the ruling class and to the political and religious capital. He has no confrontations over wealth peak does has Confrontations in Galilee, but there's no denunciation of wealthy people in Galilee even though there were wealthy people in Galilee and Jesus was there neighbor. We know that archaeologically, but there's a difference between people who are makers of wealth attend merchant off farm or a builder like he and his father got his foster father. Well, his real father is also a builder rebuilt the universe big people who, and even people were involved with investment and traders and manufacturers alike. The good of the stoneware manufacturers in the and in Cana where we have the stoneware being important in the story of the wedding of Cana. There's no denunciation of these small industrialists and these and these entrepreneurs all of the denunciations wall on to you who are rich were specifically told is to a Judean audience, not to a Galilean audience. Yeah, that's so fascinating. Jerry you make the case that studying the economics of Jesus ministry isn't at odds with our understanding of theological issues but actually enhances it.

You do that with one specific example of Jesus. Execution unpack that for us. Yeah that's a good point because there's a tendency to playoff theological against historical or economic and that just doesn't work first volley of the doctrine of the incarnation Jesus is fully human, which means he's participating as fully divine and also fully human.

So he's participating in things and also the doctrine of providence that God has a plan and that he works his plan in the world. Okay so the plan was for Jesus to be crucified. Pontius Pilate thought Jesus was innocent. The mom wanted Jesus crucified.

Why would Pontius Pilate give into the mob.

He had all the weapons he had all the power and he hated the Jews and hated Jerusalem and had a history of never caving into the mob well so happens if you look at Roman economic history and overlay that with the Gospels. Rome had its worst financial crisis ever when 33 A.D. the traditional time of the crucifixion of Jesus.

So while all this is going on in Jerusalem there is a good there's an empire wide financial collapse very much like our 2008 collapse. Pontius Pilate was politically aligned with the equestrian order which was in the banking houses he had lost his cover. He was weakened politically and so he gave into the mob, something that was very uncharacteristic of him. In general, and I think also the mob itself was more bloodthirsty when we are financially afraid were more likely to do evil things, including the worst thing that humanity has ever done in the history of the world which is the coast of crucified the Lord of life Jerry. I love how that just illuminates the story that we've read so many times and yet having that economic backdrop understood really just brings a more full understanding of what was going on at the time, and what is being communicated that we can take away and in this book you do that throughout Scripture helping us understand exactly what Jesus was getting out and so many of these situations. I'm so glad working to have you back tomorrow because we've just gotten started.

Jerry Boyer economist good friend and author of the brand-new book, the maker versus the takers. The inks still wet on that one, but you'll find it@amazon.com. Thanks so much again Jerry for being with us today. Your calls next. 800-525-7000. Do you know if you have enough money of house. Do you know how much is enough.

If not, one blue can help with this book. Master your money a step-by-step plan for experiencing financial contentment. Learn how to save and invest and give wisely, how to create a long-term financial plan and how to get out of debt. Find it all in master your money by Ron blue available when you click the store button moneywise live.org. Here's how I think this is not mean they were guessing that this definition isn't just the thing… Meeting so that we think that his great mercy and obedience went well.

We have a choice. Not only do we want to clear what God is not that we are so great now ever.to live differently than we were to actually change and think and bring me to tears anymore quickly tenant different than we were willing listening to wings to experience experience the financial wealth you leave behind could be the best thing that ever happened to your loved ones or the worst in splitting hairs. Given your money and things to your children without ruining their lives. Ron blue explains why it's important to make these decisions now, instead of forcing your heirs to do would later splitting hairs will foster a real appreciation for the precious resources that God has entrusted to you, and it's available. Click the store button moneywise live.org doing that for segment to list Boyer jury joins us again. Jerry joins us again tomorrow for part two of our conversation. As we discussed surgeries new book the maker versus the takers were Jesus really said about social justice and economics but right now are taking your calls on your personal economics. Anything that is of concern to you when it comes to your money management. We like to chat about so call right now we have some open lines affect, we have quite a number of open lines so this be a great time to call 800-525-7000 800-525-7000 Robbie ready to go. I am ready Steve Moore. Let us begin by going to see Burlington, Vermont Elizabeth, how can we help you today. I about my married for almost 5 years now. We had three different loan pay off my last year there from both state and federal and I did not know what your recommendations were for consolidating yeah well Elizabeth personal congratulations on paying off your loans with the direct consolidation loan for the federal loans essentially are not going to be able to go and get a more competitive interest rate is just can be an aggregation if you will, of the current rates where their combined into one.

The result is simplification, basically because you have a single monthly payment instead of multiple payments and it could give you access to additional loan repayment plans and forgiveness programs. Although if you're on track toward a current forgiveness program it could reset that and you could lose credit for payments although that only applies to a small group of people. But again, you'd simplify you might be able to lower your monthly payment.

Although I'm not terribly excited about that because I want you to pay them off as quick as you can and if you have any variable-rate loans you could have them combined into one fixed interest rate, which would obviously be a benefit so you know, apart from having private loans that you could go out and refinance to try to get a more attractive interest rate. This is really just about simplifying and consolidating if that makes sense what their level where that interest rate at work not with federal loans now because in less you have a private loan out there on the open market where you go out to another private lender and if you qualify based on your credit score and your income and that type of thing that's where you could perhaps improve your interest rate, but if you're staying in the federal loan program that's going to go forward you the income-based repayment options which, if you got into a hardship and you needed to take advantage of those you don't want to give those up, necessarily, but in order to do that you have to stay with the current rates and again they were just all be combined into one at the prevailing rate of the combination of the three so put them all together in whatever kind of that aggregate rate is is what you received.

Still worth looking into. Again, unless your you have a unique situation where you been paying toward loan forgiveness or something like that it could provide some simplification with the key for you all.

Elizabeth is probably what you did to pay off years keep your lifestyle and check live on a budget and pay just as much as you can toward those so student loans over and above the minimum payment every month and see when you cannot goes out. Elizabeth would appreciate. We appreciate your phone call today. Thank you very much if you just 20 minutes moneywise live and here's our phone number. We have a more open lines. This would be a great time to get on. If you drive if you tried in the past and were able to get through more than likely you can do it today. 800-525-7000 go to Carlos and Ocala, Florida Carlos, so what your situations are about 30,000 on how my mortgage is about 22,000 on it figure out if there be a good time here pay the mortgage with no credit card debt and now we only got a car payment that we bought last year. He wanted to get an opinion. I'm trying to pay it off on it. Okay yeah well it is a balancing.

I clearly want you to be debt free, but we also want to do it in a way that doesn't cause you to be cash-strapped and in a sense if this is your emergency fund and we don't want to spend that all the way down and you also mentioned a car note what is the balance on that about 27,000 27,000 your car. What's the interest rate on that 2.75 okay yeah so I think you could go either direction. You mentioned you have 30,000 is that in checking and does that include your your current pay periods check or is this a savings account separate from your funding account and I will be from every every account have my favorite okay well I think that the thing you need to do is separate out into a separate savings account and I'd encourage you Carlos to use. Perhaps an online savings that you link to your checking you could use Marcus, you could use capital one 360 Ally Bank, one of those note no fees or expenses you get about .6% right now on a high-yield savings and it would be linked to your checking what I want you to do is get the portion that is truly savings out of your checking account. Let's just operate based on what you need for one month's expenses which means you gotta have a spending plan. If you don't have one. Go download our brand-new moneywise biblical finance app in the app store. Whatever phone you have.

It will be there and you can build your budget right in there using a digital envelope system. The key is figure out what your need is on a monthly basis. Keep that in your checking account and that's what you're going to spend from then with your savings and want you to move. What's truly savings over and above what you need for a monthly.

Then we decide what to do with that. Typically we want 3 to 6 months expenses in that as a starting point because that's really your reserve for the unexpected. What would you say just estimate for me.

Your monthly expenses are hundred all in everything you spend is less than 2000 for all your expenses fixed in discretionary okay well if if that's the case, and I challenge you to go back and make sure that's right what you look at the things you don't get a bill for eating out gifts, insurance payments, all of it total all that up and I want you to have three months of that is a minimum before we start paying things down stable.

I would get a break here will finish up off the air.

We appreciate your call and this is moneywise. How should we as Christians think about investing.

What if we could invest our money in a way that aligns with what we believe that Eventide we believe it is possible to love God and love our neighbor in the very practice of investing we design investments for performance and better world so you can invest for the future with a sense of wholeness and purpose. We call this investing that makes the world rejoice.

More information is available@investeventide.com Christian healthcare ministries enables believers to meet their healthcare costs affordably, biblically and compassionately is not insurance but a voluntary cost-sharing ministry based on the biblical example of Christians sharing each other's needs and members are defined under the law for not having health Christian healthcare ministries might be your health cost solution call 800-791-6225 or visit CH ministries.org hi my name is Ryan Anderson children and family ministry major at the Moody Bible Institute radio verse of the week is found in second Corinthians, 4739. We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, not Christ. Perplexed, but not in despair persecuted, but not abandoned down, but not Corinthians 47393 radio verse of the week are online source to let you be among the first to know about all things Moody radio sign-up to receive movie radios free monthly newsletter uplift delivered straight to your inbox exclusive stories, helpful articles and updates on what's happening at Moody radio and we just really energized uplift.

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Do you know if you have enough money of house.

Do you know how much is enough. If not, one blue can help with this book.

Master your money a step-by-step plan for experiencing financial contentment. Learn how to save, invest, and give wisely to create a long-term financial plan and how to get out of debt. Find it all in master your money by Ron blue available when you click the start button moneywise live.org son John Scott third day of Supreme Court confirmation hearings still underway. Judge Amy Cody Barrett facing questions from senators on both sides of the Sen. Lindsey Graham is at an initial committee vote on the nomination for Thursday last day of hearings resident problem on the campaign stump again today he visits Iowa dry winter weather, posing an extreme wall fire risk in Northern California, but I wanted to shoot a red flag warning or extremely dangerous fire conditions from 5 AM local time Wednesday through Friday morning with bone dry, humidity, and wind gust possibly getting 55 mph Pacific Gas & Electric warning that it may cut power this evening to as many as 54,000 customers in 24 counties suck/ignore the down drop 165 points. The NASDAQ was down 95. This is SRN use moneywise live from last year host times where best to remember all the time around all sees us as managers are stewards and we're here to help you work through that. Not always easy on a daily basis but let's chat and see if we can help one another. 800-525-7000.

That's a number 800-525-7000 Las Cruces, New Mexico, Salina. We appreciate your patience.

What's your question right down no down explanation). I knew like I may hear about no $7000 extra, and I was thinking of just putting into something like that, or future. I'm 59 so unwanted… Yes a little thanks for calling in today.

Just a couple questions if you don't mind. You said you think you might be receiving around 7000. As I write okay and do you have all your debt paid off, or do you have any debt.

Oh yeah I have debt, you know, I have about 50,000 out and about money and credit cards okay. All right. And you have any emergency funds any savings over and above what you're spending your checking account each month.

Yes I do have about 7000. Okay, what would you say the total roughly of your expenses are over 30 day. Fixed expenses, discretionary expenses, all in 23 2300 okay so if you've got you said roughly about 7000 you know that means you have little shy of three months expenses. So here's what I would do I know this is to be terribly exciting, but I would I would shore up that savings so you have at least three months expenses. So in the if you're saying there's 2300 you looking at around well II guess you're there, that would be at $6900 and so you you've got that and beyond that, I'd start paying against those credit cards because no matter how good the annuity is and by the way, I'm not a huge fan that I be happy to explain them to you. I'd much rather you see see you get the guaranteed return equal to the interest rate you're paying on the $20,000 or so of credit card debt and so I died. Take the 7000 and put it right against the credit cards and then really try to dial back your spending in such a way that you have margin over and above the minimum payment to try to really go after that.

Good news is you have the 7000 fall back on if something unexpected comes but am I missing something push back on that if you if you have other thoughts that my credit card right now. I know their present unite got yeah yeah I've got yeah so the challenge here is that that's gonna run out and I really am not terribly fond of the balance transfer game because you you know you kinda did some point the music stops and you run out of chairs and yet I'd really rather you just focus in on you getting that paid off once and for all and I think it's gonna feel a lot more manageable and also that 20,000 is 13,000 and then you do the work to say okay how can I free up an extra couple hundred dollars a month if possible, or can I work extra hours. Or maybe I get a part-time job or something like that so that I could get more going to that and not just accept the fact that the 20,000 is just to be a part of your everyday life from now on, but really go after it and I think the 7000 could be meaningful in terms of a human investment strategy will just give you a quick overview. I would rather you see with long-term money after consumer debt is paid off, but before your mortgage. You start with your retirement plan if you party are purely funding that is between I would say up to 10 to 15% of your take-home pay. Certainly up to the matching. If you have any with a company-sponsored plan or an IRA.

If you don't have that I'd start there after consumer debt is paid because we wanted in a tax-advantaged account and I'd rather you just be in vanilla flavored if you will, mutual funds and ETF's.

So you're just capturing the broad moves of the market enough you have money beyond that that has at least a 10 year time horizon and annuity is simply a way to put money away into an insurance contract where your assume allowing them to assume the risk so they might give you a guaranteed rate of return better than a CD but not as good as the historical performance of the market where your can be guaranteed that amount every year and it's gonna have some tax benefits and then down the road you could convert that to an income stream. You know it wouldn't be much is your boy starting with 7000 but if you add to it over time. It could be or a variable annuity which basically just means that you're getting some portion of the upside of the market. The stock market without the downside, the idea of a lifetime annuity just means that once you convert it what's called annuitize it. You'll generate an income stream based on the amount you put in and what it grew to a for the rest your life and they would pay you some stated amount each month or each quarter based on the amount you have in the contract, but you know for the average person Salina because of the complexity of these annuities. The cost factor of the limited flexibility in terms of getting your access to your money once you put it in. I'd prefer you not use an insurance contract for your long-term savings.

I'd rather use a company-sponsored retirement plan or just a good old brokerage account with some high quality, mutual funds, were you just investing for the long haul.

You always have access to your money and that you have the stock market has been the very best place to build wealth of the last hundred years, but despite all that high priority for you when you receive the 7000 is really those credit cards and we appreciate your call today Salina. Thank you very very much. Let's see 800-525-7000 run when we do an email if we can. This one is one that crops up from time to time. It's a succinct is from Joe. He says what are your thoughts on the development of crypto currencies. Yeah Joe well I think the technology behind crypto currency is here to stay.

Certainly we've seen an acceleration toward you know cashless payments in coated. I think as with many industries we saw got of the fast-forward button move ahead for five years. Whether was the move away from brick-and-mortar retail or the move away from big corporate buildings where everybody went to work and now we got a lot more remote work and I think one of those accelerations was in this cashless payments so that's here to stay.

It's not going anywhere.

In terms of digital currencies and I don't like it is an investment that way too volatile for a variety of reasons. I think for our steady plodding approach that the Bible talks about to investing. So I certainly would look at it in that way okay most speaking of things that are changing in the marketplace.

Rob obviously 20/20 will be a year to remember. Are you seeing anything from a technological standpoint or just basic Wall Street stuff that you think is going to change going forward based on all that we've had to adapt to. In regards to covert what you are one of the things I was just reading about this morning Steve fascinating article about this move toward what they call ESG investments E stands for environmental asked for a social and G for governance. It's this idea that the next generation plus just today's investors are more interested in making sure that their values are reflected in their investments or by 2022. They're expecting $53 trillion in ESG investments.

Well why would I bring that up. Well, a subset of the ESG space is faith-based investing in this idea that people want to be owners and companies that they believe that are operating with integrity from a governance standpoint and from a social standpoint, art using sweatshops and are taking things with their corporate profits and supporting them that are counter to your values and making a difference in the world and loving their neighbor. You know that is now a front and center issue when it comes to investments. It's no longer a fringe issue and COBIT is accelerating that so I think that something were to continue to see more more of in the days ahead.

And that is this idea that my values can be reflected in my investments through faith-based investments and more and more advisors are offering that to their clients. Thanks, Rob is Rob West, I'm Steve Moore were chatting today about God's perspective on your money or resources, and will come back with more effect Marlin in Uniontown, Ohio, God, here's a great deal more about our money than most of us imagine. In fact, Jesus is more about our use of money and possessions and about anything else, including both heaven and hell in managing God's money. Author Randy L breaks it all down in a simple, easy to follow format that makes it the perfect reference tool if you're interested in gaining a solid biblical understanding of money, possessions and eternity managing God's money is available when you click the store moneywise live.org hi I'm here I'm here to help you understand the urgency and how much fun it is to share your faith in the eyes of the layman you cringe when someone brings up evangelism. Are you terrified or share your faith. You think that you don't know enough to show the gospel. Well, eventually simply sharing God's love at every opportunity.

That alone takes the pressure off. There's no need to worry when you loving the Bible tells of act 18 bits through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are God's witnesses. You can't prepare because you have no idea where God said in conversation.

Luke 1212 tells us not to worry about what will save for the Holy Spirit will teach you what needs to be said no that's another way God doesn't want you to relate yourself. There's no pressure. When you relax every line the Holy Spirit to guide your conversations, one could compare with adiabatic there's nothing more exciting than knowing God is using you to move people closer to join us in a nightmare.com I am John Anderson, Todd, and I'm not sure why but it seems a lot of us are looking for an intimate walk with Christ without moving your feet. We think we can get there without putting in the effort. Charles Spurgeon once observed that Christians, although we hear many sermons make what slow dances in our spiritual walk is because they neglect their closet.

He says they failed to thoroughly dictate the week they want the go into the field together.

Water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it and then closes adding all Lord from such probably set over 100 years ago and it sure is true today. If you want spiritual vitality, rich harvest and start finding the proverbial lead of the word, Johnny Erickson time you like your life to be infused with joy. Would you like to interject an internal dimension into even the most ordinary day, author Randy Alcorn says you can when you discover the treasure principle and a concise powerpack style is newly revised and updated book offers a six step plan to finding the pleasure and eternal parts of the treasure principle want to discover life will never look the same treasure principle is available when you click the store, but moneywise live.org joining us today on moneywise. It's a blessing and a joy to be able to discuss God's Word and God's principles when it comes to my personal money management. Let's continue with that, to Uniontown, Ohio, and Marla, thanks for your your patients, how can we help you today might call a business that I do commission artwork, and a variety occurring and I've been doing it in an unfinished basement for several years and to the point where I would like to finish off space in that statement so that I can bring client down and possibly even do some art teaching.

I'm wondering if I'm taking money from my business to accomplish the remodel.

Is that something that is a wise thing to do and it is something that I can strictly claim as a business expense. Yeah yeah well Marla. It's a great question. You know I'm not a CPA and there's some so many nuances with regard to deductibility and it's changing all the time, I'd encourage you to check with the tax advisor tax professional on the ability to deduct it.

I would say typically speaking, for instance, if you just generally if you repair a loose floorboard to make a home office safer. That would generally be tax deductible if you renovate with brand-new flooring to make it look nicer. That would not be in. I think there would be some question as to the personal use of this improvement therein by finishing out the basement versus it being exclusively for business and whether that renovation is deductible and then moving forward. Obviously, you could claim within the limits you could claim the deduction for the space that's being used exclusively for business purposes. But again, I would check with the tax advisor on that in terms of using the funds were you asking whether it makes sense to pull the money out your given the current state of the business or was it simply just about the tax deductibility that you know that they funds to do that yet.

I can't put it against like a would it be better for me to look for somewhere to rent and land I have that money set aside and I'm paying rent on a monthly basis and I'm thinking that against my profit sure what is the amount that it would take you think to do the renovation about 12,000 and 12,000 okay and when you look at spaces that you would be renting that would be in an area that would be desirable. And you know give you the space you need, what you think you'd be looking at in terms of the rent, probably about yes about a thousand months so you know within a year or obviously you could pay yourself back even if nothing was deductible and then you'd be able to have that space. From that point forward without the added cost. So I feel like you know, that sounds pretty reasonable to me to make sure you get a contractor in there and get a real bed that has all in numbers because construction projects tend to grow. Speaking from personal experience, but does long as you really feel I could nail down the cost.

If you could do yourself back in the sense you within 12 months and be able to enjoy that moving forward even if nothing was deductible that seems to make some sense for me and not to mention the convenience of just being able to walk downstairs versus having to drive there and just everything else that comes with that.

I think the key though is really to take a hard look at unit with a new business. Is this you know the right time to pull the money out.

Are you dependent upon the income could there be a disruption in the income you know moving forward. That would put strain on your personal finances.

Do you need to build up a little bit more in the way of reserves before you do this mean those are things you need to be looking at. But assuming you feel like yeah I have this money to spend. I like the idea of you, you know, having it right there just for convenience sake, but also because of the long-term cost savings on no rent but I would absolutely check with the tax professional who could give you some advice on what portion of it, if any, could be deductible, Marla, thank you very much. Thanks so much. Next, it's Marion Mulholland, South Carolina, and what you question for Rob West. I thank you for taking my call. A question I heard you talking about to take it. Regarding to our contribution to two – charitable contribution now only applicable to our president that is H all you have to recall thought I hear any go to the cost of board yes no no, this would be specifically in terms of a qualified charitable distribution Mary which I think you're referring to, from an IRA directly to a qualified charity that's for an individual whose over the age of 70 1/2 who would be subject to a required minimum distribution has the ability to make that gift directly from the IRA satisfy the RMD and I have 100% go to the charity. However, what I would say though is that you know there's still plenty of opportunity for you to make gifts of stock and accomplish essentially the same thing. If you have appreciated stock that you would otherwise pay capital gains on which is different than the.

The distribution from the IRA, which would be ordinary income tax but let's say you have appreciated stock or mutual funds were, you would pay capital gains you can avoid that by giving those shares of stock directly to your church, your favorite ministry or charity. They could then sell it, take 100% of the proceeds and you get the full deduction before any taxes are paid because they wouldn't be due because you you'd gift that prior to realizing the sale of that particular investment so that would be an option but in terms of the qualified charitable distribution that specifically for those over 70 1/2.box.net that's not what I like. Yes ma'am they are for tax purposes in terms of whether there is a short-term or long-term capital gain. That is correct you to do that and I shall count that as you find in bed, and get the cash because they did not want them to play. They don't take them all mutual fund, so some clients will take place will take I see in terms of the gifting. Yes, you would typically gift shares of the of the stock, but I guess there could be a situation where somebody may not accept mutual fund shares or that may not be able to be done.

Certainly would be easier with stocks. That's a good question. Let us look into that. Just to double check on that. But I think the bottom line is you're asking the right questions in terms of how do I given away. That's wise to minimize taxes and maximize my gift and I think you certainly need to be looking at every available opportunity are friends of the National Christian foundation are great resource for that Mary NCF giving.com with any of these questions, you could certainly check. Check them out.

Mary God bless thank you so very much. Let's see we can squeeze in one more.

Monica and I will is and I were Idaho Monica help me here that's I was sorry my my glasses are fogged up. Must be told it or something and lunch and I'll forget everything else were free and clear car etc. etc. any credit card debt like that I had money when, however, my question is that money to pay off the truck and then start over. Would it be like to like I'm trying to figure out what the next few years.

Yeah. So Monica, when you say start your savings account are you talking about just any emergency reserves. You don't have anything currently set aside her that we don't. We really don't want those additional like it hurt the account. So if something unexpected came out of left field. The transmission goes out in the car you had a major repair in the home. You'd have to sell the investments in order to cover that or put it on a credit card is that right now correct yet so I that's really the whole idea behind the emergency fund and we're a big fan of that.

I know it can sound counterproductive. Why are we continuing to pay whatever the interest rate is on the truck when were getting no less than 1% on the savings and yet having that reserve their that's not in your checking your spending account but readily available for the unexpected, which will come you know it just makes a lot of sense.

I'd set a goal of having three months expenses as your next priority and that with any margin right now on a monthly basis. I'd start funding that I like the idea of opening an online savings account like Marcus capital one 360 linking it to your checking and funding that then once that's paid off, you move on to the next goal which I think would be paying off the truck probably and then move on to the house at that point, assuming you're on track with other goals giving and long-term retirement savings. Monica, thanks so much for contacting us today hope that information helps you and your husband as you move forward. We do appreciate it. And with that. Speaking of moving forward. We're just about out of time for today, but Rob with about 45 seconds or so, bring us up to speed on the yeah I know we've got people working on it on a regular basis. Send new things happening all the time. Well here's what we did so last January, I was ready for a digital envelope system and I couldn't find one that did everything I wanted to do and you know are pretty particular guys. The our team of three incredible developer spent eight months building the moneywise app. It's a digital envelope system automatically downloads your transactions all your institutions 11,000 of them I can come right in automatically categorized.

You can stay on top of everything. It's immediately sing to all of your funding accounts including checking and savings split transactions. Everything I wanted and it's ready and it's out you can go get it right now it's in your app store.

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