Escape the World's Money Trap with Sharon Epps

May 29, 2024

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“My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net … the troubles of my heart are enlarged, bring me out of my distresses.” - Psalm 25:15, 17

Do you feel trapped by your finances? Do you find yourself giving in to worldly pressure? Is there a way out of the world’s money trap? There is, and Sharon Epps joins us today to talk about it.

Sharon Epps is the president of Kingdom Advisors, FaithFi’s parent organization. Kingdom Advisors serves the broad Christian financial industry by educating and equipping professionals to integrate biblical wisdom and financial expertise.

Finding Financial Freedom

You might be surprised to learn that financial anxiety isn't exclusive to those who are struggling. People living beyond their means often fear the unexpected, while those living right at their means worry about the future. Even individuals with a financial surplus can feel trapped by never having enough, seeking security in money rather than elsewhere.

In John 17, Jesus prays for his disciples, which highlights that while we are in the world, we are not of the world. This perspective is crucial when considering our finances. Being "in the world, not of the world" doesn’t mean we abandon modern conveniences or go off the grid. Instead, it means aligning our financial practices with three life-changing concepts from God's economy:

Lordship: Surrender to the fact that God owns everything. Psalm 24:1 reminds us, "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."
Stewardship: Use God’s resources to fulfill His purposes. As Genesis 2:15 states, "The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work and care for it."
Generosity: Sharing releases the world’s grip on us. The Macedonians' example in 2 Corinthians 8:2 beautifully illustrates this: "Out of the most severe trials, their overflowing joy and extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."

To put these spiritual concepts into practice, here are three practical steps:

Transfer ownership to God: Acknowledge that everything we have belongs to Him.
Create financial margin: This allows us to fulfill God's purposes without being constrained by our own needs.
Grow in giving and sharing: Generosity breaks the power money has over us.

Money is a valuable servant but a terrible master.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters... You cannot serve God and money." Money has power over us, which is why the Bible contains more than 2,300 verses on money and possessions. It's also the only area where God invites us to test Him, promising He will provide.

Money is undeniably powerful, but generosity is even more powerful. It's a tool that can liberate us from the world's financial traps.

Implementing these principles can transform our relationship with money, leading us to a life of greater peace and purpose.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

I recently turned 62 and probably think about working for another five years until I’m 67. I live in an apartment in Iowa with my wife, who is slightly younger than me. My wife and I have a home in another state, and we're considering selling it. It's worth about $1.1 million, but we're considering selling that and then paying off the remaining balance, which is probably close to about $303,500. We just wanted to see if we could leave some of that money to my three kids. Would it be taxed?
What is your opinion of a reverse mortgage, and is it a sound financial decision?
I'm the oldest sibling, and my father passed away in 2015. My mom will be 100 in a couple of weeks, but they have a home right now that she has not been living in for the past eight months. Everything is in a trust fund for the kids upon her passing. Will a capital gain tax exist, and who must pay that? Is it based on when the house was sold? My parents built the house in 1967.
I'm the oldest of four siblings, and both my folks have passed away. There's about $160,000 in an IRA portfolio and another $60,000 in various stocks, and all that's in the trust. My sister is a trustee. So we want to liquidate that, or some of us want to. I'm 68 and don't want to take that tax hit until I retire in two years. Can we split up that distribution four ways and pay individual taxes on it? How do the taxes work on that?

Resources Mentioned:

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