Generosity That Grows Our Faith with Dr. Art Rainer

Money can so easily capture our hearts. It promises security, comfort, and control—but often leaves us anxious and striving for more. Yet when we give, something remarkable happens. We’re declaring our dependence on God, not our bank accounts.Dr. Art Rainer—founder of the Institute for Christian Financial Health and author of Money in the Light of Eternity: What the Bible Says about Your Financial Purpose—joined us recently to explore how generosity becomes an act of trust that transforms our hearts and deepens our faith.Money Reveals the HeartLarry Burkett often said, “Every spending decision is a spiritual decision.” Dr. Rainer agrees.“Jesus said, Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Art explained. “The Bible makes it clear—money management reflects heart management.”Scripture contains over 2,000 verses about money and possessions. Why? Because few things so clearly reveal what—or whom—we truly trust. For believers, the central question is this: Do we believe God’s promises about provision, and are we willing to surrender this area of life to Him?Giving as an Act of TrustDr. Rainer describes giving as a tangible expression of faith. “God doesn’t tell us to give and then leave us hanging,” he said. “He ties promises to generosity.”Those promises fall into three beautiful truths—God will provide, multiply, and enrich.1. God Promises to ProvideIn Malachi 3:10, the Lord declares:“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do, I will open the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in. Try it! Put me to the test!”“God invites us to trust Him,” Art said. “He promises to pour out an abundance of blessings—not necessarily material wealth, but blessings that can be spiritual, relational, or emotional. Maybe it’s the contentment you’ve been chasing for years, or the joy of being part of something far greater than yourself.”2. God Promises to MultiplyIn John 6, a young boy offers his five loaves and two fish to Jesus—hardly enough to feed five thousand hungry people. Yet Christ multiplies that small gift until everyone is satisfied, with twelve baskets left over.“Many of us feel like that boy,” Art said. “We look at our meager resources and wonder, What difference can this make? But God is a God of multiplication. He can take whatever you give and expand it to accomplish His purposes. That’s His promise—but it requires trust.”3. God Promises to EnrichWho doesn’t love a good return on investment—or ROI? “God does too,” Art said.In 2 Corinthians 9:11, Paul writes, “You will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.”“God gives so that we can give,” Art continued. “He blesses so that we can bless others. He’s looking for conduits of generosity—people through whom His blessings can flow. When we live that way, generosity becomes not just a habit, but a way of life.”Trusting God With Your MoneyAs Dr. Rainer summed it up:“Generosity is an act of trust. It shifts our hearts from reliance on ourselves and money to reliance on God. If you’re a Christian, you’ve already trusted Him with your soul. It’s time to trust Him with your money.”When we give generously, we’re not losing—we’re investing in eternity. We’re saying, “Lord, I believe You are my provider.” And that’s one of the clearest ways to live out genuine faith.Learn more about Dr. Art Rainer’s work at ChristianMoneySolutions.com.On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I’m 69 with no debt and considering a whole life insurance policy—$100,000 with premiums for 10 years—to leave tax-free money to my children. I already have a term policy that ends at 75. I also have $28,000 in an underperforming annuity with no surrender charge, and was advised to do a 1035 exchange into a new annuity at 4.65% for seven years. I’ve also invested in CDs at 4% and am considering high-yield savings accounts. What’s the best strategy moving forward?My in-laws are around 80 and have fully matured savings bonds. When they used some for home upgrades, they faced a large tax bill. Is there any way to move or reinvest those bonds to delay or avoid taxes—perhaps into an IRA or Roth IRA?I manage finances for someone receiving annual settlement payments until 2036. He wants to create a trust now to support three families, but his lawyer recommends keeping the money in savings while he’s alive. The payer says a trust can be set up after his death. Should he establish the trust now or wait?I’m debt-free and have my cash in a high-yield savings account, but rates are dropping. Should I invest some of it or find another way to protect and manage my money?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Money in the Light of Eternity: What the Bible Says about Your Financial Purpose by Dr. Art RainerThe Institute for Christian Financial HealthChristian Money SolutionsWise Women Managing Money: Expert Advice on Debt, Wealth, Budgeting, and More by Miriam Neff and Valerie Neff Hogan, JD. Christian Community Credit Union (CCCU)GainbridgeWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.