Faith & Finance with Rob West
Money has a remarkable ability to shape our emotions. In a single week, it can make us anxious, fearful, generous, or joyful. But Scripture reminds us that money—despite the power we often assign to it—cannot ultimately provide what we most want. On today’s episode of Faith & Finance, we spoke with Dr. Russell James III, the CH Foundation Chair of Personal Financial Planning and Charitable Giving at Texas Tech University and author of A Christian’s Guide to Joyful Wealth Management. He helped us explore a foundational question: If money cannot give us security or control, what is it actually for?

Money has a remarkable ability to shape our emotions. In a single week, it can make us anxious, fearful, generous, or joyful. But Scripture reminds us that money—despite the power we often assign to it—cannot ultimately provide what we most want.
On today’s episode of Faith & Finance, we spoke with Dr. Russell James III, the CH Foundation Chair of Personal Financial Planning and Charitable Giving at Texas Tech University and author of A Christian’s Guide to Joyful Wealth Management.He helped us explore a foundational question: If money cannot give us security or control, what is it actually for?
Dr. James begins where the Apostle Paul begins—in 1 Timothy 6. Paul reminds believers of a simple but transformative reality: we cannot take wealth with us when we die.
“Money is temporary,” Dr. James explained. “Eventually, every one of us will lose it. The only real question is how.”That truth reframes everything about financial decision-making. If wealth cannot follow us beyond this life, then we are not owners in the ultimate sense—we are stewards. And that reality isn’t merely a theological concept; it’s also biological. Eventually, every dollar we possess will pass to someone else.

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According to Dr. James, Scripture points to four common approaches to handling wealth:
Spending wealth recklessly in pursuit of pleasure—like Solomon’s experiments in Ecclesiastes or the prodigal son in Luke 15.
Hoarding wealth, protecting it carefully but never truly using it.
Working relentlessly to accumulate more and more wealth, even when basic needs are already met.
Receiving God’s provision with gratitude and using it for good.
The first three approaches share a common problem: they ultimately lead to the same outcome—dying with unused or misused wealth.
The fourth option—enjoyment—points us toward something better.
One of the most powerful forces shaping financial behavior is fear.
Dr. James noted that many stewardship conversations focus on avoiding overspending. While that’s important, Jesus often warned about the opposite problem—hoarding wealth out of fear.
Fear narrows our focus to worst-case scenarios. It tempts us to seek control through accumulation rather than trusting God as our provider.
And yet Scripture reminds us that wealth cannot offer the control we hope for. It is always uncertain and ultimately temporary.
One of the most surprising teachings in Scripture is that God intends us to enjoy what He provides.
Dr. James explained that true enjoyment comes when we put resources to work for good purposes. In the very next verse, Paul describes what that looks like:
In other words, enjoyment is found not in self-indulgence but in participating in God’s purposes.
Generosity plays a central role in joyful stewardship.
When believers share resources within the community of faith, it strengthens relationships, builds trust, and points others toward God’s goodness.
Dr. James highlighted an interesting biblical distinction between two types of giving:
Understanding these distinctions helps believers see how generosity can both honor humility and inspire others.
When people think about legacy, they often think about money passed to heirs. But Scripture points to something deeper.
Financial wealth is uncertain. It can disappear through market shifts, poor decisions, or changing circumstances. But good works endure.
Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 6:19 calls believers to “take hold of the life that is truly life.” According to Dr. James, joyful stewardship allows us to do exactly that. When we release fear and trust God’s provision:
Research even confirms what Scripture has long taught: generosity produces joy.
Money cannot give us security or control. But it can become a powerful tool in God’s hands.
When we see wealth as a temporary trust rather than a permanent possession, we are freed to use it wisely—enjoying God’s provision, blessing others, and participating in His kingdom work.
That’s how stewardship moves beyond spreadsheets and budgets to become something far greater: a joyful response to God's generosity.
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