“Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more
profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold.”
Proverbs 3:13-14 (NLT)
What do you think of when you hear the word joyful? Maybe you picture Santa Claus, jolly ole Saint Nick. Perhaps you think of a circus clown, not the creepy ones from the movies. It could be that a particular person in your life came to mind. Maybe a moment or special occasion popped into your head. Whatever the thought was, when you considered the word joyful, I'm willing to bet there was one thing it was not.
I am willing to go out on a limb here and say that the thought that came into your mind was not finances. Very few people I know believe that handling their personal finances bring them great joy. Granted, I know that there are people for whom that would be the case. However, for the majority of people in the world, that is not a source of joy. As a matter of fact, finances can be very scary and the source of a lot of stress. When couples list the reasons why they break up or divorce, money issues are always in the top five, often in the top three. How we handle our finances (our money) is a big deal. Unfortunately, it is often the source of our disappointment and not our joy.
What if I told you it doesn't need to be that way? What if I told you that handling your money can be a source of joy in your life? There are some simple money rules that will help everyone to handle their money in such a way that it can bring great joy. These money rules will help everyone look at their finances from a different perspective. These money rules can turn handling your finances into a source of joy and freedom in your life. It's guaranteed.
Over the next four weeks we will be looking at the money rules found in both Scripture and John Wesley's teaching. I will be using the book "Earn, Save, Give," by Rev. Dr. James Harnish as our guide. I would encourage everyone to get a copy of the book to read as a companion to the message series. For some this will be a good refresher and reminder. For others this could be a very transforming time in how you handle your finances and faith. It is my prayer that this series will bring a greater sense of joyfulness to everyone.
This Sunday we start with the first step in experiencing greater joy. I am excited to share this message with you. The first Money Rule is the key to everything else. I hope you will be able to make it to church to hear this message. As always, I can't wait to see you in church.