The Fruits of the Spirit – Joy

“Joy to the World, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare Him room, And Heaven and nature sing,

And Heaven and nature sing, And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing!”

When my wife, Ann and I were pronounced husband and wife, we practically skipped out of the sanctuary – to those very words.

You know, joy is one of the Fruits of the Spirit – and that’s exactly what we should have in all our circumstances…including our finances!

Things of this world may bring you happiness, but only God can bring you lasting joy. If you want to have joy in your finances, you need to know and follow Biblical financial principles.

My wife and I find joy in giving. Once we submitted to God’s plan for our money, we were able to actually give cheerfully – like the scripture says. Being generous brings us so much joy –  and just as God promised…we end up being the ones to experience the blessing!

We find joy when we praise God, thanking him for everything – even the trials and sorrow. This is how we guard against self-righteousness, self-pity, pride, and JOYLESSNESS. It helps us see our situation through God’s eyes – allowing us to rest in HIS loving arms from whom we receive true joy. Even distressing situations are God’s blessings in disguise. Charles Spurgeon said, “It springs from God and has God for its object.”

The strength we need to make wise financial choices is found in the essential joy of God. As Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength!”

So, my hope is that you will rest in the strength of God, and seek Him to wisely steward what comes your way. May you develop lifelong financial habits built on the firm foundation of Biblical principles. For, Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!

I want to invite you to give to Crown this Christmas season. We believe that God has wonderful things in store for the years ahead, and we want you to be part of it. To thank you for your generosity, I’ll send you Total Life Stewardship, a brand new guide to help you become a better steward. Please  give generously today, visit crown.org.