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EXCELLENCE IN OUR WORKPLACES

Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as (something done) for the Lord
and not for men, knowing (with all certainty) that it is from the Lord (and not from men) that you
will receive the inheritance which is your (real) reward. (The One Whom) you are actually serving
is) the Lord Christ, the Messiah Col. 3:23-24 Amplified Version).
THE VALUE OF EXCELLENCE
There is no doubt that a high premium is placed on the value of quality and excellence in the
workplace. So many books have been and are still being written extolling the virtues of good quality
work. Studies conducted so far have revealed that quality and excellence in the workplace do not
just lead to higher profits – they are vital to sustaining business. This has led to managers and
employees in corporate organizations embracing a new workstyle that is premised on quality and
excellence.
And yet the theme of excellence in the way we work is something God treasures and is therefore
firmly established in His written Word, the Bible as we read in Prov. 22:29: Do you know a hard-
working man? He shall be successful and stand before kings!
BIBLICAL VIEW OF WORK
The Bible teaches us a few things about work, which we need to use as principles for our own work
 God, who Himself is a worker, does His work with excellence – Gen. 1:31.
 God equips people with specific skills and abilities that fit them for certain kinds of work -Ex. 31:1-
11; Ps. 33:15. We are expected to use our skills for their intended purposes and by so doing
serve God with all our strength and all our might.
 We should work with the understanding that we are accountable to God and that He is daily
evaluating the quality of our work – Eph. 6:5-8.
 We are to be conscientious, diligent, loyal, respectful and peaceable in our workstyle, thereby
making the gospel of Christ attractive to co-workers, clients and customers – Titus 2:9-10.
SOME WORK – WORLD CODES
As believers we should know that all legitimate work matters to God and in that respect He does not
consider some jobs more important than others. Managers and those in authority are as much
accountable to God for the work they do as all workers and those under authority. Both categories of
people have to display good character and conduct and make choices in the workplace that honour
Christ in difficult workplace environments. The following will help us to do just that.
GUIDELINES FOR MANAGERS AND OTHERS IN AUTHORITY

  1. FINANCE
     Workers must give their due payment for their work – 1 Cor. 9:7-14.
     There must be fair employee compensation – Col. 4:1.

Spectator – Saturday 31 st October, 2020
 Due care and circumspection must be applied to the way wealth is handled – 1Tim. 6:9-10;
17-18. Misapplication and misappropriation of funds are a poor reflection of our faith.

  1. WORK RELATIONS
     Business relationships must reflect our transformed Christlike lives – 2 Cor. 7:1.
     God values people and so we must value them and treat them with dignity – Gal. 5:14-15;
    Eph. 4:31-32.
     Workers must be treated with respect and not with intimidation and threats – Eph. 6:59.
     We must be honest in our estimation of ourselves – humility must be our hallmark – Rom.
    12:3.
  2. COMMUNICATION – Let us:
     verify accusations before acting – Matt. 18:15-35; 2 Cor. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19.
     be gracious and truthful in all your communications – Col. 4:6. It pays to be courteous and
    respectful
  3. RESPONSIBILITY – Let us:
     fulfill our commitments – Rom. 13:6-8. Being the leader does not mean abdicating our
    responsibilities.
     not forget that we are accountable to God and to our workers – 1 Cor. 3:9-15.
     be kind to the disadvantaged – Rom. 12:13; Gal. 2:10.
     handle our times of bounty and our times of leanness prudently – Phil. 4:12.
     give glory to Christ for our successes – Col. 1:17-18.
     remember to care for our own family – 1 Tim. 5:8.
     be sensitive to people’s needs and meet them whenever we can – Titus 3:14.
  4. MANAGEMENT
     The decisions we take must be rooted in God’s perspective about time and eternity – 2
    Cor. 4:16-18; 2 Pet. 3:8-13
     Let us nurture, mentor, encourage and equip employees to be the best – 1 Thess. 5:14-15.
     Let us be flexible with our options – 2 Cor. 5:16-17; Phil. 10:14.
    GUIDELINES FOR WORKERS AND THOSE UNDER AUTHORITY
  5. DUTIES – Let us:

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 not be too quick to get out of your current situation – 1 Cor. 7:17-24. God has a reason for
keeping us where we are.
 have the right perspectives about stress and trouble – 2 Cor. 4:7-18.

  1. SUPERVISORS – Let us:
     develop a healthy respect for authority – Rom. 13:1-8.
     work wholeheartedly and respectfully – Eph. 6:5-8; 1 Thess. 5:12-15.
     do our work with diligence, obeying the rules of the job – 1 Thess. 4:11-12.
     respect and honour your bosses whether they are believers or not – 1 Tim. 6:1-2
  2. CO-WORKERS – Let us:
     develop a sober and honest estimation of ourselves – Rom. 12:3
     acknowledge that differences are natural and inevitable and learn to accept the
    contributions of others – 1Cor. 12:1-8.
     help others to be productive without neglecting to do our assigned job well – Gal. 6:1-5.
     be sensitive and courteous in the way we speak to others – Col. 4:6.
     show understanding for others and treat them with respect – 1 Tim. 5:1-3.
     build a reputation for good relationships – Titus 3:1-2.
  3. RESPONSIBILITY – Let us:
     give ourselves totally to God – Rom. 12:1;
     be wise and discerning so that you can make use of all the opportunities God gives you –
    Eph. 5:15-18;
     remember that you are working for God and be diligent about it – 1 Cor. 3:13; Col. 3:17;
     not let our responsibilities weigh us down with anxiety – Phil. 4:6;
     live responsibly, pursuing a godly life – 1 Thess. 4:11-12; 2 Thess. 3:8-9;
     develop a godly workstyle – Titus 2:9-10;
  4. FINANCES – Let us:
     not steal, nor embezzle but rather learn to live within our means – Eph. 4:28;
     be responsible for the needs of our family – 1 Time 5:8;
    TO PONDER
  5. How much quality and excellence are we putting in our work?
  6. Would God be pleased with the way we do our work?
  7. Are we proud of the way we do our work and do we think God will be pleased with the
    end product or service?

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If not, then let us use the guidelines and principles in this article to make improvements so
that we will indeed be the SALT of the earth and the LIGHT of the world.

Stay Blessed!

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IT’S TIME TO START DOUBTING YOUR DOUBT

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “The world’s sin is unbelief in me.” –John 16:9

At the root of every sin rests at least a momentary doubt about God.In John 16:9 Jesus says, “The world’s sin is unbelief in me” (TLB). When you don’t believe Jesus is who He says He is or He’ll do what He says He’ll do, that’s the root of all sin.Here are some emotions you can look for that can help you know when you’re doubting God.When you become impatient, it reveals your doubt in God’s perfect timing. God has a plan for your life, but He’s never going to be in a hurry. That’s easy to forget when you want things to happen on your own timetable—so you take matters into your own hands instead of waiting on God.When you become resentful or bitter, it reveals your doubt in God’s wisdom. God is wise and good and loving.

But when things don’t turn out like you plan or want, you think He messed up somehow. And you don’t believe He can bring good out of bad.When you dwell in guilty feelings, it reveals your unbelief in God’s forgiveness. How long should a follower of Jesus feel guilty? About one second.

That’s how long it takes to confess a sin. If you’re carrying around guilt, it means you can’t forgive yourself because you don’t believe God has forgiven you.When you feel inadequate, it reveals your doubt in God’s power. God has said His power shows up best in your weakness. But when you don’t believe that, it shows you think power should come only from yourself. If you think that, you’re always going to be disappointed.

Do you want to turn around those feelings of fear, impatience, resentment, guilt, and inadequacy? Then you need to start doubting your doubts.If you believe in God’s Word, you can trust what it says about God and the way He feels about you and takes care of you. You can trust that God keeps his promises, has perfect timing, is wise, forgives you, and works powerfully through you.Talk It Over

What can you do to remind yourself of God’s truth when you start to doubt?In recent months, have your doubts about God increased or decreased? Why do you think that’s so?What sin is your greatest struggle? What does it reveal about your unbelief?

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: DAILY HOPE

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WORDS OF WISDOM

“By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.  The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.  If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.” – Proverbs 29:4, 7 & 12  

INTRODUCTION

The book of proverbs makes very interesting reading.  It is filled with alphabet letters, vowels, and consonants formed into words, sentences, paragraphs, and books – spoken, signed, whispered, written, and printed.  From friendly advice to impassioned speeches and from dusty volumes to daily tabloids, messages are sent and received, with each sender trying to impart knowledge….. and wisdom.  Woven into human fabric is the desire to learn and understand. 

Knowledge is good, but a vast difference stands between “knowledge” (having the facts) and “wisdom” (applying those facts to life.)  We may amass knowledge, but without wisdom our knowledge is useless.  We must learn how to live out what we know.

The wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, left us a legacy of written wisdom under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Solomon gives practical insights and guidelines for life.

The main theme of Proverbs, as we might expect, is the nature of true wisdom.  Solomon writes, “Fear of the Lord is the Foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” – 1:7.  He then proceeds to give hundreds of practical examples of how to live according to godly wisdom.

The word proverb comes from a Hebrew word that means “to rule or to govern”, and these sayings, reminders, and admonitions provide profound advice for governing our lives.

We have chosen PROVERBS chapter 29 because the couplets speak volumes about our everyday life.  Don’t just read these verses; act on them!   

Please enjoy and pass it on to others!

  • “A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed–without remedy. When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan. – Proverbs 29:1-2
  • A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth. By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down. – Proverbs 29:3-4
  • Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet. An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad. – Proverbs 29:5-6
  • The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. – Proverbs 29:7
  • Mockers stir up a city, but wise men turn away anger. – Proverbs 29:8
  • If a wise man goes to court with a fool, the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace. Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and seek to kill the upright. – Proverbs 29:9-10
  • A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. – Proverbs 29:11
  • If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. The poor man and the oppressor have this in common: The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.  If a king judges the poor with fairness, his throne will always be secure.  – Proverbs 29:12-14
  • The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.  When the wicked thrive, so does sin, but the righteous will see their downfall. – Proverbs 29:15-16
  • Discipline your son, and he will give you peace; he will bring delight to your soul. Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law. – Proverbs 29:17-18
  • A servant cannot be corrected by mere words; though he understands, he will not respond. -Proverbs 29:19
  • Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him. – Proverbs 29:20
  • If a man pampers his servant from youth, he will bring grief in the end. An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins. – Proverbs 29:21-22
  • A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor. The accomplice of a thief is his own enemy; he is put under oath and dare not testify. – Proverbs 29:23-24
  • Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.  Many seek an audience with a ruler, but it is from the LORD that man gets justice. The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.” – Proverbs 29:25-27

THIS IS THE WORD OF GOD

Stay Blessed!

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GOD IS FAITHFUL

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.” –1 Thessalonians 5:24 

God is honoured and glorified when we trust Him and when we pray, “Lord, show me in Your Word a promise that I can cling to in this trying time.” There is not a time when God refuses to answer the prayers of His people. He says call to Me and I will hear your voice (Jeremiah 33:3).

He wants to give us hope.  All of us are encouraged when we know that Someone is pulling for us — Someone Who wants us to cross the finish line victoriously. You may be able to think of a time when you did not know whether you were doing the right thing or not. Then someone you admired walked up to you and said, “God has placed you on my heart, and I want you to know that I’m praying for you.”God wants you to know that He cares for you. He is cheering for you, and He has a plan for your life.

Psalm 62:1–2 says, ‘My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.’And Psalm 18:33–36 promises, ‘He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great. You enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped’.

God is faithful to keep each and every promise. He is all-powerful, and we can trust Him to take care of all that concerns us. The prophet Isaiah emphasizes His power and majesty:‘Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing.’— Isaiah 40:26

Not only does God take care of the heavens, He personally watches over you and me. Why do people doubt God’s ability? Usually we fail to trust God because we don’t want to lose control over our lives or our circumstances. This is almost laughable because the God of the universe — the same God who created you and me and who has numbered the stars in the sky and holds each one in its place — certainly has the ability to take care of my life and my problems.

STAY BLESSED

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PROMISE KEEPING GOD


SCRIPTURE TEXT: “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” –Hebrews 10:23 

God is not going to give you a promise and then say, “You know, maybe I didn’t mean that.” And when He does answer, He wants us to give Him glory and praise because He truly has worked on our behalf. When God gives us a promise, we can be sure He will do what He has said. It is a matter of demonstrating His character and nature to us. Believing God, trusting God, studying His Word, and applying it to your life are elements of the Christian faith that must work together. God is not going to operate one way one day and then another way the next. He tells us in His Word will always line up with His nature and character. God is faithful. Therefore, His Word is trustworthy and His promises are too. He is faithful to keep everyone. Not one promise will fail — ever. People will say one thing and then go and do something else.

Many will be kind and supportive in your presence but later will oppose you. But God never will. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). That is a promise you can claim! Why does God choose to give promises to you and me? He wants us to learn something about His character. God is faithful, true, loving, patient, forgiving, kind, and so much more. He gives promises to us so that we will see His nature and learn deeper truths about His character and personal care for us. You may have a definite need and wonder what God is going to do.

You have prayed and asked Him to give you His wisdom. While studying His Word, you find yourself reading the following: Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.— Proverbs 3:5-6Is this a promise you can claim? Absolutely. God is saying, “I’m aware of what you are facing. I know your need. Trust Me, lean on Me and not on your human knowledge, and I will provide all that you need and so much more.” Paul underscores this very thing when he writes,‘My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus’—Philippians 4:19

STAY BLESSED
Salt and Light Ministries
P.O.Box AN 15007, Accra North
Contact: 0302 772013,026 8130 615/0243588467
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website : saltandlightministriesgh.org

By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a Godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the one who has called us to Himself by means of His marvellous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires” – 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

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THREE THINGS TO FOCUS ON INSTEAD OF YOURSELF

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here.” –Colossians 3:2 (TLB)

True freedom comes when you focus your mind on God’s truth. But how do you focus your mind on the right things so you can experience freedom? Here are three things you can do that will make the biggest difference in managing your mind.First, think about Jesus. Hebrews 12:3 says, “Think about Jesus’ example. He held on while wicked people were doing evil things to him. So do not get tired and stop trying” (NCV). What gives you the power to keep on going? You think about Jesus. Keep your mind on who the Bible says he is and the example he’s given you for how to live a life that pleases God.Second, think about others. “Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24 NCV). Most of the people around the world think about themselves first. So anybody who thinks more about others than they do about themselves is going to shine. When you choose to think about what others may need and how you can help, you’ll find it’s hard to let your problems get you down.Third, think about eternity. The Bible says in Colossians 3:2, “Let heaven fill your thoughts; don’t spend your time worrying about things down here” (TLB). Whatever you’re worried about today is probably not going to matter in five years, much less in eternity. Everything is put into perspective when you think about your life in light of eternity.Whatever situation you’re facing today, stop and think about what you’re thinking about. Then choose to focus on Jesus, other people, and your home in eternity. It will take the focus off of yourself, which is how God intended for you to live. And it will transform your life!

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: DAILY HOPE

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ARE YOU TELLING YOURSELF THE TRUTH?

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.” –Romans 8:5 (NLT)

Have you ever felt like you are a hostage to your thoughts? Maybe you just can’t get a thought out of your mind. Or you often find yourself doing things you don’t want to do. You knowingly engage in self-defeating behaviour. You know something is not good for you, but you do it anyway.

Romans 7:23 says, “I see a different law at work in my body—a law that fights against the law which my mind approves of. It makes me a prisoner to the law of sin which is at work in my body” (GNT). Because of your sinful nature, you think of yourself and your wants more than what God wants. It’s a battle in your mind, and you’re losing it. Your old nature—who you were before Jesus changed your life—is not your friend. It is the source of all your self-defeating habits that tend to take you down.

Do you want to break those habits and have more control over the way you think? Then you need to hear and understand this truth: You don’t have to believe everything you think. Your mind lies to you all the time. Just because you think something is true doesn’t make it true. Just because you feel something is true doesn’t make it true.

Your mind and your emotions often lie to you. Part of spiritual growth—becoming more like Jesus—is learning to know the difference between thoughts that are true and those that are not. One of the most important disciplines you can build in life is to challenge your own thoughts. Say to yourself, “I know what I’m thinking, but is that really true?”
No matter how far you go in your spiritual walk, your old, sinful nature will keep trying to take control of your thoughts. You have to learn to question your thoughts, not just one time but throughout your day and throughout your life!

When you start to think nobody likes you, ask yourself if that’s really true. If you think it’s never going to get better, ask yourself if it’s true. When you think your life is worthless, question what Satan is trying to convince you of. Then, remember what you know from God’s Word to be true.

Talk It Over
What habitual thoughts can you stop believing when you hold them up to the light of God’s Word? What are the things that please the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:5)? What makes it difficult for you to surrender your thoughts to the Holy Spirit?

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: DAILY HOPE


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WHAT TO PRAY

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” – Matthew 6:7-8

The content of prayer is one that has many Christians in a bind. Jesus warned us not to make ‘much ado about nothing.’ He said: “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” – Matthew 6:7-8.
 
The use of “empty phrases” and “many words” is emphasized here. Neither of the two guarantees answers to prayers, otherwise stammers, those without eloquence and oratorical skills, and many of those without formal schooling in certain languages will have no hope. If Jesus died for all men, and has placed no restriction on whosoever believes in Him, why would He then restrict the prayers of those who pray to Him because of their inability to use words in a certain way? That is not at all the case, hence Jesus’ emphatic warning, “Do not be like them,” that is, those who rely on “empty phrases” and “many words.”
 
Solomon also lends his voice to the same caution: “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.” – Ecclesiastes 5:2 
 
But Christ did not end at just the use of “empty phrases” and “many words.” He reminds us that God, the Father, knows what we need even before we ask Him in our prayers, so there’s no need for words or phrases calculated to flatter, cajole, or confuse Him into granting what we need. After all, we are not presenting something unknown to Him. He not only knows our needs, but He knows when they should be provided and in what quantity.
 
Sometimes, people serve food on their plates based on how hungry they think they are. Then midway they get full and cannot finish what is still heaped on their plates. There is no room for that with God. He knows what, when, and how much we need. He will therefore not be stampeded into action by us. This is why the apostle Paul counselled later that we should be calm and not fuss about our requests: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” – Philippians 4:6. 

STAY BLESSED

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REMAIN IN ME

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “Remain in Me, and will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.” – John 15:4 (NIV) 

After a person accepts Christ and is forgiven, he or she receives the gift of eternal life, which centers on a personal relationship with Christ and includes the power of the Holy Spirit to sustain and develop that relationship.  Given that power, a Christian must then accept responsibility to stay spiritually connected to and dependent on Christ.  Just as the branch has life only as long as the vine’s life flows into it, so believers have true life only as long as Christ’s life flows into us through an active and vital relationship with Him.  The conditions which keep us connected to Christ include:

Spending time reading and studying God’s Word so that His truth gets into our minds and hearts and continually serves as a guide for our actions.Maintaining a positive habit of prayer, which involves listening to Jesus and drawing strength from Him.Obeying His commands, which demonstrates true love for Christ and includes loving each other.Keeping our lives spiritually clean by remaining in God’s Word, resisting temptation and following the Holy Spirit’s direction.

STAY BLESSED

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WHEN THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU

SCRIPTURE TEXT: “…I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites.” —Judges 7:7 (NLT)

Have you ever felt backed up against a wall with no way out? Although a situation like that is truly beyond what you can manage, it is not too big for God. In fact, if you could competently handle every difficulty that arose, then the credit would go to you and not to the Lord.  Impossible circumstances teach us an important lesson: to depend on Him and not on ourselves.  Gideon was a reluctant warrior who felt inadequate for the task God called him to do: to deliver Israel from Midianite oppression (Judg. 6:14-16). But in obedience, he had rallied 32,000 men to fight against the enemy.

However, the Lord then whittled the army down to just three hundred men. Humanly speaking, it would be impossible to defeat the enemy forces with so few. But that was precisely God’s point: He alone would achieve the victory and receive the glory.When the odds are not in your favor, that doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. Stand your ground and keep your eyes on Him. Trust your heavenly Father, and you’ll be amazed at what He will achieve. Then glorify Him, giving thanks for His faithfulness.

STAY BLESSED
SOURCE: IN TOUCH MINISTRIES