Honour The Lord With Your Possessions
Far beyond a mere financial prescription, scripture beckons believers to intertwine their material prosperity with a deeper sense of purpose and reverence for the divine. Your finances often serve as a reflection of your values. Understanding the connection between values and finances will allow you to make intentional choices that align with your beliefs and contribute to a more meaningful and purposeful journey in life. By learning to handle your finances God’s way, you will have the key to unlocking His blessing in your finances. All wealth and prosperity ultimately come from God, and discerning how to wield it in ways that echo a commitment to honouring Him is of utmost importance. Be encouraged to acknowledge and prioritize God in your financial matters. In this message, I delve into the intersections of faith, finance, and the ethical considerations of stewarding one’s resources. Be blessed as you read. “Honour the Lord with your possessions, and with the first fruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). The Wise Men from the Bible impart a timeless lesson on honouring God with our wealth or possessions through their actions in the story of Jesus’ birth. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mathew 2:1-2, 11). When the wise men from the East visited Jesus, they gave him gifts. They had not come simply to pay respects out of dutiful reverence. The lesson on honouring God with your possessions is vividly portrayed in the gifts they brought to honour the infant Jesus: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were not just ordinary offerings. They were precious gifts. These were heartfelt gifts of care and love. They had come to worship. In fact, by bringing gifts for the King, they partly fulfilled a prophecy because the Old Testament declared that Gentiles from around the world would come to the Messiah, bearing gifts that actually included gold and frankincense (Psalm 72:10-15; Isaiah 60:1-6). These men were indeed paying their respects to the great Jewish king, even bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh to honour Him. These gifts represented their desire to use their wealth to worship the Messiah, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. The wise men had come to meet the greatest King of all, the great King who would rule over the whole earth. “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and language should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-14) “The Son of Man” – a title Jesus often used for Himself, identifying Himself as both human and divine. The wise men expected to meet an extraordinary person. In fact, He could not be considered a mere mortal at all. It is no wonder these men would have been eager to meet the King of kings and honour Him with gold. According to (Daniel 7:13-14), this “Son of Man” would come with the clouds of Heaven. He would be served by all the people of the earth – from every nation and language. This “Son of Man”, the Lord Jesus Christ would receive an eternal Kingdom with unlimited dominion and glory. That great monarch would be immortal and indestructible. Truly this was to be the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. That is why they came with gifts of great value. Amongst them was gold which in Jesus’ day would have been a wonderful financial blessing. They had no more precious resource to worship the highest-ranking King of all time and eternity. “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Somehow, the wise men understood that Jesus was more than a man – even more than a king. They had not come merely to esteem a great king, but to worship the divine King. In Scripture, neither mortals nor angels are permitted to receive worship. But Jesus was greater than a man, He was greater than the angels. He was and is the unique and eternal Son of God. Yes, they had come to worship but they didn’t come empty-handed. They came with precious gifts to honour the King of kings and the Lords of lords. The Bible says a generous person will be made rich. The Wise Men’s generosity extended beyond the material gifts, however. They exemplified a generous heart willing to give the best they had in honouring the Messiah. Their offerings were not only expressions of homage but also acts of honouring the Lord that reflected the depth of their reverence for the divine. This story teaches a profound lesson on a way to honour God, emphasizing that to truly honour God involves giving from the heart, offering one’s best, and acknowledging the worthiness of the recipient. The Wise Men’s gifts were not mere tokens; they were sacrificial offerings, demonstrating a generosity that goes beyond the ordinary. In the Christian tradition, the story of the Wise Men inspires believers to approach generosity with a similar spirit. It encourages giving not only material resources but also the best of one’s time, talents, and love in worship and service to God and others. The lesson from the Wise
Understand And Respond When God Speaks
If it’s God who is speaking, we trust that by His very nature, God is worthy of our undivided attention. So, when we listen, we’re to respond accordingly because God may be saying something to you through His word or through someone else that will change your life. It’s so important to obey God’s voice when He speaks. Don’t allow anything to distract you from seeking God first and hearing His voice in everything you do. He wants you to respond when he speaks. Therefore, making Him the priority of your life, bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. The word of God is so incredibly powerful and transformative. The word of God doesn’t exist so we can argue with it. It’s not up for negotiation or broad interpretation. It’s exactly what it says. It’s a touchstone of truth. It’s our strength and it is crucial for our well-being. If it’s optional for you, it can never be transformational. It’s time to replace opinions about the word with obedience to the word. The word of God resides in a place of authority, not subjectivity. It’s unchanging. Likewise, God is our stable, strong foundation that does not waver and isn’t malleable to the opinions and whims of popular culture. If we are to eliminate uncertainty and fear in our families, relationships, careers, finances, health, etc. – we must trust the Lord and hold on to His word and respond to His word accordingly. Your life will never be the same if you make the word of God a priority. God is going to touch your life today, not because of who you are, but because of who He is and His promises. There’re so many things happening around us in the world today. It’s so easy to get caught up in the world and see all the different things that are going on. There’s a constant barrage of how unsteady and unsafe, and constantly moving our world is, and yet God promises that we will not fall if we build our lives on His word (Mat. 7:24-27). He is our rock, the thing that never moves; the structure that we can count on and find ourselves attached to. He is your protection, and that’s why you don’t have to worry. Don’t fear no matter what comes against you. We have every reason to trust Him no matter what our daily circumstances may look like to our human eyes, and no matter what we may face in our personal lives. I pray that we would be awakened to the knowledge and truth of the goodness of God in all situations, and respond in accordance to His word. How will you respond to the Lord today? You can trust Him with your uncertain circumstances. You can trust Him with your present problems and future plans. Trust and obey, He is enough for you. I would like to encourage you to keep your eyes fixed and focused on your relationship with God. That’s the main reason why Jesus came and died for us so that we can be brought back into fellowship and relationship with the Lord. He’s given us His word, so we have a firm foundation to stand on, and as we truly base our lives upon the word of God, we’re going to be successful. No matter what we do, no matter what the world or our circumstances dictate, it doesn’t make a difference, the truth of God’s word surpasses everything. So, it’s important for us to stay focused on His word. Make God’s kingdom and His word your top priority. God thinks differently from us. He sees things we don’t see. He knows things we can’t even begin to imagine. That doesn’t mean we can’t change the way we think to match how He thinks, because the Bible says that we can do so. We have the mind of Christ. For, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) Having the mind of Christ means that we agree with God and His ways. We can know His thoughts. In Psalms 103 verse 7, the Bible actually says that the children of Israel knew the acts of God, but Moses knew His ways. What we see is that God revealed His ways and character to Moses. You and I are called to know the ways of God and to understand the way He thinks. So, it’s not just a matter of outlooking and saying how does God think. It’s participating in that action. And so, the question that I’m going to pose to you is what is your response? How are you going to respond to what God is about to tell you? God has declared so many wonderful things in our lives, but have we responded well? In Genesis chapter fifteen the word of the Lord came to Abram before he became Abraham. After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” What an amazing statement to hear from the Lord. But let’s look at Abram’s response. This is what Abram said, 2 But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” What’s incredible to me about that is that God just appeared to Abram in a vision. He said I am your exceeding great reward; you’re going to inherit me. And he responded, but I have no child. Oftentimes, that’s what happens to us as we start looking at our circumstances. We look at who we are, what we have, and what we don’t have rather than what God has declared to us. I want to challenge each and every single one of us that our lives are bigger than our current situation. 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house
Think what God says you should think
“8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Phil 4:8 NIV). Thoughts of God The thoughts you think help determine the direction of your life. You can’t dwell on defeat and expect to see victory. When thoughts of worry, fear or anxiety try to take root, choose instead, the promises of God. Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts. What we think is extremely important and especially what we think consistently. That doesn’t mean every little thought that goes through your mind becomes reality in your life, but certainly things that we think consistently. What should we be thinking consistently? According to this text of scripture, they are things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. God has given us power to control our thoughts, bringing every thought into line with what the word of God says. There are a lot of negative things going on around the world at the moment. You may be feeling grief and sorrowful. You may be confused and be asking; God why are these things happening? You can take control of your own thought life completely by speaking to and immediately casting down wrong thoughts and replacing them with the right thoughts listed in “Philippians 4:8”. “Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5). Know that God is a good God. If we think about the goodness of God, we will be able to cast off the fret and the depression and the grief and the sorrows that will come. Instead of seeing yourself poor, you can say my God shall supply all my needs. “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:19). Our supply is coming from a different source, not according to the government’s riches, not according to your employer’s or your origination’s riches, not according to your parent’s or children’s riches, but according to God’s riches in glory by Christ Jesus. “And God is able to give you more than you need, so that you will always have all you need for yourselves and more than enough for every good cause. 9 As the scripture says, “He gives generously to the needy; his kindness lasts forever.” (2 Cor. 9:8 -9). Why don’t you let these words paint a picture in your mind? People read these scriptures and yet they see themselves poor. That’s the image that they have, that’s the expectation that they have. They never expect to get out of the situation that they are in. And that’s not thinking the way God wants us to think, and that’s not meditating on the word, and that’s not focusing on God. But that’s allowing your mind to follow what other people are following. Or what other people are saying. They keep saying: There’s economic downturn, life will never return to normal, everybody is going to go through a recession. Things will come to pass exactly the way you see them. Make sure you resist negative thoughts with the word of God. Meditate on the word day and night (Ps. 1: 1-3 and Joshua 1:8). Meditation is so important. What’s meditation? You have to take the word of God and let it paint pictures on the inside of you and this takes time, but if you do this on a regular basis, it’s going to revolutionize your life. Don’t see yourself sick and don’t see yourself dying even if you’ve been diagnosed with an incurable disease. There’s power in your thinking and what you say. “As he thinks in his heart so does he become” (Pro 27:3). “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit” (Pro 18:21). You can see yourself well in your thinking instead of expecting the worse. Some of you know that God has bigger plans for you than what you are experiencing. You may even know some of the details. You may know the business that He wants you to start or how He wants you to go out and minister. You have direction from the Lord, but you are not seeing it come to pass because you haven’t sat down and meditated. You haven’t pictured it to see it coming to pass. Meditate on what God has told you. Ask Him that God, here is where you want me to go, how do I get there? God will direct you exactly where He wants you to go. Focus on God and you can see things in your Spiritual womb. Keep your imagination on God and you will arrive at the right destination even in the midst of crisis. If we want to be changed then our minds should be changed before anything in our lives is going to change. And God will help us with that. He will teach us how to think. The Holy Spirit is so wonderful, and He is inside of us and He will even remind us when we are not thinking right. And He will even remind us what we should be thinking if we have enough of the word in us to rise up and confront the wrong thing. We give control of our minds to the enemy if we don’t resist wrong thoughts that come up against us. And the very best way to resist wrong thoughts is to open your mouth and speak out loud a portion of scripture that you have learned that you know confronts that wrong thoughts. And the thoughts stop immediately because if you are speaking, then it goes through your mind so the thing that the enemy is trying to put in your mind has to go away. Speak to it and immediately cast down wrong thoughts
Victory that overcomes the world
“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). Victory that overcomes the world It’s because there is something in the world which is in disagreement with the principles of God. There is a spirit at work in people who are not born again and it’s the prince of the power of the air which is the devil (Eph. 2:2). They walk in trespasses according to the course of this world and have become the servants of Satan. The Bible also talks about the spirit of the anti-Christ. Most people don’t want to hear this, but there is the spirit of anti-Christ that is at work in the world. People are hostile to God, they are in opposition to God, they are incompatible to the things of God. They are subjects to the devil, and they work according to Satan’s ideas and plans. People blaspheme God and they use the name of Jesus as a swear word. There is a demonic attack against God. The world continues to attack God’s people. In many parts of the world today, you can be any kind of pervert and weird you want to be, and if anybody says anything, they call you homophobic or hater and they persecute you. They don’t persecute people who are into sin and doing wrong things. Even if you murder somebody, they try to figure out what is in your background that made you do that. Who abused you and made you this way? There is a battle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of the devil. If you stand up and say I’m for Godly marriage, I’m against abortion, I’m for reality, you would be persecuted because of your testimony for Christ. We have to do battle with the darkness of this world. This is not a battle which will end today or tomorrow or next year. But when we operate in faith, God is able to grant us such victory that we are actually better off because of the battle and the victory that overcomes the world. The ultimate ground for endurance in persecution is the victory of Jesus over the world (John 12:31; 1 Cor.15:57). There is a spirit of anti-Christ. And people think why is it that it’s only Christians that they come up against? It’s because there is a spirit of anti-Christ, a demon spirit at work in the world and many of us don’t even recognise it. There’s a spirit working in the children of disobedience (Eph. 2:2). Jesus said we would have tribulation. In the world there are troubles, conflicts, confusion, and battle. There is warfare; of strife and disagreement; of agony and wrestling; It’s a battle until death; battle throughout life; fighting with a certainty of victory because Jesus made the incredible statement that in the midst of tribulations of this world, whatever is pressing and whatever is threatening, we were to be of good cheer; “I have overcome the world”. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). How do we win this battle? Christ disarmed Satan on the cross and stripped him of his power. We walk in the victory Christ has for us, and we do that through faith. The world has its principles, customs, and values, and whoever does not choose to go according to the fashion of the world, is an enemy of society. They are attacks from the enemy intended to steal the Word of God out of our lives. Friend don’t do just as everybody else does. If you see people doing a dishonest thing in business, it is appropriate for you that everybody does it. If they rebel against authority, it is appropriate for you that everybody does it. Do not accommodate the world’s system of beliefs. Give them the gospel and get them ready for the second coming of Christ. The Bible clearly states that “whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world”. There is no justification for us being defeated. God’s provision is greater than all our needs. Have faith in the testimony of God’s promises. Anyone born of God has victory that overcomes the world. This text of scripture serves as a reminder to us of God’s promised victory and gives us an opportunity to release our faith and appropriate what has already been provided. Faith is the victory that empowers us to overcome the world. The victory through faith is available to us. “And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.” He has given it to us. Believe and receive it. Our victory is not dependent on things but rather on our faith in the person of Jesus Christ. He is our victory. Even our simple “child-like” faith will do the job. It doesn’t take big faith – just pure faith in God. The measure of faith you received at salvation can move mountains because it’s actually the faith of Jesus. You have all the faith you need. Use that measure of faith to overcome in every area of your life. We have to overcome the world by our faith: But faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom 10:17). Faith comes by meditating on the word of God (Jos. 1:8). Don’t allow the world to influence you with its belief system by conforming to its standards (Rom 12:1-2). We must not let the world intimidate us; withstand them, don’t let us drift away and go along with others in order to avoid criticism, slander, persecution, affliction, or mockery. We have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome. God has placed His children in all walk’s life – in education, arts and entertainment, politics and many more areas. Thus, God is raising people up to dominate every area of society. He is bringing all areas
You Can Experience And Operate in the supernatural
Have you ever wondered if the extraordinary power that Jesus wielded can be experienced by everyday believers? The concept of Christians experiencing and operating in the supernatural, akin to Jesus, is a profound and transformative aspect of faith that has captivated believers throughout the centuries. Rooted in the teachings and promises of the Bible, it is seen that followers of Christ are not only called to emulate his moral and ethical teachings but to also participate in the miraculous and supernatural dimensions of His ministry. From healing the sick and casting out demons to performing signs and wonders, the New Testament provides numerous accounts of Jesus’ miraculous works and extends the promise of these capabilities to His disciples and, by extension, to all believers. Faith in Jesus can open a door to a life filled with the supernatural. I want to invite believers to explore and embrace the extraordinary aspects of their spiritual journeys. Be blessed as you read! You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. In this world, we are like Jesus’. We are his workmanship, created to walk in good works. We are His ambassadors representing him in this world (see I John 4:4, 13, 17; Ephesians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:20). My friend, you can experience the supernatural and operate in the supernatural. God wants to work through you, but the workers are few. Christ is our model: He came to teach, preach and heal. We must do the same. 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Mathew 9:35-38). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). It’s vital to recognize that our mission is crucial. When you realize that there’s a purpose for your life at this moment, it doesn’t matter if you know a lot or a little about God. What’s important is that you’re willing to share what you do know. So, can you go and preach what you know with power? This is why in verse 17 of Mark chapter 16 it says, 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” If you are a believer in Christ, then you can experience the supernatural and operate in it as well. ‘In my name, they will cast out demons’. The name of Jesus gives us the victory over the forces of Satan. Perhaps you feel like you’re under the oppression of Satan. Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil because God was with him” (Acts 10:38). So, we have physical healing, healing from oppression, the name of Jesus, the power of Jesus, the life of Jesus, the character of Jesus, and the nature of Jesus. His heart is to set you free and lift you up. I want to tell you that you can experience the supernatural and operate in it as well. If you feel that there’s a spiritual reason for what you’re going through and believe that demonic forces are at work, I want to assure you that they’re afraid of you if you know who you are in Christ. If you submit to God, you can resist the devil, and he will flee. Therefore, submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings (1 Peter 5:7-9). So, let me ask you a question: how much do you think demonic manifestations, forces, or spirits of infirmity are affecting you? You have the name of Jesus. There is no reason for any form of demonic activity in your life, house, or family. You have the name of Jesus. You have the love of God shared abroad in your heart. We are so equipped my friends, to operate in the supernatural and win in life. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons. We have an unfair advantage over unbelievers and over the devil. He’s defeated. We have an unfair advantage, we have favour with God, and we have the name of Jesus that is above every name. So, do you have a revelation of the name? Do you understand the power of the name? Do you understand redemption in the sense that Jesus went through so much so that you could reign in life? For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! (Romans 5:17). Notice that you can reign in life. You might be facing some battles, and some battles require time, and I understand that. Some things happen instantly, while others take more time, but if you persist and continue to apply the power of the name and remain steadfast, you will reign in life. It
God Is Our Source
God is the Source by Evangelist Paul Acquah It is natural to seek stability and security in a world filled with uncertainty and constant changes. Many often look to external sources, such as careers, relationships, or material possessions, to fulfil their needs and provide a sense of well-being. However, there is a timeless truth that transcends the temporal nature of our earthly circumstances: God is the source. Looking through the Word of God, scripture after scripture proves that God is the source of everything we need. He is the perfect and on-time source for everything you could ever need or want. His supply never runs short. Although the world may offer temporary solutions and fleeting pleasures, God’s provision is everlasting. It transcends the limitations of time and circumstance. Therefore, be inspired to seek a deeper connection with God, to trust in His provision, and to live in the abundance of His grace. This article will help renew your mind to become fully persuaded that God is your Source. Your source is your Father in heaven, who never runs dry. When we talk about God as our source, you may ask what is a source? A source is a supplier of something that we cannot produce on our own. For example, there is a source of gas or electric power so I can cook. When it is dark, you can go to this small switch on the wall and flick it on, and then you have light in the house. This is because of the source of electricity entering your home. We have entertainment by clicking on a button while watching TV. Why? The source of power comes into your home. We can preserve our food in a fridge freezer and keep it cold. We can cook it on the stove all because there’s a source of power coming into our house, and we don’t even realise it in the day-to-day until there’s a storm and the power goes out. A storm comes into the area and knocks down some electric wires, so we do not have power and then we realise how much we need that power source in our lives. Our lives are filled with sources. A mobile phone is another source of information. This is because of the source of information technology in our phones. We don’t think about it until our battery dies or our phone freezes on us. We go to work, and we get paid and that allows us to pay for all the other sources in our lives. Sources make our lives easier, enjoyable, and more productive. However, the sources that we rely on are often subject to shortages and interruptions, and can be in limited supply at times. We rely on food sources, but if there is a period of drought, farmers do not have much produce. You’d go into a grocery store or the supermarket to get something and it wouldn’t be there because the source has run out. Don’t limit your finance and all these other sources to anything that you see. None of the so-called earthly sources are real sources; they are all channels. Your source is your heavenly father, who never runs dry. If you plug into His eternal supply, you will never run out. We need to consider the fact that it is the Lord almighty who is our source. If you really got a revelation of who it is that’s our father who has redeemed us, that would change the way you look at things and your expectations. Some people live their lives with such low expectations because they just feel like God is limited in what he can do, and so they look at other things as their source. The problem is that most people think they have to be their own source, or rely on another human to be their source for everything. Yes, God has equipped each and every one of us with talent and gifts. He’s placed in each of us the ability to do something of significance in this world. It is amazing when we are functioning in our gifts and using our talents to be productive in this world. However, when we strictly rely on our own gifts, talents, abilities, and ourselves as sources, we have limitations. This is because we can only do so much on our own, because there are seasons of life when our human sources have a shortage or an eruption, something outside of our control. Maybe you lost your job, and you can’t find another one. Perhaps you are going through a painful life season, a loss of a loved one, a bad medical report, or a hard or painful divorce. Maybe something is going on with your children or your parents and all of a sudden, your control of your source is limited. There’s a shortage; it’s gone now, what can you do? The sources are subject to shortages and interruptions and can be in limited supply, but not when you rely on God as the source of your supply. When you put your trust and security into something bigger than yourself, like God, it cannot be taken from you. Your job shouldn’t be your source. It’s a blessing, but it’s not your source; God is your source. Your wife and husband, as much of a blessing as they are – and you cannot picture your life without them – but they are not your source of security, happiness, love, and joy. They are not your source. A man or woman could never be your source of true happiness, and they will always fall short. Your children, as much as you love them, cannot be your source of joy. God is your source of joy. As much as you rely on your parents and love them and they look out for you and they’re there for you, it’s a blessing, but they cannot be your source. God is the source of your supply and