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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 work style 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 work style, 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.
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.

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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 –1Tim. 5:8.

be sensitive to people’s needs and meet them whenever we can – Titus 3:14.

5. 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

1. DUTIES – Let us:

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.

2. 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

3. 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.

4. 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 work style – Titus 2:9-10;

5. 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

How much quality and excellence are we putting in our work?

Would God be pleased with the way we do our work?

Are we proud of the way we do our work and do we think God will be pleased with the end product or service?

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!

For further inquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0302-772013 or 0268130615

Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com

Website: saltandlightgh.org

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God Almighty is incomparable to the Universe – It is an error to reference God as His creation

I have heard people liken God Almighty to the universe. Some have often referred to Him as the universe. It has become a norm in the circular world to reference God Almighty as the universe.

For instance, pop culture has equated or replaced God with the universe, and this has become a normal thing, used in traditional and social media posts. Individual narratives that require the mention of a higher power or authority will usually invoke the universe as that power.

Often, most celebrities from all spheres of life praise the universe for the good things that happen to them and also direct their fear to the universe as paying them back for their bad choices. When things don’t go their way, they wonder if the universe is teaching them a lesson or simply has other plans (Szterszky, 2018).

Even professing Christians at times speak of the universe rewarding or punishing them, or else teaching them a lesson instead of referencing God Almighty. Some pray to the universe instead of God.

Biblically, equating or referencing God to the Universe is an error. God is much higher and bigger than the universe because He created the universe. This article examines some biblical scriptures that highlight this error.

The universe is everything that exist anywhere and forms part of God’s creation. The synonyms for the universe include population, existence, creation, world, cosmos and macrocosm. These are the handiworks of God and should not be equated to God.

On the other hand, God Almighty is the creator, not a creation, he created the world, the cosmos, the terrestrial beings and we cannot trade His glory with that of His creation. It is an error that needs to be corrected (Genesis 1:1-31).

God is the ultimate and eternal creator, while the universe is seen as a vast and finite creation. God is generally considered to be beyond the universe, encompassing it and existing independently, while the universe is viewed as a product of God’s creation and subject to the laws of nature and time.

While God is described as infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal, His attributes show that He exists outside of the universe and is not a part of the physical world. God is the creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. God is believed to have created the universe from nothing and continues to maintain its existence and order. John 1:1-5).

The universe on the other hand, is viewed as a finite, physical system governed by natural laws. It is seen as a product of God’s creation and subject to the constraints of space and time. Science explores the natural laws and processes that govern the universe. While science explains to some extent how the universe works, it has not been able to address the existence or nature of God.

The following scriptures explain the attributes of God that distinguishes Him from His creation.

The book of Colossians 1:15-20(AMP) says of Jesus, the Incomparable Christ:

15. “He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.

16. For by Him all things were created in heaven and on earth, [things] visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities; all things were created and exist through Him [that is, by His activity] and for Him.

17. And He Himself existed and is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. [His is the controlling, cohesive force of the universe.] [Proverbs 8:22-31]

18. He is also the head [the life-source and leader] of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will occupy the first place [He will stand supreme and be preeminent] in everything. [1 Corinthians 15:20]

19. For it pleased the Father for all the fullness [of deity—the sum total of His essence, all His perfection, powers, and attributes] to dwell [permanently] in Him (the Son),

20. and through [the intervention of] the Son to reconcile all things to Himself, making peace [with believers] through the blood of His cross; through Him, [I say,] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

In the book of Romans 1: 19 – 28 (AMP) it is said:

19 For that which is known about God is evident to them and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God [Himself] has shown it to them.

20 For ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature and attributes, that is, His eternal power and divinity, have been made intelligible and clearly discernible in and through the things that have been made (His handiworks). So [men] are without excuse [altogether without any defense or justification], [Ps. 19: 1-4.]

21 Because when they knew and recognised Him as God, they did not honor and glorify Him as God or give Him thanks. But instead they became futile and godless in their thinking [with vain imaginings, foolish reasoning, and stupid speculations] and their senseless minds were darkened.

22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools [professing to be smart, they made simpletons of themselves].

23 And by them the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God were exchanged for and represented by images, resembling mortal man and birds and beasts and reptiles.

24 Therefore, God gave them up in the lusts of their [own] hearts to sexual impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin],

25 Because they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen (so be it). [Jer. 2:11.]

26 For this reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their natural function for an unnatural and abnormal one,

27 And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablaze (burning out, consumed) with lust for one another–men committing shameful acts with men and suffering in their own bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong-doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.

28 And so, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or approve of Him or consider Him worth the knowing, God gave them over to a base and condemned mind to do things not proper or decent but loathsome,

We cannot trade the glory of God with that of His creation. If you must give glory to God, do so and don’t equate it to the universe. The universe by itself cannot do anything for you. It is under the control of the Supreme Being, God Almighty who created it and controls it. God will not trade His glory for anything because He is All in All.

Recognise God and His divinity, deity and authority and give Him the honour due Him. It is either God to whom you give honour or something else. When you are tempted to equate good things, remember it should be to God Almighty and not to the universe. May God give us all understanding of who He is and that we know Him for ourselves.

End.

Rev. Dr R. Esi Asante is an Assistant Pastor at the Upcity Church International in Accra. She is also a lecturer with the Faculty of Management at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.

By Rev. Dr R. Esi Asante (PhD)

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Ashanti Regional REGSEC bans use of motorbikes after 7pm until further notice

The Ashanti Regional Co-ordinating Council has expressed its deep sorrow over the death of Alhaji Abdul-Malik Azenbge, the Chief of Kusaase, who was shot and killed at Asewase on Tuesday, 22nd July 2025.

In reaction to this tragic incident, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) held an emergency meeting on Wednesday, 24th July 2025 to assess the situation and take immediate action to maintain peace in the region.

After the meeting, REGSEC announced that motorbikes would no longer be allowed on the roads after 7:00pm until further notice.

In a press release signed by the Ashanti regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Frank Amoakohene made it clear that the use of unlicensed motorbikes or those without lights was strictly prohibited.

Additionally, they ordered an immediate suspension of the inter-tribal football competition that was ongoing in the region.

Another measure announced was a temporary ban on motorbike riders wearing smocks. According to REGSEC, some individuals have been using smocks to hide weapons, and this posed a serious security threat.

To ensure public safety and prevent further violence, REGSEC said there would be a strong security presence in identified hotspot areas.

It indicated that both police officers and military personnel would be deployed to help protect lives and property.

The Council assured the public of the government’s firm commitment to maintaining law and order.

They noted that everything was being done to find and arrest those responsible for the killing of the chief.

They called on the general public to cooperate with security agencies and share any credible information that could help with investigations. REGSEC emphasized that they remain fully committed to their mandate of keeping the region safe and peaceful.

By Jacob Aggrey