Count your Blessings

Counting your blessings can be a monumental task when you are down in the valley. It may seem like everybody around you is so blessed and has it made. All you can see is the bad things in your life. All you need to do is take a step back from your problems and look around at all your blessings. You may be surprised at how the Lord has blessed you. In my own life I know this is the case. I can get so focused on the bad things going on in my life, that I can not see how blessed I am. For instance I have a home to live in and a warm comfortable bed. To most people that may not sound like a much, but for others it is a dream. I once did an overnight lay over in LAX airport and had to sleep on a chair. There were homeless people there trying to sleep on chairs as well. This was a nightly routine for many of them. It was one of the most miserable nights of my life. When I lived in Chicago, there would be homeless people sleeping on the cold street. These people would be overcome with joy to have a home and a warm bed. I also have hot and cold water in my home. This is very nice for taking showers. There are some parts of the world where this is not available. I also have food at my disposal. I have a grocery store 10 minutes from my house and can afford to buy more than I need. I struggle with mental illness where I feel like somedays it's going to kill me. I have to put things into perspective when things get dark. I was told many lies about who I was, that torment me often. The truth is, I am part of a royal priesthood. My father is the king of all creation, who has an inheritance waiting for me. This can never be taken from me. No matter how dark and hopeless things get in this life, I have heaven waiting for me. Maybe all these scars I bare will be like badges of honor when I go before the Father. We may see other people that seem to have it all. The real question is are they saved? Where are they going when they die? You can have everything in this life, and it doesn't mean a thing if you wind up in hell when you die. The bible talks about not storing up treasures on earth.

Mark 8

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 6

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

We can get to focused on the things of this world and lose sight of what really matters. Verse 21 says: where your treasure is, that is where your heart will be. Let me tell you, when I am at my lowest, my heart is on this world. I think God made my life so hard, in order for me not to focus on the world, but to instead focus on God. When we set our affection on God we change our perspective.

Colossians 3

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

This passage puts thing into perspective. I usually feel like I am less when I compare myself to others. Believers are hid in Christ, who will reveal his glory in us one day. The people here on earth who are doing well, often fit the description in verse 5. Sadly the wrath of God will come upon these people. In all Gods mercy he blesses them with the desires of their heart. For most of them, this will be the only heaven they ever know. All that we as believers need in this life is food and shelter. I have these and some other creature comforts so, I should be set.

Matthew 6

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

God will take care of you. He will provide you with what you need. The things that you want is another case. These are the things that can cause problems in our lives. Focus less on this world and what you don't have, and instead focus on the things of God and all that you do have.

I hope this was a blessing to you and I will leave you with the only way to heaven, the gospel. We are saved by putting our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins.

I Corinthians 15

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: