It is time to count your blessing

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,  When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,  Count your many blessings, name them one by one,  And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.  Count your blessings, Name them one by one;  Count your blessings, See what God hath done;  Count your blessings, Name them one by one;  Count your many blessings, See what God hath done. (“Count Your Blessings” by Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1856-1926).  

There is no doubt the facts that you may not have achieved on your written down goals for year 2016. Nevertheless, the above Hymn is just for you to ponder and give God thanks for other blessings. I want you to think of some of the surprising things that God has done for you in the year that is passing away. Let me help you out with one or two of His blessings in your life and you are expected to add to the list. First, it is amazing that God has given you life. Thank Him for the gift of life. The Bible says: “Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!”- Psalms 150:6. Which means as long as you have His breath in you, you are indebted to God. Imagine, how He saved you and family from all manners of evil.

For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living”- Psalms 116:8-10. “The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence; But as for us, we will bless the LORD From this time forth and forever. Praise the LORD!”- Psalms 115:17-18.

Some people died from different occurrences, thank God, you were not one of them. Often, in your own life, terrible things could have happened to you, if the unseen hands of the Almighty had not come to help and protect you. By God’s great mercy, you lived! God has given you life. God has protected your life in these evil days. Thank Him for truly protecting you throughout the year.

The second surprising gift of God is the people God used for you one way or the other this year. If we are thoughtful enough, we have many things to be thankful for, at this time of the year. But the greatest thing to thank God for is the gift of Jesus, His Son. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world: but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

The core purpose of Jesus birth and life is to die on the Cross, in order to pay for your sins. God raised Jesus from the dead and drew Him back to Heaven, where He sits on God’s right hand today. And Jesus is there for you now – if you will turn to Him. Jesus will forgive your sins and save your soul!

What blessings God has given you! Life itself! Spiritual blessings! People in your life! The Son of God! Other surprising gifts from God you can call to remembrance! Many reasons to give thanks to Him! I am sure you can think of other things to add to this list of surprising gifts God has given you! Focus more on His benefits and it will surprise you how much God has been good to you.

• Prophet (Dr.) Abiara, is General Evangelist, CAC Worldwide