COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.

Why are we so oblivious to God’s blessings in our lives? Maybe it’s because we “pray”, but want God to answer our “prayers” in a way that pleases us. Why do we “pray”; “if it is your will”, yet when our will is not fulfilled we sulk and lose hope.

How many of our prayers; no matter how selfish, has the Lord answered even if we did not deserve them? How many blessings have we received from the Lord without anything on our part being offered? Why do we fool ourselves into thinking that our works earn us the Lords’ blessings? Haven’t we learned after so many studies and sermons that what the Lord does for us has nothing to do with what we do or don’t do, that he will bless us- and even those who do not believe- whether or not we serve Him?

Why are we heedless to the blessings we receive from God without even asking for them; and yet hold onto the “prayers” He does not answer?

My prayer is that He may teach me how to claim His promises through prayer the same way David and Job did, not according to my own ideas. May He help me realise the blessings; and so many there are, and that He prepares me while He is busy preparing for those blessings I am not ready for. May we learn to pray the persistent prayer, and may we humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness when we realise that our desires are not His will for us.

I know I’m blessed, and so are you; let us be grateful and revel in the Lord’s abundant love. It pleases Him when we appreciate what He gives us, so let us not disappoint. No matter how little or useless the blessings may seem; let’s remember that God saw it fit for us to have them, so there might just be a purpose. Let us also remember that our blessings should be blessings to others as well; while we eat at the table that the Lord has prepared for us, let the crumbs that fall thereof; fall in the hands of brethren in need of blessings. God vindicates for us, why do we punish ourselves?

ADVERSITIES

Troubles come with a multitude of names- accidents, afflictions, bereavement, calamities, difficulties, disappointments, disasters, failures, hard times, hurts, miseries, misfortunes, ruin, sufferings, tragedies, trials, tribulations, or woes. They come, sometimes unexpectedly, sometimes after repeated warnings. Adversities may be temporarily discomforting or permanently disabling, even life- threatening or life- taking. Some adversities are merely higher hurdles over which we can climb with a little more effort, while others permanently wound us and we must find a way to triumph despite them. The one thing we can all count on about adversity is that it will surely come. We will all have troubles, so it is not a matter of will we, or won’t we- the issue is what we will do with adversity when it comes. We must recognize that suffering is not forever.

There is nothing that happens to you that surprises God; he knows every detail and walks beside you all the way. Sometimes God calms the storm-and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms his child. When going through challenges of any kind- mental, emotional, physical, spiritual; we need the Restorer of life Himself. When unemployment, sickness, darkens, or death cloud our faith; we need to give it all to God. If you ever feel like you’re drowning in an ocean of problems, or your life is disoriented and falling apart; remember that Jesus is there to bring it all together and lift you up. “The secret of surviving does not always lie in the restoration of the body, but in the maintenance of the Spirit.”- R. Henrick.

 Adversities help us understand Christ better because He suffered for us- this deepens our relationship with Him.When it feels like life is closing in on you, and God is nowhere to be found; look at the history of God’s dealings with His people. Look back at Scripture- did He ever turn a blind eye when His children needed him? Look back at your own History with him; hasn’t He always been there when you needed Him? No matter how hard pressed you may be, or how overwhelmed you may feel; trust Him to keep you from being crushed or pushed to the point of despair. Mark 6: 48,50 – “He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. He came to them… “It’s alright,” He said.” We do not have to endure the troubled waters of our lives alone.

Afflictions are often mercies in disguise, we know not what we might have been without them. When God in His mysterious providence overthrows all our cherished plans, and we may receive sorrow in the place of joy, we will bow in submission and say, "Thy will, Oh God, be done." We must and we will ever cherish a calm, religious trust in One who loves us, who gave His life for us. "The Lord will command his loving-kindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with us. The Lord looks upon our afflictions. He graciously and discriminately meets them out and apportions them. As a refiner of silver He watches us every moment until the purification is complete. The furnace is to purify and refine, not to destroy and consume.

Through our suffering, God is working on somebody, and that means; someone will be saved through our suffering. So be careful how you fall, you might just take someone down with you. Problems are an inevitable by- product of fallen human life; they were not part of God’s plan. But being the loving God that He is; He has equipped us with promises to help us through the challenges we meet in this journey called life. Isa 43:2-3 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Find strength in your trials; for God is always there with you.

The troubles of this world can lead one to panic and feel caged in. Joshua reminds us in Joshua 1: 9 to be strong in the struggles we may come across. Do not ask the Lord “why me?”, who then? Just tell the devil “try me.”May the revival begin with you. What a world this would be if we could forget our troubles as easily as we forget our blessings. I point you to the only sure and unfailing protection. Ask God for Christ’s sake to watch over and bless you. Ever seek for help in the Mighty One; His outstretched arm will save. Trying as your case may be, never yield to despondency. Guard yourself, your heart may ache near to breaking-remember He does not willingly afflict nor grieve His children. Never allow yourself to mourn. Be hopeful, be ever cheerful in God, and a brighter morning will come. Be steadfast in the hour of trial, and you will gain at last a crown which will never fade away. God will bless your poor, stricken, wounded soul. Cling to His hand; hold fast. He will take you and all your grief and burdens if you will only cast them all upon Him.

Once you have crossed over to slid ground; remember to thank Him for carrying you. Use those moments as an opportunity to testify to those who suffer the same kinds of adversities you faced. Look around you; God has placed good friends in your life to support you. He shows Himself to you in many ways. Appreciate Him and thank Him for being there.

Feeling Happy

Why is it so easy for one to feel more connected and closer to God when all is well?
I've been asking myself this question the whole morning, but have not come up with an asnwer so far. Perhaps there are many answers to this question; but the two that make the most sense to me so far are: it is God who brings about such feelings, and who better to acknowledge and think of when one is immersed in such feelings.
I'm having such a peaceful and pleasant day, not because something great has happened; but simply because I have found no reason to moan and groan about anything today-that is not something one gets to experience everyday, considering the busy lives that we live that are so full of destruction.
Whatever the reason may be to my question, I'm certain that God has no problem with me realising Him as the source of my joy (though it would be nicer to have such confidence in Him even when times are not so good)- for that is exactly what He is: THE SOURCE OF MY JOY

The Stranger in the Rain

I found myself stranded in the rain a few weeks ago, in the middle of a strong thunderstorm. I felt so vulnerable and alone, screamed at one point in fear of a lighting that hit right before me. Just when my tears were about to roll down; a kind stranger stopped in her car and asked while opening her window and moving her bags from the passenger seat: “what are you doing walking in this rain?” The feeling of being overwhelmed and relief, coupled by my fear, brought about a once in a lifetime experience.


I stepped into her car, she asked if I was okay, I thanked her for stopping. All she ever spoke about was me and my wellbeing, and in every response I gave I was grateful. She showed so much concern; the kind one rarely gets to get in life- I felt so safe. She would have done too much already by just dropping me off at the entrance of my complex; but she saw it fit to drop me at my doorstep

I realised when she drove away that I didn’t get this kind-hearted woman’s name, let alone exchange numbers. I got into the house and lay on my bed in amazement of such an experience, and I praised God for using her.

Nowadays I feel so obligated (in a good way) to show gratitude especially to strangers, because I do not know if it might be the stranger in the rain. I smile at them not only to show kindness, but because I remember the stranger in the rain when I see the few features I remember about her- her hairstyle, and height.

I never got to say “thank you” properly, but perhaps that is God’s plan for me. I’ll never get to show her my gratitude, but because she was a blessing to me; I hope to be a blessing to others and show them acts of kindness. It might not be giving a lift to a stranger in the middle of the night; but it has helped me realise that not all strangers in the night are bad people, some are actually meant to be there to save us; and therefore I will do my best to bless others.

I’m eternally grateful to the stranger in the rain

The benefits of having a relationship with God

Having a relationship with God gives you a hiding place when the world seems to be agianst you, it keeps you sane when it feels like the load is too much to handle. It puts a smile on your face when the world assumes you’re going through the worst experience any human being could go through. It gives you hope for a better tomorrow, it allows you to practice faith in something you do not have to understand or justify. It lets you speak your thoughts at anytime without waiting for availability.


God is a friend you can always rely on, He never disappoints- even when He does not answer our prayers. You need not pretend with Him, for He wants you as you are; weak, broke, weird, stupid, useless, inferior, insignificant, shy, and anything else you can think of.

I do not know what you might be going through in your life right now, but I can personally tell you that there is joy in allowing Him to be at all times. Try Him if you haven’t yet established a relationship with Him; speak to Him, tell Him your worries and all your joys- see if He won’t listen. The world has so much to offer, but it all comes at a price; so why not take God up on His offer of eternal life that comes freely? There really is life after this, but it starts here. Do not compromise guys, serve Him and be faithful to Him- for the benefits of having a relationship with God are better than any other relationship the world can offer.

Our response to tests

Why are we so quick to give in when things don’t go our away? Why do we allow the devil to take away our joy when minor disruptions come our way?


It’s so sad how we respond to trials and adversities, I cannot even begin to imagine how much more sad God becomes when we make earthly problems bigger than Him instead of telling our problems how big our Lord is. The test of our faith leaves us with no faith, forgetting that the Lord said such would happen but we should rejoice in Him for they are signs of greater things to come. We refuse to take God for His word, let alone put Him to the test.

His promises are true, He never fails or dissapoints. If we could just once take Him for His word; when troubles come, let us face them boldly and be confident that He is in control. But He will only do so if we invite Him and give Him full control. The Lord is waiting to cater to all our needs, only at our invitation, complimented by our faith. Why suffer when we have such a solid rock to run to? Why run to the world (the source of our troubles), when we can run to Him?

Next time a problem comes your way; do not be afraid, and never doubt your Master for He lives and will deliver you from every situation. Love Him through bad and good times; praise Him through bad and good times. Seek His face, and seek His wisdom at all times. Never allow a speck of doubt to cloud your faith, for that is the devil’s gateway. Smile at the storm and stand firm in your faith, for the Lord sees your every tear and knows your every trouble.