COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS WHEN YOU SEEM DISCOURAGED

 

This beautiful hymn summarizes how you should view life in the midst of uncertainties and challenges. It was written by Johnson Oatman, Jr., son of Johnson and Rachel Ann Oatman. He was born near Medford, N. J., on April 21, 1856. I pray that you will find joy and fulfilment as you meditate on these words of hope.

1 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.

Refrain:
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.

2 Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain]

3 When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain]

4 So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. [Refrain]

WALKING IN GOD'S LIGHT

Ephesians 5:8-11

Walk in Light

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰ finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 (NKJV)

³For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, ⁵not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. ⁷For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness.

What does it mean to walk in His light? 

Walking in the light means walking in holiness: This refers to bearing the fruit of the Spirit in all goodness, righteousness, and truth. Being holy means living differently than others. It involves being set apart for God and living a life that reflects His character. I means conducting yourself in the manner Christ would conduct himself in a similar situation.

Walking in holiness means not conforming to the standards of the world, the former lust of the flesh. 

1 Peter 1:13-16

¹³ Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Eph. 5:1-11: ⁵ Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. ² And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

³ But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; ⁴ neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. ⁵ For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore do not be partakers with them.

We are to be imitators of Christ in this present world/ We have been made in His image so we are called to be a reflection of  Him attributes. We reflect His light onto the world where there is so much darkness and hatred. We are God's ambassadors who are to declare His goodness, mercies, love, and kindness, in the society in which we find ourselves. May you be a reflection of God today whereever you find yourselves. Be blessed!

LIFT UP YOUR EYES UNTO THE HILLS

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

In Psalm 121, David said, "I will lift up my eyes onto the hills. From where comes my help. My help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth." In our daily lives, we are constantly bombarded with all kinds of problems and challenges that sometimes overwhelms us. We are afflicted by sicknesses, wars and rumors of wars, disobedience of children, slanders, backbiting, etc. In times like this. who do you look up or turn to? David recognize that when there is no hope, there is one and only one person he could turn to and that is his creator, the Almighty God. The one he knows who will never turn His back on him. So in verse 2, he said that "My help comes from the Lord who made the heavens and the earth," He focused his eyes on the God of the heavens and the earth. The God he has learned to trust. In times of trouble or difficulties, who do you turn for help? Is it your spouse, friend, money, house, car, doctor, or your job. All these can help to some extent but they will eventually fail or disappoint you. But the God of heaven who never sleeps or slumbers will never ever fail you! David said in Psalm 20: 6-7 that "Now I know that the Lord saves the anointed. He will answer him from His Holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. There is a limit that horses and chariots can take you because their strength is limited. They can get tired and weary but the God of the heavens and earth never gets tired or weary. He never slumbers nor sleep. (Psalm 121:3-4)

Today, I encourage you to consult God in prayers to help you in time of your needs. He says in Psalm 50:15, "Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. May the Lord let His face shine upon you and grant you your heart's desires in Jesus' name. Be blessed beyond measure!

THE PERSONALITY AND WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 Who is the Holy Spirit? 

Jesus promise that when He ascends into heaven, He would send the Comforter and Helper, the Holy Spirit, to come and dwell with His children. He would give His children power to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, even to the uttermost part of the world. (Acts 1:8) Without the Holy Spirit dwelling in the Christian, you cannot have a successful walk with Him. I pray that you would allow the Holy Spirit to perform His work in your life so that you can please the Lord in all areas of your life. 

Personality of the Holy Spirit

1. He is a person. Why? He has emotions. He can be grieved. (Ephesians 4:30)

2. He is God. He is not an impersonal God.

3. He is our Comforter.

4. The Holy Spirit reveals the deeper things of God to us. (1 Corinthians 2:10-14)

5. The Holy Spirit possesses intellect. He speaks to us like a friend. (Acts 8:29)

6. The Holy Spirit is omniscient (all-knowing).(Acts 5:1-4)

7. The Holy Spirit was part of the creation. Most importantly, in our new creation, the Holy Spirit hoovered over our spirit until it became regenerated.

Works of the Holy Spirit

1. Regenerates our dead spirits. (John 16:7-9)

2. Baptizes us into the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

3. Teaches us and leads us to all truth. (John 16:13)

4. The Holy Spirit empowers us to bear fruit.

5. The Holy Spirit is the seal. He guarantees our promise in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:13)

WHY WORRY? YOU HAVE A FRIEND IN JESUS.

 1.  What a friend we have in Jesus,

     all our sins and griefs to bear!

      What a privilege to carry

     everything to God in prayer!

      O what peace we often forfeit,

       O what needless pain we bear,

       all because we do not carry

       everything to God in prayer!

2.  Have we trials and temptations?

     Is there trouble anywhere?

     We should never be discouraged;

    take it to the Lord in prayer!

    Can we find a friend so faithful

    who will all our sorrows share?

    Jesus knows our every weakness;

    take it to the Lord in prayer!

3.  Are we weak and heavy laden,

     cumbered with a load of care?

    Precious Savior, still our refuge--

    take it to the Lord in prayer!

    Do your friends despise, forsake you?

    Take it to the Lord in prayer!

   In his arms he'll take and shield you;

   you will find a solace there.

Historical Background 
The above poem, which was later turned into a hymn, was written by Joseph M. Scriven who was born in  Ireland in 1819. He was an Irish immigrant to Canada who wrote this text near Port Hope, Ontario, in 1855. Because his life was filled with grief and trials, Scriven often needed the solace of the Lord as described in his famous hymn.

He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, after which he enrolled in a military college to prepare for an army career. However, he was unable to fulfil his ambition because of poor health. Following this setback, his fiancée died in a drowning accident on the eve of their wedding in 1844.  About ten years later, he decided to remarry. However, His plans for marriage were dashed again when his new bride-to-be died after a short illness in 1855. Following this calamity Scriven seldom had a regular income, and he was forced to live in the homes of others. He was member of the Plymouth Brethren and  he tried to live according to the Sermon on the Mount as literally as possible. He lead his life by giving and sharing all he had and often doing menial tasks for the poor and physically disabled. He later died by drowning in Rice Lake but because he suffered from depression, no one knew if his death by drowning was suicide or an accident.

Commentary

As long as we live in this fleshly bodies, we will encounter many adversities and challenges. These challenges can shake our faith in the providence and protection in the Lord. In the midst of this uncertainty, we must make every effort to remember that the good Lord is still with us in our good and bad times. He has promised never to forsake us but to bring us to an expected end. He has good plans for us if we never give up our trust in Him. He has promised to be with us whether we pass through the fires or waters - these would not consume us. 

We can weather the storms if we come to the same realization as Paul and be persuaded that "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:35-39 (King James Version).

I pray that the Lord will help you to deal with any situation that is tormenting your life today and come out of it victoriously in Jesus's name. You were created to be victorious. Make Jesus your friend today by inviting Him into your life and trusting in Him daily.

IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST ON HIS DISCIPLES

In this article, I will discuss the importance on the major developments about the disciples after the resurrection of Christ as recorded in John 21.

When Jesus resurrected, He initially gave instructions for the disciples to meet Him in Galilee (Matthew 28:5-10). After appearing to groups of disciples at least on two occasions, He eventually appeared to about seven men including Peter and John at the shore of the sea of Tiberius (John 21). John 21 is a key chapter that cannot be overlooked since the encounter recorded here formed the foundation for the establishment of the church of God. The appearance of Jesus and His encounter with the disciples erased all the doubts about His resurrection which is the core belief of the Christian faith. Christ is risen and He lives forevermore!

 Most of the disciples were fishermen, so it is just natural that they would go back to fishing since their master had been crucified. It is not clear if they had given up completely on the mission of been “fishers of men” or they were just passing away the time until they meet with Jesus as promised. The first major development in John 21 is the night of fishing during which no fish was caught. When they returned at dawn, they encountered Jesus at the shore who said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” When they answered no, He told them to try again, this time casting the net over the right side of the boat and they would find something. They obeyed and caught a great number of fish far more than their net could hold. In Luke 5:5-11, Jesus used a miraculous provision of fish to draw Peter away from his boat to become a "fisher of men". This was, therefore, a familiar situation for the disciples. However, they initially they did not recognize that it was Jesus standing on the shore, but when their nets were instantly filled, Peter and John fully realized who was on the shore, and Peter dived overboard to swim to the beach (John 21:4–8). The main lesson that Jesus wanted to illustrate here was that we can do nothing without Him, but if we cooperate with Him, He can do wonders through us. The disciples were called and trained to be fishers of men, but they cannot do it by their own strength. It is through Jesus that they would be able to draw more men from the kingdom of darkness into His marvelous light. As Christians, if we obey the Lord and cast our nets at His command, we would make a great catch as He has promised. We have been commissioned to make disciples of all nations.

 

The second major development was the interaction between Jesus and Peter. In Mark 14:29, Peter declared that “Even if all fall away, I will not.” He boasted of His loyalty even when the other disciples failed, but Jesus responded with a dire prediction (John 13:36–38) that Peter would deny him three times. This was fulfilled in the hours before Christ was crucified (John 18:25–27). In John 21:15, Jesus seems to remind Peter of his earlier boast, asking if his love for Him was greater than the love held by the other disciples. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loved him in other to give him the chance to repent for the three times denial of him during His crucifixion. After restoring this relationship, Jesus then tells Peter to take care of His sheep. He tells Peter that he would be led “where you do not want to go.” He then asked Peter to “Follow me.” This is an indirect reference to Peter’s crucifixion as a martyr for his faith according to church tradition (John 21:18–19). This prophecy also confirms that Peter's faith will never again fail. He will be loyal to Christ, even to the point of death, just as he once bragged (John 13:37). This is the first time that Jesus appoints and confirms Peter as the initial leader of His flock, which is the church. The significance of this encounter is that Jesus continually showers His mercy on us and forgives us of our sins. He always gives us a second chance to show our love for Him. This encounter also specifies the unpleasant part of ministry, being led where one does not want to go - following as the Spirit directs. It calls for total self-denial and reliance on the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came upon Peter on the Day of Pentecost, he became very bold and did the work of God without any fear. He proclaimed Christ with all boldness.

 

In the next encounter, Peter asked Jesus about the status of John, saying “What about him?” Jesus replied, “What if I want him to remain until I come: what concern is it of yours? You follow me.” Jesus was signifying to Peter that he should focus on the assignment given to him and not to be worried about others. As Christians, we should focus all our attention on Jesus and Him alone and avoid been side-tracked by the affairs of men. Every Christian has been assigned a specific role to play and we must be diligent to do the assigned work. We are endowed with different gifts and talents that we must use to build the church of God individually. We are called separately, but we must work collectively to build the church of God. At times, we may wish we had other people’s talents or gifts, assigned another person’s role, or even get jealous of someone’s perceived stronger connection to God than our own or feel, without realizing that we have been given unique duties to perform in God’s kingdom. In response to all this, Jesus said, it is none of our business or concern. We must fulfill our own role to the best of our ability to build up the kingdom of God.

 

Indeed, the Book of John, Chapter 21, establishes our Christian faith to be true, and Peter, as the rock on which the church was founded with Christ as the chief cornerstone.

Our Help Comes From The Lord

Psalm 121 

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

We live in challenging times and many people are losing hope because the future seems uncertain. The scenes of life keep changing uncontrollably and it seems like the end of the world is near. Many are living in fear because of the many wars and conflicts that are going on around the world. Like David the writer of the Psalms, you may be asking, "From where does my help come from? I want to assure you that there is a God, the creator of the universe who is forever able to protect and deliver you from all harm and danger. God would not let you stumble and fall during difficult times if you trust in His provision and providence. He is indeed our keeper and He would put a hedge of fire around you to consume all your enemies. In your most difficult times, just lift up your head and eyes unto the Lord. He is a strong tower that the righteous run into and they are saved. May this beautiful Psalms be your prayer of protection daily. As you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, do not fear anyevil because He that is in you is greater and mightier than he that is in the world. I pray for God's peace, knowledge, and understanding upon your life. Be strong and courageous. Be blessed!