Counting Your Blessings
Wow! It is amazing to think that a whole year has come and gone. As I look back at 2011, all I can do is thank God for what He has done and for how He has so richly blessed us. Now more than ever we need to be thankful and truly express our thankfulness to the Lord for all he has done. It’s so easy to complain, get pessimistic, and complacent when you look at all the things going on in the world today, but instead of complaining we ought to praise God. We have a whole lot more to be thankful for than we’ve ever realized. Paul said in Philemon 1:6 that, “the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”
When you start thanking God for all that he has done, and what he has made available to you through Christ, you can’t help but to rejoice and praise the Lord. Look at what Paul wrote in Ephesians 1: 1-7, “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. 3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace”. Notice in verse 3 God has ALREADY blessed us with all spiritual blessings – which of course includes natural blessings in Christ as well.
I remember years ago, when I was on a mission trip to Kuwait, I visited the gift shop of the Hotel where we were staying to buy a gift for my girls. While shopping I started talking to the person that was working there. I asked her if she was from Kuwait. She laughed and said, “no, I’m from Turkey. No Kuwaiti ever works”. Startled by that, I asked, why? She began telling me that when a Kuwaiti is born their family sets aside all the finances and provision that they will need for their entire life. Wow can you imagine that! The moment you arrive in this world everything has already been provided to you without you doing anything.
As she was telling me this I started thinking that’s exactly what our Heavenly Father did before we were ever created. All the joy, peace, healing, soundness, wisdom, guidance, hope, and finances (and the list could go on and on) has already been provided to every one of us before we were ever born. Praise God! Doesn’t that encourage and excite you! What an awesome Father we have that cares so much about his family that he’s already provided for each of us.
As you take time everyday to feed upon the truths of God’s word your faith will grow, and faith is how we receive all that God has provided. Psalms 7:17, “I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high”. Psalms 34:1, “I will bless the Lord his praise shall continually be in my mouth”.This is a time to praise God and to be thankful not just for what He has done, but for who He is; He is our Lord, Savior, King, deliverer, healer, provider, and our Father. No matter what challenges you’re facing remember, JESUS IS LORD, and he’s already provided everything you’ll ever need! Not just material or physical things but spiritual as well. So make an effort this Christmas season to tell someone about his forgiveness, and his love, so that they can experience the greatest gift that man has ever been offered, Jesus Christ our anointed King!
Love you,
Dr. Hattabaugh
