(From a sermon of Bro. Julius Adewumi - March 2000)

When you feel down, and everything does not seem to be working; when all your best seems to be not enough, then count your blessings.

When upon life billows you are tempest tossed

When you feel discouraged thinking all is lost

Count your many blessings name them one by one

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done

Chorus:

Count your blessings name them one by one

Count your blessings see what God has done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

When you look around you, and it looks as if, "maybe this is not the way it ought to be". Perhaps your family is in tumults! You should look back and see how far the Lord has brought, and give thanks unto him. Say, "Lord, you that has brought me this far will lead me through this tumult.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings every doubt will fly

And you will be singing as the days go by.

Chorus:

Count your blessings name them one by one

Count your blessings see what God has done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

Many times when I am in the office and I just see what the company I work for is going through, or how there is fear or threat of losing my job. I always bring myself back to the memory of what God has done for me. Even in this company where I work, it was the Lord that told me to stay there when I wanted to take another job. It was the Lord that told me I can be there for the rest of my life. "When men are cast down, then thou shalt say there is lifting up" (Job. 22:29). I have been in this company where men are being laid off on the right and on the left, yet I was receiving promotion and raise. I should remember that in counting my blessings, instead of being afraid of what is going to happen -- for nothing evil will happen when God is in charge.

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.

Chorus:

Count your blessing name them one by one

Count your blessing see what God has done

Count your blessing name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

The last verse is important. When you are in the midst of conflict, and it looks like everything does not seem to be going right. When everyone around you is not cooperating, and you feel as if to give up on your family, or your spouse, or your business. Just remember in counting your blessings, even that family member you seem to abhor right now, has a lot of positive things. Look for the positive things. Look for the good things to say about the friend, about the spouse, about the child, or about the business. There is always something good in everyone. Take your eyes away from the failures and the negatives for a moment and remember the good things about the person, and you will be thanking God with songs. You will see that there are blessings to count. Forget about the errors they make, and the blunders and the current situation that is acting up. Look for something good to say about the person and you will see that there are plenty. And the errors will be little compared to the good things you can point out. Do this when you and your spouse, or you and your children are at odds. The more reason we should regularly count our blessings and forget the mistakes of the other person.

So amidst 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

Chorus:

Count your blessing name them one by one

Count your blessing see what God has done

Count your blessing name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God has done.

Praise ye the Lord!

In Psalm 145, we read, "I will extol thee my God O King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever." Verse 9 says, "The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works."

The bible said "in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." In every circumstance, in every situation we must always give thanks to the Lord. This is very important in this life because the devil can work on people's mind until they will not see any good thing in their relationship anymore. They will just be seeing the bad, and the negatives. The devil can work on people's mind to the point that they don't even see any good in what God is doing, or even in God. Think how absurd if someone approaches the Lord saying "you have not done anything for me ever! You don't love me at all". Christ may say "but I laid down my life for you", and the fellow says "that was then; long time ago! Well, you died for the whole world, and not just me. I asked you to give me this, give me that, and you have not!" The devil can work on people's mind so much, if they let him, until they cannot see what God has done for us. He created us, he gave us the breath, He provided a way of peace for us. He filleth our life with good things. We do not lack anything. These are enough for which to thank the Lord.

It reminds me of a Sally Forth cartoon: The man said "That was an interesting movie. I wonder if there really is such a thing as a 'fairy-tale romance'"

The wife said, "Sure. Ours is a 'fairy-tale romance'"

"If that's true, why aren't we living 'happily ever after'", said the man.

"We are", the wife said.

"Timeout for a reality check. Cinderella and prince charming didn't have 9-to-5 jobs, a mortgage and termites in their garage", the man replied.

"They didn't have indoor plumbing, electricity, or cable TV either", said the wife.

See what we will find when we count our blessings?

One may say "But I prayed for this and that; I didn't get it". Those are secondary. The Lord said, all of those things will be added to you if you seek first the kingdom of God, if you seek to please him first, if you seek to do his own will first.

I remember in the 70's the testimony I have given before, when I was in college and I prayed for many things in my first year. I prayed for almost six things (good grades, vacation job, etc.). One by one, the Lord did them. It remained the last one, which was very important to me, which was to get scholarship. The Lord had not done that yet and I got upset. My countenance fell. Without scholarship how would I continue my studies? I was sad as the summer vacation was finishing and a new academic year was to begin. Then in the church service one evening, a prophecy was spoken, and I knew it was directed at me by the Lord. No name was mentioned, but I got the message. The prophecy included a statement that "someone asked for six things from the Lord, and I the Lord gave him five of the things and held unto the sixth, and the fellow was upset with me. What can you do to the Lord?" When I heard it, it hit me like a bombshell! It dawned on me that it was me who listed up to six things for the Lord to do for me at the end of that academic year. All but one was done at that point. I fell on my face and laughed and said, "Lord, I am sorry". From that evening I was no more sad, or depressed for lack of scholarship.

This is what the Lord is saying through this message: Forget not his benefits.

(Psalm 103:1-2) "Bless the Lord O, my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

When I cheered up and began to praise the Lord for all he had done, the last prayer, which he was holding, he gave it to me. Just as the scripture says, "he openest his hand, and satisfies the desire of every living thing." (Psa.145:16).

We should pray and ask the Lord to forgive us for all the sad countenance we have showed for unanswered prayers. We should repent from all hash words, or ungrateful thoughts we have nurtured towards one another or towards the Lord. It is a sin for us to welcome negative thoughts because of things not going our ways.

(Psalm 103:1-5) "Bless the Lord O, my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

( Not just healing our bodies, he also prevented us from getting terrible diseases).

This alone is enough to thank the Lord about. We should repent of all the negative thoughts and words, such words the devil put in the mouth of folks when they are down like "why did the lord give you this rebellious child, or why you in this situation, or why did the Lord chose this spouse for you?" We should rather be counting our blessings and be praising God in everything.

I pray that this message will make the reader begin today to bless the Lord always, and forget not all his benefits, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

Bro. Julius Adewumi

Gospel Distribution Ministry