WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DECEMBER 31, 2022
TOPIC: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
BY T. O. BANSO
“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: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:1-5 New King James Version).
The journey of the year 2022, which began twelve months ago, ends a few hours from now. As the hymn writer, Johnson Oatman, Jr., says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one. And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
No doubt, different things happened in your life, the lives of your loved ones, and in ministry, business, and so on in the year. Some may not be positive but God was merciful to you and gave you some reasons to rejoice. You have blessings to count for which you should show gratitude to God today, although you may have thanked Him for them in the past.
God is good all the time and all the time, God is good. At this time of the year, appreciate His goodness. There are many people whom you started the year with but won’t be attending the crossover service today because they are no more. It wasn’t that you were more spiritual or prayerful than them. Neither was it that you were holier than them. But the Lord showed you mercy and made you see the last day of the year.
Don’t forget the near-death situation (s) you found yourself in during the year. Remember the accident (s) you escaped or the illness you survived. What about the uncommon favour that you enjoyed or the promotion you got at work? Money cannot buy these and similar deeds of God. If you can relate to any of these, you should set some time apart to privately thank God. It is the will of God that we thank Him, and we can’t do too much of it.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Anytime you thank God, you are in His will. Ingratitude is a sin. Thank God for deliverance, provision, journey mercies, success in examination (s) or other ventures, victory, and the rest. 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (New King James Version). Â
Just as that hymn says, if you count your blessings, you will see what God has done. As you count your blessings, mention or name them one by one to God as many as you can remember. Don’t generalize it; be specific. It will surprise you what the Lord has done. David said in Psalm 52:9a, “I will thank You and confide in You forever, because You have done it [delivered me and kept me safe]” (Amplified Bible). Will you do so too?
In Psalm 103:1-5, David counted his blessings and named them one by one, saying, “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: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (New King James Version). Without mincing words, I say God has done similar things for you during the year that is ending. Show gratitude once more. Don’t forget His benefits – His deeds or blessings.
Count your blessings, name them one by one. Then you will be able to bless or worship Him meaningfully. David also said in Psalm 16:7, “I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons” (New King James Version). To bless the Lord means to praise, honour, or worship Him. The phrase “Bless the LORD, O my soul” is used five times in the New King James Version while the phrase “Bless the LORD”, including “bless” starting with a small letter, appears twenty-three times. Praise the Lord, honour Him, or worship Him as we round off the year 2022.
Count your blessing and bless the Lord. Count your blessings; name them specifically and thank God for them. Jeremiah 30:19 says, “Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small” (New King James Version).
You are on the verge of the New Year. Enter it with worship and thanksgiving. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:4 New King James Version).
Happy New Year!
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I thank You for Your mercy that has brought me to the last day in the year 2022. Thank You for all the blessings I have enjoyed from You, which I shall name one by one as many as I can remember. I receive the grace to enter into the New Year and start and finish it. Father, thank You for all the good things You have prepared for me in the New Year. Perform Your will for my life in 2023 in Jesus’ name.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
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