"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you." - I Thessalonians 5:18

He was having a lot of trouble remembering.

My little nephew was learning to count.  Over and over  he tried to recite the numbers 1-20, but he just kept having  trouble.  His difficulty was simple...

...he was counting incorrectly.

"1, 2, 3, 4,..." ---he started out fine --- "6, 9, 7, 10, 11, 5"  --- but somehow got a little mixed up the farther he went.   He was having a lot of trouble remembering the sequence  of numbers.  Recognizing the numbers came easy to him,  putting them in order did not.

And, as we listened to him recite the numbers, we  naturally wanted to help him along his way.  So, what did  we do?...

...We lovingly, gently reminded him when he came to a  point where his counting wasn't right.  We simply directed  him to the right number and then stepped back and let him  try again.

One day, my little nephew figured it out.  Yep.  The day  came when he learned to count correctly and no longer  had a problem remembering the sequence of numbers.  

Christian, did you know that you and I oftentimes count  incorrectly, as well?  Did you realize that?  You see, alot of  times we count burdens instead of blessings.  We spend  too much time focusing on all of the things in our lives that  seem to weigh us down, rather than focusing on all of the  wonderful things that God does in and around us.

We've got a counting problem.  We count our tests  instead of our testimony.  I don't know about you, but if  things aren't going my way, a lot of times I find myself  whining instead of worshipping, I find myself pouting instead of praising.  And, you know what?  People notice it.  Instead of seeing someone stand up in faith and proclaim  how great a Savior we have in Jesus Christ and how He is  able to meet whatever need comes our way...they  oftentimes see someone moping around having a pity party --worried about the tests and trials instead of how  they can use the situation to bring glory to our God.

We need to learn to count correctly.  Because we also  count problems instead of promises.  Think about it.  How  many times do we look at our illnesses, relationship  problems, financial difficulties, work related hardships and  things we just don't like in general, how many times do we look at these things instead of looking at God's promise to  always meet our needs?  What about His promise to  always be with us?

We've got a counting problem, my friends.  

And, it's because we don't remember.  We don't  remember who it is that is in control.  We don't remember  what He has done for His people all throughout the ages.   We don't remember His promises that He made to us  personally.

But, Praise God, He's always there to gently, lovingly  remind us when we get things mixed up.  His Holy Spirit  whispers to our hearts the words of life...

...the words to restore order to a life that somehow got off track.

My friend, are you there this morning?  Are you  counting burdens instead of blessings, tests instead of  testimony, problems instead of promises?  You know,  there's a day when my little nephew learned to count  correctly.  And, if we learn to trust the Lord with all of our 
hearts and lives...

...we'll learn to count correctly too.