Count Your Blessings

My kids and I went to church today for the first time in a month, now that my kidney stone issue is behind me. It was great to be again in the company of so many other Christians. Non believers will not and cannot understand how uplifting this is. One of the songs we sung today is the name of today's post. As I did with Amazing Grace in a previous post, I encourage you to listen to it here, as you read the words below:

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,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

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 keep singing as the days go by.

Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.

Refrain

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

Refrain

Even though the music, by Edwin O. Excell is a simple tune, the words, written by Johnson Oatman, Jr., are no less profound. The hymn was written in 1897 for a children's songbook.

My pastor today took a break from his current speaking on the book of Acts, and instead focused on some of the Bible verses that deal with science. Understand, be did not say that the Bible is or shoud be used as a science book. He did note how interesting it is that the Bible mentions certain facts of science that man has "discovered" in the last 500 years or so. I invite you to grab a Bible and look up the following verses and see if you can "discover" what scientific fact is being referred to (most are in the Old Testament):

Genesis 1

Job 26:7

Isaiah 40:22

Isaiah 43:16

Job 38:16 and Genesis 7:11

Job 28:25

Job 38:19

Job 38:24

Ecclesiastes 1:6-7 and Job 38:25-30

Genesis 22:17 and Jeremiah 31:37

Leviticus 17:11

1 Corinthians 15:41

Keep in mind that Genesis was written between 1485-1445 BC, Leviticus suggests it was written in the same time period as Genesis, but probably not before. Isaiah was written sometime before 681 BC. Ecclesiastes is credited to have been written by King Solomon, which dates the writing of the book in or prior to 931 BC. Jeremiah wrote during the reigns of Josiah (640-609 BC) thru Zedekiah (598-586 BC), which means it was pribably written somewhere in the reign of Zedekiah. Consensus among historians is that Jeremiah's scribe Baruch edited the final manuscript sometime after Jeremiah's death. 1 Corinthians was written by Paul in 55 AD. And Job is considered to be the oldest book in the Bible, with the events taking place around the time of Abraham. Some consider Moses to be the author but that is speculation. Who actually wrote it is not known.