Peter, the man who has experienced transformation of his identity, this man only identifies

himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ.

That is all that his identity is concerned, and begins his first few words of his epistle,

the first epistle, by talking about the seven-fold blessings of a transformed

identity, or identity that is being transformed.

Back in the days of now when I was growing up, we used to sing a song in Sunday school

that impacted my life, and it really has to this day. And it would go

something like this. When upon life's billows, you are tempestosed. When you are discouraged,

thinking all is lost. Count you many blessings, name them one by one,

it will surprise you what the Lord has done. This is not only impacted my life for continuously

as I grew into Christ. I also try to implant that into my children growing up, into their lives.

Some of them may say, I probably overdid it about counting their blessings, always counting their

blessings, always counting their blessings, always counting their blessings. And knowing human nature as I do, we are many a day prone to count

our trials and not our blessings. But when you begin to count your blessings, you'll be lifted

high above all of your circumstances every time. I was thinking about these two friends who were talking to each

other. One of them was really going through a tough time, his business, and all the things are just

caving on him all at once, and he was really having this difficult time, and he and his friend were

talking, and his friend said, what is it that you want? He said, I need blessings that are not in disguise.

His friend said, you know, I knew a Christian one time who always counted his blessings.

He was so counting his blessings that even when they say to him you have a bad breath, he would say,

praise God. A bad breath is better than no breath at all.

Amen.

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