Category Archives: Blessing

Jan 13

A Forgotten God

Posted on by

 

Isn’t it amazing how quickly our attitudes can change depending on our circumstances? We can go from feeling happy and blessed one moment, to feeling sad and depressed the next. Too often we allow our disappointing and difficult circumstances to cause us to forget all the blessings from God (Jam. 1:17) we have experienced along the way in our journey.

Take Israel as an example. Israel was coming off one of the most miraculous moments in their history. They were celebrating and praising God for victory over Pharaoh and his army as they escaped Egypt and crossed the Red Sea unharmed (Exo. 14:30-15:2; 11, 18). And that’s when it happened, that’s when it always happens.

22 “Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah.” And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” 25 And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, 26 saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” (Exodus 15:22-26)

The Israelites were wandering around the desert for three days without any water. If you have ever been really thirsty you can probably imagine how difficult this would have been. Without water, they would eventually die.

Finally, after three long days without water, they had a glimmer of hope. They came to Marah probably expecting another blessing, this time in the form of water being provided to them. Unfortunately, their hope was quickly defeated. When the people of Israel saw they were unable to drink the water, they started to complain. Oh, how quickly their attitude changed.

Have you ever felt like Israel probably felt at this moment in their history? Have you ever found yourself standing before water too bitter to drink? Standing in the midst of disappointing circumstances you really didn’t want to be in? It doesn’t matter who we are or even where we are in our lives, we have all experienced disappointing circumstances.

Like Israel, too often our response is to grumble and complain about the hand we have been dealt. And that’s when it happens. We get so focused on our disappointing circumstances we forget all God has done for us in the past. This is exactly what happened to Israel. Their forgetfulness led to a serious problem; a lack of faith and trust. You see, when we forget what God has done in the past, we will always fail to see what God can do in the future. 

The problem for Israel was they had forgotten God was on their side. Because of Him they walked out of Egypt and crossed the Red Sea unharmed. Israel just needed to trust God and be obedient to His commandments and promises even in the mist of their current disappointing circumstances.

What about you? What disappointing circumstances are you currently facing that have caused you to forget all God has done for you in the past? Whatever the circumstances are, may I encourage you to place your trust in God and reflect on all He has done for you?

It’s interesting to me, had Israel only been more patient and trusting, they would have seen God had already made provisions for them.

“Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there by the water.” (Exodus 15:27)

Elim was only a few miles away. Although they didn’t know what was going on, God did. He knew exactly what He was doing. Elim had twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees. It was a place that would satisfy Israel’s need in a big way.

Friends, we all face our own Marah at some point. What’s important to remember is that if we will remain patient and trust God, He will lead us through Marah into the land of Elim; a place of great joy! After all, He is the great healer.

Now that’s Something to Think About!

Mar 11

The Church is a Blessing

Posted on by
Knox County Bible Bowl 2014

Knox County Bible Bowl 2014

This past weekend was very enjoyable for me. I mean, most every weekend is enjoyable, but this weekend was extra enjoyable because of the great reminder I received. This past weekend I was reminded of something I, along with many others, already knew, but sometimes we all probably forget. Being a part of the church is a great blessing.

First, we had our annual Karns Men’s Retreat in Pigeon Forge. It was awesome hanging out with my brothers in Christ while also studying from God’s Word. I was able to enjoy some time with guys I had not previously had an opportunity to spend much time with. The late night pizza run was a blast. Looking back, our retreat was a great reminder to me of what a blessing it is to be a part of the church of Christ.

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (I Thess. 5:11)

The second part of my weekend reminder involved watching several of our K-5th grade students participate in an area wide Bible bowl. Although awards are given, the focus is not on the awards but on the actual study of God’s Word. There were a lot of young people from several different congregations engaging in this study. How incredible it was to see such good participation from so many young people. As I sat there Saturday afternoon watching those young people, I couldn’t help but think about the time and dedication it took in order to prepare for that day’s activities. Yet, another great reminder of what a blessing it is to be a part of the church.

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psa. 119:105)

Finally, my weekend came to a close following a youth rally we held here at Karns. We had over 130 people come and spend Sunday afternoon studying about who we are in Christ. It was such an inspiring sight to behold. Several of our young men from Karns helped participate in the youth rally in various ways: one senior guy taught one of our class sessions, two of our guys lead singing, and three of our guys preached during the evening service that night while many others read scriptures and led prayers. Sunday night, as I sat through the last session, I thought about the future of the church and what great hands it is in if these young people continue the faithful course they are on. It was just another reminder that weekend of what a blessing it is to be a part of the family of God.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6)

This past weekend was a great reminder of why I love being a part of the Lord’s church. If you are not part of a local congregation I would encourage you to seek out a faithful church in your community that practices what the Bible teaches and start attending. Become engaged with the people and grow with them. It will truly be a blessing to your life.

Now that’s Something to Think About!

Sep 17

Every Day Is A Holiday

Posted on by

8150659853_fc3ce61be0

Photo Credit: davidyuweb via Compfight cc

In high school I had a football coach who had a saying he would drill into our minds almost every day. The saying was simple, yet profound. At the beginning of practice he would shout, “Boys, every day is a holiday and every meal is a feast.” Now, I have to admit, at first I did not quite understand the point my coach was trying to make. After all, how is every day a holiday, especially when you are on a practice field in temperatures 90 degrees and above?

It was not until a few weeks later I began to see exactly what my coach wanted us to see when he would give us those words of inspiration. He wanted us to see every day we came to practice as a blessing. We had the privilege and opportunity to participate in a sport we all loved to play. If we viewed each day as a privilege, we would be more likely to make the most of that day.

Here I am 12 years later, and I still think back to that old saying and the wisdom behind it. I have now come to realize every day I wake up should be viewed as a special day, a day that I have an opportunity to enjoy and use for good. Even though at times the world around us is depressing and seems almost hopeless, each day we wake up is another opportunity God has given us to make a difference in the lives of those around us. How will we choose to view each new day?

Friends, each day we wake up should be viewed as a holiday, a special day to use for God’s glory. Instead of viewing it with dread, try viewing it with excitement and anticipation. Think of all the endless possibilities that lie before us, some of which we have not even taken hold of yet. Every day truly is a holiday.

“This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 1118:24)

Now that’s Something to Think About!

Oct 17

The Blessing That Continually Blesses

Posted on by

God has been so very good to me. He has given me so many wonderful blessings during my time on earth and I am grateful for every one. However, there is one blessing outside of my salvation that I am most thankful for. It is the one blessing I can’t imagine my life without. This blessing is such a blessing becasue it continually blesses my life. The blessing I am talking about is my wonderful wife and son (Miranda and Caden), although today’s post is focused on Miranda.

Today, marks the third wedding annivesary for Miranda and me. I am so blessed to have this wonderful woman of God as my best friend, my partner, the mommy of my little man, my spouse, my biggest fan, the best mother a child could ever dream of having and my wife. She makes me a better person and a better follower of Christ. Thanks to her, I am able to pursue a career that I absolutely LOVE! Even though it is time consuming, demanding and a lot of times an underappreciated work, she supports and encourages me to continue investing in the lives of young people, pointing their hearts toward Jesus. She does this because not only does she love me, but she loves young people too.

I can’t imagine doing everything she does on a daily basis. Being a mommy is a full time job alone, not to mention the housework, cooking, and cleaning she does. On top of all this, she is always right there by my side when it comes to my ministry. She attends almost everything we do, cooks for it and invests herself in the lives of the young people, all the while trying to balance time with our adorable little son, Caden, who LOVES, LOVES, LOVES his mommy.

I will never fully understand everything Miranda does to make my life, my work and my walk with God everything it is. I can’t imagine my life without this angel from above and I pray I never have to.

Thank you Miranda for being all that you are to Caden and me. We love you more than you will ever truly realize.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life.

I Love You Miranda Morton!!!

 

 

 

Mar 15

The Karns’ Student Ministry

Posted on by

Karns has a fantastic Student Ministry (Grades 6th – 12th) that I personally feel is blessed. It has nothing to do with me or what I do, but it has everything to do with the others who are involved in this ministry. If you will bear with me, I would like to give you a few reasons why I believed the Student Ministry at Karns is blessed.

  1. Great Students. I have worked with 4 different student ministries in the past, and this group of students is by far the most spiritually mature. First, this group has a deep love for the Lord. Second, they want to know what the Bible teaches. Our students truly care about studying God’s Word. They don’t want to have their time wasted with powder puff lessons; they want the MEAT of the Word! Third, this group genuinely loves and cares for one another.
  2. Wonderful Parents. Karns is blessed with parents who believe in investing in the spiritual lives of their children, and this investment is making a difference for our students (Eph. 6:4; Prov. 22:6).
  3. Tremendous Volunteers. In order for a Student Ministry to be successful, people, time and energy are required. Miranda and I could never do this alone and accomplish everything that needs to be accomplished. We have so many members, both parents and non-parents alike, who are generous with their time and volunteer in order to make a difference in the lives of our students.
  4. Best Eldership. I am blessed to work under a group of men who truly believe in Student Ministry. Our elders see student ministry for what it is… an investment into the eternal well-being of our students. They understand Student Ministry is not a glorified babysitting gig. From day one, they have reassured me of their belief in what we are doing. This is evident from their support of the Student Ministry: volunteering, chaperoning, hosting devotionals, teaching, and just interacting with the students. I wouldn’t trade the Karns’ eldership for any other in the brotherhood!  

What a blessing it is to be involved in the Karns’ Student Ministry! I thank God for this wonderful opportunity every day.

Now that’s Something to Think About!