Month: November 2014

Overflowing Gratitude

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Praise & Worship, Thanksgiving

Recently, a friend of mine, Ken Turner of Ken Turner Ministries, a frontline outreach to high-risk and fatherless teens in Dayton, TN, sent out the following testimony via email:

The other day I led a Bible study at the Mountain View Juvenile Development Center in Dandridge, TN with a group of high school age boys. Since we are in the Thanksgiving holiday season, I decided to address the topic of… you guessed it… Thanksgiving. To be honest, I had to really pray about this and think it through carefully. How do you teach on the topic of gratitude to a group of high school guys who are locked in a detention facility and will spend Thanksgiving away from family and loved ones? How do you communicate the Biblical truth “in everything give thanks” when there could be so many things to steal your joy? After praying and asking God for help, I was led to share Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3. We studied Ephesians 4:17-32 and Colossians 3:12-17. After absorbing the truth of these passages and seeing a clear and specific list of things God wants us to “put off” and “put on” the guys came to the conclusion that you cannot be truly thankful if your heart is not right with God. Colossians 3 tells us to “let the peace of God rule in our hearts… and let the word of Christ dwell richly in us… and to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to Him.” Once they “got it” I closed the Bible and asked, “Okay, so what do you have to be thankful for?” And that’s when the gratitude began to flow freely. They didn’t struggle to think of things worth thanking God for. The list included, a warm bed top sleep in, three meals each day, a secure environment, family, people like us who care enough to come share the Word with them and even more interesting were things like “eyes to see, ears to hear and a nose to smell.” They got it! As much as I was worried about how awkward it might be to study Thanksgiving from a Biblical perspective I left knowing that on this Thursday morning, a group of boys locked in the detention facility in the mountains of Tennessee are going to wake up and thank God for some very specific blessings He has bestowed upon them. If they can be thankful… so can we.

When you consider the greatness and goodness of our God, overflowing gratitude should pour from our heart and lips every day, and especially today!  As you gather with your family, friends, co-workers, or . . . maybe you are alone, consider the awesome majesty of God!  Begin to praise Him for Who He is and thank Him for all He has done!  I promise you that the praises will begin to overflow! Indeed, if young men in prison can be grateful, so can we.

Psalm 9:1-2

I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;

I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

I will be glad and rejoice in You;

I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

HAPPY, BLESSED THANKSGIVING!!

Ken Turner Ministries

I Rest My Case At the Cross – I’m resting in my justification in Christ and praising, shouting, weeping, overflowing with gratitude when I hear this song!

We Were Made to Praise the Lord

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Praise & Worship, Thanksgiving

TWO HYMNS OF PRAISE TO THE LORD

Psalm 96 – Praise of God’s Greatness & Glory

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
3 Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.

4 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;
He is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
6 Honor and majesty are before Him;
Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.

7 Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
8 Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come into His courts.
9 Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!
Tremble before Him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns;
The world also is firmly established,
It shall not be moved;
He shall judge the peoples righteously.”

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.
Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.
13 For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.
He shall judge the world with righteousness,
And the peoples with His truth.

You Are Always Good This is the second song of praise.  The whole video will be a blessing to you, but the song begins at the 31:00 mark.  A testimony about the song begins at 27:00.

Yes, while I live I will praise Him, but forever in Glory, our praise will be pure, perfect, and eternal!!  We were created to praise Him!

Good, Pleasant & Fitting

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Church, Music, Praise & Worship

Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting (Psalm 147:1).

Psalms 146-150 are known as a Hallel (praise) collection of descriptive praise hymns.  These psalms were used daily in prayer and worship within the synagogue.  This particular psalm begins with a familiar tune (Psalms 104:35; 106:1; 113-118; 146:1) which is a call to praise God in song.

Music, a divine creation, is an awesome way to express grateful praise to our God!  In this passage we we learn that praise to God in song is:

Good because it is to God; it draws the heart from earth to heaven; and it declares the character of God.

Pleasant because God is pleased to hear it; the words agree with Who God is; and it always agrees with the heart of a born again believer.

Fitting because we were made to praise the Lord!

What a joy to gather with the saints of God on a Sunday morning or evening in congregational praise!  There is something special and awe-inspiring to sing a text that pulls the truth from your heart through your lips in praise and adoration of our God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Today, whether you are alone in the car, with your family at devotion time or gathered with believers in your small group or in assembly at church, Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; For it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting!!

Nothing Ever Can, Nothing Ever Will – This has become one of our favorites at BCBC since June 2014.  The song begins 1:10 into the video.  What a joy to be in the audience on that Sunday night in Lancaster, CA, to hear it for the first time!  Awesome truth, awesome song!!

Thanksgiving Filled Praying

by Dale, posted in Praise & Worship, Prayer, Uncategorized

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

Did you notice the first phrase of this passage?  We are exhorted to be anxious for nothing, but to pray and be thankful for everything.  As we consider Thanksgiving and our minds are focused on gratitude, I want to give you a challenge for today and this week:  Pray about everything with thanksgiving.   Here’s what I mean.

A typical prayer can go something like this:  “Lord, you know I need that job and would you supply my need?  And Lord, you know my grandmother is sick, and would you heal her?  And Lord, please save my brother so we can go to heaven together.”

My challenge is for us to not focus solely on the requests which can cause us to be man-centered in our praying, but focus on God Who hears and answers prayer, and give Him thanks.  For instance, taking the same prayer example above, look at that prayer filled with gratitude and praise.

“Heavenly Father, what a blessing to know that You hear and answer prayer, that Your ear is open to the cry of the righteous.  What a blessing to know that everything that is on my heart, You are already aware of and have the need already met by your grace and for Your glory!  Now, Lord, you know about my need for a job, and I want to thank You right now that in Your time and in Your way, You will provide what I need because ‘As for God, His way is perfect.’ Your grace is sufficient.  Also, I want praise You that You are near and dear to my grandmother in her illness.  May she learn all You have for her through this sickness, and thank You for strength that You will give her during these days.  May in the multitude of her thoughts, Your comforts be her delight that each moment she will think on You and rejoice and be encouraged!  And most of all, how wonderful to know that You have sent Your Son to die for my brother that he might have eternal life through believing in Jesus’ name!  Thank You that You are not willing that He would perish but come to  repentance.  So, Lord, I am thanking You now for my salvation and for the day my brother will receive Christ as his Lord and Savior!  How marvelous to know that my God is able, and He is faithful!!

See the difference in prayers focused on thanksgiving and praise as opposed to just simply wanting something done, even if it is good thing?

Try it this week.  You will be so wrapped up in Who God is, thanking Him through your supplications, that anxiety will be removed and your heart will flood over with joy and thanksgiving!

When you finish praying, take a listen and rejoice!  You might shed a tear, raise a hand, or shout “Glory to God!” I Have Been Blessed

Friday’s Findings

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Creation, Praise & Worship, Prayer, Worship

Once again, here are a few links that I believe will be worth looking into.  As we move to the end of this week, and begin the new week on Sunday, prepare your heart through meeting with God in prayer and Bible reading to worship Him in a powerful way on the Lord’s Day!!

Jesus Genie – Paul Tripp asks, “When you receive blessing, how do you define blessing? Be honest – what do you want from God? Or maybe this is a more provocative way of saying it: what kind of Messiah do you want Jesus to be?”

My Prayer Journal – My wife has said on numerous occasions, “If the house were on fire, besides my Bible, this is the one item that I would not want to leave behind!”  Here’s a great post on a way to lift the level of your prayer life, your relationship with God!

Earth’s Largest Water Reservoir Found Hidden Under the US  and Water Deep in Earth’s Mantle – Good information in reference to the Flood (Genesis 7:11).

The Joy of Running a 5K – How much I have missed running due to surgery recovery.  I understand this post completely!  Wearing my running shoes in the house even if I can’t hit the country roads yet!

I Will Rise – What joy to know that Christ came to be born, to die, and rise from the tomb that we might live!!!  Watch, listen and give thanks with a grateful heart to our Awesome God!!  The best, indeed, is yet to come!!

Shhhhh!

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Speech

Sometimes, it’s best to say a few words or nothing at all.

Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble (Prov. 21:23).

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive (Proverbs 17:27-28).

When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent (Proverbs 10:19).

Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him (Proverbs 29:20).

My prayer today: Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).

Just Follow Your Heart

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, God's Word, Trials

How ironic that after Tuesday’s blog, Cat Fights & Conflicts, our local newspaper, the Johnson City Press, would carry the following headlines later on in the day–Bombing Attempt: Deputies say Jonesborough man tried to kill with homemade device.  The first paragraph of the story began, “A long-standing feud between two Jonesborough families boiled over earlier this month after a man threw a homemade explosive device into an occupied residence, according to court records.”  A long-standing feud between two families. How sad.  Where did it come from?  What’s the source of this feud?  Jesus answers this question in a conversation with His disciples as recorded in Mark 7:17-22.

When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?”[g] 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

When we follow our heart, see what comes out?  Nowhere in Scripture am I exhorted to follow my heart, but I am exhorted to follow Christ.  As you can see from the Mark passage, following the dictates of my heart leads to sorrow, shame, and sin.  When I turn my life, my heart over to Jesus Christ and follow Him as my Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9-13), since He is Truth (John 14:6), then I can respond and walk in the truth; I can count on the Truth leading me (Psalm 23:1-4; John 16:113-15); I can trust Him when my heart wants to go its own way because as for God, His way is perfect (Psalm 18:30); I can then know true delight and life (Psalm 37:4-7a).

So, if your heart wants to “bomb” someone, mortify the flesh (Romans 6) by surrendering to the Truth that will set you free, guide your steps right, and turn your heart toward Christ.

Cat-Fights and Conflicts

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Discipleship, Family, Marriage, Parenting

My wife and I had just left the veterinarian’s office with our cat, Liza Jane, safely tucked in a towel and content in my wife’s arms. Despite the trauma of two shots and a cold table to lie on, she was in purr-mode.  I had earlier announced to Denise that I would go across the street to the dry cleaners.  As I drove past a car parked near the row of stores, I saw two individuals tussling in the front seat.  I thought for a moment they were just having a bit of good-natured fun.  I parked right in front of the cleaners, got out, and then saw there was nothing good-natured about this situation.  Here was a girl in her 20’s and a woman in her late 50’s-early 60’s havin’ at it!  Hay-makers were being thrown, hair was being pulled, profanity was being slurred, and the older woman was prevailing.   I walked over and commanded them to stop, or I would call the police.  Finally, they ceased their foolishness. I really didn’t count on leaving the vet’s office to see a real live “cat-fight!” Once I had their attention, I began to share the gospel with them, to which the young girl said in an angry, loud voice, “I am a Christian!” which was echoed by the older woman as well.  Wow!  Really?

This was such a sad scene.  I told my wife on our way back to the country, “This is how many, many people across America handle their problems—fighting, arguing, name-calling, and raising their voices at each other.”  Sadly this includes husbands, wives, children, family members, co-workers, drivers, football players, etc.  My heart breaks to think of what really goes on behind the closed curtained windows of so many homes in our land as well as other places.

Where does this come from?  As in every case of life, you have to go to the Word of God for the answer.

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions (James 4:1-3).

Have you ever been in a conflict?  Have you ever dealt with unmet expectations?  Have you been wronged, mistreated, in a fight, in a marital conflict, in a church misunderstanding, in a shoving match, in a family dispute, had someone cut you off in traffic, etc?  I plead with you to take some time and work your way through this linked study seen below.  As you dig into the Word and answer the questions, you will see the root of the issue, understand the remedy and see how to make biblical changes through the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God.

Getting To the Heart of Conflict

The heart of every issue is an issue of the heart.  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

Searching my own heart, grateful for my sweet wife, and . . . petting Liza Jane.

Marmaduke Size Worship

by Dale, posted in Church, God's Word, Worship

One of my all-time favorite single cartoons has Billy Winslow standing at the drug store soda fountain watching the waitress load up his ice cream cone.  Just as she begins the process, Billy seizes the opportunity of perhaps frightening the server into put more on the cone than usual.  So he turns to his Great Dane pet and says, “Bark now, Marmaduke! Bark now!”  Billy didn’t want just a child-size portion, he wanted an overflow portion!  He wanted that ice cream to fill the cone and run over!

Question:  When you attended church yesterday, was your worship child-size portion or did you worship out of the overflow?  What I mean is, did you come to church expecting to meet with God?  Were you excited about joining with other believers in corporate praise?  Did you sing to Lord with all your heart, give to the Lord with all your heart, serve the Lord with all you heart? Did you hunger to hear the Word, and then respond to what God said to you?  Did you leave the service saying, “I have seen the Lord!  I met with Him today!  Here is what He said to me.”

Could much of Psalm 96 been written to describe your worship from yesterday?

O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.

2 Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.

4 For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.

8 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts.

9 O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.

10 Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

13 Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.

My challenge to you today is to so spend time in the Word this week sitting at Jesus’ feet letting the Holy Spirit teach you (Matthew 11:28-30; John 16:13-15), listening to worship music though out the week, talking to others about your God and your Savior, meeting with Him on your knees, mediating and memorizing the Word so much that when you come to worship next Sunday, you don’t need Marmaduke to bark.  You are more than ready to worship out of the overflow.  You don’t need someone or some group to lead you into worship.  You have lived a life of worship all week that is so rich and God-glorifying that Christ will be magnified by your overflowing worship!!

See you next Sunday!  I’ll be ready to shout to the Lord, give Him praise, listen to His voice through the preached Word, and join you in preparation for that eternal day of worship and praise!  Let’s come with an “ice cream cone that is running over!”

Friday’s Findings

by Dale, posted in Christian Camping, Christian Living, Family, Giving, Marriage, Men, Parenting, Uncategorized

Being Content with Saying No to Truly Good Opportunities –Here is an excellent read from Randy Alcorn that would help all of us who struggle with saying “no” to good things in our lives, especially those of us who are perpetual “doers.”

Four Stewardship Habits to Teach Your Children – Parents, please read and apply!  In a “give me, give me, take, take, entitlement world,” your children need to know God’s plans and priorities.

A Word About Men & Marriage – “Gentlemen: You are not boys. Women are not objects. Christ is most assuredly King.”

One of the Reasons I Have Always Loved Coming Home for Over 33 Years – My wife’s blog post from yesterday.

The Wilds – One of the best ministries on the planet since 1969!!