Author: Dale

Raised in the south, I have a passionate love for the Lord, my wife, my daughters, my son-in-laws, my grandsons, preaching the Word of God, pastoring people, discipleship, the University of Kentucky Wildcats, Clemson Tigers football, running the Tweetsie Trail, and hiking through the awesome TN/NC/VA mountains!!

Tidings of Great Joy To All People!

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Christmas, Discipleship, Evangelism, Hope, Joy, Music, Salvation, Speech

Irun Town Square (2)

Christmas is a glorious time of the year here in the States to hear the celebrated proclamation of Christ’s coming to earth to be born to die and to rise again (1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Philippians 2:6-8).  How interesting and blessed to enter into a secular arena (store, restaurant) and hear the songs of Christ’s incarnation and redemption as well as in local churches throughout our land.  Even though, sadly, America becomes more and more pagan and agnostic, the message of great joy which shall be to all people (Luke 2:10) is given during this season.

While in Spain, I met Iñaki,  who doesn’t wait for just the yuletide season to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ.  Every first and third Saturday, he, along with others, sets up a booth (pictured above) in the town square of Irun, a city of the Bidasoaldea region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Community.  Without shame or fear, Iñaki hands out tracts and booklets as well as personally shares the liberating, reconciling truth of salvation for sinful men through Christ alone.  His enthusiasm and commitment to announce the Good News is “off the charts” and contagious (Mark 16:15; Romans 1:16). Obviously, I could not understand him, but communicated with him through a faithful translator. I say that to say this, that if I had never understood a word, I would have fully grasped his passion via his countenance, tears, gestures, and pointing to the picture on the wall.  To say Iñaki was animated about it would be an understatement.  The disappointment was all over him because the Saturday before, rain prohibited him from his passion, but the anticipation of the next Saturday had already eclipsed the regret knowing that it is all in God’s hands anyway.

Inaki Moreno

In the spirit of this season, let’s unwrap the gift that is in us, this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Corinthians 4:5-7), and let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in Heaven (Matthew 5:16).  Perhaps the Lord has not led you to set up a booth in the town square, but the whole world is out there for you to proclaim the tidings of great joy!   Just as you sing without fear “Joy to the World” or “O, Come All Ye Faithful,” speak to others about this marvelous gift of grace, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11).

Fighting for the Forgotten

by Dale, posted in Discipleship, Evangelism, Hope, Salvation

Basque Shepherd

Upon receiving my latest edition of WORLD magazine, I read the following front-page headline:  DANIEL OF THE YEAR, Frank Wolf, “A career in Congress spent fighting for the forgotten.”  Virginian Congressman Wolf has given the past thirty years plus of his life to travelling to some of the most dangerous places in the world to do something about suffering in seemingly forgotten areas.  As the WORLD article reported, “As part of his work in the House of Representatives, he traveled to hot spots like Cold War-era Romania, oppressed Tibet, communist China, beleaguered Sudan, and war-ravaged Iraq, often focused on the plight of religious minorities persecuted by government officials and extremists.”  Congressman Wolf retires this month, but his work will continue.  When he visited Ethiopia in 1984, he said, “What I saw and experienced in Ethiopia . . . fully awakened me to the suffering of other people.  And as both a U.S. c congressman and a Christian, I knew I had to do something about it.”

December 2-11, my wife and I spent time with other “Daniel’s” like Congressman Frank Wolf.   These are missionaries located in the Basque region of Spain who have given their lives “fighting for the forgotten.” This northern region of Spain bordering the Bay of Biscayne and the Pyrenees Mountains is unique unto itself.  The Basque people are a very proud people holding onto their national traditions and guarded in their approach to other Spaniards and outsiders.

What causes me to consider them “forgotten” is the impact of cold, lifeless religion that has left them suffering in their agnostic, sinful condition in these small mountain villages or large cities.  Many, many Basque people have never heard the gospel, never read a Bible or heard the name “Jesus.”  This land is virgin territory for the Good News.

How my heart was moved by a lone shepherd leaning on his staff as he tended his sheep near the small village of Zegama. He stood all alone, seemingly forgotten, quiet and forlorn. I waved at him as we passed by on our way up the mountain to the Aierdi Farmhouse.  On the third pass, he finally acknowledged my wave.  Here is a man, most likely unsaved, a shepherd in need of hearing the gospel of the Good Shepherd (John 10:10-11).  My heart ached as I realized that I could not speak to him in his own language. Just as quickly, though, I rejoiced because of the dear missionaries who have given their lives to learn his language and “fight for the forgotten;” who live near him and have a burden for him as well.

Truth is, you do not need to travel 5,000 miles to Spain to “fight for the forgotten.”  They live next door to you, work alongside you, ride on the bus with you, attend your school, etc.  They are gripped in the cold clutches of their sin and have never heard the gospel. Many of their children have never heard John 3:16 or the simple children’s Christmas song, “Away in a Manger.”  God has not forgotten those around you in your community, and He has not forgotten these Basque people, and therefore, neither should we.  We must fight for the forgotten.  We must do something about it.  What sacrifices will you make this Christmas?  Where will you go to reach the “forgotten?”

Far-Reaching Prayer

by Dale, posted in Prayer

Upon returning from a mission trip in northern Spain, I checked my office mail box and found a letter from Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, West Hartford, Connecticut.  The contents of the letter said, “Each week our people pray for a preacher in the United States.  As you can see from the enclosed bulletin, we will be praying for you and your ministry this week. Our people will especially pray for God to richly bless you and to protect you from the attacks of Satan.  They will be praying for your health, your family and your people, and that the Lord will greatly use you for His glory.”

Sometimes we think that our praying is so insignificant; that it doesn’t reach very far in its effects.   What these folks in West Hartford did not know when they were praying was that my wife and I were ministering in the Basque region of Spain at a retreat for missionary teens.  These young folks came from Mexico, six countries in Europe, and the island of Yap. Furthermore, when I read through FABC’s list of their supported missionaries, I noticed some familiar names.  Two of their family’s teens had attended the retreat, as well as another missionary who has served at this location in Spain for years. Point being, these dear folks at FABC thought they were just praying for us in East Tennessee, but their prayers went far beyond their intended destination.  You see, when you talk to our omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, transcendent God, your intercession becomes as big as your God and moves in ways and to areas that you would never imagine!

As you begin your day today, do not let your focus be what you think may be just simple prayer requests alone.  See them as going through our perfect, righteous High Priest and Advocate (Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 2:1) into the very presence of Jehovah Who then answers in awe-inspiring and glorifying ways!  As Henry Blackaby has said, “God is always at work around you, and He invites you to become involved with Him in His work at His invitation.”

So, get on your knees this morning and join God in far-reaching ways as He leads and provides.  Thank you, Farmington Avenue Baptist Church, for being faithful to pray and join God in His work!!

Be Back Soon!

by Dale, posted in Uncategorized

Every day for the believer is a day of thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and today I am saying to each of you who stop by to read this blog, or  who at least take a peek at it from time-to-time, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!”  How grateful I am that you would take some of your precious time to consider what I share here from my pastor’s heart to you.  For the next two weeks, I am taking a break from this daily routine.  Lord willing, I will be back here on Monday, December 15.  In the meantime, make the most of this Christmas season by growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18) and sharing the Good News of the Gospel with a world that needs Jesus (Matthew 28:18-10).

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).