The Blog of Tom Dale

Love it or hate it, Christmas is upon us. And I, for one, love it!  It's not the festivals or decorations or food that I necessarily love, but it's the gift-giving. Specifically, the gift of God's presence.  God is, of course, always present with us. There is no place on Earth that is completely devoid of Him. Yet it is this time of year that reminds us of the mind-blowing fact that Jesus Christ, God with skin on , actually visited the Earth over two thousand years ago. The Light of the world "stepped down into darkness". The All Powerful Creator emptied Himself to become one of us, a weak and fragile human. Christmas reminds us that God gave us His presence even after we fled away from it through sin and rebellion.  This is why I love Christmas. It can be easy to forget throughout the year about the good news that God sent His Son into the world to taste death for everyone, so that all who might believe in Him can live forever. Without Christmas,

Not many people are holy enough to become a priest. Most people don't meet the spiritual qualifications to be a pastor. It takes years and years of praying, reading the Bible, and chanting Latin rhymes in order to be worthy enough to don a man-dress and a big golden cross necklace. Or at least, that is the subtle lie that I've bought over the years. Since becoming a Christian at the age of 14, I wanted to be a minister. I was told that I would first have to go to Bible college for four years, go to seminary for another three years, and then have to wait several months before a denomination could deem me worthy enough to lead a church.  Certainly pastors should be well educated and have a wide variety of life experiences. But sometimes those high standards can discourage a young man like me. I have a two year degree in theology, and when I applied to over thirty churches to work as a youth pastor, I was told I needed at least a master's degree. When I tried to ex

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! Have you counted your blessings today? I know I have, and here are some that I am thankful for: Samaritan Ministries International I first heard about this organization a year ago, but back then I had no idea I would become hired in this health care ministry. For more information, go to samaritanministries.org. It is easily the best job I have ever had (and I've enjoyed all my past jobs!) Every day I get the chance to serve alongside other individuals who love Jesus and have become like a second family to me, which leads me to my next blessing. My Family Unfortunately, I was unable to spend time with my family today. Despite our flaws and sins and imperfections, God has kept us together by His grace in spirit and love. Although I do not see them frequently, as on Earth we are all limited by time and space, I hope to spend the rest of eternity with them. It will certainly make up for my Thanksgiving absence.  The Local Church

The default attitude of mankind toward God is one of rebellion. We follow God only when it is convenient or He caters to our whims. But if God doesn’t do what we want Him to do or He doesn’t fulfill our desires, then we are quick to turn our backs to Him. This attitude is not pleasing to God. However, there is an attitude that pleases God, according to the Apostle Paul in Romans 8.5-8: “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.” The attitude that pleases God is one of submission and faith. When we allow our hearts to follow the Spirit’s leading, then good actions will follow and we can l

God’s laws are good. Do not murder, do not steal, etc. We would do well to follow them. The problem is, we can’t. At least, not 100 percent of the time. But Jesus can, and did. Paul writes in Romans 8.3: “For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh.” Jesus Christ came to Earth, perfectly fulfilled God’s requirements for godly living, and died on a cross as a sin offering. This means he “made it up” for our lack of following God’s laws. He paid our debt. If we trust and believe that Jesus did this, then as a result God will view us as He viewed His Son Jesus: perfect and righteous. Christ’s death happened “in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). This truly is mind-boggling! How can we be viewed by God as g

Why You Should Not Be Afraid of God's Judgment As a sinner, I sometimes fear God’s wrath. I ask myself, what if I’m not good enough for God? What if I say or do something that really pisses him off (like saying “pisses” on a public blog)? But one of the amazing truths of Christianity is this: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The Apostle Paul writes these words in the Book of Romans, chapter eight and verse one. What he is saying is that for those who trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they do not have to be afraid of being condemned to Hell or falling under God’s wrath. Why? Verses 2: “...because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Elsewhere in the Bible, human beings are said to be in bondage to sin and death. Because we willfully disobey God, we deserve His judgment. But “the law of the Spirit” has set us free from sin and death, and there

Romans 8 is about a God who is exceedingly and eternally good to believers in Jesus Christ. This is the central theme of one of the most beloved chapters in the Bible. God’s goodness is manifested in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the gift of His Holy Spirit, and the future hope of eternal life. For the next couple of weeks we will explore this theme and seek to understand how we can apply this truth to our lives. I will try to post a blog each day. Each blog post will contain the Apostle Paul’s own words on the goodness of God. But they are not just his words; they are God’s words. They are a testimony to the character of God. And “God never lies” (Titus 1:2). As you read the postings, feel free to comment. More importantly, meditate on the words of Scriptures and ask the Spirit of God to reveal His truth to you- the truth of Jesus Christ.

At my church today, the worship leader told us, if we were able and "comfortable", to kneel before God. Throughout much of history, people would bow down before the king of the land to show Him honor and respect.  How much more should we bow down to the KING of kings! But as I was kneeling before God, this Scripture popped into my head: Who can be compared with the L ord our God, who is enthroned on high? He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth. He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people! Psalm 113:5-8  New Living Translation The Holy Spirit reminded me that yes, God is to be honored and respected above all. But even unbelievers will bow before Jesus when He returns in glory and power. To truly honor God, we must not only acknowledge Him as our King, but as our Father who loves us and has done so much for us. He saved us through the Gospel, and one day

We all want our lives to matter. We want to live life to the fullest. We want to look back on our deathbeds with no regrets.  But we all have those moments where we wonder if we are spending our lives well. We question whether our day to day activities are meaningful. We wonder if we are truly leaving behind a good legacy.  There is a story in the Gospel of Luke that tells of a man who, by all appearances, wasted his life. We don't know his name, only that Luke simply calls him a criminal. We don't know what crimes he committed, but we do know they were bad enough to warrant the death penalty. Anyone who deserves the death penalty clearly has wasted his life. This criminal was crucified right next to Jesus and one other criminal. The other criminal was mocking Jesus, claiming that if He were truly the Son of God He could save himself from death. The Gospel Author Luke writes,  "But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sen

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I know I’m supposed to read the Bible, but I wish it was more exciting!” If so, you are not alone. I have had that same thought. There have been times in my life when reading the Bible seemed more like a mindless chore than a refreshing hobby. I would pick up the Bible to fulfill my Christian duty of studying God’s Word, only to set it down ten minutes later for lack of excitement. But the Bible was never meant to be boring for us. Whenever the Bible seems boring, it usually has more to do with how we study it than the text itself. The bad news is that as imperfect people we have the potential to misread the Bible and develop wrong study habits that won’t work for us. The good news is that God loves variety and allows us to choose different ways to study His Word according to our personalities and desires. If the way you study the Bible is not producing joy within you, then you can change the way you study it. Here are three different m

Recently, I have been reading through a devotional through YouVersion (bible.com) called Cataylst. Today's question was: Write down 5 to 10 experiences when God used you. Do you notice any trends? What do you feel as you look back? So here are my answers: When I was 17, I traveled with some friends to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MI. I'll remember it as the first time I felt the powerful indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I felt like the Old Testament prophets when "the Spirit of the Lord came upon them", or like the apostles in Acts when tongues of flame appeared above them as the Holy Spirit moved within them. Never before had I felt the power of the Holy Spirit through the practice of prayer! Since then I have placed a high priority on prayer in my spiritual life, interceding for others as God wants me to. During my first summer as a camp counselor, I was a little nervous of sharing the Gospel with children I had never met before. Yet God ga

I'm currently reading "Winning With People" by one of my favorite authors, John Maxwell. In one of his chapters he quotes the following: Do all the good you can to all the people you can in all the ways you can as long as ever you can.   Now, Maxwell attributes this quote to D. L. Moody, the famous nineteenth century evangelist, while I've heard others attribute it to John Wesley. Who really said it? Doesn't matter; it's a great quote. I hope this quote will encourage you as it did me to live for others and not merely yourself. 

Many of you know I walk daily. Doesn't matter where; I just like to walk. Sometimes my paths are so random that I find myself suddenly walk. Might have to watch out for that when I get old.  Anyway, today I was walking on a sidewalk (of all places!), daydreaming and not really paying attention, when all of a sudden a monster made a lunge at me from three feet away! Well, it wasn't really a monster. It was a hawk. And it didn't really try to eat me. It was simply drinking from a nice puddle three feet in front of me. But still, I got within three feet of a hawk! When it noticed me, it fluttered its wings and flew ten feet away to a nearby branch, and that's when I first noticed it. Of course, since it moved away so suddenly I thought it was a monster trying to eat me, but when I got over being scared and stared at it on the branch I realized it was a beautiful, lovely, and deadly hawk.  And of course, I did not have a camera. And I didn't have one of those

Who doesn't like a good book? Well, maybe those who cannot read. But for those who are able to read the above, here is a short list of three books you should read. 1. The Bible I make no secret that this is my favorite book of all time. Although I have literally read thousands of books, this book has changed my life more than any other. Be warned: this book will change your life too. 2. Walking on God's Path This is the first book I have written. Why should you read it? Because I wrote it. Buy your copy at www.lulu.com/spotlight/tomdale  3. My next book That's right! I am currently in the finishing stages of editing my second book! I have already given a copy to family members, but then I realized a little more work needed to be done before I released it to the public. I hope to have it published before the end of the month. What books would you add to this list?

I am currently reading John Piper's book, When I Don't Desire God . He writes in the preface: "When all is said and done, only God can create joy in God. This is why the old saints not only pursued joy but prayed for it: “Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us” (Ps. 90:15). To be satisfied by the beauty of God does not come naturally to sinful people. By nature we get more pleasure from God’s gifts than from himself." Wow! Isn't that true? Isn't it easier to sometimes love this world more than God? But take heart! God can, and will, give you joy in Him if only you ask. Pray therefore, and surrender your heart to Him. Happiness comes and goes with circumstances in life, but joy can only be found in God.

Words have power. And the things we say to people can make or break them. Which would you prefer to have spoken to you? "You are a great person!" or "You are the most terrible person I have ever met!" In the same way, we need to be careful about speaking to other people. Jesus Himself rarely criticized people, and when He did He had every right to because He's God.  Here's a homework assignment: say one nice thing to the next person you talk to...even if it is an evil ex, a crazy customer, or a bossy boss.  " Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." Ephesians 4:29

I remember  a few years ago a commercial for a brand of garbage bags. Its slogan? "Don't get mad; get Glad!" Indeed, wouldn't you rather be glad than mad? Wouldn't you rather be happy than unhappy? Here's a simple trick for cultivating gladness: remember the good things that God has done for you in your life. The more you focus on the positive that has happened, the more glad you will become. If you can't think of anything else, think about the fact the Jesus Christ has saved you from sin and eternal death by his work on the cross. "The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad." Psalm 126:3 What are some great things that God has done for you?

God Rescues His People We like a good rescue story, don’t we? We live in a fallen world where people suffer every day, and whenever we hear a story of someone being rescued from their suffering we rejoice! Rescue stories give us hope and comfort in the midst of our own sufferings. This is why so many Hollywood movies are about superheroes. We like to see movies about people who are powerless to save themselves and then BANG! A hero comes along and saves them! This theme of good and evil, suffering and rescuing is littered throughout the pages of the Bible. One of the strongest arguments for the Bible being God’s Word is that it agrees with our human experiences. If it were false, it would deny that we suffer in any way, as many Eastern religions teach. If it were false, it would teach that men and women can save themselves from any circumstance, as modern humanism teaches. But the Bible is true in every way, and so it teaches us that suffering is real and that we are often power