Ryan Anthony Dale

Who i am

i am an artist. i enjoy drawing and painting; i like to read interesting stories and create my own; i love taking pictures in an artistic way; i also enjoy drama and acting. I'm an artist in so many ways, but my main interest is composing music and writing songs. i know it's what i was made to do. My faith is also so much of who i am that it cannot be separated from what i do.

What i believe

i have become convinced through many sources of learning in my life that the Bible is the inspired Word of the Living God who created all things. God is infinite and so far beyond the grasp of our tiny minds, yet He has made it possible for us to know Him, through the revelation (revealing) of His Word (a.k.a. the Bible, Scripture). He is more interested in relationships than religion. He intends for us to have a personal relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. That relationship is based on obedience and faith -- not "blind" faith, but faith in His Word, His promises and the fact that He is Faithful and True. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)

True Faith involves reading the Bible on a consistent basis, understanding what you read, applying it to yourself first and choosing to live your life according to what you know from the Bible. Doing all of that consistently will change your habits, your thoughts and, eventually, your character. Faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the only way to be reconciled to the Father. Religion, philosophy, science -- none of these can solve the problem of our rebellion cutting us off from the relationship we were meant to have with God. Only when we turn away from our selfish pride and fall on our knees in humility before God can we be open enough to admit that there is nothing good in us and that the only way God can forgive us is because of the price that Jesus paid on the cross, taking on Himself the punishment we deserve.
 

My summery of the Bible: (this is a work in progress)

God created all things through Christ (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-3). Satan sinned and became the enemy of God (Isaiah 14:12-19). Some of the angels joined him, as well as all humans (Adam & Eve, Genesis 3). All have sinned and fall short of God's glory (Romans 3:23).

God's Plan is to reconcile all creation back to Himself (Colossians 1:19-20). God promised that He would crush Satan's head (rulership) through humans (Genesis 3:15). Christ was born of Mary as a human so that He could fulfill Genesis 3:15. His death on the cross paid the full penalty of sin so that we can be reconciled to God (Col. 1:19-20). Those who are redeemed (purchased by the blood of Christ, Hebrews 9) are given the Holy Spirit, which enables each believer to live in obedience to Christ, and through our obedience to His Word we show that Christ is our God and Satan is not.

God is crushing Satan under our feet (Romans 16:20). We are to live by biblical faith (Hebrews 11), which consists of intake of God's Word (hearing/reading), understanding it, applying it to our lives, choosing to make decisions based on the Word, and doing so consistently so that it changes our character (the "fruit" of Galatians 5:22-25).

Every day we must choose to obey God's Word and come under His rule; otherwise we fall in line with this world, which is Satan's system of rule. Christ is seated at the right hand of God until His enemies are made His footstool (Hebrews 10:11-14, Genesis 3:15). He will then come in glory and power to judge the world (Revelation 22:12), and those who belong to Him will forever be with Him in perfect relationship (Revelation).

An even shorter summery that i heard from someone else:

First day:   In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night And there was evening and there was morning, one day.     ~ Genesis 1:1-5  (underline added)

Last day:   And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.     ~ Revelation 22:5 (underline added)