Dale Cresap's blog

How seriously do you take my admonition against name-calling? I said that those who use terms that are fairly mild by today’s standards are at risk of severe consequences. Do you apply this strict rule equally to those outside of your faith tradition or outside of your political persuasion? It is easy to solidify your group identity by denigrating those outside it, but it does not serve my redemptive purposes. You can respect the essential humanity of others even if you don’t agree with their positions or approve of their behavior. In response to my teaching about loving your neighbor I was asked ‘who is my neighbor?’ and told the story of the Good Samaritan. Everyone. 

How many people do you encounter in the course of a day that serve you? Think of clerks, salesmen, technicians, and waiters as examples. Do you realize that they are real people? Yet how often do you think of them only in terms of their functional service to you? They have real identities and lives and names, and most of them wear name tags. Are you willing to see them as I see them, in the essence of their humanity, even as they perform some menial task on your behalf? This isn’t as difficult as you may think. You can start by making eye contact and calling them by name. 

Have you been taught that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? This is clearly stated in my word. Has this only been presented to you in a negative sense, as an admonition that your conduct should be up to this standard? This truth should make you neither fearful nor arrogant. You can also see it from the positive side, that you carry my presence with you wherever you go. In the temple of your body, you can mediate divine intention to those you encounter. How many times in my word have I plainly declared your authority to act in my name? You have a commission as my ambassador. Exercise it. 

My word speaks of love and says that though you have all knowledge and capabilities and make all sacrifices, if you have not love it is of no benefit. Do you find this to be discouraging? But there are two sides to this coin. Consider the converse, stated in a positive way. If you have love, you have everything. Have you ever seen this, or experienced it yourself, that people without the greatest skills or credentials or titles were more effective than those with them? What makes the difference? Loving intention will align you with eternal purpose and give you power unattainable by human effort. 

According to the creeds and doctrines of your faith I am both human and divine. Most people who encountered me on earth saw me as being human only. I didn’t look any different from other people and they had no reason to think otherwise. There were some who realized I was divine, such as Simon Peter, and I said he was blessed  because flesh and blood had not revealed this to him, but my Father in heaven. How do you see me? As divine only? If you have not known me in my humanity then it is too easy for you to think of me as distant and alien. Do you see the importance of both? Do you need a revelation of my humanity?

Do you have a preferred scenario for the end times and my return? Do you find that most believers do and that there are many options to choose from? Have you found this to be a contentious issue between believers? Are you aware of how many believers have made definite predictions throughout the ages and been wrong? It isn’t strictly necessary for you to build a detailed scenario and defend it, but here is a question to help guide your thoughts on this matter. Does you view of the end times have a direct effect on making you a better person today? If not, you should change your scenario. 

Hi Gang;

I'm leaving town for a few days for the memorial services for my mom and dad.

Dale

Do you understand that you view the world through a truth/reality paradigm? Everyone thinks that they see the world as it really is, and have a good grasp of the truth. Yet if this were so, people would agree with each other more than they actually do. Do you understand that your world view influences your perception of reality? Have the experiences of life forced you to revisit and revise your paradigms? Hopefully so, for the alternative is that you have learned nothing since they were formed. This is a good start. Are you familiar with my promise that you would know the truth and be free? Do you recall that it involves continuing in my word?

Do you have any friends who are not believers? You are familiar with the passage that you should not be unequally yoked, and certainly you should not marry an unbeliever, but how far do you take this concept? You conduct business with people every day without examining them concerning their doctrine. You are called to come out from among them and be separate. There have been many approaches to interpreting this, but the Bible does not require you to live in an isolated community. Consider my example. I interacted with all comers. You can maintain your separated identity without isolating yourself from others. You can only let your light shine before men if they are close enough to see it. 

Have you ever had the experience of having your mind racing? This is the last step before panic. Is this the way you do your best thinking? This is a race you cannot win, and it doesn’t lend itself to good decisions. Yet do you find it hard to avoid going there in stressful situations? These are not situations that make peaceful reflection easy, but you will make better decisions if you can. There is a peace that is the expected consequence of placid conditions, but if you can experience peace in the midst of turmoil it is the peace that surpasses understanding and this is the peace I give you.