Dale Cresap's blog

What do you think would be a good reason for dividing a church? Doctrinal differences held in good conscience by both sides? Is this a good reason and the most common one for church splits? At the very beginning of church history Paul had to admonish the Corinthians who claimed to follow him, or Apollos, or Christ. Don’t you see this same pattern today, that the main reason for church splits is about personalities rather than doctrines? The Body of Christ is a transcendent single entity. If you are able to discern the Body of Christ you will be able to look past the people that comprise it. 

You know from what you understand of my nature that I am an absolute sovereign. I can act in any way I want. Yet what pattern do you see in scripture? How often do I act entirely on my own and how often is there a person involved in the process? I am relational by nature. How often have you seen me move unilaterally? Someone feels compelled to pray before there is a revival. Someone usually prays and lays on hands before healings occur. Someone seeks me and responds in obedience before my power is manifested. In my sovereignty this is how I choose to act. How should you respond once you see this pattern clearly revealed? Step forward and volunteer to be the one through whom I act. 

In the beginning I said that it was not good for man to be alone. This is still true. Solitary confinement is considered a harsh treatment even among those who are already in jail. You were made for community and companionship and will suffer if deprived of this contact. Are you selective in choosing whom you will associate with? This is a luxury of those who have many opportunities. In this case your selections can be narrow. I would have you to seek the company of those outside your normal comfort zone. This will be beneficial to you and blessed are those who do it of their own initiative, without being forced by necessity. 

Early in church history a Roman Emperor was saved. This had a great impact on the church. You should be in favor of everyone being saved, but do you see that having the ultimate political authority in charge of the church could be a mixed blessing? Some of my followers left civilization and went into the desert to maintain the simplicity of my teachings. I spoke clearly enough in saying that my Kingdom was not of this world. The tension between church and state has existed since that time and still does. You still need my wisdom to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods. 

The Psalmist asked the Lord to restore the joy of his salvation. This implies that it was lost. How do you deal with the painful experiences in your life? There are drugs available that work as pain killers, but they also diminish your sensations and capabilities and performance in other areas. Not all pain originates in your nerves. In like manner, not all pain killers are drugs. People use habits and conditioned responses to deal with a wide range of painful things. Yet these also will deaden your joy and enthusiasm. Seek me for ways in which you can endure the pain without deadening your joy

And Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him as righteousness. You are familiar with the concept of righteousness imputed by faith since you are a believer yourself. So what did Abraham believe in comparison to what you believe? Do you think of your faith in terms of doctrines and the validity of scripture? Abraham was not as theologically sophisticated as you are. He didn’t have any of that. Consider the statement carefully that Abraham believed God. In all your efforts to seek to understand the truth don’t forget that it isn’t so much what you believe as who you believe. 

How big is your view of life? The simplest one is to seek pleasure and avoid pain in the short term, but you were made for better things. You benefit by having a large view of life which can be called an overarching story, a metanarrative, or the big picture. This will allow you to understand who you really are and why you are here. A large enough view will allow you to hold even the unpleasant experiences of pain and death, and see them in their context from a true perspective. You need a transcendent perspective to understand this, but he who is spiritual is in a place to understand all things. 

Have you ever tried to please everyone? There is a modern proverb that this can’t be done, the attempt is frustrating, and part of you knows you shouldn’t try. How much less should you do this when presenting the gospel message that you dare not alter to suit your audience. Yet Paul said that he became all things to all people that he might by any means save some. Paul was not willing to compromise the essence of the gospel message, but he was willing to identify with his audience to obtain an open door to be heard. This does not guarantee that they will receive you or your message, but it does give it a chance. You have my permission to follow his example. 

I have promised to be present wherever two or three are gathered in my name. I also promised to be with you always, even unto the end of the age, with no qualifier for number gathered. So I made several promises of being present with you and I take these seriously. Have you ever noticed that I can hold you in a way that you still feel alone? You can get a real sense of abandonment even from those you think of as loved ones and be right about that. My presence with you is an enduring reality, but you apprehend it by faith. Even when you are alone you are not alone. 

Have you ever heard it said that you can’t trust everything you read, or hear, or see? Now more than ever you need to be careful about what you accept as truth, for the downside of the freedom of speech is that anyone can say anything they want. Do you place a great deal of trust in what you think? You have seen other people make errors in reasoning. Would you know if you had made one yourself? It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. Are you biased in favor of your own reasoning? My word teaches you not to lean on your own understanding. Acknowledge me and I will direct your steps.