Dale Cresap's blog

Have you heard the saying that seeing is believing? It is hard to dispute visual evidence, but have you not seen video clips that show things that didn’t really happen? Camera tricks and editing techniques allow the creation of false images so you can’t always believe what you see. I spoke to the issue of seeing and believing with my own disciple Thomas. He wouldn’t believe until he saw and felt me, but then he did. I did not condemn him for this, but said that those who had not seen and yet had believed were blessed for this. The uncertainty of visual images today reinforces that believing is stronger than seeing. 

You live in a world of commerce and economics and you are used to the idea that everything has a price tag. Yet not everything has a price. You get a sunrise and sunset every day, and live in a world of beauty that I made for you. So value is a more universal concept than cost. Things with cost have value, but so do things that that do not have a cost. It is mercenary to value things according to their cost alone. Do you think of yourself as affluent? It will enrich your experience of life if you value things according to their value. It is my good pleasure to give you my Kingdom and if you understand this you will know that you are rich. 

Depending on your upbringing, you may have thought that your church did things the only right way. As you grew in spiritual maturity and encountered other churches you may have thought that your church still did things the best way. Are you willing to take another step of spiritual maturity and realize that your church does things one way without assigning ranks of better and worse? My word teaches you that when you take communion you are to discern My Body, and this will help you to see my Body as a single entity. Do you believe that there is one true church? You are right, but it is mine rather than yours. 

My disciples asked me to teach them to pray, and I did. The prayer I gave them starts with “Our Father”, and you have prayed this way ever since. Do you ever wonder why it starts with Our Father rather than My Father? For you pray the same way whether you are with a group of people or by yourself. Properly understood, Our Father reminds you that you do not pray in isolation even when you are alone. I am with you always, and your prayer should be in the context not only of my presence with you, but also of you in connection with the rest of humanity of whom I am also Father. 

I said that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness were blessed because they would be filled. How hungry are you? A woman came to me on behalf of her daughter. She was an outsider to the nation of Israel and I told her that I was sent to the Israelites, saying that it wasn’t appropriate to take the children’s bread and give it to dogs. Can you believe I made such an insulting statement? Yet the woman endured the insult and said that dogs got the crumbs that fell from the table. I commended her for her faith and her hunger that would not be denied and healed her daughter. Are you hungry enough for righteousness to endure opposition to get it? 

You are familiar with the concept of a comfort zone. Are you also familiar with the idea of a safety zone? This is larger than your comfort zone because there are things you are uncomfortable with that will not hurt you. Even so your safety zone is larger than you think, because you have my promise that I hold you in my hand, and nothing shall by any means harm you or separate you from my love. You can’t grow if you remain in your comfort zone, but if you are willing to get out of it to follow where I lead, I will watch over you and keep you safe from harm while you grow in righteousness and love. 

I promised that if you seek you would find. Have you ever looked for something? Do you understand that there are various types of searches? A tourist may wander around looking for interesting sights or a good vantage point for taking a picture. If you have ever lost your car keys the concept of a search takes on greater focus and urgency. You can’t proceed with your life the way you want to until you find them. Your spiritual life is a journey into an unknown future rather than a search for something that was in your pocket a few minutes ago. Do you still see it as essential to moving forward in life? 

There are two pivotal events in time. One of them has occurred in my first advent. The second is still to come, in my return. The first one occurred with little observation. Most of the people in the world were unaware that I had come even after my death and resurrection. This will not be so the second time, and you can expect some dramatic changes. Yet you do not have to be taken by surprise. I invite you to walk with me now and if you seek me I will reveal myself to you now. Then when I return we will not be strangers but we will be as familiar to each other as friends, and both glad to be face to face at last. 

Do you find that some Bible concepts are so difficult that they can only be understood through revelation of mystery? Except you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man you have no life in you. My own disciples had trouble with that. Yet others are so plain and simple that no insight is required. Cast your net wide and sort out the catch on the deck. Gather the good into vessels and throw the rest overboard. You don’t even have to be a believer to get that. You may spend a profitable lifetime pondering the mysteries of my Kingdom. As you do, don’t neglect the simple truths that are still eternal truths.

Do you know of liberals and conservatives who are both eager to claim that I am on their side? Both sides claim they are right, even if they don’t agree with each other about anything. I warned that many would come in my name, and not to follow them. This concept of coming in my name can be understood broadly. They don’t have to be a false Christ for you to be wary of them. Beware of anyone who uses my name to enlist support for their cause that falls short of the fullness of truth. The question isn’t whether I am on your side, but whether you are on mine.