Dale Cresap's blog

Have you ever been astounded to think how far God is willing to go to accommodate you? Does it amaze you that the one who spoke worlds into existence is willing to meet you where you are? Shouldn’t it be the other way around, that the lesser should conform to the one who is greater? Yes, but you love because he first loved you. His love is greater so he took the initiative to seek you while you were still a sinner. Do you want to be transformed into his image? Then you should make it your purpose and goal to move away from God conforming to you and toward you conforming to God. 

Do you know of cults who claim to follow me, but their doctrine is contrary to the Bible? Have you noticed that they have another characteristic of isolation and exclusiveness, avoiding contact with outsiders and claiming to be the only true way? Have you also found Christian churches with orthodox Biblical doctrine who have this cult-like property of isolation and exclusiveness? I describe my followers collectively as one body with many members. This means that your identification with me and with the Kingdom of God as a whole should be stronger than your affiliation with your denomination. 

Do you think of sleep as a spiritual activity? It is a human necessity and an integral part of my plan for all humanity, so you don’t have to look at it as lost time, or a necessary evil. Yet to see it as more than a limitation you must look beyond the superficial to see what transcendent meaning it represents. It is a time of refreshing for you in every way, including physical, emotional, and spiritual. If you are open to the idea, I can speak to you while you are asleep, and you may be in a better position to receive it then than you are during the daytime. Have you noticed that everyone in the Bible took their dreams seriously? Do you?

Do you find that you are constantly busy? Is this forced upon you, or do you seek out activities to fill up your time? In either case, does this interfere with the time you are able to spend in prayer, meditation, and reflection? Being fully engaged can be abundant and productive, but it can also be a means of escape from a quiet examination of issues in your own life that you would rather avoid. It may be more difficult to go there than to be busy all the time, but I invite you to examine yourself as a part of your communion with me. Do not fear this even if it is painful. Come to me and let us reason together and you will find greater acceptance with me than you imagined. 

Does your culture teach you that you are the master of your fate and the captain of your destiny? How do you respond when this image falls apart? My word teaches you that it is not in a man that walks to direct his own steps. This is a far different view of personal sovereignty. Are you aware of how dependent you are on me, on the resources I give you, and on the human community you live in? I want you to understand that you are a member of a body. This involves giving and taking with the other members and your very life depends on this. You must know this to walk in the light of truth. 

My word speaks of treasure in heaven. It also speaks of gold and silver and precious stones. Do you think these are the same thing? Yet I told my disciples not to seek the things that the gentiles seek but rather to seek those things which are above, the Kingdom of God. The gentiles certainly do seek after gold and silver and gemstones. Your treasure in heaven is better than these things, for which gold and silver are symbolic. Anything material you can lose or have stolen, but your treasure in heaven is secure from any type of loss. You need to take on a new set of values to appreciate what is truly valuable. 

If someone gives you an unexpected gift do you express your gratitude for it? If they continue to show the same generosity on a regular basis do you continue to be as expressive of your thanks as you were for the first gift? Most people are not. Have you heard of compassion fatigue? You may not have heard of gratitude fatigue, but the concept is just as real. The easy route that most people take is to take for granted those things that come routinely. Who is as grateful for the expected blessing as for the unexpected blessing? I want you to cultivate a heart of expressed gratitude for everything you receive whether you expect it or not. 

You have my promise that I will return, and my word teaches you to watch for me. Note that watching and figuring it out are not the same activities. Yet where should you look for me? Where should you direct your attention? For I also taught that when you hear rumors of the return of the Son of Man you are not to chase them down. You can see world events but many have erred in interpreting them. Where then should you look? I have told you that the Kingdom of God comes not with observation, but it is within you. If you understand this mystery you will look within and see my return there before you see it elsewhere. 

I had relatively few followers when I was on earth even though my people knew that a Messiah was coming. They had particular expectations and I didn’t fit the profile. I wasn’t religious enough for the religious establishment. Some followed because of the miracles and they liked the loaves and fishes for lunch. Yet many of my followers fell away because of the shocking things I said. Even those closest to me struggled a great deal with the same statements, but they remained because I had the words of life. When you read the Bible do you do so with the same sense of shock and awe? You should, and find transformative meaning in my words of life. 

In several cases I asked those who were sick or crippled if they wanted to be healed. Do you think this is a stupid question? It isn’t if I ask it. There are times to state the obvious, and state the words that give substance to longing. Do you have issues in your own life that represent unmet needs? Do you come to me and articulate your desires? The Bible affirms the power of verbal declaration and teaches you to engage in it. Does it seem too good to be true that you can have whatever you ask for? Do you find that you have greater success when you ask according to my will? Yet your stated request is part of the process.