Dale Cresap's blog

One of my enduring commandments is to honor your father and mother. Do you believe that I created you? In some mysterious way I did, and in some not so mysterious way your mother and father were involved in the process.  They made some mistakes concerning you but if they hadn’t done some things right you would not be here to make that observation. Who is prepared to call their own existence into question? For most people this is an axiomatic premise. Yet if you consider the possibility that you may never have been brought into being you can honor those involved even if they did it badly. 

Are you familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan? A man was beaten by robbers and left in the road. A priest and a Levite walked by without getting involved, but the Samaritan stopped to help. The affiliations of these people are called out because they are important in the story. You know from other passages that Samaritans had doctrinal errors and Jews did not, yet the one with incorrect beliefs was commended for stopping to help. What was the background of the man who was attacked? I didn’t mention it because it wasn’t important. Do good to those in need regardless of their background. 

Have you ever heard someone complain about a minor bothersome annoyance and told them to rise above it? This is good advice and you may look for opportunities to apply it to yourself. The range of annoyances covers the whole spectrum. Children are bothered by the smallest things, and it is a mark of maturity that you can rise above ever greater disturbances. My word says the same thing when it teaches you to seek those things which are above, where I sit at the right hand of the Father. For your life consists in me and my Kingdom is your true home, so look forward and look up. 

Do you ever struggle with procrastination? Do you think it could ever be a good thing? I teach you not to enter into judgment. Do you find it hard to avoid this? If you can’t avoid judgment altogether, at least make a conscious decision to delay or postpone it. Have you ever made a quick judgment that turned out to be wrong, and would have made a better one if you had waited? You feel tension from unresolved questions and want answers, but false judgment is too high a price to pay for having your answers now. Even those without faith can see the problems with hasty judgment. This is an area in which the longer you delay the better. 

Do you keep the Ten Commandments? One of these is to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. Yet in my time on earth I was criticized for not keeping the Sabbath because I healed on that day. The observance of the Sabbath has changed a great deal from the original day of rest after creation to a day when most Christians attend church. Would a day of rest be a blessing or a hindrance to you? The new covenant gives every believer maximum latitude in saying that one regards one day above another while another regard every day the same. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. In this covenant of love you are free to observe the Sabbath as you wish. Do so in a way that honors me and gives me glory. 

The Psalmist hid my word in his heart that he might not sin against me. Ever since Bible study has been a central aspect of the faith. Through history many have learned to read for the purpose of Bible study and it has made scholars of ordinary people who would have little interest in academics otherwise. Does this seem to favor those with natural academic ability? Bible study is not the only way of knowing me, and it is not the method I used with my own disciples. I created everyone with their own abilities and love them all and want them to come to me even if their relationship with me is based more on their experience of life with me. 

Do you think of the Christian faith primarily in terms of the church? In my word I talk about building my church. Yet my gospel references to my church are few and my references to my Kingdom are many. Do you see these as separate things? They are not. My church is a part of my Kingdom. Yet how many of my own people think of the Kingdom of God only in the context of their own church? My Kingdom is bigger than your church and I want to enlarge your awareness of all my Kingdom encompasses. I told my disciples that I had other sheep who were not of this fold, and I would bring them all into one flock. This is still true. If you look to see my Kingdom beyond your familiar surroundings you will find that it is larger than you previously understood.

Are you familiar with the concept of being on duty? This implies being alert and available to serve. In most occupations being on duty requires only so many unbroken hours and tasks requiring continuous attention are rotated between staff members. This is in recognition of the limits of human ability. What employer would work his employees around the clock without rest? Yet my word teaches you that your time is always ready. Do you see yourself as being on duty for me all the time? Yet I am more aware of your abilities and limitations than anyone else. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. Learn to see this in a positive light. If you look for opportunities to serve me where you have not looked before you will find them. 

My apostle said that he knew how to be abased and how to abound. Do you? Do you have a strong preference for abounding? Yet knowing how to abound in this sense means more than just seeking abundance for its own sake, for my word also teaches you that when riches increase not to set your heart upon them. Can you enjoy the great provision I give and keep it in perspective, still seeking the Kingdom of God first? More people fail the test of wealth than the test of poverty. My available supply is not limited but I know how much you can handle and don’t want to ruin you. Set your heart of me and hold the blessings I give with a loose grip and I will be able to trust you with more of them. 

I led my people through a wilderness in which there was nothing available to eat. To meet their needs for food I provided manna which was essential for their support, but gave them instructions not to store it to the following day. Do you see any parallels in your own life? Water is essential for life but for most people water is available on tap, so there is no need to store it. What else do you require on a daily basis? These examples serve to illustrate a greater principle of the need for spiritual nourishment. Have you tried to live on yesterday’s blessings, on the basis of your relationship to me in the past? There is no need for this. My mercies are new every morning, and I want you to walk in them fresh every day.