Dale Cresap's blog

Do you live in a country where you can vote? It is a privilege to exercise this civic duty, even if it is infrequent and you are not confident that your vote has much influence. Yet even if you live where you are unable to vote in a ballot box you can vote in the more profound ways that everyone can. You vote with your money every time you spend it, choosing some things to buy rather than others. You vote with your feet with every step you take, choosing where you will go and what you will do there. You vote with your words every time you speak, choosing what you affirm by what you say.

Have you heard the saying, ‘every man for himself’? In military terms this is the worst possible situation. It implies a complete collapse of unity, coherent and coordinated action, and command structure. It can be considered a disorganized surrender. Yet in the civilian world it is routinely accepted as a rule of life. There are military metaphors in my word and my church has been described as an army. Where do you think it is on the scale of command structure as opposed to every man for himself? Don’t be discouraged. I have things organized better than you may realize. I want to show you this so you can recognize it and act in obedience in unity. 

Can you look back and see that you have grown in the faith since you first believed? You have a greater understanding of the truth. How has this affected your ability to relate to others? Did you have no reason or basis to judge others when you were first saved? Do you now? Your growth and maturity should make you more able to show compassion, understanding, and acceptance rather than less. Being judgmental is the default condition of humanity, but it takes on a particularly bad taste when it is acquired and developed through religious practices. True growth in me will not lead you into this self-righteous trap.

I promised you an abundant life. What do you think this looks like? A life of wealth, fame, and drama? Do you consider your own life ordinary and mundane? Do you disdain your own life in the quest for something magnificent? I am present in the life you currently live. If you look for success by the measures of the world around you how will you find your true life in me? My Kingdom is within you. Look for me now and you will see I am already there, perfecting that which concerns you. Embrace your life that you may cooperate with my efforts and you will have a real eternal life rather than a false fantasy one. 

You have my promise that nothing shall separate you from my love. Yet you can be bound and in prison, afflicted, or taken places in custody against your will. You can be put to death for my sake. You read accounts in my word of these things happening to my servants. The same principle can apply at less severe levels for those who are poor or living in unpleasant situations. How can my promise apply in these cases? I promised that my Kingdom was within you, and that I would be with you always. You have inside yourself a spiritual refuge. You have a safe place here where you can go when the external world attacks you, or even when it doesn’t. 

You know that I am the source of living water. I also said that he who believes in me would have living water issue from him. You refer to flowing water as a stream, and this is the metaphor I give for the ministry you do. It has many parallels in the natural world. What do you notice about streams on a map? They start out as many, and end up as one. For streams run until they converge with another stream. This is as an illustration of unity. As you practice the flow that I have given you, notice that I connect you in relationship with other streams. I want you to see how your streams work together, reinforcing one another for a common purpose.

Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Come all who are hungry and thirsty and I will give you living bread and water. Come all who are rejected by others that you may find acceptance in me. Come to me those who are wounded with invisible wounds and I will provide healing and comfort for injuries unseen. Come those who are needy and unable to buy their way out of trouble and I will provide everything for you. Come those who are dirty and I will wash you whiter than snow. Come to me all those who are poor in spirit for my Kingdom is yours. 

Have you ever suffered as the victim of injustice? If you have suffered wrong through no fault of your own then you may be tempted to fight back or complain bitterly about such treatment. This is the perspective of the immediate and temporal visible realm. Yet there is another possible perspective that is cosmic and eternal. Suffering makes more sense in this realm because it can be separated from human justice and deserved consequences. Here you can look for higher purpose and find yourself in company with me and those faithful witnesses who were hated without a cause. Blessed are those who suffer according to the will of God. 

Do you see my presence in mighty acts of power? It doesn’t take much faith to see that. Do you see my presence in the poor? This may not be as obvious to you, but I am present in them if you will look. For I have chosen the poor to be rich in faith, and the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor in spirit. When you minister to them you are ministering unto me, and you do not have this promise for ministering to the wealthy. I am with you always, but are you always aware of me? You will be blessed and grow in grace and understanding if you learn to see my presence in the poor as much as in mighty miracles.