Dale Cresap's blog

I told my disciples that I had other sheep who were not of this fold. I spoke this to them concerning you. They were not prepared to accept that my salvation plan extended beyond the Jewish community to encompass the whole world. Now you have become a part of the religious establishment of your own generation. I still say that I have other sheep who are not of this fold. Now I speak it to you concerning others. Are you in a better position to accept this truth than my original disciples were? I am once again preparing to open the doors of my church and I want you to be prepared to greet and welcome these other sheep.

Do you view the gospel in terms of legal arguments, such as the sufficiency of the atoning blood sacrifice as the basis for your entry to heaven? Do you present it to others the same way? The gospel is valid from this perspective because I am just and it is not in my nature to disregard rigorous requirements. Yet you spend more of your time with friends than in a court room, and so do I. You think of your faith as primarily relational and you are right. So in the end it is not so much that I have to accept you because of legal requirements but I want you because you are my friend and I love you. 

Do you live according to the light that you have, in obedience to my word as you understand it? This is commendable, for to do less is to violate your conscience and live in darkness. Yet while you do this I want you to know that I am larger than your understanding, and even now more accepting and inclusive than you imagine. I shocked the world by accepting those outside the religious establishment. Even my own followers assumed that this new way was only for the Jews. They didn’t comprehend that I had other sheep who were not of this fold. Do you? Are you prepared to accept them? 

Do your dreams make sense to you? Are you inclined to dismiss them if they don’t have an obvious meaning? Does the control panel of a nuclear reactor make sense to you? Yet you know it provides meaningful information to someone even if it doesn’t make sense to you. The essence of learning is realizing you have a lack of understanding and seeking to gain the knowledge to fill it. There are several examples in my word of those who knew they had meaningful dreams but didn’t understand them. They put considerable effort into seeking an interpretation until they found it. If you seek you will likewise find. 

Do you take your dreams seriously? This is not considered appropriate in a rationalistic age. Yet you read the Bible and find that everyone took their dreams seriously and they were correct in doing so. They considered dreams to be a valid form of spiritual guidance and they were right. Do you think this was valid in Bible times, but not today? When did it change? I made a promise long ago that I would pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and dreams were a part of this. This referred to a future time. Do you think the fulfillment has come and gone? If you are prepared to seriously examine your dreams I am prepared to speak to you through them. 

Do you like stories? Have you heard that there are only a few basic story lines? This is debatable, but there is general agreement that redemption is a powerful story line. Even people who are not believers are drawn to this type of story because it speaks to a hope deep within the human race that the door is open for recovery no matter how bad things are. You know that the gospel message of salvation is the ultimate redemption story and it makes this hope real. Do you find that there is little interest in your personal testimony? Don’t sell yourself short. As much as you are drawn to redemption stories in general, others are drawn to mine in you and in turn to me. 

Have I not promised that nothing shall by any means harm you? Yet you encounter unpleasant things in life. Do you see this as a contradiction? Good parents take seriously the responsibility to protect their children and are diligent to keep them from danger. Yet wise parents also realize that growing up involves some hard lessons. You don’t always get your own way. Parents can train their children by exposing them to the consequences of bad choices yet without putting them in real danger. Am I not a good Father? How much more than earthly parents will I train my children in righteousness yet at the same time protect them from real harm? 

Do you know anything that isn’t true? It is better to realize you don’t know something than to be persuaded of something that is false. Your certainties can get in the way of true understanding. Have you ever had your beliefs shaken to the core? You probably found this to be an unpleasant experience. Did you consider it to be my doing? How could I improve your understanding without getting you past the barriers of false certainties? Revelation can occur by the test of shaking. Truth will stand up to any level of examination and scrutiny. Let those things that can be shaken drop away, and that which remains will be tried and true. 

Surfers ride waves. Have you ever done this? Not everyone has the skill and opportunity for this form of recreation, but in a spiritual sense it is available to all. You may think of the moving of my Spirit as the blowing of the wind, or as the movement of a wave. If you continue to move with me then you can ride the crest of the spiritual wave. Does this sound appealing to you? Yet how many people will seize upon one aspect of my ongoing revelation and camp there? These are prone to criticize those who continue to move on. I want you to rejoice in what you have and still keep looking for more. Your time is always ready and the surf is always up. 

Do you care more about doing what is right or about what people think of you? Hopefully all of those in your circle of acquaintances will love the truth and affirm righteous behavior and will therefore approve of you when you do what is right. In this case there is no conflict between the two objectives but you can’t count on this and even those who have received the truth may not understand what I am doing in your life. If no man can please two masters then it follows logically that no man can please millions of masters. Fortunately you only have to please one. Obey me and I will be pleased with you.