Dale Cresap's blog

A witness can only testify to what he has seen and heard himself. Anything else is hearsay. A teacher can relate the lessons of history, but is most effective teaching from firsthand experience. You have seen this difference already in the instruction you have received. My audiences marveled at the way I taught, as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now you are in a position to teach others. Since you have observed this more effective method, go forth and use it yourself. You have your own narrative of life in me. You have authority in me to let your mouth speak out of the fullness of your heart. 

You know that my word gives a perfect standard of behavior. You do well to examine yourself according to the light of scripture and judge yourself. Yet one of the things it teaches is that you should not judge others, even according to the same standard. Have you ever read my word and found that it confirmed you in your own behavior and only pointed out the flaws in others? I would advise you to revisit it with a new perspective and revised approach. Guidance for movement from walking to driving to boating or flying involves continuous comparison to a standard and correction to maintain it. Without this you are lost, wandering, or adrift. 

Do you find that the activity level in the church and among Christians changes throughout the year? Do you find that attendance is down in the summer, and that meetings are cancelled and fewer seminars held? Can you predict this with high confidence? Yet can you also predict that I am always faithful, in season and out of season, in every season? If you are determined to follow me you may find some times more difficult than others to find those like-minded who will join you. Yet I promised that if you would seek for me with all your heart that you would find me, and this promise applies at all times and in all places. I don’t take the summer off. 

You are familiar with the concept of being on duty, such as a doctor or a soldier. Someone on duty isn’t necessarily working, but they are available should the need arise. Do you think of yourself as being on duty for me all the time? I told my disciples that my time had not yet come, but their time was always at hand. Do you think of yourself the same way? Normally those on duty rotate with others to provide relief from the burden and heightened sense of awareness it involves. Do you find it a burden to be on duty for me all the time? Yet my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Always be alert to the opportunities I bring you and they will give you life. 

Have you ever heard the word ‘conformist’ used other than as an insult? Yet have you also noticed how rare true independence and originality are? Those who would be rebels are within their own group more conformed in thought, appearance, and manner than the greater society they would criticize. Such is the human longing for identity. Do you hear criticism of believers for being conformed to me? Yet who would you rather be conformed to? The world wants to squeeze you into its mold, but I have created you in my image for a unique destiny. Don’t be ashamed to conform to me. 

You are familiar with the concept and value of a work ethic. It is important to remain focused on a task until the job is done. In a larger sense the same principle applies to a life, so you have a life’s work as well as a day’s work. When the time came for me to return to my Father, I told him that I had completed the work he had given me to do. My apostle said the same thing in essence when he said he had run his race and completed it. The same principle applies to you. Do you know that I made you for a purpose and have a life’s work for you? Ask me to reveal it to you so that you may keep working at it until it is done. 

You will have some undeserved losses in life. You may think of these as trials, persecutions, afflictions, or just random accidents but my word teaches you to face them with grace and patience. In the development of your character you learn not to rage against time and chance or even deliberate hostility. In life you will also have some undeserved gains. Some people who have learned to face their difficulties with dignity will refuse their undeserved blessings as being unearned, but this is also wrong. You should accept them with grace, humility, and gratitude because they come from me. 

Skeptics and unbelievers will claim that they could only believe on the basis of evidence. Believers could say the same thing. In the end it comes down to the same issue that determines the outcome of many court cases. What is admissible evidence? You think that justice is denied and truth is not served when legitimate evidence is excluded in court. The same holds true in the eternal spiritual world. My creation testifies of me and only those who are willfully blind cannot see it. In the final judgment all evidence will be admissible and truth will prevail. Live and walk in the light of truth now. 

You live in a culture that emphasizes appearance and superficiality over substance. Do you understand that not all that appears to be attractive is truly beautiful? You know that you have a spiritual adversary. He can appear as an angel of light, but this does not change his truly repulsive character. Do you have the discernment to see him for what he is and reject him no matter how he presents himself? You have the same ability of vision that everyone else has, but you also have spiritual vision that unbelievers lack. Even though you have both available to you, you must still learn which to trust and prefer. I want you to learn that your spiritual vision is truer and more enduring than your natural vision. He who has eyes to see, let him see. 

Have you noticed that children faced with a situation of egregious sin will come up with an innocent explanation for it? This is how the world looks through eyes of innocence. You may argue that they are wrong, but they will grow into the knowledge of evil soon enough. You know it would be wrong to accelerate this. What about yourself? Are you eager to identify sin in others? Yet you may be wrong about this as well. Can you see that it is worse to see sin where there is none than to see innocence when there is none? If you follow my commandment to judge not at all then you can see the world through the eyes of a child and trust me to keep you safe from the real dangers that are there.