Dale Cresap's blog

Has anyone ever told you to keep your head in the game? You may have heard this statement even if it was not directed at you. My word tells you not to worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Can you see the similarities? Does the Biblical reference seem to be stated negatively? Yet the underlying principle is positive. You can trust me to take care of tomorrow and not to suffer you to experience more than you can endure today. For sufficient unto the day is the grace and mercy that you receive when you need it. Tomorrow’s manna will be enough also. Rejoice and live in the peace of knowing my sufficiency for every moment. 

Do you love your enemies as well as your friends? I teach you to love them both, but you love your friends more than your enemies. I love everyone and promise to meet the basic needs even of those who are far from me or even oppose me. If I will do this for them, how much more will I do for you? I held nothing back in my ultimate sacrifice, how shall I not also freely give you all things? I provide for my enemies but love my friends without limit. Do you look at your own life and see areas of lack and need? These things serve a purpose that may not be apparent to you now, but I cause all things to work together for good for those who love me, for I love them. 

Have you ever felt the need to add emphasis to the validity of what you say? Courts require witnesses to swear an oath, but does this guarantee that they will tell the truth? In my word I tell you not to swear an oath, but merely answer yes or no, for whatever is added to that is evil. You can state the truth plainly and the truth will speak for itself. It doesn’t come in degrees and it has no need of affirmations or protestations. Whether it is accepted as valid or not depends on the reputation of the speaker. If your life is an expression of integrity and truth then people will accept what you say.

Have you heard of the sanctity of life? This is a common expression within the pro-life movement to declare that every person is made in my image and has intrinsic worth on that basis. In like manner references to the sanctity of marriage mean that that I instituted marriage and that properly understood it has a meaning that transcends a mere temporal arrangement of convenience. Do you know that there is also a sanctity of fatherhood? For it is as a father than I choose to reveal myself. This office is sanctified since I draw the parallel that gives a connection to the eternal. I want you to ponder the sanctity of fatherhood. 

Would you like ministry opportunities and those with needs you can assist to come to you? I said that if you would seek you would find. Those who need what you have may not be aware of it. You must go to them. Those in need of work look far and wide to find it, and businessmen and salesmen keep an eye out for opportunities. If you can understand this principle in the realm of economics then how much more should you apply it in my Kingdom? The first part of the Great Commission is to go into the entire world. If the desire of your heart is to serve me in outreach to those in need and in darkness then seek and I will give you opportunities to be fruitful in my Kingdom.

You take my commandments seriously as you should. Are you content with this? I want you to do and teach all that I commanded you. Who would hide their light under a bushel? A modern version of this would be an opaque lampshade. You have heard it said that what you do when no one is watching reveals your true character. Yet this is rare. Someone is watching more than you are aware and I am always watching. Would you be excused saying that you are not a teacher? You don’t need a structured classroom to teach my commandments. Let your light shine before men. Do not do your good works before them to be seen by them, but that they may glorify me.

You know that you are to forgive. Do you find it easy to do this with a perfunctory statement when asked and quick mental assent when you are not? Yet I want you to forgive from the heart. Have I not also told you to pray for your enemies and do good to those who despitefully use you. How fervent are those prayers? If you are righteous then you may consider those who harm you to be unrighteous. Do you believe in the effectiveness of my redemptive work? Can you see it applied to them? If you forgive from your heart you will pray for my redemption in their lives that they would surpass you in grace and godliness and rejoice to see it happen. What is impossible for you is possible for me.

Do you understand that you sense of worth should be intrinsic? You argue for the sanctity of life of the unborn. The same argument applies to everyone you meet, and to yourself. If you understand that you are accepted in the beloved you do not have to prove your own worth. Have you ever been around people who don’t understand this? They assert their own value as if they have to prove it to you. Yet you wonder if they are trying to prove it to themselves. If your sense of value comes from the one who made you rather than what you do, then you can be at peace, and those around you can too. 

Do you have a highly developed sense of outrage? Does it serve you well? Much of what passes for righteous indignation is not righteous, and in the end, outrage is just rage. You see offenses that are real and egregious, and face the temptation to rise up in response, but the righteousness of God is not accomplished by the wrath of man. I rebuked my own disciples who wanted to call down fire from heaven. I have called you to be a peacemaker, that you may be my child. A soft answer turns away wrath. I want you to experience my peace that surpasses understanding even in the face of provocation that you may be an agent of grace to move in my redemptive purposes.

You engage in conversations every day. How many of them are about spiritual things? How often do you get caught up in wandering conversations that appear to have no purpose or destination? Would you like to direct them to some redemptive purpose? You can always offer a silent prayer to invite me to the conversation and direct it by my Spirit. I promised to give you words on the spot when you are called on to defend your faith and your life. This principle isn’t limited to such extreme situations. If you are in need of words to express redemption you can ask in silence and I will give you words to speak aloud.