Dale Cresap's blog

Have you ever experienced the chastisement of the Lord? The Bible makes clear that he scourges every son he receives, so if you do not experience his discipline you are not within the household of faith. Yet like a good earthly father he will protect you from real harm even as he gives you the discipline you need to form your character. You have a real adversary who is only interested in inflicting real damage. Chastisement is not pleasant, but it is pain with a purpose. Your light afflictions are but for a moment, and they bring forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, and cannot be compared to the glory to be revealed in you. 

Do you hear stories of open visions and angelic encounters and think that people who receive them have a high level of spirituality? You may as well ask why it takes so much drama to get their attention. I speak constantly and in many ways. The condition of your spiritual life determines the ways in which you are able to listen, as I said to my audiences, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. If your heart is turned toward me and your spirit is attuned to me, then you will hear my still small voice and I can guide you with my eye. Those who are not and require great drama for me to speak to them should not be proud of the fact. 

Are you aware that you practice a transcendent faith? This is not a widely used term, and many believers shun it because of the association with transcendental meditation that they reject. Yet you believe in a reality beyond this present world. You know that I created this world by my word, and that I came from heaven to become flesh and dwell among you. This world is passing away so you seek a more permanent and enduring substance, a city whose builder and maker is God. Do not be ashamed to practice a transcendent faith and I will not be ashamed to have you called by my name.

I’ll be gone for a few days, to Portland to celebrate my parents 60^th anniversary. 

Do you lead your life according to ideology? Do not mistake this for leading a life of principle. It is easy to align yourself with the mindset of the liberals or conservatives and this gives predetermined answers to nearly every question. Yet truth is a stronger concept, and to seek the truth requires you to consider every question on its own merits. This may put you in the position of approving some actions of people you generally don’t like, and disapproving of some actions of people you do, but to seek the truth without compromise requires this. If you continue to follow me, you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. 

Do you find some people to have an enormous force of will, and an eagerness to impose that will on others? They may succeed, but they also succeed at driving you away. Such mannerisms are oppressive and you run from them with good cause. In like manner are you not attracted to those who are kind and gentle? You know that my power is unlimited, yet it is my goodness that leads you to repentance. It is my will for you to turn from darkness to light. Do you think this method is too gentle for other people? For yourself? Yet in the process I want to draw you to myself rather than driving you away, for this is the same thing as drawing you to the light. Respond to my goodness and turn to me.

My word declares itself to be living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. Do you perceive it this way? Does it leap off the page and come alive to you? It is an accurate account of events that have taken place, and also of events that are to come, yet it is presented to you as text on paper. I give you permission to do whatever it takes to make it more vivid to you. Do you hold the Bible in reverence and tremble at my word? If so I invite you to use your sanctified imagination to place yourself in the role of Bible characters and situations that you may live them yourself. Better yet, entreat me to do this for you and I will speak to you through my word.

Do you think I speak often, or seldom? Which would you expect from my own descriptions of myself? In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in the darkness… And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. I am the same yesterday, today, and forever. These things are as true of me now as when they were written. How shall the living Word not speak? Listen and you will hear me. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

[posting early today. I will be flying/camping tonight.]

Do you minister life to people in my name? Are you surprised and disappointed if they do not seem grateful for this? Get over it. You are not working for wages in my Kingdom. The heaven is high above the earth and the economic models are different. In the Kingdom you are to give freely because you have received freely. What do you have to give that you did not first receive? Do not measure your life by what you accumulate, but by what you scatter abroad. Trust me to watch over it and derive value from it. Your Father who sees your secret sacrifice and selfless giving will reward you openly. 

Some people are restless and impulsive. The other end of the spectrum is timid and lethargic. Most people fall somewhere in between. The first type charges ahead, and their failures can be dramatic and visible, but their successes can be too. What about the failures of the second type? There is no evidence of risks not taken, ventures not attempted, opportunities refused. You can only imagine what could have been. If you are moving ahead I can intervene to correct you and alter your course. If you are stationary how will I motivate you to get moving? My word is a testimony to action: seek, ask, and knock; and you have the promise that you will find. 

Do you perform better while you are being observed? Most people have a keen sense of whether anyone is watching, and who is paying attention to them. Do you have this same awareness in a spiritual sense? For I promised to be with you always. Do you find this to be a great comfort, or does it make you uneasy to know that I see everything you do? If you want to live and walk in the spirit, take an eternal perspective of everything you do. Run the race that is set before you knowing that you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Run in such a way that they will cheer you on.