Dale Cresap's blog

Have you heard that the road to hell is paved with good intentions? This is a cynical saying, but there is often a big difference between the good that you would do and the way you actually perform.

You cherish heirlooms that are of great sentimental value to you. You realize that you have a finite time on this earth, and hope that when you are gone someone else will value them as you did. When your time approaches you would rather give them to the right person instead of selling them on the open market even if they have significant monetary value.

Do you live a life of regret, looking back and wishing you had made different choices at key points in your life? Do not be discouraged. This is not appropriate behavior for a believer, and you may not be as far from my will for you as you imagine.

We are friends closer than brothers. Do you usually think of friendship as a relationship between equals? Yet we are not equals. You understand that this cannot be. Normally this puts a strain on a friendship but it is not true in our case.

I took you seriously when you gave your life to me. Now you are bought with a price and you are not your own. Therefore I have the authority to intervene in your life, and to expect you to obey. On one hand you have already given me blanket permission.

You live in a noisy world. It is not just the drone and clanging of engines and other machines. You have continuous access to music and talk. You engage in this voluntarily, but do you ever grow weary of it and seek a place of solitude and silence? You should, for it is good for your soul.

What would you do with a million dollars? Most people have a detailed plan in place and can answer this question without hesitation. Do you expect obtain this amount of money? Most people have more definite ideas about spending it than obtaining it.

When you ask me for blessings does it appear to you that you only get trials and hardships? Do you assume that I am not answering your prayers? I want you to get past the idea that a blessing is something you park in your garage.

Do you seek ease and comfort and avoid strenuous difficulty? You see this behavior in those around you and the motivation is no mystery. Did you assume that when you turned your life over to me that you would have a soft life?

If you receive guidance from me in a very specific and detailed way, and it comes to pass in exactly that manner, are confident that you heard correctly and consider this a testimony of my faithful leading that you can share with others? Do you consider more general instruction from me to be of lower quality?