Dale Cresap's blog

Does the Bible shock you? Or have you become so familiar with it that it has lost some impact? Consider the story of the prodigal son and the impact it would have had on the original audience. They would have been aghast at the request of the younger son, not surprised that things ended badly for him in the big city, and totally astounded that the father would take him back, and even more so that he would throw a celebration at his return. Has this story ever had this effect on you? My word is living and powerful. Open yourself to let it speak to you anew, to have the same impact it did on those who heard it first.

Do you take evangelism seriously? The Great Commission is one of the few commandments I gave my followers. When you encounter people, do you see yourself as having their eternal destiny in your hands? This is too strong a position to take, and too great a burden for you to bear. I ask you to do your part, even as a part of a team, or as a garden raised by joint effort. One plants and one waters and one pulls weeds. The one who gathers the harvest should not think that he did it all. Let your light shine, and be obedient in the moment to do your part, and trust the Holy Spirit to coordinate the effort.

Do you like riddles? How can a father not be a man? You think of a father as a male parent who must first be a man. Yet my word makes clear that I am not a man, but still describes me as a Father. Many people, and particularly women, find the masculine emphasis in the Bible to be disturbing. In the case of presenting me as a Father they are missing the point. In this case it is about relationship rather than gender. It is only in having a son or daughter that makes a father. Your faith makes special reference to the Father and the Son and rightly so. In a larger sense I am a Father to every man, woman, and child, for all are my children.

Do you like the passages in the Bible that promise that you can have anything you ask for in prayer? The appeal of this concept for a self-indulgent person is obvious. Yet when it comes time to make your requests do you feel restrained to seek those things that are more noble-minded; the greater good rather than your selfish interests? What would be the purpose of a prayer not according to my will? In parliamentary procedure a motion requires a second. You may think of your prayers as providing a second for the motions I make. Don’t think of this as being unimportant. Do you want my motions to die for the want of a second?

Have you ever heard people criticize me, wondering how I can be loving and just when there is pain and suffering in the world? This is a valid question, but you should be careful in how you approach it. A critic who says that Shakespeare couldn’t write and Beethoven couldn’t compose music is really criticizing himself in offering a low opinion on these whose creativity is well recognized. Will a man judge God? Who is qualified to do this? Do you refrain from judging me because you think I cannot stand up under scrutiny? The real reason should be to save yourself the embarrassment.

Do you believe in the separation of church and state? Or do you think of it as an attack to weaken the power of the church? Don’t be quick to give your enemies credit for this. It was my idea first. In the theocratic state of ancient Israel I forbid the kings to burn incense on my altar, since this was the job of the priests. In the New Testament I spoke of paying tribute saying, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. In saying this I implied that these are different things. If no man can serve two masters, then neither can a church. My church is not free to serve me alone if it is a state bureaucracy.

Are there things for which you think you have no ability? Are they important things? Many people will say this about math or music. What do you notice about people who are excellent musicians, either in voice or instrument? Don’t the best musicians put in a lot of practice? How much practice do you put in for things for which you think you have no ability? If something is important, put in the time to develop the ability you have, and you will do it better than you expected. I call on everyone to make a joyful noise unto me. With practice you can do better still.

Do you think of money as inert, detached, and objective, or do you think it can carry intention? Consider my story of the widow and the mites she gave. I said it was more than the wealthy gave because they gave of their abundance and she out of her lack. Consider those who put me to death. They deemed the thirty pieces of silver as unable to go back into the temple treasury because it was the price of blood. Never mind that they were OK with making it the price of blood when it came out of the temple treasury. So money does carry intention, and I love a cheerful giver. What intention does your money carry?

What does the Bible say about Abraham? That he believed God and he was a righteous man? But there was that incident when he was willing to give up his wife to the king under false pretense to save his own skin. The Bible says of Abraham that he believed God and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness. Big difference. And so began the practice that you could be accepted by God for your beliefs as opposed to your conduct. This is a strong theme in the Bible, and the same deal is available to you, but I don’t want you to lose the distinction between reckoned and real righteousness.

Do you think that more is always better? This is a tenant of your modern culture, but can you see ways in which more is not always better? Consider the food you eat. The ideal amount is to be full and satisfied. Yet you can continue eating beyond this point, but the effect is detrimental. So more is not always better when it comes to food. What about money? Who doesn’t want to have as much as they can possibly get? Yet you can see people who seek an unlimited amount of money and the quest is more detrimental to their well-being than too much food. Can you apply the same principle of full and satisfied to your finances that you can to your diet?