Dale Cresap's blog

I tell you to seek those things that are above and to seek first the Kingdom of God. How do you seek that which is not visible? Even this present world can be divided into things that are tangible and things that are intangible. Money and all that it can buy are tangible, but even in this world you can give up tangible things for intangible things, such as giving money to those in need and satisfying your impulse for generous benevolence. You can give of your time to assist others as well. You do not need to look very far to seek the Kingdom of God which is above. It is as near as the least of these.

Can you prove me to your skeptical and unbelieving friends? To whose satisfaction? In law courts not all evidence is admissible. That means that some facts may not be considered in the case. This is a legal construct, and when it is invoked the case is no longer about what really happened, but about what the court is willing to accept. In like manner skeptics have determined not to believe, and reject any supporting evidence. Those who are willing to believe see the supporting evidence everywhere they look. In pursuit of eternal truth outside a court room all evidence is admissible.

My word tells you to love your enemies. Who are your enemies and how do you love them? Any group you belong to has a defined membership. This divides the world into those within and those without. You may not consciously think of those outside your group as your enemies, but beyond matters of taste and preference you are prone to think that you are right and they are wrong. Do you know that there is truth outside your tradition? No one on this earth can make the claim to have all truth. If you can get to the point of realizing that your ‘enemies’ may know something beneficial to you then you can love your enemies by learning what they have to teach you.

Have you ever experienced tragedy in your life? Did you wrestle with the question of whether I caused it or whether I allowed it or whether I should have prevented it and did not? What did you decide? As much as you want an answer to this to make sense of your life these questions are ultimately unanswerable, but there is still an appropriate question. You can ask where I was in this situation. Ask in faith and ask as an honest question, not as an accusation. Do this and you will find that I was with you even in your darkest hour, and by seeking me you can find redemptive purpose in it even if you don’t resolve unanswerable questions.

Are you familiar with the story of Melchisedec? You recognize Abraham as the father of the faith, but Abraham recognized and honored Melchisedec as superior to himself. Scholars and theologians refer to this as a pre-incarnate apparition of me.  You could also refer to it as a special guest appearance. This is before the development of the doctrine of omnipresence, by which you understand that I am with you always. Have I ever put in a special guest appearance in your life? By your own doctrine this is not as much a matter of my being there as it is of your being aware of my presence.

Do you see yourself as a pilgrim? Nearly everyone goes from one place to another, for different reasons. Some are tourists and some go to conduct business or errands. In these cases it doesn’t matter how you get to your destination, and in your rapid pace world faster is considered better. But for a pilgrim the journey itself is important because it is transformative. If you are on a pilgrimage with me you know that speed is not the most important consideration. The destination is important but it is just as important that the person who arrives there is not the same person who started the journey.

Are you an evangelist? The great commission applies to all my followers. Do you enjoy this or do you consider it to be a grim burden? If it is an unpleasant burden to you then you can be assured that your audience feels the same way about it. Have you ever been on the receiving end of someone’s duty to share something out of obligation? Yet have you not also encountered those whose enthusiasm for their passion was contagious? Don’t look at this as a means to excuse yourself from sharing your faith. See it rather as an opportunity to find ways to facilitate transformative encounters in those you meet.

Have you ever been told not to take it personally? This is good advice, even though it may be hard to take from the person who is offering the insult. How much rudeness is intended personally? It isn’t possible to know; everyone has their projections and biased perspectives. Don’t let the other persons eagerness to be offended and offensive in return find a landing place to make a home in you. Woe unto the world because of offenses and those who bring them. If you refuse to take things personally whether they were intended that way or not, you can become unoffendable and break this cycle.

Do you only come to me when you are in a crisis? Can you build a house in a storm? I will not refuse you in your hour of need but this is not the best approach. I told a story about a wise man who built his house upon a rock, and a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. When the storm came, the house built upon a rock stood fast, and the house built on sand fell. But both of these men were wise enough to build their houses before the storm came. Are you? To answer the question above, it is possible to build a house in a storm but no one does, and I wouldn’t recommend it. Build your house now.

Are you creative? Do you think that only a few intuitive artists are creative, and you are not one of them? Perhaps you have set your criteria too narrow. I am creative and made you in my image, and you inherited this same ability as your birthright. What is creativity but being aligned with me and responsive to my spirit? In this condition it doesn’t matter what outlet you use to express it. I want you to look beyond the usual narrow definitions of creativity. I want you to feel the flow of my spirit moving freely through you. This is available to all my children and you should expect it. I want you to be creative in your creativity.