Dale Cresap's blog

Do you read for enjoyment, or information, or that you may be changed? Reading for information is harder than reading for fun, and reading to change yourself is still more rigorous, but it is the most beneficial. Who has not tried to break a habit or overcome a deep-seated tendency? You observe your friends characteristics to be fairly constant, and see the same thing in yourself. If you recognize that some of these are hindrances you know how hard it is to eliminate them. Such is the promise of the gospel message, not only that your sins can be forgiven, but that you can be transformed into my likeness. You do not have my promise that this will be easy, but for it to happen at all is a testimony to the light of the world.

Have you ever gone to a ‘come as you are’ party? This is an effort to get people to relax the artificial image they present to others. Do you understand that I throw the ultimate ‘come as you are’ party? You could not improve yourself enough to be presentable to me, but I will receive you as you are to perform my work of grace in your life. To approach me on some other basis would demonstrate that you don’t know your true nature or the nature of my redemptive work. Do you understand the value of time? Your efforts to clean yourself up waste time that you could put to better use serving me in my Kingdom. Come to me as you are. Now.

Do you find Christians to be judgmental? Do you think it is normal for them to be this way? They have received my commandments and I expect them to follow them. Should they expect others to follow them as well? Yet one of my commandments is that you judge not. Those who do not acknowledge me do not receive this commandment and can give harsh unrighteous judgment. Those who call on my name should acknowledge that they are creatures of mercy and this should make them reluctant to judge others. Those who judge demonstrate that they don’t understand the mercy they receive. Those who are forgiven much love much and judge not.

Except you become as little children you shall not enter the Kingdom of God. What qualities do you see in a child? One of these is inquisitiveness. They are curious about the world and eager to learn. If you are doing some new and unfamiliar activity they will come over to investigate. Have you lost your curiosity about new and unfamiliar things as you matured? My invitation to you to seek and find is not limited to a single event. If you keep on seeking you will keep on finding. Maintain your sense of mystery and wonder even as you grow. My Kingdom is an inexhaustible source of these things. 

Do you have questions about my Kingdom? Does it bother you to live a life of faith if you have unanswered questions?  Do you realize that I prompt you with questions about things I want to teach you? Teachers engage students by posing questions to their classes. I do the same thing with you to encourage you to seek me for the answers. For you have my promise that if you seek you will find. Yet those who have no unanswered questions are self-satisfied and no longer seeking. Let your questions prompt you to ask of me, and I will delight to share the treasures of my Kingdom with you. 

Are you afraid when you are popular? Who doesn’t thrive on the approval of those around them? Who wouldn’t like to have a fan club? Yet my word says beware when all men speak well of you. You can become addicted to approval, and compromise your character to obtain it. Your fans will not hold you accountable for your actions. Who can maintain purity and self-discipline under these conditions? There is a steady supply of those who fall because their visible success makes them think they can make their own rules. It is true that you can gain the whole world and lose your own soul. Blessed are those who seek my approval, whether anyone else approves or not.

When you ask me for something do you expect an answer? If you do not receive an answer do you assume that the answer is no? If you try to get an answer from your friends in response to some inquiry and get none, you may assume that they are not interested, but that is not the same as a definite negative answer. Paul made a definite request of me three times, and I gave him a definite answer. I told him that my grace was sufficient for him. This was a definite negative answer to his prayer, but it was still full of divine wisdom and redemptive grace. I am capable of saying ‘no’, or ‘wait’, but it furthers my transforming work in your life for you to keep listening until you get an answer from me.

You may excel in righteousness in one area of your life by sheer determination, but have weaknesses in others. Yet my word teaches you to be pure and holy in every area of your life. This is the meaning of integrity, referring to the soundness of anything that requires every part to work properly for the whole system to work. One faulty part can cause a car to break down or an airplane to crash. So one area of failure can ruin a life as well. Does this discourage you because it seems like an impossible standard to meet? Let not your heart be troubled. Continue to trust in me and I will complete the good work I have begun in you.

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.