Dale Cresap's blog

Do you learn by reading? Do you tell your friends about the things you learn in books that they too may benefit from the knowledge? Is there anything that you have read that you don’t have the right to declare? The freedom of speech means that you can say whatever you want, but have you ever heard someone say something that they got from reading only, with no life experience to back it up? How much impact does this message have? Consider the multitudes that marveled that I spoke with authority and not as the scribes and Pharisees. This is not to discourage you from reading.

Do you have a prayer closet? My word refers to entering your closet to pray. You have a strong concept of the meaning of closet according to the type of house you live in. Do you think that the original audience for this statement was affluent enough and with advanced construction methods to have a separate enclosed room in their homes that they could enter and close the door for private solitude? This is a luxury if you have it. Not everyone does, even today. So what do you think it meant to the original audience?

Are you effective at persuading other people? Since you have the message of life you don’t get to opt out, even if you don’t consider yourself to be gifted in this area. Some people are better than others at this, but there are guidelines that everyone can follow. Have you ever been attacked and humiliated? Did you find this persuasive or did it trigger a defensive reaction in you to cling to what you knew even if it was wrong? Other people experience the same thing. Do you admire boldness in the presentation of the gospel? Do you also admire humble entreaty, patience and forbearance?

I looked at the multitudes and saw sheep without a shepherd and it broke my heart. What do you see? Truth is timeless and eternal, but every generation needs a prophet to declare the ancient truth. Who could you identify as being the current voice in your generation, and those from times past? In this regard do not limit your consideration to those at the head of organizations; to those who hold offices and titles. If you look at the Biblical example you will see that prophets are outsiders rather than insiders. Consider John the Baptist, and of course, me.

Do you believe in the idea of the chosen and elect? So do I. So how can you tell them from others? You could look for those who lay down their life, and pick up their cross and follow me. You could look for those who have been sifted like wheat, and submitted to the refiner’s fire. You could look at those who always bear about my death in their own bodies. What about those who are last, being a spectacle unto me, and to angels, and to men; the off-scouring of the world, yet those of whom the world was not worthy? So there really are the chosen and elect.

Are you familiar with the passage that promises that in return for your faithful generosity, I will open the windows of heaven to pour out a blessing on you? (See Malachi 3). Do you assume that this means a financial blessing, that in return for giving money you will get money in return? A reasonable reading of the passage would suggest that you will have whatever is in heaven poured out on you. Doesn’t that conclusion follow? So what are the contents of heaven? Is heaven full of money? If I poured the contents of heaven on you now would you be disappointed if it wasn’t money?

Are you ever discouraged at your current state of advancement, and the slow rate at which you are making progress? If you take a journey you can estimate your arrival time by doing a time, rate, and distance calculation. If you know your current position and how far you have to go and your rate of travel you can figure it out. Your spiritual journey does not lend itself to such easy calculations. Do not despair at what you see as a lack of progress, or your slow rate of moving ahead. As long as you are consciously engaged in the journey I will get you where you need to be in time.

Everyone likes money, but you know that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil, so some believers have a conflicted relationship to it. Money is a hindrance for many. If it is not for you I can open the windows of heaven and pour it out on you as a blessing. The Bible speaks strongly against exploiting the poor in their wages. I care more about the absolute condition of the poor than I do about the disparity between the rich and the poor, for the rich will be with you always, even as the poor will. Can you acquire wealth in a way that does not diminish the poor?

Do you know any celebrities? Some countries have official royalty, and those that don’t have celebrities which are unofficial royalty. The term implies celebration. Are there some people whose accomplishments are so great that you should honor them or throw a party for them whenever you see them? What sort of accomplishments are worthy of this? Academic and intellectual? Military heroes? Athletes? Entertainers? Do you know of anyone with spiritual achievement who is considered a celebrity? Perhaps your culture has a distorted view of what really matters.

I said that my sheep would hear my voice. How do you hear my voice? Do you expect an audible voice in a rich baritone? Have you ever gotten that? What about your own imagination or unexpected thoughts? Would you recognize these as being from me? What about events in your life, especially when a series of multiple, independent, unlikely events converge in your favor? Do you think of this as random serendipity, or do you think there is divine purpose behind it? What if this happens all the time? Do such occasions capture your awareness and make you ponder?