Dale Cresap's blog

Are you familiar with the story of the good Samaritan? Do you assume that Samaritans were inherently good? This is a commonly accepted idea today, but to see it this way is to miss the point of the story entirely, and the phrase ‘good Samaritan’ does not appear in the text. Samaritans were outcasts because of their false beliefs. I chose the characters deliberately for a purpose. What would be an equivalent for today? Those on their way to Bible study passing by and the drug addict who stopped to help? You conclude that the Samaritan was good because of his actions. I want you to understand that this is a general principle. 

Is everyone in your church relatively nice, respectable, and well-off? Does this fill you with alarm and concern? I repeatedly taught that the Kingdom was for the needy and oppressed. When the invited guests refused to come to my wedding banquet I had my servants go far and wide to compel the poor and lame to come in. When you fellowship do you find yourself surrounded by such people? If not then you may well think that something is wrong. There is an abundant supply of such people in the world and I am keenly interested in having the banquet hall full at my wedding feast. Go and get them. 

Are you familiar with the parable of the sower and the seed? There are different outcomes for the seed sown in different areas, but the parable implies that all of the seed is good. The difference is in the conditions it finds for growth. The seed represents the word, full of divine life and potential for growth. The sower could have found good soil and planted all the seed there, but the story says that the seed fell in all types of soil. Has your garden ever grown in ways you didn’t expect? You can’t always tell good soil from bad by a casual examination. This is all the more true in the story. I give you an unlimited supply of seed. Sow it everywhere. 

I said that except a grain of wheat dies, it abides alone, but if it dies in the earth it brings forth much fruit. You can see the obvious way in which I was referring to myself, but can you also see that the illustration I used about a seed being consumed in the process of producing a plant is a universal principle? In that case can you see that it applies to you as well? Not in the unique way that it applied to me, but do you see any effective and fruitful gospel works that occur without sacrifice? I call you to lay down your life and pick up your cross and follow me. Your obedience in dying to yourself is a necessary part of the fruitful ministry I have for you.

Are you familiar with the story of Balaam? He was offered money to curse my people. He had a recognized spiritual gift and ability or the offer would not have been made. I told him not to go, but the final offer was high enough for him to overcome my objections. You know that ministry should be given freely and not for reward or up to the highest bidder, but are you subject to more subtle temptations? Is there prestige attached to a successful ministry? You know better than to call it glory, for you know this belongs to me, but how do these differ? If your heart and motives are pure toward me I will show you a way to serve me that gives all the glory to me.

Are you aware that you get lenient treatment from me? My word says that I have not punished you for all your sins, or given you harsh treatment. Yet you should want every sin eliminated from your life. Therefore when I deal with you in one area it is a good idea to search and examine the rest of your life to see if anything else should be eliminated. It is better for all if you search and try your ways rather than requiring me or someone else to bring the need for correction to your attention. It is beneficial for you to examine yourself on a routine basis, but let gentle reminders prompt you to a more thorough review. Judge yourself and you will not be judged.

Do you judge people by their behavior? Even if you can avoid this temptation, others will judge you by your behavior, both individually and corporately. Have you heard criticism of Christians generally and by specific example that seemed to have a valid basis? If you were staffing a company or a team, wouldn’t you want to be selective in whom you chose? Yet the gospel message is offered to whosoever will accept it. Does it seem that those who respond are from the lower strata? Not many noble or wise are called. Yet my work in those I do call is not finished. My goal is not to make them wise in the wisdom of this world, but to change them into my likeness. Watch this divine transformation take place and glorify me for it. 

Your culture makes a strong distinction between winners and losers. My word tells you to lay down your life and pick up your cross, to be a servant to all, to be humble and lowly. Which category does this sound like to you? Yet my word also carries a strong theme of triumph and victory. The means to achieve this are not according to the wisdom of this world in which you win by your own efforts, climbing over others as necessary to attain it. Yet I promise to oppose the proud and give grace to the humble. If you humbly trust and obey me you will see me intervene to give you victory. 

Do you engage in violence? My word tells you to turn the other cheek to those who would strike you. Yet it would be easy to examine yourself casually on this matter and find no fault. There is a level of violence that does not involve striking. Harsh words can be just as cruel, as I said in my Sermon on the Mount, and I also said that you would give an account for every idle word. Therefore set a guard on your mouth that you consider your words with purpose. Realize the power you have in what you say, for good or for evil, and craft your words to conform to my will, that you may speak life and blessing into the lives of all who hear you.

Do Bible teachers tell you that the study of the Bible is the most important feature of the Christian life? The Bible itself does not say this. Study is beneficial for all believers, but it comes easily for some and with difficulty for others. In an age of widespread literacy it is easy to assume that everyone is an academic or has an aptitude for study, but this is not so. Is literacy a prerequisite for godliness? If your aptitude for singing is greater than your aptitude for study then it is acceptable for you to put more emphasis on singing praise to me than in Bible scholarship. Do your bible scholars put an equal amount of time in worship? I know what talents I gave you and it honors and pleases me for you to fully employ them.