Judge not

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 20, 2016 - 20:32

Salvation is a central concept in your faith. You are to receive it and to declare it to others. Yet you are not to say even in your heart, who shall ascend into heaven and who shall descend into hell. It is important, but you are not to presume to make this determination that only I can make. How then are you to occupy your mind and your time? You are to do and to teach all that I have commanded you. You are to declare the good news of the gospel to every creature. You are to let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify me. Do this and let me make the determinations only I can make. 

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belief and faith

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 19, 2016 - 21:42

Faith and belief are central concepts in the Christian faith. Do you think of them as the same thing? They are related, but there is a difference. Belief is the beginning of your faith. Belief is assent and affirmation of key principles and can be done in a moment as an event. You count this as a salvation event and rightly so, even as Abraham believed God and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness. Faith is the fruit that grows from the seed of belief. Faith is more substantial, even as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Let your belief grow into the deep trust of faith. 

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wineskins

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 18, 2016 - 21:43

I told a parable of old and new wineskins. You may remember that the story ended better for the new wineskins than the old ones. I was referring to the coming changes in worship that the old structure would not accommodate. Yet this is an ongoing principle. Do you desire growth in your church? Are you so committed to established traditions that you are standing in the way of the progress you desire? There have been many forms and structures of worship throughout the ages. Not all of them are suitable for you although you should hesitate to say which are right and which are wrong. You should be led by my Spirit when it is time to change and move on. 

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Selfies?

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 17, 2016 - 20:45

Self-portraits have become a popular means of self-expression. It is said that pictures don’t lie, but neither are they a full expression of the truth. They are a two-dimensional image capture of a moment in time. Your life is too complex to represent this way. Are you carrying around photographs from your past that condemn you? Images of points in time where you failed? These are not the sum of your being. Do you carry around pictures of other people in their moments of failure? You should not define them by these either. These negative images can be erased by forgiveness. Live in the full complexity and richness of life now and don’t be condemned or condemn others by images from the past. 

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whatsoever?

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 16, 2016 - 21:39

Do you like the promise that you can have whatever you ask for in prayer? Have you found this to work as you expected every time? What should I do if you ask for something that would lead to your alienation, isolation, and destruction? Your desires carry a lot of weight with me and you can see this illustrated with the way you want to give your own children what they want. They may be influenced by advertising to want some toy that you know will shortly disappoint them, and get it for them anyway. In love you try to protect them from anything really destructive, and I do the same for you. 

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bumps in the road

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 15, 2016 - 21:19

Have you discovered that the road I lead you on has more bumps than the one you would choose for yourself? Do you see the bumps and rough spots in the road as impediments to progress? I see them as a way to obtain the type of progress I am looking for. These experiences lead you to grow in empathy and endurance. They force you to deal with the knowledge of your flaws. Without them you develop false expectations, but with them you learn to see clearly, from a point of view less attached to your personal perspective, and develop true expectations. What you see as hindrances keep you from being spoiled and facilitate your real transformation. 

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ultimate reality

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 14, 2016 - 21:18

You know better than to look for transcendent meaning in material things. This is idolatry and will leave you frustrated and unfulfilled. Do you also know better than to look for transcendent meaning in another person? This can be a temptation even for those who know better than to find their identity in stuff. Relationships are more spiritual than material things, but you will only find ultimate reality in your relationship with me. If you look for this in another person you will place impossible expectations on them and be disappointed. Don’t expect others to give you what you can only find in me.

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Dad

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Submitted by Dale Cresap on March 13, 2016 - 21:32

You refer to nearly everyone by their name. Yet people of great honor are commonly referred to by their titles, such as ‘Mr. President’. Another exception is in the case of a relationship that is so close that a title is more appropriate. You refer to your mother as mom rather than Kathy or Carol or whatever her name may be. How should you refer to me? In the beginning of redemptive history my first followers asked for my name and I told them that “I am”, so I did not give them a name in the usual sense. You are right to think that you should address me with a title of honor, and I have given you one that reflects the close relationship between us, Abba, Father. 

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