I believe Ronald Reagan was our final great president. Yes, he made mistakes, he wasn’t perfect. But I think he will be the last great president our country will ever know.

Reagan = Hero

Obama = Zero

Below is my response. Space was limited so it’s a condensed sermon.

Can a relationship survive cheating?

Strictly speaking as a Christian clergyman, yes, it can survive, and sometimes even flourish.

When believers commit to a marriage, it’s a covenant you are making, an oath you are taking. The problem is that too few take that oath seriously enough. Marriage is a joyous event, but also a solemn one. A believer’s marriage is compared to the marriage of Christ to the church.

The person who commits adultery, in many cases both spouses have, they need to show the fruits of true repentance. They need to reveal they aren’t just sorry they got caught, or sorry they admitted it out of just needing to come clean to ease their own conscience, not merely sorry so they don’t get cleaned out in a messy divorce. It must be genuine sorrow for this grievous sin against the partner you made a promise to. This will require you to avoid the temptation(s) that got you in that position. You must build a hedge of protection around your marriage.

People spend more time with coworkers, as an example, than they do with their spouses. They start to confide things with them. Eventually feelings may develop and doesn’t take much more to advance an illicit affair. The thing that is lacking most in marriages in these cases is emotional and spiritual maturity. Remember, the grass always appears greener in the neighbor’s backyard, then, usually after it’s too late, you find out it was indeed greener, but only because it was over the septic system. You see the “other” person at their best. Their hair is nice, breath is nice, they smell nice. Compared to perhaps waking next to the spouse with matted bed hair, dragon breath, eye boogers. You have no idea how this other person acts in the privacy of their home, or how they treat their spouse and/or children. They are going to be their best in front of others. It’s often a “sales” performance to worm their way into your life.

Once an admission is made, and a genuine repentance expressed you must “earn” trust again. This takes time, more often than not, many years. If you are genuine, you’ll put in the time it takes! You reassure the offended spouse in whatever way you can. Promise to never be alone with the opposite sex unless there can be witnesses who can verify your behavior. If you are on the up-and-up you should have no issue with this. Give a phone call at some point through the day to let your spouse know everything is fine and you are thinking of them.

The act of forgiveness is the most difficult part. Adultery is the most difficult thing to forgive. Our God asks us to the difficult. Scripture says, if you do not forgive someone their sins, then neither will your Father in Heaven forgive yours. If you wish to be forgiven “your” sins, you “must” forgive. Well, many say I’ll forgive, but I’m divorcing them anyway! Stop right there! Think about it this way: If you ask Christ for forgiveness and He were to say, okay, I forgive you … but I am going to bar you from Heaven anyway, would you think He really forgave you after all? If He replied to you, I forgive you, but I am sending you to hell anyway, sorry about that, would you think He actually forgave you? So, you go and do likewise in the act of forgiving. Perhaps your spouse will love you so strongly after this merciful act, there would be no doubt as to where you stand with them in life. You will have granted them the most high act of mercy, such is the kind that commands complete devotion in return, out of holy gratitude of your unselfish and undying love.

However, if a person becomes a serial adulterer/adulteress how truly repentant could they possibly be to be committing such an abominable act repeatedly? You are not bound to this apparent liar and thief! Yes, they become a thief because they are taking something that belongs exclusively to you and giving it to another.

Pastor Dave

Isn’t it amazing how, at this time in history, anyone who repeats the words of our founding fathers is considered a potential extremist.  Explain to me how holding near and dear to the heart the great wisdom of these men and the constitution being embraced as the precious gift it truly is is viewed as radical.

First, let me say that I do not believe God ever said or did anything just because He could. I firmly believe God said and did everything for a reason, even if we do not understand why. He is infinite in His wisdom, and we are only finite.

When it comes to homosexuality, God laid the rules. I trust His judgment, but many do not. It is enough for me not to challenge His wisdom because of this trust. He says not to lie, not to commit adultery, not to steal, and I accept these without question.  Most of us would agree that these are also agreeable. But, there are those who would think, with their own understanding, with their carnal minds, that somehow, homosexuality is a matter of personal choice. And you know what?, I think they are correct. It is indeed a personal choice. Sin is always a choice. One can choose to be obedient to God … or disobedient. That’s free will. Free will is what He offered us, and of our own free will we can trust His direction for us, or reject it.

Personally, I feel more of a calling to correct what is wrong inside the Christian community rather than to address those sins committed by those outside the body of Christ. I have studied several statistics that show that those who call themselves Christians have either the same or a greater rate of divorce than those who do not consider themselves Christians. Something is wrong with this picture. And, if we are broke, so to speak, how is it we have the moral authority, or have the high moral ground, to teach others that what they are doing is morally wrong. I’ve never heard of a thief telling another thief that their stealing is wrong. Get my drift?

I am in agreement with the folks who believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. I know that God says a man shall not lie with another man as he would a woman and am in agreement with that. But, if we are to warn others of this sin, how is it that the Christian community claims the high moral ground if we are divorcing at the same or greater rate than non believers? Where is our better and living example? We are not even  faithful to our own spouses. We are covenant breakers. Is this yet another example of do what I say, and not as I do?  How is it that we can break our Holy marriage vows, be unfaithful, giving an opening to Satan to bring an accusation against believers, and yet, tell others they cannot commit their sin of an immoral marriage? I believe we should fix ourselves first. I believe we should first remove the beam from our own eye before we attempt to remove the speck from someone else. No, we’re not perfect, but we are forgiven. But we are guilty of recklessness and this shameful sin all the while condemning another. Are we saying that our sin is lesser than theirs? I don’t think God grades on a curve. Before you feel tempted to send some hate mail my way please understand something. A Christian is always a work in progress. We’re not perfect, but we are recognized as innocent through the sacrifice of Yeshua (Jesus).

Now, without typing all the Scripture out, I’ll list Scripture for you so you may study for yourself.

Leviticus 20:13 > Now I’m not calling for nor would ever condone putting a homosexual to death. Let me be perfectly clear on this matter. I do not condone threats of any physical violence either. But there is a huge difference between warning someone that their eternal soul is in danger and issuing a threat of violence. If I warn a liar that their lies hurt themselves and others is that hate speech? Of course not! Then warning a homosexual should not be either. If I warn someone who is committing adultery that their eternal soul is in danger, that is not hate speech either.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 > Read this carefully, but take note of verse 11! There is the good news! You can be made clean! Notice it says, “But, you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of God.” You would not have been made clean unless you were unclean. Being sexually immoral makes you unclean, but you can get cleaned up through Christ! We should be praising God for that! A homosexual who repents and accepts Christ is a new creature in Christ! He is now “clean” and the past is exactly that … the past! The past sin is buried, and if Satan ever reminds you of your past … you remind him of his future!

Revelation 21:7 & 8 and  22:14 & 15

1 Corinthians 6:13-20 and 10:8

Visiting this website may flag you by the U.S. government as a potential person of interest. You may be viewed as a right wing extremist if you believe that abortion is the killing of an innocent life, that the constitution should be defended against all enemies, both foreign and domestic, that government is the servant of the people and not the other way around, that G-d created the union of a man and a woman, not a man to another man, nor a woman to another woman, etc.

WARNING!

You should support your church and pastor, but so many have their hands out or in your pocket that they’d make the government blush. I despise when some TV preacher tells you “friends, you need this information and for 29.95 we’ll send this out to you.” If they think you need this information so badly … just tell it already! Jesus never withheld His good news, or, only gave them a sample and then proceeded to say that they can hand over the cash and He would then give the full message.

When some of these TV ministers live so high on the hog in their expensive homes, cars, some even having private jets, stand there and ask you for money it fires me up. Whatever happened to humility? The apostle Paul even asked that his cloak be brought to him from where he left it. He didn’t ask that a new one be bought for him. One TV preacher has a home reported to be worth 10 million dollars.  Give me a break! There certainly are those who really do think that godliness is a means to financial gain. Shame on them!

If you think I’m being judgmental, ok, I’ll accept that. I’ll rip off their mask of deception gladly. They tell you what your itching ears want to hear rather than telling you what you NEED to hear all for the almighty dollar. Some will yell and scream at you if they know that gets your attention. They will promise you wealth if only you give to them. There is a “club” on TV that frequently has stories about folks that gave to their “club” and suddenly found themselves wealthy. Of course, they never tell you about those countless persons that give and still struggle financially. They also never say that you can give to your local church and be blessed either. No, it’s always connected to their “club”.

If you end up in the hospital do you really think that this TV preacher is going to drop everything to come visit you? If someone passes away in your family do you really think this guy (or gal) is actually going to come to officiate at the funeral? No friends, it’ll be a local minister … the one you never supported in his calling to serve God and His people.

(more to come)

Welcome to Olive Chapel.net. This site is brought to you and ministered by Pastor David J. Kress, Sr. Pastor Kress is ordained and licensed to perform marriages in the state where he resides.

This site will be updated and upgraded as time and ability permits. Thank you for your patience and your visit. Come back soon.

A little personal information for those curious:

Pastor Kress is 54 years of age, married 35 years with two adult children and a granddaughter. Pastor Kress and his wife live very modestly in a small home where he often jokes about it being so small that he has to walk outdoors just to change his mind. They own a single vehicle which is 15 years old with over 180 thousand miles on the odometer. The home and vehicle are mentioned because many folks seem to think clergy live better than the average person. Most folks aren’t fond of giving financial support to clergy who are paying for a mansion and a BMW … and who could blame them!

Pastor Kress and Olive Chapel website does NOT carry a tax exemption status. Pastor Kress wishes to remain free to speak without being threatened by the IRS to have a tax exemption status pulled.

If you would like to donate to Pastor Kress you may do so by clicking the link provided below. Do not donate more than you can afford. Pastor Kress would rather you pay your bills, buy groceries, purchase your medicines, help family and/or friends that are in need before you donate here. And please, do not neglect your local clergy.

Blessings and best wishes.

Pastor David J. Kress, Sr.

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