God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For I give you sound teaching | P4-V2

April 19, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

A Father’s Instruction

Proverbs 4; I die daily devotional.

¹ Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
²For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.
³When I was a son to my father,
Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,

What I perceive from the Holy Spirit blessing me with sound teaching is principles of which increase my understanding kingdom knowledge, how I ought to conduct myself in this world, and as the understanding of such principles by wisdom set in, the process of discipline over time will equip my spirit with power to overcome through faith in the knowledge of the truth against that which means to steal, kill, and devour my soul—the ruler of this world—^{1 John 2:15}Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. ¹⁷The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.)

And so what does wisdom teach you upon learning the instruction of God our Father?

Wisdom instructs me … “…do not abandon the instruction of these principles” that manifest by my obedience to the law of faith, liberty (I think) is governed by God through the inspiration of His Word, that which guides me—and I believe you as well, reader—in the way out of darkness as lights that shine for those asleep in the darkness of this world; if you’re familiar with The CHOSEN series, in season 2 (without spoiling too much) you’ll hear one of the apostles refer to people without Jesus as “sleepers”. There are sleepers that are desperate to be awakened from their sleep to see with hope that only make sense in the revelation of Jesus Christ, souls’ truly born again, or who I might regard as … “the true-borns“; there are those who might claim to be awakened although still very much asleep, and on the brink of death, wolves disguised as sheep in the midst of the herd.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Below You can *click* on your answer and *submit* to see the vote; it is not an ‘ad’ or ‘sponsored item’, just a way for us to engage together, try it…

COMMENTARY

Chapter 4

Matthew Henry (P4-V2) Commentary
II. For what end they were written (v. 2-4), not to gain a reputation to the author, or strengthen his interest among his subjects, but for the use and benefit of all that in every age and place will govern themselves by these dictates and study them closely. This book will help us,

1. To form right notions of things, and to possess our minds with clear and distinct ideas of them, that we may know wisdom and instruction, that wisdom which is got by instruction, by divine revelation, may know both how to speak and act wisely ourselves and to give instruction to others.
2. To distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil-to perceive the words of understanding, to apprehend them, to judge of them, to guard against mistakes, and to accommodate what we are taught to ourselves and our own use, that we may discern things that differ and not be imposed upon, and may approve things that are excellent and not lose the benefit of them, as the apostle prays, Phil. 1:10.

RESOURCE

Proverbs 4 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org | biblegateway.com

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

The instruction of a father | P4-V1

April 18, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

A Father’s Instruction

Proverbs 4; I die daily devotional.

^3:35 The wise will inherit honor,
But fools display dishonor.
¹ Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father,
And give attention that you may gain understanding,
²For I give you sound teaching;
Do not abandon my instruction.

When I was reading up on how to inherit honor throughout multiple verses in Scripture, the one that stood out for me was ^{Proverb 3:7} Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Because the way in which I’ve acquired wisdom is not as though from my own eyes, but revering with the deepest respect—the Eyes of Him who always sees, who sees me at the core; my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

[Father in heaven, Hollowed be Your Name; instruct me as a son with those who follow Jesus as we give attention to Your instruction, that You might grant us understanding. Teach us Father, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen]

Although I think of Solomon writing these words, “Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding, For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my instruction.”; my focus is on the Spirit of God instructing me as a son to this wisdom given Solomon during his time (when Solomon probably taught)—

“If he wrote Proverbs in his 40-50 age range (his 12th to 22nd years of reign), Rehoboam, his oldest son, would have been 13-23 years of age. All of his brothers would have been younger. If Solomon wrote Proverbs a little later, it would seem to contradict his life style in which he was drawn away from the Lord by his many wives. Therefore, I think that we are looking at Solomon writing this instruction for his children no later than this time. Thus, the ages of his children would be anywhere from 5-25 years of age. Just about everything we read in Proverbs would match this age range and also would keep the mother involved as well in their training (something mentioned again and again).”
Dr. Barrick

When I think about the wisdom of Solomon; I think about who is greater than Solomon (Mat 12:42; Luke 11:31); when I think about who is greater than Solomon; I think about Jesus; when I think about Jesus; I think about our Father (John 14:8-10).

So from my perspective, our Father is instructing us by these proverbs through the Spirit of Solomon manifested in the flesh as Jesus Christ, the image and likeness of our Father; I might have a wrong understanding, but I understand Jesus of Nazareth to be the very tangible actuality to the divine nature and essence of God our Father and the gift of the Holy Spirit that is presently instructing us who believe in Jesus.

What I find interesting about Solomon as the wisest man—considering yesterday’s devotional—is that he became a fool by being drawn away from the Lord with his many wives and concubines, and if the wisest man became a fool, who am I, or who are we, that God would grant us His Spirit of discernment by disciplining us as His children. Are we not truly blessed to experience such intimacy with God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Lord?

COMMENTARY

Chapter 4

Matthew Henry (P4-V1) Commentary

When the things of God are to be taught precept must be upon precept, and line upon line, not only because the things themselves are of great worth and weight, but because men’s minds, at the best, are unapt to admit them and commonly prejudiced against them; and therefore Solomon, in this chapter, with a great variety of expression and a pleasant powerful flood of divine eloquence, inculcates the same things that he had pressed upon us in the foregoing chapters. Here is,

I. An earnest exhortation to the study of wisdom, that is, of true religion and godliness, borrowed from the good instructions which his father gave him, and enforced with many considerable arguments (v. 1-13).
II. A necessary caution against bad company and all fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness (v. 14-19).
III. Particular directions for the attaining and preserving of wisdom, and bringing forth the fruits of it (v. 20-27).

So plainly, so pressingly, is the case laid before us, that we shall be for ever inexcusable if we perish in our folly.

Pro 4:1-13

Here we have,

I. The invitation which Solomon gives to his children to come and receive instruction from him (v. 1, 2): Hear, you children, the instruction of a father. That is,
- 1. “Let my own children, in the first place, receive and give good heed to those instructions which I set down for the use of others also.” Note, Magistrates and ministers, who are entrusted with the direction of larger societies, are concerned to take a more than ordinary care for the good instruction of their own families; from this duty their public work will by no means excuse them. This charity must begin at home, though it must not end there; for he that has not his children in subjection with all gravity, and does not take pains in their good education, how shall he do his duty as he ought to the church of God? 1 Tim. 3:4, 5. The children of those that are eminent for wisdom and public usefulness ought to improve in knowledge and grace in proportion to the advantages they derive from their relation to such parents. Yet it may be observed, to save both the credit and the comfort of those parents whose children do not answer the hopes that arose from their education, that Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was far from being either one of the wisest or one of the best. We have reason to think that thousands have got more good by Solomon’s proverbs than his own son did, to whom they seem to have been dedicated.
- 2. Let all young people, in the days of their childhood and youth, take pains to get knowledge and grace, for that is their learning age, and then their minds are formed and seasoned. He does not say, My children, but You children. We read but of one son that Solomon had of his own; but (would you think it?) he is willing to set up for a schoolmaster, and to teach other people’s children! for at that age there is most hope of success; the branch is easily bent when it is young and tender.
- 3. Let all that would receive instruction come with the disposition of children, though they be grown persons. Let all prejudices be laid aside, and the mind be as white paper. let them be dutiful, tractable, and self-diffident, and take the word as the word of a father, which comes both with authority and with affection. We must see it coming from God as our Father in heaven, to whom we pray, from whom we expect blessings, the Father of our spirits, to whom we ought to be in subjection, that we may live. We must look upon our teachers as our fathers, who love us and seek our welfare; and therefore though the instruction carry in it reproof and correction, for so the word signifies, yet we must bid it welcome.

RESOURCE

Proverbs 4 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org | biblegateway.com

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

The wise will inherit honor | P3-V35

April 17, 2021 Nathan Dooley 3 Comments

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

³⁴ Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. ³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor. ^4:1 Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding,

RESOURCE

Proverbs 3 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org | biblegateway.com
¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; ² For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. ³ Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. ⁸ It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. ⁹ Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; ¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. ¹¹ My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, ¹² For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. ¹³ How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. ¹⁴ For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. ¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. ²⁰ By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. ²¹ My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, ²² So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. ²³ Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; ²⁶ For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. ²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ”When you have it with you. ²⁹ Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. ³⁰ Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. ³¹ Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. ³² For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. ³³ The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. ³⁴ Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. ³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V35) Commentary
4. The end of sinners will be everlasting shame, the end of saints endless honour, v. 35.

(1.) Saints are wise men, and act wisely for themselves; for though their religion now wraps them up in obscurity, and lays them open to reproach, yet they are sure to inherit glory at last, the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. They shall have it, and have it by inheritance, the sweetest and surest tenure. God gives them grace (v. 34), and therefore they shall inherit glory, for grace is glory, 2 Co. 3:18. It is glory begun, the earnest of it, Ps. 84:11.
(2.) Sinners are fools, for they are not only preparing disgrace for themselves, but at the same time flattering themselves with a prospect of honour, as if they only took the way to be great. Their end will manifest their folly: Shame shall be their promotion. And it will be so much the more their punishment as it will come instead of their promotion; it will be all the promotion they must ever expect, that God will be glorified in their everlasting confusion.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Though He scoffs at the scoffers | P3-V34

April 16, 2021 Nathan Dooley 2 Comments

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

³³ The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. ³⁴ Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. ³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.

See now I find this verse a bit peculiar, the Lord scoffs at the scoffers, and it’s difficult for me to make sense of this when I think about Christ remaining silent when scoffed at by the scoffers before and while hanging on the cross, but not when I think of my experience with apostates and unbelievers today. It’s as though there is a discreet smile and subtle laugh in my spirit that is discrete a smirk; that distinction is discerned and experienced upon my reading or hearing an argument from a person using their God given grace to exercise a language that naïvely contradicts the very grace that means to save them from their condemnation—rather than judge them condemned—and a person that is deliberately using their language to defend against the resurrection of our Lord that is coming again quickly to render to every man according to what he has done.

How about some engagement in these devotionals, what do yuh say reader/s…

Oh Lord, how I feel the affliction while yet experience Your grace, thank You, Lord. I pray for those who are afflicted yet sustained by Your grace, thank You for Your saints, Lord. You are our refuge, our wisdom, knowledge and understanding; please guide us into all truth by Your Spirit, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V34) Commentary
3. God puts contempt upon sinners, but shows respect to saints, v. 34.

(1.) Those who exalt themselves shall certainly be abased: Surely he scorns the scorners. Those who scorn to submit to the discipline of religion, scorn to take God’s yoke upon them, scorn to be beholden to his grace, who scoff at godliness and godly people, and take a pleasure in bantering and exposing them, God will scorn them, and lay them open to scorn before all the world. He despises their impotent malice, sits in heaven and laughs at them, Ps. 2:4. He retaliates upon them (Ps. 18:26); he resists the proud.
(2.) Those who humble themselves shall be exalted, for he gives grace to the lowly; he works that in them which puts honour upon them and for which they are accepted of God and approved of men. Those who patiently bear contempt from scornful men shall have respect from God and all good men, and then they have no reason to envy the scorners or to choose their ways.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

The curse of the Lord | P3-V33

April 15, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

³² For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. ³³ The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. ³⁴ Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted.

Psalms 37
¹Do not fret because of evildoers,
Be not envious toward wrongdoers.
²For they will wither quickly like the grass
And fade like the green herb.
³Trust in the Lord and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
⁴Delight yourself in the Lord;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
⁵Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
⁶He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.

⁷Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.
⁸Cease from anger and forsake wrath;
Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.
⁹For evildoers will be cut off,
But those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.
¹⁰Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more;
And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.
¹¹But the humble will inherit the land
And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

¹²The wicked plots against the righteous
And gnashes at him with his teeth.
¹³The Lord laughs at him,
For He sees his day is coming.
¹⁴The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow
To cast down the afflicted and the needy,
To slay those who are upright in conduct.
¹⁵Their sword will enter their own heart,
And their bows will be broken.

¹⁶Better is the little of the righteous
Than the abundance of many wicked.
¹⁷For the arms of the wicked will be broken,
But the Lord sustains the righteous.
¹⁸The Lord knows the days of the blameless,
And their inheritance will be forever.
¹⁹They will not be ashamed in the time of evil,
And in the days of famine they will have abundance.
²⁰But the wicked will perish;
And the enemies of the Lord will be like the glory of the pastures,
They vanish—like smoke they vanish away.
²¹The wicked borrows and does not pay back,
But the righteous is gracious and gives.
²²For those blessed by Him will inherit the land,
But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

²³The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
²⁴When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand.
²⁵I have been young and now I am old,
Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
Or his descendants begging bread.
²⁶All day long he is gracious and lends,
And his descendants are a blessing.

²⁷Depart from evil and do good,
So you will abide forever.
²⁸For the Lord loves justice
And does not forsake His godly ones;
They are preserved forever,
But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.
²⁹The righteous will inherit the land
And dwell in it forever.
³⁰The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
And his tongue speaks justice.
³¹The law of his God is in his heart;
His steps do not slip.
³²The wicked spies upon the righteous
And seeks to kill him.
³³The Lord will not leave him in his hand
Or let him be condemned when he is judged.
³⁴Wait for the Lord and keep His way,
And He will exalt you to inherit the land;
When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

³⁵I have seen a wicked, violent man
Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.
³⁶Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more;
I sought for him, but he could not be found.
³⁷Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright;
For the man of peace will have a posterity.
³⁸But transgressors will be altogether destroyed;
The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
³⁹But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord;
He is their strength in time of trouble.
⁴⁰The Lord helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V33) Commentary
2. Sinners are under the curse of God, they and their houses; saints are under his blessing, they and their habitation, v. 33. The wicked has a house, a strong and stately dwelling perhaps, but the curse of the Lord is upon it, it is in it, and, though the affairs of the family may prosper, yet the very blessings are curses, Mal. 2:2. There is leanness in the soul, when the body is fed to the full, Ps. 106:15. The curse may work silently and slowly; but it is as a fretting leprosy; it will consume the timber thereof and the stones thereof, Zec. 5:4; Hab. 2:11. The just have a habitation, a poor cottage (the word is used for sheep-cotes), a very mean dwelling; but God blesses it; he is continually blessing it, from the beginning of the year to the end of it. The curse or blessing of God is upon the house according as the inhabitants are wicked or godly; and it is certain that a blessed family, though poor, has no reason to envy a cursed family, though rich.

Nathan Dooley

NOW TO RIGHT MY ERROR

April 15, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

I thought about using a play-on word such as ‘write’ rather than “right” in my title. I suppose that idea has to do with my personality—I think it’s catchy and ironic—not considering that I’m about to write-out where I’ve gone wrong in my previous blogs.

I’ve come to realize how certain blog posts that I’ve written are convoluted. The language in some—if not a lot—of my previous literature has been confusing for me and to my readers, and for that, I’m deeply sorry. From here, at this point, by this post; I mean to write differently, and hope the difference will not only prove invaluable, but at the very least, noticed.

Thank you for being so patient toward me as I learn through experience.

The error I was making in my literature was asserting information as though teaching rather than clarifying the language of my writing such as, “As I explore this [information], my perception is this…”. Rather than, “This is what this [information] means”, especially when said information might not mean what I say it means at all.

I will right my error, and will describe when gray is gray rather than making what is gray, black or white. I love you readers, and thank you.

—Nathan

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

I die daily devotional 4-14

April 14, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

I didn’t forget about today’s devotional (P3-V33); ^{Proverbs 3:33} The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

I was sent on a spiritual journey when working on this devotional that I’m still writing out, but for now…

What does the curse of the Lord mean to you?

I love what Paul says…

^{Galatians 3:10}For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.” ¹¹Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “The righteous man shall live by faith.” ¹²However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who practices them shall live by them.” ¹³ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— ¹⁴in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We are redeemed from the curse because Jesus hung on the cross for us!

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For the devious are an abomination | P3-V32

April 13, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

³¹ Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. ³² For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. ³³ The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.

Now this is a proverb that speaks to my flame, the fire within to literate what the gospel teaches from the core of my being in hope all will listen to their instinctive reason to live another day, by the wisdom of love.

According to our devotional from yesterday all are devious, or at least started out that way in their disobedience, but to be classified as an abomination … that hits at the essential part of the human experience, the soul. You remember our commandments (Mk. 12:30) upon believing in Jesus; love the Lord your God with all your heart, and it’s one thing to desire from the heart something to be judged as disobedient or devious by that commandment of which can be forgiven, no different than the case for the mind; love the Lord your God with all your mind, because the thoughts that might be judged as disobedient or devious can be forgiven for the mind to repent (be renewed Rm. 12:2), but in our case of the soul?… We’ve breached sacred ground.

I think the soul can be regarded as the very definition of the type of person someone is, whether good or evil by choice of nature. The soul is where information emerges from the place that is sacred within the heart, mind, and strength, of a person, all of which encompass the soul breathed into mankind by the breath of God—^{Genesis 2:7}Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And before I write a novel…

How would you judge to define yourself with the knowledge of the commandments?

Is the Lord intimate with you by how you’ve judged?

How does the Holy Spirit move you into the intimacy of our Lord?

As you are believing in Jesus Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit will guide you into the knowledge of the truth so as to be upright. Thank you God our Father for Jesus our Lord and Savior. Amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V32) Commentary
For,

1. Sinners are hated of God, but saints are beloved, v. 32. The froward sinners, who are continually going from-ward him, whose lives are a perverse contradiction to his will, are abomination to the Lord. He that hates nothing that he has made yet abhors those who have thus marred themselves; they are not only abominable in his sight, but an abomination. The righteous therefore have no reason to envy them, for they have his secret with them; they are his favourites; he has that communion with them which is a secret to the world and in which they have a joy that a stranger does not intermeddle with; he communicates to them the secret tokens of his love; his covenant is with them; they know his mind, and the meanings and intentions of his providence, better than others can. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do?

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not envy a man | P3-V31

April 12, 2021 Nathan Dooley 1 Comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

³⁰ Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. ³¹ Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. ³² For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright.

When I think of violence, I think of bullies doing physical harm to not only get pleasure out of dominance, but the reward of being feared and getting stuff; violence comes in many forms, not just someone stealing your lunch money, and while it may look appealing to have what the bully has, our proverb blesses us with the wisdom to avoid such desire.

What person or country comes to mind when you think of violence in the context of our proverb?

I’m ashamed to remember being a bully to my siblings growing up, not that I was stealing their lunch money, but I was way to rough on my little brother when he would beat me at video games and then rough on my sister when she tried defending him. I was bullied, so I would bully in return, and it’s a vicious cycle.

Was there ever a time when you bullied someone?

It’s crazy to think about the vapor of past regretful experiences lasting a lifetime in memory, haunting me as reminders of who I once was before getting intimate with Christ our Lord. It reminds me of what Paul said to the Romans and Colossians:

^{Colossians 3:5}Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. ⁶For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, ¹⁰and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— ¹¹a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

^{Romans 11:30}For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. ³²For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all.

Believe me, I don’t envy that violent youngster I once was, and sure don’t envy anyone who makes a practice of deceptive violence for the sake of gain, their own pleasure and reputation, or wealth and power.

Wisdom warns us about choosing the way of violence, and so as I search my own heart where I know violence might exist in me when thinking about certain people, things, or instances, I encourage you to search and examine yourself as well before starting your day. I pray this devotional will come to mind when out of nowhere violence emerges to test our faith.

Will you remember how you’ve been changed from the old self to the new self when violence emerges?

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V31) Commentary
IV. We must not envy the prosperity of evil-doers, v. 31. This caution is the same with that which is so much insisted on, Ps. 37. “Envy not the oppressor; though he be rich and great, though he live in ease and pleasure, and make all about him to stand in awe of him, yet do not think him a happy man, nor wish thyself in his condition. Choose none of his ways; do not imitate him, nor take the courses he takes to enrich himself. Never think of doing as he does, though thou wert sure to get by it all that he has, for it would be dearly bought.” Now, to show what little reason saints have to envy sinners, Solomon here, in the last four verses of the chapter, compares the condition of sinners and saints together (as his father David had done, Ps. 37), sets the one over against the other, that we may see how happy the saints are, though they be oppressed, and how miserable the wicked are, though they be oppressors. Men are to be judged of as they stand with God, and as he judges of them, not as they stand in the world’s books. Those are in the right who are of God’s mind; and, if we be of his mind, we shall see, whatever pretence one sinner may have to envy another, that saints are so happy themselves that they have no reason at all to envy any sinner, though his condition be ever so prosperous.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not contend with a man | P3-V30

April 11, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁹ Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. ³⁰ Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. ³¹ Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways.

Forgive me, these devotionals are suppose to be daily, and I’ve missed the mark delivering that principle.

Of every person that has walked the face of our planet, and will walk; Jesus our Lord is the only Person worthy to contend with all people, and yet, He didn’t, even when harm was being done to Him.

What does wisdom teach you as you think about that?

What wisdom teaches me is what Paul teaches in chapter six of his first letter to the Corinthians—^6:7-8 “Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather suffer the wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? On the contrary, you yourselves do wrong and defraud. And this to your brothers and sisters!“—because it comes natural to contend with each other when we’ve been wronged, and by an immediate emotion of unrighteous anger we’re on the defensive to all encompassing situations.

Why do you think that is?

The reward of wisdom we gain by understanding this proverbs is freedom from the natural response of our flesh to contend, for the qualities of the Spirit that means to reveal the kingdom of God within the saints walking on this planet today, right now. You might be wondering—”How?” And the answer I perceive from the Spirit is what we already have as faithful believers, which is the entrance into the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, there is nothing of this world more important than the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ.

So why not rather suffer the wrong and be defrauded?

RESOURCE

Proverbs 3 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org
¹ My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; ² For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. ³ Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. ⁴So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man. ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. ⁸ It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. ⁹ Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce; ¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine. ¹¹ My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, ¹² For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. ¹³ How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. ¹⁴ For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold. ¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. ¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. ¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. ²⁰ By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. ²¹ My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, ²² So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. ²³ Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; ²⁶ For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. ²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ”When you have it with you. ²⁹ Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. ³⁰ Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. ³¹ Do not envy a man of violence And do not choose any of his ways. ³² For the devious are an abomination to the LORD; But He is intimate with the upright. ³³ The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous. ³⁴ Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted. ³⁵ The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V30) Commentary
III. We must not be quarrelsome and litigious (v. 30): “Do not strive with a man without cause; contend not for that which thou hast no title to; resent not that as a provocation which peradventure was but an oversight. Never trouble thy neighbour with frivolous complaints and accusations, or vexatious law-suits, when either there is no harm done thee or none worth speaking of, or thou mightest right thyself in a friendly way.” Law must be the last refuge; for it is not only our duty, but our interest, as much as in us lies, to live peaceably with all men. When accounts are balanced, it will be found there is little got by striving.

Christian, God and Coffee, Journal, Nathan Dooley, Personality, Psychology, the Word of God, Therapy

“…who takes away the sin of the world!”

April 7, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

Read Me First

Lamb of God

“The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”—John 1:29
^{_{—(Elijah) John the Baptist}}

^{Matthew 17:11}And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; ¹²but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

MY FOCUS

As I focus on these journal entry posts, I learn and understand more about myself and my deepest concern, the salvation of souls. Ever since I’ve heard and believed in the gospel, the question of whether someone is saved or not has always been at the core of my desire to understand. More on that in other posts.

In my previous post, which is a building block to this one, I wrote, “God didn’t create me to be good or evil, or even to be as in-between—under the curse of sin as a sinner while alive by the grace of God to exist separate from Him (And thank God for that!).” Which has compelled me to expound.

GOOD OR EVIL, OBSERVE:

Thinking about whether God created me to be good or evil?

I don’t think God created me to be good or evil, meaning there is a difference between ‘knowing good and evil‘ and ‘being good or evil‘. God saw all that He had made, then declared it ‘all‘ as … ‘very good‘; that didn’t mean that what He created innocent from the knowledge of good and evil to be limited by that innocence as programmed robots without risk, eating that fruit to have the knowledge of good and evil, of which existed altogether in harmony with the Lord God in the garden of Eden.

So sin existed in consequence of God warning Adam and Eve not to eat, or surely they would die (^{Genesis 2:17}but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”), and since Adam and Eve ate that fruit we all die because God means what He says; God is Holy and Just to execute the punishment deemed worthy of those attributes against His enemies. When mankind disobeyed God, we became enemies of God that reaps the consequences of that disobedience, and so therefore, we all suffer death.

^{1 Corinthians 15:22}For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

CREATED AS A SINNER?

I’m confident that God didn’t create me to be a sinner, which was what I meant by “in-between”—forever separated from God in the prison of death and Hades if it had-been that Adam ate from the tree of life (^{Genesis 3:22}Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—) to live forever in the consequence of our due penalty and present state of death; It would be miserable if this world of suffering … is without end, (^{Revelation 1:18}and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.).

Thank God for Jesus taking away the sin of the world!

Thinking about what it means to be separated from God?

I know that I’m separated from God through knowledge gained by experience in this flesh and blood of sin and death under the grace of God (^{1 Corinthians 15:26}The last enemy that will be abolished is death.) by guilt that is incapable of inheriting the kingdom of God (^{1 Corinthians 15:50}Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.). Truth testifies to the death that I am dying as the last enemy to God yet to be abolished by the return of Jesus Christ (^{1 Thessalonians 4:15}For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.).

SO AGAIN I SAY!

THANK GOD FOR HIS LAMB!

So all that to say that when Jesus took away the sin of the world at the cross as the Lamb of God, all entered into a new covenant of which saves us through faith.

The gift of God does not come without responsibility, that is to say, without repentance; repentance is experienced through much discipline by the Helper—the Holy Spirit (^{John 14:25}“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. ²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. ²⁷Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.). (^{John 16:6} But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart. ⁷ But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment: ⁹ regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me;¹⁰ and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me; ¹¹ and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.).

Who is the ruler of this world?

I’ll leave that to build on in the next post.

^{Matthew 17:11}And He answered and said, “Elijah is coming and will restore all things; ¹²but I say to you that Elijah already came, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” ¹³Then the disciples understood that He had spoken to them about John the Baptist.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not devise harm | P3-V29

April 6, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ”When you have it with you. ²⁹ Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you. ³⁰ Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm.

When you think of the word “neighbor”, who or what comes to mind?

It’s taken me a bit to think about our verse, possibly because I tend to overthink; I not only think of my ‘literal’ next door neighbors, but anyone and everyone I might encounter, including who I’m writing to. Yes, that’s right, even you are my neighbor.

What is wisdom teaching you by this proverb?

As for me, I think of my neighbor’s little black dog because without fail that dog snarls and barks at everything when let free to roam in their backyard including me when in my own backyard; granted, it does make for a good watch dog, but gaw does it get on my last nerve sometimes!

However, the reward wisdom provides me is the discipline not to kill the dog … a bit extreme, but there’s my confession, a discrete hope from the heart for harm against the dog which would also be harm on my neighbor who cares for the dog… somehow.

So when the dog is in its backyard and me in mine, even as the dog sticks its nose through a broken part of our fence in desire to devour me by its constant snarl barking, my choice is the wisdom of do not devise harm against your neighbor, while he lives securely beside you.

Thank you God for all my neighbors and even my neighbor’s dog that desires to devour me, please bless them, and examine my heart to be moved by Your wisdom, and not my harm when experiencing trials of various kinds. Thank you Lord, in Jesus. Amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V29) Commentary
II. We must never design any hurt or harm to any body (v. 29): “Devise not evil against thy neighbour; do not contrive how to do him an ill-turn undiscovered, to prejudice him in his body, goods, or good name, and the rather because he dwells securely by thee, and, having given thee no provocation, entertains no jealousy or suspicion of thee, and therefore is off his guard.’ It is against the laws both of honour and friendship to do a man an ill-turn and give him no warning. Cursed be he that smites his neighbour secretly. It is a most base ungrateful thing, if our neighbours have a good opinion of us, that we will do them no harm, and we thence take advantage to cheat and injure them.

Christian, God and Coffee, Journal, Nathan Dooley, Personality, Psychology, Spiritual Insights

Lamb of God

April 5, 2021 Nathan Dooley 1 Comment

INTRODUCTION

Hi my name is Nathan, and welcome to my blog if we don’t know each other and it’s your first time here. This past Friday – Sunday (April 2-4, 2021) was not only a memorial time for me personally, but for this world even if the world hates knowing it (^{John 7:7}The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil.).

How this is personal to me is what you’ll read as each of these particular posts with the featured photo describes my experience with the Lamb of God. There is so much on my heart and mind that needs worked out; the freedom to write whenever throughout the day is such an awesome exercise for doing just that, working out my salvation with fear and trembling (^{Philippians 2:12}So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.). And so what is my hope by this exercise?

My hope is that you, the reader, will discover new insights along with me about the Word of God by our common devotion to Jesus Christ our Lord. If you love the Lord, you’ve come to the “write” place, and I’m so excited to go through the trials of discipline with you as we discover more of our Savior together until we’re resurrected to life with Him by the glory, wisdom, and power, of God.

LAMB OF GOD

“The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
—John 1:29

Now although the Bible doesn’t explicitly say from the book of Genesis that it was an innocent lamb slaughtered for the covering of Adam and Eve ( ^{Genesis 3:21}The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.); I believe it was an innocent lamb—by the fact that Jesus was identified as “the Lamb of God”—that clothed Adam and Eve, symbolizing the grace of God later to be revealed as Jesus of Nazareth who took away the sin of the world by being slaughtered on that cross (^{Matthew 20:18}“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, ¹⁹and will hand Him over to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him, and on the third day He will be raised up.”).

Why is the Lamb of God relevant to Adam and Eve?

The reason I believe the Lamb of God is relevant to Adam and Eve is because of the plan and process in which God accomplished to save us from our curse that eternally separates us from God, having been held captive to the rogue nature of a good serpent which manifests as … sin. I say “good serpent” to mean what God said when He created all things, and saw all things to be very good—including the crafty serpent in which He made (^{Genesis 3:1}Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?). Which then begs the question…

If God is good, and if God is Love, how was it possible for an eternally good creature, created by an eternally loving God, turn from it’s own created nature as good, to be evil by deceiving Eve?

The answer, discovered with faith in Jesus Christ, is learned by the experience of spiritual discipline, but found in the book of Ezekiel (^28:14“You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. ¹⁵“You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you.). Unless created beings were created to be robots of self-awareness, it doesn’t make sense that I would have the choice to be evil or good.

Therefore, I know that I wasn’t born as a created robot of self-awareness by the fact that I have the knowledge of good and evil; I can do either good or evil, but the choice comes with a risk. God didn’t create me to be good or evil, or even to be as in-between—under the curse of sin as a sinner while alive by the grace of God to exist separate from Him (And thank God for that!). So by the Lamb (grace) of God, I have the freedom to be good or evil at will – by the knowledge of both – but again, not without risk. According to this verse ^{Genesis 3:22}Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—; I can either be good, or be evil, as both of these archetypes are evident in my soul to breathe both influences.

By archetypes I mean Jesus Christ and Satan; Jesus Christ is good, and Satan is evil, both of which are alive in my life as the knowledge of the truth bears witness to the condition of my soul; truth is recognized by my awareness of the curse in me through Adam as a sinner dying in sin, having sinned against the Word of God from the very beginning in Adam.

All human flesh and blood of Adam and Eve since the very beginning does not inherit the kingdom of God—hence the Lamb of God. I have more to build on from here, soon…

Lamb of God

“…who takes away the sin of the world!”

Christian, God and Coffee, Journal, Nathan Dooley, Personality

#HEBEROSEN!

April 4, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

Good morning, it’s 8:00 on the 4^th of April in Dallas Tx, but 8 hours away in Jerusalem, Israel… it’s 4:00 in the afternoon! We’re waking up way behind schedule! Everyone on social media is like,

“HE IS RISEN!!!”

While the Jews in Israel *shaking heads* saying, “Americans…” “God have mercy.” Jesus is at the right hand of power … *tapping watch* … “Is this thing broken? I thought I rose hours ago?” Jesus already rose, and early that day nearly 2000 years ago, so why not we consider changing the American language of our culture, and say,

“He be ROSEN!”

See now that! That has a “ring” to it! He be rosen up in dis house, you feel me! Now let me just correct the gospel real quick, ^{Matthew 28:6} He is not here, for [He be rosen up in dis house], just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. There! Perfect!

WE ARE FREE!!!

I mean how exciting is it to proclaim to the world our freedom from sin! Come take a look see! ^{Matthew 28:7} And go quickly and tell His disciples that [HE BE ROSEN] from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

SO YO!

WE HAVE THE VICTORY!

I mean Jesus gave us the victory over sin and death through the provision of a sustainable belief structure and system! How awesome is that???!!! We are no longer chained to sin that condemns us to the wrath of God unless we’ve denied the gift of our faith through Jesus Christ!

^{1 Corinthians 15:56} The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. _{(bold/italics/underline | mine)}

So since Jesus be rosen in my heart, my hope is secure as my faith produces the qualities of His attributes while I die to myself for the sake of following Jesus Christ by the truth of His gospel—repentance unto eternal life!

THAT BETTER GET YOU FIRED UP!

Man do I hope that the world will hear and believe this good news, even at the prophetic words that reveal a truth difficult to bear—not all will receive, although all will hear to bow at the truth, and yet—my hope remains even at the knowledge of the truth that reveals the end before its beginning. I recognize with growing awareness that glows a very severe and fatal warning to this gift of my salvation shared with followers of the WAY, power with which words identify the place where the unbelieving soul remains consumed by condemnation … Hell.

Am I the only one that experiences the measure and weight of such words with power to shift the conscience from the perspective of victory to a perspective of grief at the thought of loss by a people choosing their denial by faith supplied to all for salvation? No… surely not. My friend and brother of the faith Draoun can tell you all about grief! That brother has been such a tremendous encouragement to me; he understands grief at a very different level, and has helped me understand the necessary process of grieving for healing. This pain doesn’t end in our flesh, but here comes more good news!

^{Revelation 21:3} And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, ⁴ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” _{(bold/italics/underline | mine)}

Here we go!

AN EMOTIONAL WAVE!

Let the wave of grief run its course as it crashes into its boundary limit just as God declared to Job!

^{Job 38:}
⁸“Or who enclosed the sea with doors
When, bursting forth, it went out from the womb;
⁹When I made a cloud its garment
And thick darkness its swaddling band,
¹⁰And I placed boundaries on it
And set a bolt and doors,
¹¹And I said, ‘Thus far you shall come, but no farther;
And here shall your proud waves stop’?

Bear in mind the glory of God by His grace and peace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord!

WE BE ROSEN!

When Jesus Christ ascended into glory at the right hand of God, He brought us with Him according to faith in Him by the promise of His Word—eternal life. Therefore I pray my heart, mind, soul, and strength, keep the commandment to believe in Him for as long as He sustains me to serve our living God! Amen.

Just some journal writing, hope you experience more grace and peace in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not say to your neighbor | P3-V28

April 3, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you. ²⁹ Do not devise harm against your neighbor, While he lives securely beside you.

Today, (if you’re a believer) our Lord Jesus, is no longer in a tomb although we celebrate the communion of bread and wine in remembrance of the new covenant through the body and blood of Jesus Christ—the Lamb of God! Jesus didn’t wait to give us the gift of His Father so that we would then turn to our neighbor and say, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,”. We who are believing in Jesus for salvation have the resources from the eternal kingdom of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to give right now … TODAY!

Check it out!

^{2 Peter 1} Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: ²Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. ⁴For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. ⁵Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, ⁶and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, ⁷and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. ⁸For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. ¹⁰Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; ¹¹for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. _{(bold/underline | mine)}

So there you have it!

By our faith in Jesus we have the qualities to share with our neighbor, and not just our neighbor, but the world!

Are you sharing?

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V28) Commentary
I. We must render to all their due, both in justice and charity, and not delay to do it (v. 27, 28): “Withhold not good from those to whom it is due (either for want of love to them or through too much love to thy money) when it is in the power of thy hand to do it, for, if it be not, it cannot be expected; but it was thy great fault if thou didst, by thy extravagances, disable thyself to do justly and show mercy, and it ought to be the greatest of thy griefs if God had disabled thee, not so much that thou art straitened in thy own comforts and conveniences as that thou hast not wherewithal to give to those to whom it is due.’ Withhold it not; this implies that it is called for and expected, but that the hand is drawn in and the bowels of compassion are shut up. We must not hinder others from doing it, not be ourselves backward to it. “If thou hast it by thee to-day, hast it in the power of thy hand, say not to thy neighbour, Go thy way for this time, and come at a more convenient season, and I will then see what will be done; to-morrow I will give; whereas thou art not sure that thou shalt live till to-morrow, or that to-morrow thou shalt have it by thee. Be not thus loth to part with thy money upon a good account. Make not excuses to shift off a duty that must be done, nor delight to keep thy neighbour in pain and in suspense, nor to show the authority which the giver has over the beggar; but readily and cheerfully, and from a principle of conscience towards God, give good to those to whom it is due,’ to the lords and owners of it (so the word is), to those who upon any account are entitled to it. This requires us,

1. To pay our just debts without fraud, covin, or delay.
2. To give wages to those who have earned them.
3. To provide for our relations, and those that have dependence on us, for to them it is due.
4. To render dues both to church and state, magistrates and ministers.
5. To be ready to all acts of friendship and humanity, and in every thing to be neighbourly; for these are things that are due by the law of doing as we would be done by.
6. To be charitable to the poor and necessitous. If others want the necessary supports of life, and we have wherewithal to supply them, we must look upon it as due to them and not withhold it. Alms are called righteousness because they are a debt to the poor, and a debt which we must not defer to pay, Bis dat, qui cito dat–He gives twice who gives speedily.

Christian, Journal, Nathan Dooley, Personality, Psychology

From thoughts to literature, and the AD 2021 passover

April 3, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

Ever since Winter Storm Uri, my blog writing has slowed down rather drastically—as you might have noticed since February—although that’s not ‘all‘ the reason. I’ve been experiencing a dramatic shift … an edification, that once begun is not undone, of which has caused me pause and thus, here we are: I love how Thaddeus, a stone cutter and follower of Jesus the Nazarene, (played by Giavani Cairo in The Chosen season 1 episode 5 series) describes the purification jars as Jesus works a miracle of changing water into wine.

“Once you make that first cut into the stone, it can’t be undone. It sets in motion a series of choices, what used to be a shapeless block of limestone or granite begins’ its long journey of transformation, and it will never be the same.”
—Thaddeus (The Chosen S1:E5)

That best describes what I’ve been experiencing recently while, conversing with friends and family, investigating, praying, studying and memorizing—Scripture! I’ve been deeply moved to record and share at a more personal level with the T4P audience, and so, much like that first cut into the stone setting in motion a series of choices, is exactly what this post means to do. The miracle of Jesus changing water into wine is what God does with each of us as we believe in the Son of God. We are living miracles undergoing transformation by faith in what Jesus did on the cross some 2000 years ago; He was at rest silent in a tomb where nobody saw or heard the Word, the ears and eyes of Israel and Rome were deaf and blind until tomorrow morning in Jerusalem.

ARE YOU READY?!

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not withhold good | P3-V27

March 31, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁶ For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. ²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. ²⁸ Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, ”When you have it with you.

At the core of our verse today, I experience the idea—of complete willingness—to give at my fullest capacity without the expectation of return for the good that is due.

If we were to compare to each other what “good” looks like, we’ve missed the reward of our wisdom. We are not to withhold good from those to whom it is due based on the power of others, but what does the verse tell us? When it is in your power to do it. So it’s important that we understand our own resources or gifts that can give good to those to whom it is due. So only focus on what is within your own capacity to give good, not within the capacity of peers doing in like fashion as you by their own ‘good’ given to those whom it is due.

I think the best practical understanding of this is what Jesus taught:

^{Matthew 25:}³⁴“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; ³⁶naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ³⁸And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ³⁹When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’ ⁴¹“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴² for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; ⁴³I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ ⁴⁴Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ ⁴⁵Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ⁴⁶These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V27) Commentary
True wisdom consists in the due discharge of our duty towards man, as well as towards God, in honesty as well as piety, and therefore we have here divers excellent precepts of wisdom which relate to our neighbour.

I. We must render to all their due, both in justice and charity, and not delay to do it (v. 27, 28): “Withhold not good from those to whom it is due (either for want of love to them or through too much love to thy money) when it is in the power of thy hand to do it, for, if it be not, it cannot be expected; but it was thy great fault if thou didst, by thy extravagances, disable thyself to do justly and show mercy, and it ought to be the greatest of thy griefs if God had disabled thee, not so much that thou art straitened in thy own comforts and conveniences as that thou hast not wherewithal to give to those to whom it is due.’ Withhold it not; this implies that it is called for and expected, but that the hand is drawn in and the bowels of compassion are shut up. We must not hinder others from doing it, not be ourselves backward to it. “If thou hast it by thee to-day, hast it in the power of thy hand, say not to thy neighbour, Go thy way for this time, and come at a more convenient season, and I will then see what will be done; to-morrow I will give; whereas thou art not sure that thou shalt live till to-morrow, or that to-morrow thou shalt have it by thee. Be not thus loth to part with thy money upon a good account. Make not excuses to shift off a duty that must be done, nor delight to keep thy neighbour in pain and in suspense, nor to show the authority which the giver has over the beggar; but readily and cheerfully, and from a principle of conscience towards God, give good to those to whom it is due,’ to the lords and owners of it (so the word is), to those who upon any account are entitled to it. This requires us,
- 1. To pay our just debts without fraud, covin, or delay.
- 2. To give wages to those who have earned them.
- 3. To provide for our relations, and those that have dependence on us, for to them it is due.
- 4. To render dues both to church and state, magistrates and ministers.
- 5. To be ready to all acts of friendship and humanity, and in every thing to be neighbourly; for these are things that are due by the law of doing as we would be done by.
- 6. To be charitable to the poor and necessitous. If others want the necessary supports of life, and we have wherewithal to supply them, we must look upon it as due to them and not withhold it. Alms are called righteousness because they are a debt to the poor, and a debt which we must not defer to pay, Bis dat, qui cito dat–He gives twice who gives speedily.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For the Lord will be your confidence | P3-V26

March 28, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; ²⁶ For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. ²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it.

Now see, this be what I’m talkin-bout!

CONFIDENCE

The treasure of confidence is not found without much humility, and humility is not found without much discipline, and the way we find discipline is by finding the love of God. So to find the treasure of confidence, we must first believe there is God because without belief in God—what meaning and value is there in the treasure of confidence?

Wisdom teaches from experience the knowledge of confidence. Look to Job:

^{Job 31:24} “If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust, ²⁵ If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had obtained so much; ²⁶ If I have looked at the sun when it shone, Or the moon going in splendor, ²⁷ And my heart was secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, ²⁸ That too would have been a guilty deed calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above. _{^{(bold/italics/underline – mine)}}

Job knew the nature of his heart where his friends did not; Job did not put his confidence in material possessions or in the words of his friends—hence the reason for his rebuttal—but in himself, until God revealed Himself to him [Job]. Do you remember what happened to Job when God revealed Himself? Let’s take a look:

^{Job 40:1}Then the Lord said to Job, ²“Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.” ³Then Job answered the Lord and said, ⁴“Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I lay my hand on my mouth. ⁵“Once I have spoken, and I will not answer; Even twice, and I will add nothing more.” _{^{(italics – mine)}}

Job was in shock by fear of the Lord because of what he had no understanding of, and was thus enduring the discipline of God considering the report of his reaction, but the discipline wasn’t over just yet for Job, was it, after that first answer? Let’s see what becomes of Job at his final remark to God:

^{Job 42:1} Then Job answered the Lord and said,
²“I know that You can do all things,
And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.
³‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”
⁴‘Hear, now, and I will speak;
I will ask You, and You instruct me.’
⁵“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
But now my eye sees You;
⁶Therefore I retract,
And I repent in dust and ashes.” _{^{(bold/italics/underline – mine)}}

Job had heard of God by the hearing of his ear, but now he had met with his eyes the very Person who gives us confidence—Jesus Christ! Job retracted and repented! The friends of Job misrepresented God and were in need of forgiveness, and when Job prayed for his friends became blessed more than when he was when he first believed. Why? Because Job not only knew God in Word, but in Sight by faith! Job obtained the treasure of CONFIDENCE!

So by our believing in Jesus the Lord, we have confidence to live in the authority of His Name. How? By us not only believing in God with our ears or mouths, but in sight and deed of the gospel. We have seen God by the revelation of Jesus Christ—the Son of God! We have the treasure of confidence to repent by the grace and mercy of God, and the forgiveness of sins when we confess our sins to Jesus, the Lord and Savior!

^{1 John 1:9}If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. _{^{(bold/italics/underline – mine)}}

Thank you Lord our God for the mercy bestowed upon us by supplying the forgiveness of sin through belief in Jesus Christ, and healing us to a right mind by the gift of the Holy Spirit. I pray we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V26) Commentary
The harms that surprise us, unthought of, giving us no time to arm ourselves by consideration, are most likely to put us into confusion. But let not the wise and good man forget himself, and then he will not give way to any fear that has torment, be the alarm ever so sudden. Let him not fear the desolation of the wicked, when it comes, that is,

[1.] The desolation which the wicked ones make of religion and the religious; though it comes, and seems to be just at the door, yet be not afraid of it; for, though God may make use of the wicked as instruments of his people’s correction, yet he will never suffer them to be the authors of their desolation. Or rather,
[2.] The desolation which wicked men will be brought into in a moment. It will come, and timorous saints may be apprehensive that they shall be involved in it; but let this be their comfort, that though judgments lay waste generally, at least promiscuously, yet God knows who are his and how to separate between the precious and the vile. Therefore be not afraid of that which appears most formidable, for (v. 26) “the Lord shall be not only thy protector to keep thee safe, but thy confidence to keep thee secure, so that thy foot shall not be taken by thy enemies nor ensnared by thy own fears.’ God has engaged to keep the feet of his saints.

Nathan Dooley, Personality, Psychology, Soteriology, the Word of God

THE FIRST LETTER OF NATHAN

March 26, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

Nathan, a bond-letter by the Spirit of grace, in Jesus Christ, to those in all nations online of the same kind of faith as mine, just as the apostle Peter testified, and the apostle Paul wrote _^(NASB): ^{2 Cor 3:2} You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people, ³ revealing yourselves, that you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. ⁴Such is the confidence we have toward God through Christ.

comMON GROUND

Alright look, don’t get it twisted! I’m just another average “joe” (human being) using the available recourses by the grace of God provided me to preach and teach The Word of God. So don’t be thinking any crazy thoughts like, “Yo, Nathan is trying to make himself out to be an apostle”; no, no, no, that couldn’t be further from the truth—so “~~scratch~~” that nonsense out yuh mind! We’re in the 21^st century, not the 1^st century—alright!

Listen, as you already know, I’m just as unworthy as the next person telling you about the good news, the testimony of God through the revelation of Jesus Christ—the Son of God—by reason of God our Father choosing Jesus to be His only Begotten Son as the Word of God in the flesh and blood of Jesus the Nazarene. And so grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our Lord.

Bear with me, I’m still a young man who just happens to feel old, but the fact of the matter is, milk. That’s right, MILK! Just as the bond-servant Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, teaches in his 1^st letter: ¹ Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, ² and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, ³ if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.

I was once one way, a way of disobedience; that way is described as malicious, deceitful, hypocritical, lustful, and prideful. I’m positive the list can go into the direction of Hell, but thanks be to God for supplying faith in His Son, Jesus, for what you are now reading as a result of my repentance from that way of death, to life eternal. Now I write to share my cup of faith, that you might believe.

Pure milk is my choice sustenance as it symbolizes The Word of God I believe in, and is at work every day in my soul, like the meaning of providence; Jesus Christ is the true source of my spiritual growth in respect to salvation. However, it’s come to my attention just how much milk I need while handling what the writer of Hebrews’ describes as “meat“. Therefore, I needed a place that was quiet and empty, a place like the moon.

I can see the Earth off in the distance, and beyond Earth is a combination of darkness and light, Hell and Heaven. The question posed by time was one of visions and dreams, throughout my stay in flesh and blood, “Where will you be, by where you are now?”

PERSEVERANCE

So… I thought to myself in respect to the grace of God present with me, “Why not mimic my role models of the faith and write letters as a testimony to my process of progress—and or quite possibly, regress, if unrepentant—in my endeavor to live in obedience to the knowledge of the truth by the power of the Holy Spirit and glory of God through faith?”

After all, the Scriptures are the compass in every man and woman’ soul to Christ our Lord, Jesus; we with eagerness, yet with patience, wait with anticipation, the day of our salvation. Therefore, it’s by the Spirit of grace through the body and blood of Jesus Christ we find ourselves in a new covenant that proclaims repentance unto salvation.

Our common ground is established by grace in the knowledge of the truth through Jesus Christ our Lord, having been born of a descendant of David according to flesh, was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness. Jesus is the Son of Man at the right hand of God as the living Word of God that mediates between God and mankind according to the Scriptures, and no one can come to the meaning of salvation but through Him.

For the longest time I thought that I was saved from my sin by simply believing in Jesus, having ‘prayed the prayer’ that would seal me for all eternity, but there was a problem’! I not only grew up within a church that taught once saved always saved by Jesus coming into my heart, but that that idea was encouraged even though sin kept on being practiced, which posed in me another question tilling away at my soul, “Where is the disciplinary action to correct my sin if I’m truly saved?” So I continued in that idea of being “saved” until realizing the truth; I wasn’t saved, but ignorant and deceived.

So now we’ve arrived at a place of cultivation for repentance that leads to life! You remember that parable… well …let me just bring it—^{Luke 13:6} And He [Jesus] began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. ⁷ And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Look! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ ⁸ But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, leave it alone for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; ⁹ and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

COMPASS TO CHRIST

The parable teaches that there is no partiality with God, and unless all come to repentance, we will all likewise perish, having been cut down. And how we repent is not by some little prayer we pray thinking it was the prayer that saved us so we can continue in our sin, no, but believing in the truth that Jesus equips us with the spiritual capacity through faith by the Holy Spirit to endure discipline of which causes our repentance. When repentance is exercised in faith, the fruit is obedience by a changed mind.

To believe in Jesus means to deny ourselves even to the point of death by reason of righteousness revealed in the behavior of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. So it’s not that we keep on sinning after we believe in the good news of God by the revelation of Jesus Christ, but that we acknowledge how we are presently choosing to be separated from the power given us to repent—condemned by our own nature and desire of sin demanding the experience of lust in this world.

Remember, it’s by way of reminder; the letters of the bondservants and apostles stir up our sincere mind by way of reminder. While we are believing in Jesus we have our way of escape from temptation through the experience of discipline in the Holy Spirit to resist the nature of our flesh that desires sin, and by putting to death the desire of our nature to sin through enduring discipline, obedience then is our result by the Spirit manifesting righteousness in our behavior.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not be afraid | P3-V25

March 24, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; ²⁶ For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.

It’s such a good reminder to not be afraid of sudden fear or the onslaught of the wicked when it comes.

What came to mind when thinking about sudden fear was Daniel in the lions den ^{(Dan 6)}. Can you imagine being thrown into a lions den for even a moment let alone 30 days? Or what are your darkest fears in relation to death, and can you imagine being thrown into a den of those fears?

I don’t even like enduring those ideas let alone actually experience them.

When I think of the idea of … ME … being thrown into the lions den; I think of what sin might disqualify me from God closing the mouths of the lions that I would survive and be rescued as truly His [God’s] servant.

I imagine that I’m not alone in those thoughts, and it might be that you experience sudden fear when thinking about your judgement day ^{(2 Thess 2:12)}? If so I pray grace and peace be multiplied to you in the hearing and reading of God’s good Word.

When we’ve believed on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins, and exercise our faith in committing to the truth of His Word, we experience a change of mind that testifies of Christ alive in us, assuring us of our salvation in Him by becoming a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption of the world by lust ^{(2 Peter 1:4)}.

!^THAT’S SUCH GOOD NEWS^!

Because our Lord and Savior is alive in us by the promise of His gift of grace through faith in Jesus, we don’t need to fear what past sins have been committed nor the present sins we might still be in as I write and you read. Jesus is the confidence of our salvation whether we’re eaten up by our worst sins of the past to present, or by the sins of the wicked surrounding us.

So don’t be ashamed to ‘cry out’ or ‘quietly utter’ the graceful name of your salvation, “Jesus Christ”; don’t be afraid of the power of God. If we have become entangled in sin then let these verses in our proverbs be a reminder of the true light in our darkest hours. Come out of those sins by confessing to Jesus the nature of those sins, and then listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit as your mind begins to change and life transformed.

God please forgive us of our sins, increase our knowledge of You, and Jesus our Lord. Amen

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V25) Commentary
(3.) In their greatest straits and dangers. Integrity and uprightness will preserve us, so that we need not be afraid of sudden fear, v. 25. The harms that surprise us, unthought of, giving us no time to arm ourselves by consideration, are most likely to put us into confusion. But let not the wise and good man forget himself, and then he will not give way to any fear that has torment, be the alarm ever so sudden. Let him not fear the desolation of the wicked, when it comes, that is,

[1.] The desolation which the wicked ones make of religion and the religious; though it comes, and seems to be just at the door, yet be not afraid of it; for, though God may make use of the wicked as instruments of his people’s correction, yet he will never suffer them to be the authors of their desolation. Or rather,
[2.] The desolation which wicked men will be brought into in a moment. It will come, and timorous saints may be apprehensive that they shall be involved in it; but let this be their comfort, that though judgments lay waste generally, at least promiscuously, yet God knows who are his and how to separate between the precious and the vile. Therefore be not afraid of that which appears most formidable, for (v. 26) “the Lord shall be not only thy protector to keep thee safe, but thy confidence to keep thee secure, so that thy foot shall not be taken by thy enemies nor ensnared by thy own fears.’ God has engaged to keep the feet of his saints.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

When you lie down | P3-V24

March 20, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²³ Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. ²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes;

There was a time when I was a Mover and worked so hard that I couldn’t get out of my car once arrived home—not without taking a few moments of rest—before heading to the door of my home; then, once through the door, it was a few moments on the couch; from the couch, all I remember is waking up in my bed thinking, “How did I get here?” But then I remember having a strange dream that my wife [Laura] was carrying me somewhere. Hmmmm? But I tell you what … the sleep … was SO sweet!

Nowadays my work is a combination of physical, spiritual, and mental, but the sleep … is not as sweet as it once was. My theory is how I’m using my rejuvenated energy to be equally expended on each resource for a desired outcome that doesn’t meet my fullest potential. As a result, my sleep cycle shifts to what energy I have left in the tank and thus—will endure the contrast of a sweet sleep. So wisdom is teaching me how to be responsible with energy given me each day in the honor of His glory.

However, putting what I’ve learned to practice is a whole other issue entirely, the discipline is good.

Now being that Jesus was God incarnate during His stay on the earth, the energy that Jesus expended was the power of God for the sake of our salvation. Jesus accomplished being the Son of God in human form without compromise, He didn’t sin although experienced the nature of human flesh (all that tempts us) yet without sin. It’s a remarkable thing to think about! And a joy to know that our God knows exactly what we’re going through and up against in this life of death!

But see, that’s our good news! That’s what it means to have eternal life! Death was defeated at the cross of God our Savior through Jesus Christ.

^{Titus 3:4} But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Oh man!

I could write about God’s love all day!

How amazing is it to experience the recourses of our God while yet in our mistakes? How blessed are we to be given an opportunity to change our mind about how we aught to live and serve God? Our duty to serve is not burdensome when we understand this love of God which served us by reason and revelation of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus taught us how to serve by washing His disciples feet, and how to love by His silence against railing accusations of sin that no other man was guiltless to claim before throwing a stone at the guilty than the Man of Innocence, the Son of God, murdered by crucifixion on a cross.

It pierces my heart to know what sin cost, but thanks be to God for the cost paid in full through Jesus Christ our Lord!

We can lie down to sleep and our sleep be sweet.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you beloved, in Jesus name, amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V24) Commentary
(2.) In their rest by night, v. 24. In our retirements we lie exposed and are most subject to frights. “But keep up communion with God, and keep a good conscience, and then when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid of fire, or thieves, or specters, or any of the terrors of darkness, knowing that when we, and all our friends, are asleep, yet he that keeps Israel and every true-born Israelite neither slumbers nor sleeps, and to him thou hast committed thyself and taken shelter under the shadow of his wings. Thou shalt lie down, and not need to sit up to keep guard; having lain down, thou shalt sleep, and not have thy eyes held waking by care and fear; and thy sleep shall be sweet and refreshing to thee, being not disturbed by any alarms from without or from within,’ Ps. 4:8; 116:7. The way to have a good night is to keep a good conscience; and the sleep, as of the labouring man, so of the wise and godly man, is sweet.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Then you will walk securely | P3-V23

March 18, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²² So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. ²³ Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble. ²⁴ When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

In our few previous devotionals we’ve looked at our Lord as He stayed the course until, ultimately, was put to death by crucifixion. ^{Jhn 19:30}Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. But lets not forget, remember our proverb, ²³ Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble.

Death could not keep Jesus bound by the boundary described as sin just as the apostle Paul said to the Romans, ^{Rom 6:23} For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Because this Jesus of Nazareth had walked and lived in the flesh of humankind yet, without sin, and so death could not keep Him, the Lord defeated death by His cross; again Paul says to the Corinthians, ^{1Co 15:56-5}⁷ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are free!

We have the victory!

We are no longer bound with shoes that cause us to stumble into death, but our shoes are off because the feet of Jesus is the ground on which we stand—Holy ground. Take your shoes off! For Jesus is Holy ground! ^{Exo 3:5} Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” ^{Act 7:33} “But the LORD said to him, ‘REMOVE YOUR SANDALS FROM YOUR FEET, FOR THE PLACE ON WHICH YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND.

Our salvation is made secure by where Jesus is right now, at the right hand of power! ^{Mat 26:64}Jesus *said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.” By grace through faith we stand on Holy ground, keep your feet in the Word of God, don’t turn around!

Don’t shrink back!

Don’t be a coward!

We have work to do, a duty to fulfil, as faithful laborers in the service of God!

Lets go!

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V23) Commentary
They are safe and may be easy,

(1.) In their motions by day, v. 23. If our religion be our companion, it will be our convoy: “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely. The natural life, and all that belongs to it, shall be under the protection of God’s providence; the spiritual life, and all its interests, are under the protection of his grace; so that thou shalt be kept from falling into sin or trouble.’ Wisdom will direct us into, and keep us in, the safe way, as far as may be, from temptation, and will enable us to walk in it with holy security. The way of duty is the way of safety. “We are in danger of falling, but wisdom will keep thee, that thy foot shall not stumble at those things which are an offence and overthrow to many, but which thou shalt know how to get over.’

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

So they will be life to your soul | P3-V22

March 16, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²¹ My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, ²² So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck. ²³ Then you will walk in your way securely And your foot will not stumble.

The foot of Christ did not stumble on His way to be crucified. Jesus did not forget the teaching of His Father nor let His heart forfeit the commandments of God. ^{_{Mat 27:22-23}} “Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Crucify Him!” But he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” Yet they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”

God took on our flesh through His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus kept the commandments perfectly, there was no sin in Him, and so you might think that the proverb is contradictory—after all—Jesus died. So what happened? Why didn’t this man known as Jesus of Nazareth, the Messiah, the Son of the living God, have life rather than the cross of death by keeping the commandments? Lets find out from the testimony according to John chapter 3 in your bibles!

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. ²¹ But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.”

If our Lord and Savior by God our Father through Jesus, did not carry His adornment to the cross so that we might believe and have eternal life, we would all be judged condemned to an eternal death through sin of the first man Adam without an opportunity to change by the grace of God. Or if you’re an unbeliever reading this, you might think that science has proven powerfully meaningful by the reality of a believer—such as myself—to have finally accepted the reality of a “good story” told as mythology. But this is not mythology; the truth of the gospel is good news! And so what happened to Jesus? How is it that we have eternal life through Jesus if we die? The gospel testifies the fulfillment of prophecy in Jesus:

^{Matthew 16:21} From that time Jesus began to point out to His disciples that it was necessary for Him to go to Jerusalem and to suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and to be killed, and to be raised up on the third day. And yet Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s purposes, but men’s.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what good will it do a person if he gains the whole world, but forfeits his soul? Or what will a person give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. “Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

The Word of God is eternal, and the only way the eternal Word of the old covenant could be fulfilled was through the blood of redemption, meaning the innocent body and blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. So when His body was pierced to the cross and His blood shed upon the world—we were saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. The wrath of God in His justice poured out upon His only Son our punishment for that sin of which separates us from our Holy God and Father—with Jesus now at the right hand of God to reconcile us to Himself by His Word. Jesus is the new covenant mediated through belief as we abide by faith in His resurrection from the dead that sanctifies—in us—the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

^{John 20:21} So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²² And when He had said this, He breathed on them and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

We have the forgiveness of sins if we remain faithful to an obedience of faith in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirt as believers in the name of Jesus Christ. If we continue in our sin after believing, then we don’t know God nor have life by faith, but a fearful expectation of judgement that condemns unbelief. ^{2 Thess 1:6}For after all it is only right for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, ⁷and to give relief to you who are afflicted, along with us, when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels ⁸ in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ¹⁰when He comes to be glorified among His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—because our testimony to you was believed. If we sin after believing, we trample underfoot the Son of God and insult the Spirit of grace. ^{Heb 10:26} For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES. ²⁸ Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY.” And again, “THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE.” ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V22) Commentary
II. The argument to enforce this exhortation is taken from the unspeakable advantage which wisdom, thus kept, will be of to us.

1. In respect of strength and satisfaction: “It will be life to thy soul (v. 22); it will quicken thee to thy duty when thou beginnest to be slothful and remiss; it will revive thee under thy troubles when thou beginnest to droop and despond. It will be thy spiritual life, an earnest of life eternal.’ Life to the soul is life indeed.
2. In respect of honour and reputation: It shall be grace to thy neck, as a chain of gold, or a jewel. Grace to thy jaws (so the word is), grateful to thy taste and relish (so some); it shall infuse grace into all thou sayest (so others), shall furnish thee with acceptable words, which shall gain thee credit.
3. In respect of safety and security. This he insists upon in four verses, the scope of which is to show that the effect of righteousness (which is the same with wisdom here) is quietness and assurance for ever, Isa. 32:17. Good people are taken under God’s special protection, and therein they may have an entire satisfaction. They are safe and may be easy,

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

My son, let them not vanish from your sight | P3-V21

March 12, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

²⁰ By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. ²¹ My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, ²² So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck.

I can imagine when Jesus was in such agony when praying to His Father, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ^{_{(Matthew 26:39)}}. And the Fathers’ reply being in memory, the wisdom learned through such discipline, as to say—“My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion, So they will be life to your soul And adornment to your neck.“

Jesus knew if there was any way other than to go through such pain for the redemption of Man, His Father would make it evident, but Jesus knew the cup of the old covenant must be fulfilled even when Peter attempted a different idea: ^{John 18:10} Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus. ¹¹ So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”

I can feel Peter’s hunger for an alternative cup than for Jesus to be arrested, but if I may be so bold as to speak for Peter; I don’t think Peter was ready to witness the most terrifying sight anyone could witness, the Son of God toe to toe with the Law of God. It must have been so confusing and alarming to witness the Person identified as the Messiah who is to restore Israel now being condemned by the Law of God as a criminal. My mind would be racing with questions of meaning. But that’s what it means to have discretion. It wasn’t time for Peter to know because the Holy Spirit had yet to fill him for ministry.

But have faith because even though Peter had denied Christ 3 times, his idea to strike wasn’t completely off, the war isn’t against flesh and blood, but against sin and the devil.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V21) Commentary
I. The exhortation is, to have religion’s rules always in view and always at heart, v. 21.

1. To have them always in view: “My son, let them not depart from thy eyes; let not thy eyes ever depart from them to wander after vanity. Have them always in mind, and do not forget them; be ever and anon thinking of them, and conversing with them, and never imagine that thou hast looked upon them long enough and that it is time now to lay them by; but, as long as thou livest, keep up and cultivate thy acquaintance with them.’ He who learns to write must always have his eye upon his copy, and not let that be out of his sight; and to the words of wisdom must those, in like manner, have a constant respect, who will walk circumspectly.

2. To have them always at heart; for it is in that treasury, the hidden man of the heart, that we must keep sound wisdom and discretion, keep to the principles of it and keep in the ways of it. It is wealth that is worth keeping.

II. The argument to enforce this exhortation is taken from the unspeakable advantage which wisdom, thus kept, will be of to us.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

By His knowledge the deeps were broken up | P3-V20

March 5, 2021 Nathan Dooley 2 Comments

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. ²⁰ By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew. ²¹ My son, let them not vanish from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion,

I can only imagine the work and process of the deeps being broken up, the thought brings me to a state of awe and wonder. I experience wisdom move me in a way that is very difficult to describe as I read this verse. I’m curious, what do you experience upon meditating on this verse?

I can feel the depth of my soul broken up by wisdom, my head drips with sweat like drops of blood to the ground as skies drip with dew. The agony I experience from time to time against sin is … surreal. Not that I’m—in any same sense—experiencing what Christ went through for the sake of my salvation, not mine alone, but … the world’s. ^22:44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Do you remember? It is In the gospel according to Luke when Jesus is experiencing the agony of sin throughout all time to take away the sin of the world. “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

²⁰ By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew.

Now here we are in time past since those days of our Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection, waiting eagerly for His return as the only true Priest, Lord, and King of the deep to the skies that drip with the gospel of good news—eternal life!

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V20) Commentary
4. It is a participation of the happiness of God himself, for wisdom is his everlasting glory and blessedness, v. 19, 20. This should make us in love with the wisdom and understanding which God gives, that the Lord by wisdom founded the earth, so that it cannot be removed, nor can ever fail of answering all the ends of its creation, to which it is admirably and unexceptionably fitted. By understanding he has likewise established the heavens and directed all the motions of them in the best manner. The heavenly bodies are vast, yet there is no flaw in them-numerous, yet no disorder in them-the motion rapid, yet no wear or tear; the depths of the sea are broken up, and thence come the waters beneath the firmament, and the clouds drop down the dews, the waters from above the firmament, and all this by the divine wisdom and knowledge; therefore happy is the man that finds wisdom, for he will thereby be thoroughly furnished for every good word and work. Christ is that Wisdom, by whom the worlds were made and still consist; happy therefore are those to whom he is made of God wisdom, for he has wherewithal to make good all the foregoing promises of long life, riches, and honour; for all the wealth of heaven, earth, and seas, is his.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth | P3-V19

March 3, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. ¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. ²⁰ By His knowledge the deeps were broken up And the skies drip with dew.

You know since the beginning of when we ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the discovery of our earth and heavens has been through an experience of mourning, crying, and pain. Do you look forward to the time when we will experience the wisdom of these words by Revelation?

^21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, ⁴ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

It’s crazy to think about our life as striving after wind, the Preacher would write in Ecclesiastes:

^1:12I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.¹³And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.¹⁴I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. ¹⁵What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. ¹⁶I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. ¹⁸Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.

See even the Preacher acknowledges back in his day an experience of increasing pain that testifies of our present experiences, and were it not for Christ—increasing pain would be our doom. But what did Christ say about Solomon in the gospel according to Luke?

^11:30 For just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. ³¹ The Queen of the South will rise up with the men of this generation at the judgment and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something greater than Solomon is here. ³² The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Jesus Christ is that greater wisdom that Solomon seemed to be searching for, but could not grasp because it did not belong to his time nor to him. God had already made up His mind on Who the Son of Man was going to be, and He came born of a virgin, the Son of God, our Lamb of Sacrifice, the Savior of the world—Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus founded the earth and established the heavens as the true and only Gardener of His universe. According to the gospel I believe in, Jesus is standing at the right hand of God mediating each and every one of our prayers to a Holy God, our Father in Heaven.

I’m SO looking forward to my day of judgment and hope you are too because Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith, and His Word does not return void!

¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V19) Commentary
4. It is a participation of the happiness of God himself, for wisdom is his everlasting glory and blessedness, v. 19, 20. This should make us in love with the wisdom and understanding which God gives, that the Lord by wisdom founded the earth, so that it cannot be removed, nor can ever fail of answering all the ends of its creation, to which it is admirably and unexceptionably fitted. By understanding he has likewise established the heavens and directed all the motions of them in the best manner. The heavenly bodies are vast, yet there is no flaw in them-numerous, yet no disorder in them-the motion rapid, yet no wear or tear; the depths of the sea are broken up, and thence come the waters beneath the firmament, and the clouds drop down the dews, the waters from above the firmament, and all this by the divine wisdom and knowledge; therefore happy is the man that finds wisdom, for he will thereby be thoroughly furnished for every good word and work. Christ is that Wisdom, by whom the worlds were made and still consist; happy therefore are those to whom he is made of God wisdom, for he has wherewithal to make good all the foregoing promises of long life, riches, and honour; for all the wealth of heaven, earth, and seas, is his.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

She is a tree of life | P3-V18

March 1, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. ¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens.

Good morning, it’s still early here in Dallas Tx; the sky is dark, street lights are lit; a glistening mirror of wetness covers the surface of the ground as though to be a dew, but it’s no dew; in a few hours … sunrise. There is a graceful thunder rumbling outside, although, at times, the thunder is strong enough you can feel the vibration of its sound; cars all around our neighborhood are sounding the alarm as though being broken into simultaneously; as the seconds count, a subtle rainfall begins only to end in minutes thereafter, but not before the sound of another … rumble.

You know what; I think that might have nothing to do with today’s devotional, but it felt good when writing it out, perhaps because I love stormy weather and nonfiction stories are the best when a storm is involved—that holds more weight than my opinion, okay, don’t judge me, it’s fact.

Now let’s watch how that storm navigates into wisdom being a tree of life in the midst of our impending death. Don’t be discouraged by the storms you experience in your life (which is much easier written than practiced in real time); no matter what that “storm” is described as for you, it’s not the end according to our gospel if we are holding fast to the tree of life that is wisdom. Hold fast with me. She is our experience of happiness. Wisdom is a lady that blesses us with the reward of gladness in the face of adversity because we’re alive in Christ our Lord, Jesus. Jesus is the salvation of our souls, and no amount of sin is capable of removing that promise upon belief in Jesus Christ.

However, the gospel warns us about people choosing to remain in their sin of disobedience to this gospel. To believe in Jesus means to have wisdom as our tree of life that seals us in the book of life, but if we’ve continued in our sin after claiming to be Christian then we’ve missed the mark of conviction that secures our promise through faith. Jesus tells us to go and sin no more. It is by grace through faith we are saved by the work of the cross, not our cross, but the cross of Jesus Christ. What that means is that the Holy Spirit of God will help us live in obedience to the gospel through faith as we learn more and more through the discipline of divine inspiration—the Word of God at work in the heart, mind, soul, and strength of our conversion (born again).

Hold fast to what wisdom teaches us in the letter to the Hebrews:

^6:17In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. ¹⁹This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, ²⁰where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Whenever we hear to understand this gospel, there is an experience of conviction that pierces the conscience of a person. That experience is the truth said in love by almighty God, telling us about our sin condition that died with Christ Jesus, the Son of God; Jesus made peace with God our Father (God had poured out His wrath on our sin that His only begotten Son took on our behalf) when He [Jesus] was crucified to death for our salvation—which means we are to be resurrected as a new creature—born again with a seal of promise, our hope set before us as an anchor of the soul—eternal life. So if you’re still in sin while claiming Christian, it’s time to repent and be saved to a living purpose rather than a dead one in Hell.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.

God our Father in Heaven through the mighty Name of Your only begotten Son, Jesus. I pray for me and my friends reading this devotional that might not know the glory of Your Lady Wisdom that blesses us with the memory of Your law and commands for long life and length of days and peace added to us. Thank you so much for sending Your only Begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins, and I pray we will take hold of the tree of life and hold her fast. In Jesus Name … Amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V18) Commentary
3. It is the happiness of paradise (v. 18): She is a tree of life. True grace is that to the soul which the tree of life would have been, from which our first parents were shut out for eating of the forbidden tree. It is a seed of immortality, a well of living waters, springing up to life eternal. It is an earnest of the New Jerusalem, in the midst of which is the tree of life, Rev. 22:2; 2:7. Those that feed and feast on this heavenly wisdom shall not only be cured by it of every fatal malady, but shall find an antidote against age and death; they shall eat and live for ever.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Her ways are pleasant | P3-V17

February 27, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor. ¹⁷ Her ways are pleasant ways And all her paths are peace. ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.

In my experience, the ways of wisdom are pleasant when learning to understand the nature of God by His Word. We can experience the meaning of pleasantness when walking with God in the cool of the morning, seeing the birds in the trees awake and alive for the joy set before them singing a song of praise to God (at least that’s my interpretation of their sound when chirping about the making of a melody). Although my lips may not move, my heart joins them as a hum to break my silence. The interpretation of my hum is an agreement with the encompassing sound of worship to God, a choice given me through the pleasantness of wisdom.

What is your experience to the pleasantness of wisdom?

Peace—is such a remarkable experience. I’m so thankful for peace! Even when on the most darkest of paths, if wisdom is my constant reward, peace is with me. What is there to fear if God is with us, nothing! To believe in God through faith in Jesus is the constant reward of wisdom in the innermost parts of the soul. We can experience peace in the face of temptations and the most difficult of tests when we listen to the rewards of wisdom. There is power in this truth, but the discipline to acquire it is difficult to bear because this worlds hates this wisdom. The world hates what wisdom means; believe in name of Jesus for salvation. No matter what paths we find ourselves on, without faith in Jesus, it’s impossible to please God. To have peace means to share the good news of the gospel. To have wisdom means to live a life that testifies to your belief in the gospel.

Do your paths reveal the peace of the gospel?

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V17) Commentary
2. It is a true happiness; for it is inclusive of, and equivalent to, all those things which are supposed to make men happy, v. 16, 17. Wisdom is here represented as a bright and bountiful queen, reaching forth gifts to her faithful and loving subjects, and offering them to all that will submit to her government.

(1.) Is length of days a blessing? Yes, the most valuable; life includes all good, and therefore she offers that in her right hand. Religion puts us into the best methods of prolonging life, entitles us to the promises of it, and, though our days on earth should be no more than our neighbour’s, yet it will secure to us everlasting life in a better world.
(2.) Are riches and honour accounted blessings? They are so, and them she reaches out with her left hand. For, as she is ready to embrace those that submit to her with both arms, so she is ready to give out to them with both hands. They shall have the wealth of this world as far as Infinite Wisdom sees good for them; while the true riches, by which men are rich towards God, are secured to them. Nor is there any honour, by birth or preferment, comparable to that which attends religion; it makes the righteous more excellent than his neighbour, recommends men to God, commands respect and veneration with all the sober part of mankind, and will in the other world make those that are now buried in obscurity to shine forth as the sun.
(3.) Is pleasure courted as much as any thing? It is so, and it is certain that true piety has in it the greatest true pleasure. Her ways are ways of pleasantness; the ways in which she has directed us to walk are such as we shall find abundance of delight and satisfaction in. All the enjoyments and entertainments of sense are not comparable to the pleasure which gracious souls have in communion with God and doing good. That which is the only right way to bring us to our journey’s end we must walk in, fair or foul, pleasant or unpleasant; but the way of religion, as it is the right way, so it is a pleasant way; it is smooth and clean, and strewed with roses: All her paths are peace. There is not only peace in the end, but peace in the way; not only in the way of religion in general, but in the particular paths of that way, in all her paths, all the several acts, instances, and duties of it. One does not embitter what the other sweetens, as it is with the allays of this world; but they are all peace, not only sweet, but safe. The saints enter into peace on this side heaven, and enjoy a present sabbatism.

God and Coffee, Journal, Nathan Dooley

NATHAN’S JOURNAL 2021 — Winter Storm Uri | VI

February 21, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

I’ve missed you people! Or well I’ve missed the meditative prayerful thoughts of you people when writing! There is a time for everything the Preacher says, and it was time for my writing to be on hold during last week’s winter storm “Uri” for the care of my family. But we’re okay! We’re alive … sort of!

I’ve had a little longer than a week to think about some things, ‘thinking’ can be quite dangerous if not spiritually healthy, and by healthy, I mean, trusting in the Holy Spirit of God to guide, even and especially when nothing makes sense: Like how does – “The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) manages scheduling on an electric grid carrying 90 percent of Texas’ load.” – resolve the issue of people freezing to death if the math forecasts dead cold temperatures upon us (said playfully to mean a very serious problem)? Not that I’m complaining, necessarily, because my faith is in Christ my Lord and Savior while being Texas proud, but being without power intermittently and for longer than 24hrs in freezing temperatures does cause pause, not to mention caring for someone sick—in a COVID stigmatized nation—to “help” our situation. So … needless to say; I’ve been thinking … “time to go off grid?!”

I did actually think that though, to go off grid, and even brainstormed with Laura (my wife) on how to go about doing that while camped out in our living room with my mother-in-law to try and stay warm. We had candles lit all around us like we’re performing some sort of witch craft or something—”you should’ve seen it! We made my mother-in-law levitate off the couch in subzero temperatures and everything! It was awesome!” (I’m definitely getting in trouble for that joke). But while freezing to death, decided to reach out to every Christian Texan on the cost of going off grid as a way of protest … unfortunately … it would ultimately mean war. That’s me confessing how my thoughts can take shape to form dangerous ideas in the wake of difficult circumstances if not governed by the Holy Spirit of God.

Anyway, apart from uneducated thoughts, my Christian brothers and sisters did take great care of us while in the midst of this Uri storm. I’m eternally grateful for Christian community! Going on 24+ hrs with no power, a Christian family of close Christian friends invited us into their warm home until our power was restored and remained on. They even took us in at the risk of one of us having COVID.

No one should deny the magnificent beauty through a costly storm as the language of it’s existence declares the scientific presence of God.

This storm called life is not over, and thank God for that! The experience of being alive should not be taken for granted, nor used to deny it’s Author. God is with us no matter what storm we are going through, but will the person reading this trust in the testimony of that truth? Man, I hope so! Jesus died, was buried, and rose on the third day taking away the sin of the world, defeating death! The Word of God is declaring His coming judgement, and if you died today … are you ready? I’m excited to write again, thank You Lord! I’ll leave you with this scripture to think about:

^{John 16:7} But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. ⁸ And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; ⁹ concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; ¹¹and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

“Truth without love is ice cold.”

_{^{—Nathan Dooley}}

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Long life is in her right hand in her left hand are riches and honor | P3-V16

February 13, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.

This verse from our lady wisdom is assuring us of a truth that is ours for understanding—by God, through Christ Jesus, the Word of God—that helps us keep long life, riches and honor.

Imagine your club, your squad, your gang, your people, that you know and trust. Do you have them in mind? Go up to them and tell them to hold out their hands in front of them, palms facing heaven, and say, “In your right hand is given long life.” And then, with them still holding out their hands as though to receive something, say—”In your left hand is given riches and honor.” Then tell each of them to grab their neighbor’s hand at their right and left, form a circle, and say:

“The nails that pierced the hands of the Son of God who took away the sin of the world is alive by His Spirit here and now according to the glory of God. And in His right hand—eternal life; while in His left—riches and honor. Jesus is in the glory of God with hands working the sanctification of the new covenant in us as the gift of the Holy Spirit; death is defeated, and long life is recognized in the resurrection of the dead, but in the kingdom of heaven—not hell (If we’ve accepted the truth of the gospel, the experience of our salvation in Jesus Christ while in our flesh and blood because flesh and blood do not inherit the kingdom of God—^{1 Cor 15:50}Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.). We share in the suffering of our Lord and Savior which is our riches and honor to celebrate as people are drawn to believe in Jesus by this faithful work and service of God for salvation.”

The words that testify of Jesus are written in more books than what the bible holds, but ONE message is clear according to the Scriptures—Jesus is the Word of God, and is going to return again.

^{Luke 21:25} “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, ²⁶ men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ²⁷ Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. ²⁸ But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V16) Commentary
2. It is a true happiness; for it is inclusive of, and equivalent to, all those things which are supposed to make men happy, v. 16, 17. Wisdom is here represented as a bright and bountiful queen, reaching forth gifts to her faithful and loving subjects, and offering them to all that will submit to her government.

(1.) Is length of days a blessing? Yes, the most valuable; life includes all good, and therefore she offers that in her right hand. Religion puts us into the best methods of prolonging life, entitles us to the promises of it, and, though our days on earth should be no more than our neighbour’s, yet it will secure to us everlasting life in a better world.
(2.) Are riches and honour accounted blessings? They are so, and them she reaches out with her left hand. For, as she is ready to embrace those that submit to her with both arms, so she is ready to give out to them with both hands. They shall have the wealth of this world as far as Infinite Wisdom sees good for them; while the true riches, by which men are rich towards God, are secured to them. Nor is there any honour, by birth or preferment, comparable to that which attends religion; it makes the righteous more excellent than his neighbour, recommends men to God, commands respect and veneration with all the sober part of mankind, and will in the other world make those that are now buried in obscurity to shine forth as the sun.
(3.) Is pleasure courted as much as any thing? It is so, and it is certain that true piety has in it the greatest true pleasure. Her ways are ways of pleasantness; the ways in which she has directed us to walk are such as we shall find abundance of delight and satisfaction in. All the enjoyments and entertainments of sense are not comparable to the pleasure which gracious souls have in communion with God and doing good. That which is the only right way to bring us to our journey’s end we must walk in, fair or foul, pleasant or unpleasant; but the way of religion, as it is the right way, so it is a pleasant way; it is smooth and clean, and strewed with roses: All her paths are peace. There is not only peace in the end, but peace in the way; not only in the way of religion in general, but in the particular paths of that way, in all her paths, all the several acts, instances, and duties of it. One does not embitter what the other sweetens, as it is with the allays of this world; but they are all peace, not only sweet, but safe. The saints enter into peace on this side heaven, and enjoy a present sabbatism.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

She is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire compares with her | P3-V15

February 12, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her.

^{Eze 28:12-19} — “Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “You had the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. “You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared. “You were the anointed cherub who covers, And I placed you there. You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked in the midst of the stones of fire. “You were blameless in your ways From the day you were created Until unrighteousness was found in you. “By the abundance of your trade You were internally filled with violence, And you sinned; Therefore I have cast you as profane From the mountain of God. And I have destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the stones of fire. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. “By the multitude of your iniquities, In the unrighteousness of your trade You profaned your sanctuaries. Therefore I have brought fire from the midst of you; It has consumed you, And I have turned you to ashes on the earth In the eyes of all who see you. “All who know you among the peoples Are appalled at you; You have become terrified And you will cease to be forever.”’”

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V15) Commentary
II. What the happiness of those is who do find it.

1. It is a transcendent happiness, more than can be found in the wealth of this world, if we had ever so much of it, v. 14, 15. It is not only a surer, but a more gainful merchandise to trade for wisdom, for Christ, and grace, and spiritual blessings, than for silver, and gold, and rubies. Suppose a man to have got these in abundance, nay, to have all the things he can desire of this world (and who is it that ever had?), yet,
- (1.) All this would not purchase heavenly wisdom; no, it would utterly be contemned; it cannot be gotten for gold, Job 28:15, etc.
- (2.) All this would not countervail the want of heavenly wisdom nor be the ransom of a soul lost by its own folly.
- (3.) All this would not make a man half so happy, no, not in this world, as those are who have true wisdom, though they have none of all these things.
- (4.) Heavenly wisdom will procure that for us, and secure that to us, which silver, and gold, and rubies, will not be the purchase of.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For her profit is better than the profit of silver and her gain better than find gold | P3-V14

February 11, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁴ For her profit is better than the profit of silver And her gain better than fine gold.

This profit of wisdom is truly foreign in nature because who in their “right mind”—speaking from a worldly perspective—would die for such a claim as faith in Jesus Christ to be the living Son of God? When I think of silver or gold; I think of what is tangibly profitable in this world that purchases all sorts of desires and pleasures. What would it be like indeed, to possess the responsibility of a cooperating nation given to freedom; a freedom built on the backs of invented machinery that our ancestors sweat, bled, and died to… see? No. We’ve missed the mark indeed, in fact, we’re way off the mark! My ancestors died that we would learn of their faith to live and have love. To work hard in honor of Jesus Christ, a labor worthy to strive for … a living hope!

The value of wisdom is conviction, it’s in the book of Hebrews 11:1—Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. This is that profit she [wisdom] is speaking of, a profit powered by eternal life. Jesus is the profit of this wisdom by way of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer to sanctify Christ in our hearts. There is a profit of sweetness at the taste of our favorite ice cream; a profit of favor at the taste of belief in the Son of God. The most magnificently good experience on this earth is a life span of 120 years lived in the obedience of service to God, an obedience of daily death. We die daily for the sake of the gospel that testifies to the living One. We’ve died, but faith produces the profit of wisdom that changes our state of being into a living hope that preaches to the nations—the only true God is Jesus!

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V14) Commentary
II. What the happiness of those is who do find it.

1. It is a transcendent happiness, more than can be found in the wealth of this world, if we had ever so much of it, v. 14, 15. It is not only a surer, but a more gainful merchandise to trade for wisdom, for Christ, and grace, and spiritual blessings, than for silver, and gold, and rubies. Suppose a man to have got these in abundance, nay, to have all the things he can desire of this world (and who is it that ever had?), yet,
- (1.) All this would not purchase heavenly wisdom; no, it would utterly be contemned; it cannot be gotten for gold, Job 28:15, etc.
- (2.) All this would not countervail the want of heavenly wisdom nor be the ransom of a soul lost by its own folly.
- (3.) All this would not make a man half so happy, no, not in this world, as those are who have true wisdom, though they have none of all these things.
- (4.) Heavenly wisdom will procure that for us, and secure that to us, which silver, and gold, and rubies, will not be the purchase of.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

How blessed is the man who finds wisdom and the man who gains understanding | P3-V13

February 10, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹³ How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding.

Lord, I’m so very thankful for the wisdom which You give for our understanding. I say ‘our‘ to mean those who’ve entrusted their lives to You even to death, knowing with full and complete confidence that You are alive today as I write this devotional out. You are our treasure of wisdom that gains our understanding of the gift You’ve given. The gift of eternal life in the Holy Spirit – of which no one can purchase, but can choose to accept and keep. And the application of this gift is revealed in a persons’ heart of belief in the gospel of God. We have found our treasure, the treasure of Jesus; Jesus is the glory of Your Name; Holy is Your Name. God, in honor of Your Name, I pray on behalf of those who might read this devotional; I pray Your treasure upon them, the treasure of wisdom, that we will gain in understanding of Your will, and knowledge of Your Word for the sake of Your Love.

Energy transforms by a process of conversion; by Your grace through faith in the energy of Your Word—that is to say Christ is the Lord, Jesus—and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, change my state of sin and death to righteousness and glory. Rom 10:8-10 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Oh Lord, make my heart believe and my mouth confess, so that all will know this experience of salvation. Jesus, You are all the evidence anyone needs. I pray those who do not believe will change their mind, and believe in the truth of You.

^{Mat 10:32-3}³—“Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V13) Commentary
Solomon had pressed us earnestly to seek diligently for wisdom (ch. 2:1, etc.), and had assured us that we should succeed in our sincere and constant pursuits. But the question is, What shall we get by it when we have found it? Prospect of advantage is the spring and spur of industry; he therefore shows us how much it will be to our profit, laying this down for an unquestionable truth, Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, that true wisdom which consists in the knowledge and love of God, and an entire conformity to all the intentions of his truths, providences, and laws. Now observe,

I. What it is to find wisdom so as to be made happy by it.
- 1. We must get it. He is the happy man who, having found it, makes it his own, gets both an interest in it and the possession of it, who draws out understanding (so the word it), that is,
  - (1.) Who derives it from God. Having it not in himself, he draws it with the bucket of prayer from the fountain of all wisdom, who gives liberally.
  - (2.) Who takes pains for it, as he does who draws ore out of the mine. It if do not come easily, we must put the more strength to draw it.
  - (3.) Who improves in it, who, having some understanding, draws it out by growing in knowledge and making five talents ten.
  - (4.) Who does good with it, who draws out from the stock he has, as wine from the vessel, and communicates to others, for their instruction, things new and old. That is well got, and to good purpose, that is thus used to good purpose.
- 2. We must trade for it. We read here of the merchandise of wisdom, which intimates,
  - (1.) That we must make it our business, and not a by-business, as the merchant bestows the main of his thoughts and time upon his merchandise.
  - (2.) That we must venture all in it, as a stock in trade, and be willing to part with all for it. This is that pearl of great price which, when we have found it, we must willingly sell all for the purchase of, Mt. 13:45, 46. Buy the truth, (Prov. 23:23); he does not say at what rate, because we must buy it at any rate rather than miss it.
- 3. We must lay hold on it as we lay hold on a good bargain when it is offered to us, which we do the more carefully if there be danger of having it taken out of our hands. We must apprehend with all our might, and put forth our utmost vigour in the pursuit of it, lay hold on all occasions to improve in it, and catch at the least of its dictates.
- 4. We must retain it. It is not enough to lay hold on wisdom, but we must keep our hold, hold it fast, with a resolution never to let it go, but to persevere in the ways of wisdom to the end. We must sustain it (so some read it), must embrace it with all our might, as we do that which we would sustain. We must do all we can to support the declining interests of religion in the places where we live.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For whom the Lord loves He reproves even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights | P3-V12

February 9, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹² For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

Oh Lord, how can I compare this experience of reproof? The correction is spiritual in nature, different from the discipline of a human parent. I can feel the force of temptation to sin while experiencing the wisdom to resist. Lord, the heart of pleasure is teasing, and the mind of reason is clouded. I see all encompassing options to do what Your wisdom is teaching me to resist; I’m enlightened to the knowledge of the consequence, and yet, I desire still, what is contrary to the correction.

Ah, okay!

I see!

I remember what the Holy Spirit taught Peter, and Peter spoke saying: … ^{1 Peter 3:15} but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts … . Being resurrected from death to life to serve the leaving God in eternal life by grace through faith is a necessary process for understanding the knowledge of truth and love. Lord, keep reproving me, please keep correcting me. Help me. Help us. I love you. Jesus, thank you for the gift of our salvation to be reconciled to God our Father in this way of sanctification. Change me, Lord. Perfect us by Your Word, the Word of God, the Word that You are in us. I pray we will endure. Amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V12) Commentary
2. What will be our comfort when we are in affliction.

(1.) That it is a divine correction; it is the chastening of the Lord, which, as it is a reason why we should submit to it (for it is folly to contend with a God of incontestable sovereignty and irresistible power), so it is a reason why we should be satisfied in it; for we may be sure that a God of unspotted purity does us no wrong and that a God of infinite goodness means us no hurt. It is from God, and therefore must not be despised; for a slight put upon the messenger is an affront to him that sends him. It is from God, and therefore we must not be weary of it, for he knows our frame, both what we need and what we can bear.
(2.) That it is a fatherly correction; it comes not from his vindictive justice as a Judge, but his wise affection as a Father. The father corrects the son whom he loves, nay, and because he loves him and desires he may be wise and good. He delights in that in his son which is amiable and agreeable, and therefore corrects him for the prevention and cure of that which would be a deformity to him, and an alloy to his delight in him. Thus God hath said, As many as I love I rebuke and chasten, Rev. 3:19. This is a great comfort to God’s children, under their afflictions,
- [1.] That they not only consist with, but flow from, covenant-love.
- [2.] That they are so far from doing them any real hurt that, by the grace of God working with them, they do a great deal of good, and are happy means of their satisfaction.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

My son do not reject the discpline of the Lord or loathe His reproof | P3-V11

February 8, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹¹ My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof,

Lord, here we are again, a time to be devoted. And in this devotion, You remind me of the beginning; when mankind was created. You’ve taken me back to when Adam awoke to life by Your breath—^{Genesis 2:5}Now no shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to cultivate the ground. ⁶But a mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground. ⁷Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living person. So I close my eyes, and breathe.

When my eyes are closed, and I breathe in the air … there is only darkness. I can feel my body expand as the air You breathe enters my body, my eyes open and I see the wonder of Your majesty. I experience Your presence, but have yet to hear Your voice. And then … there it is; I hear You; I comprehend our relationship and recognize Who You are in me. My Father. You give me an environment with a warning, a command, to eat from “… any tree of the garden …; ¹⁷but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.” Everything was good, but being alone.

¹⁸Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” And so You gave me love, a woman, and everything was complete. Then sin entered the heart of what was created to be good. Knowledge is inevitable, but evil is cunning, and death has reigned from millennia to millennia since that day of sin committed by mankind—^{1 Timothy 2:13}For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. ¹⁴And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer [underline bold mine]. I can feel the law of faith discipline me as a son, enlightening me by the testimony of Your Word made flesh for the salvation of souls.

My conscience bears witness to Your work in me, the process of sanctification is an experience foreign to the mind of a human. But to the mind of the resurrected, it’s a taste of home. Oh Lord, I pray for all to be saved by grace through faith in Your Name, to the glory of God our Father.

^{Hebrews 12:7} It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.¹² Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. ¹⁴Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled; ¹⁶ that there be no immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V11) Commentary
III. We must conduct ourselves aright under our afflictions, v. 11, 12. This the apostle quotes (Heb. 12:5), and calls it an exhortation which speaks unto us as unto children, with the authority and affection of a father. We are here in a world of troubles. Now observe,

1. What must be our care when we are in affliction. We must neither despise it nor be weary of it. His exhortation, before, was to those that are rich and in prosperity, here to those that are poor and in adversity.
- (1.) We must not despise an affliction, be it ever so light and short, as if it were not worth taking notice of, or as if it were not sent on an errand and therefore required no answer. We must not be stocks, and stones, and stoics, under our afflictions, insensible of them, hardening ourselves under them, and concluding we can easily get through them without God.
- (2.) We must not be weary of an affliction, be it ever so heavy and long, not faint under it, so the apostle renders it, not be dispirited, dispossessed of our own souls, or driven to despair, or to use any indirect means for our relief and the redress of our grievances. We must not think that the affliction either presses harder or continues longer than is meet, not conclude that deliverance will never come because it does not come so soon as we expect it.
2. What will be our comfort when we are in affliction.
- (1.) That it is a divine correction; it is the chastening of the Lord, which, as it is a reason why we should submit to it (for it is folly to contend with a God of incontestable sovereignty and irresistible power), so it is a reason why we should be satisfied in it; for we may be sure that a God of unspotted purity does us no wrong and that a God of infinite goodness means us no hurt. It is from God, and therefore must not be despised; for a slight put upon the messenger is an affront to him that sends him. It is from God, and therefore we must not be weary of it, for he knows our frame, both what we need and what we can bear.
- (2.) That it is a fatherly correction; it comes not from his vindictive justice as a Judge, but his wise affection as a Father. The father corrects the son whom he loves, nay, and because he loves him and desires he may be wise and good. He delights in that in his son which is amiable and agreeable, and therefore corrects him for the prevention and cure of that which would be a deformity to him, and an alloy to his delight in him. Thus God hath said, As many as I love I rebuke and chasten, Rev. 3:19. This is a great comfort to God’s children, under their afflictions,
  - [1.] That they not only consist with, but flow from, covenant-love.
  - [2.] That they are so far from doing them any real hurt that, by the grace of God working with them, they do a great deal of good, and are happy means of their satisfaction.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

So your barns will be filled with plenty and your vats will overflow with new wine | P3-V10

February 7, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty And your vats will overflow with new wine.

I love this wisdom!

The previous devotional was—at least the very least, meant to be—more focused on the giving of our personal development (that reflects our belief system and faith portion) first, to God; now lets focus on the Person of God and the increase given as result of applying this wisdom.

As we make a practice of faithfully giving the first portion of our ‘gross pay’ income to our God (church, family [orphans/widows\etc.], homelessness, etc.; Christian organizations), is a testimony to our spiritual position and health because we serve a living God that means to give us the good of Himself for an eternal life with Him through His only Son, Christ our Lord, Yahweh.

God our Father gave us the ultimate first of all His produce

We couldn’t pray for a better produce from our God and Father, than His Son, and He is Who we have every moment of everyday in all things we’ve been blessed to experience.

^{Philippians 3:7}But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, ⁹and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,

^{Hebrew 2:9}But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

^{1 Corinthians 8:5}For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, ⁶yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. ⁷However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

So watch how God gives the increase as we continue in our faithful obedience to His Son, our Lord and Savior, the Messiah, Jesus. Lets put this wisdom to the test by heeding its instruction to give the first of all our produce, and trusting God with the nature of Christ our Lord as increase in our spiritual development … to be more like Christ, from glory to glory.

^{2 Corinthians 3:17}Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V10) Commentary
2. A promise, which makes it our interest to serve God with our estates. It is the way to make a little much, and much more; it is the surest and safest method of thriving: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty. He does not say thy bags, but thy barns, not thy wardrobe replenished, but thy presses: “God shall bless thee with an increase of that which is for use, not for show or ornament-for spending and laying out, not for hoarding and laying up.’ Those that do good with what they have shall have more to do more good with. Note, If we make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion we shall find our religion very serviceable to the prosperity of our worldly affairs. Godliness has the promise of the life that now is and most of the comfort of it. We mistake if we think that giving will undo us and make us poor. No, giving for God’s honour will make us rich, Hag. 2:19. What we gave we have.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce | P3-V9

February 6, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

⁹ Honor the LORD from your wealth And from the first of all your produce;

“Our Father in Heaven … Holy … is Your Name.” When we look from the ground to the stars, the mirror to our scars; the idea of wealth feels real when the value is us. The first of our produce should be a prayer in faith, to God. The value that produces currency, is not money; it’s belief. And so the next time you read the letters on a dollar bill, take notice how we’ve went from “IN GOD WE TRUST” to ‘DIGITAL‘ because that precious reminder of trusting God is long past due. The first of every breath, every thought, every experience, is to honor our Lord and Savior, Christ the Son of God, Jesus. It could be that our children become leaders of the most wealthy on the face of the planet, every person subject to their wisdom, their every decision, but if they have not God? All of the achievements to success and wealth will have amounted to a debt of eternal hell. I thank God for the prayer of grace that has been ever present at the work of the cross, the heart of God; grace that stretches from the eternal east to the eternal west—^{Gen 3:24} So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life. Jesus is our tree of life. There is no amount of wealth that will buy belief, it’s a matter of faith, it is the gift of God in Jesus Christ that canonizes our relationship to God our Father in Heaven (not the Roman Catholic Church or any other Church than the One Jesus said, and upon this rock I’ll build My church ^{Mat 16:18}). “Jesus, I trust you.”

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V9) Commentary
II. We must make a good use of our estates, and that is the way to increase them, v. 9, 10. Here is,

1. A precept which makes it our duty to serve God with our estates: Honour the Lord with thy substance. It is the end of our creation and redemption to honour God, to be to him for a name and a praise; we are no other way capable of serving him than in his honour. His honour we must show forth and the honour we have for him. We must honour him, not only with our bodies and spirits which are his, but with our estates too, for they also are his: we and all our appurtenances must be devoted to his glory. Worldly wealth is but poor substance, yet, such as it is, we must honour God with it, and then, if ever, it becomes substantial. We must honour God,
- (1.) With our increase. Where riches increase we are tempted to honour ourselves (Deu. 8:17) and to set our hearts upon the world (Ps. 62:10); but the more God gives us the more we should study to honour him. It is meant of the increase of the earth, for we live upon annual products, to keep us in constant dependence on God.
- (2.) With all our increase. As God has prospered us in every thing, we must honour him. Our law will allow a prescription for a modus decimandi-a mode of tithing, but none de non decimando-for exemption from paying tithes.
- (3.) With the first-fruits of all, as Abel, Gen. 4:4. This was the law (Ex. 23:19), and the prophets, Mal. 3:10. God, who is the first and best, must have the first and best of every thing; his right is prior to all other, and therefore he must be served first. Note, It is our duty to make our worldly estates serviceable to our religion, to use them and the interest we have by them for the promoting of religion, to do good to the poor with what we have and abound in all works of piety and charity, devising liberal things.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

I Die Daily Devotional | III

February 5, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

My spirit is willing, but my flesh is weak. I think about when the disciples were with Jesus before He was betrayed. Jesus found them sleeping; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

^{Matthew 26:39} And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” ⁴⁰ And He *came to the disciples and *found them sleeping, and *said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹ Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

This encourages me to keep watch and pray without ceasing, that we don’t enter into temptation. The discipline of life change is exhausting, but with the Helper given as Jesus has promised … we can get through it. By faith, the Spirit of God is working in us to stay awake and watch. God is good.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones | P3-V8

February 4, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

⁸ It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.

What will be healing to our bodies and refreshment to our bones?

… ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. ⁸ It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones. …

We have a short life span as it is, so what is the significance of this wisdom? To experience healing and refreshment?

It’s difficult to separate from the reality of our impending death to believe in a life everlasting, but I write with the Lord being present in both mind and body which produces the reality of an impending life that is eternal.

Faith to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding, to acknowledge Him as our straight and narrow path to God our Father, and to respect the nature of His design and glory is to experience our lives change in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. We will experience the ongoing discipline of our Holy God as the Father Who—loves us more than we can fathom as enough—produces in us this wisdom of healing and refreshment for time with Him in the eternal, having learned through the severity of disobedience—by the consequence of our present condition of death—enlightened by the grace of God to Jesus Christ for our salvation.

To experience healing and refreshment, is to experience the discipline of repentance from dead works to serving a living God. To repent, and serve God, is a choice made by people of faith in Christ our Lord, Jesus. Amen.

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V8) Commentary
2. A dutiful subjection: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil; take heed of doing any thing to offend him and to forfeit his care. To fear the Lord, so as to depart from evil, is true wisdom and understanding (Job 28:28); those that have it are truly wise, but self-denyingly so, and not wise in their own eyes. For our encouragement thus to live in the fear of God it is here promised (v. 8) that it shall be as serviceable even to the outward man as our necessary food. It will be nourishing: It shall be health to thy navel. It will be strengthening: It shall be marrow to thy bones. The prudence, temperance, and sobriety, the calmness and composure of mind, and the good government of the appetites and passions, which religion teaches, tend very much not only to the health of the soul, but to a good habit of body, which is very desirable, and without which our other enjoyments in this world are insipid. Envy is the rottenness of the bones; the sorrow of the world dries them; but hope and joy in God are marrow to them.

God and Coffee, I die daily devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil | P3-V7

February 3, 2021 Nathan Dooley Leave a comment

The Rewards of Wisdom

Proverbs 3; I die daily devotional.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

As I think about this verse am examining how it pertains to me personally as well as how it might pertain to you. I think of what it means to be wise from the eyes of Christ and His Church on earth.

I then think about the world and how my eyes were well acquainted to sin before experiencing the freedom from Hell by the wisdom of God in the work of His Son on the cross.

Being wise in our own eyes from the western part of our globe looks like the freedom to be happy in doing whatever makes us “happy”, no judgement or consequences, just … power and pleasure to be who we want to be. It looks like the world is on its way to self-sustainability for life apart from religion, or life apart from the conviction of truth—telling us how went wrong, are sinful, and in need of repentance until the return of Christ to make us Holy.

However, fearing the Lord by turning away from evil (repentance) reminds us of where our truth is … which is in us by faith if we pass the test. The test being that we are found securely fastened to the gospel promise of Christ, the Son of God, our salvation. Our faith producing in us glory to glory…

^{2 Corinthians 3:17}Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

^{2 Corinthians 13:5}Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

RESOURCE

COMMENTARY

Chapter 3

Matthew Henry (P3-V7) Commentary
We have here before us three exhortations, each of them enforced with a good reason:-

I. We must live in a humble and dutiful subjection to God and his government (v. 7): “Fear the Lord, as your sovereign Lord and Master; be ruled in every thing by your religion and subject to the divine will.’ This must be,
- 1. A humble subjection: Be not wise in thy own eyes. Note, There is not a greater enemy to the power of religion, and the fear of God in the heart, than conceitedness of our own wisdom. Those that have an opinion of their own sufficiency think it below them, and a disparagement to them, to take their measures from, much more to hamper themselves with, religion’s rules.

A Father’s Instruction

Chapter 4

Share this:

Like this:

A Father’s Instruction

Chapter 4

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Read Me First

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Lamb of God

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this:

Like this:

Chapter 3

Share this: