Tag Archives: Faith

Nathan Dooley

12/31/2022: Sin’s Cycle Concluded

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Originally my idea for concluding Sin’s Cycle was discovering how sin originated and then to investigate the matter of whether you, I or someone we know remains in unbelief to the gospel—by which the Christian knows to be the power of God to salvation (Rom. 1:16)—and is presently condemned to the eternal consequence. It turned out that that was going to be a lot more work than I had planned, so now I’m working off the idea of all things in our present state of being leading to one conclusion: The Coming of The Lord!

When I think about this world I share with you, but without the gospel, it’s natural to conform to what the world is up to no matter where you are located; we awake, we ache, we eat, we work, we play, we sleep into the entertainment of agendas today. Lets go see a movie, smoke some weed, watch some reels—or porn, drink something new, rewrite the constitution, ‘how about dem Cowboys?!’. The distractions from the burden of disciples made are relentless.

Diagram – 6

Ultimately, I think human’s consciousness of this world—our world that is passing away and the lust its of—has ‘hit the roof’. It’s a game of risk. Every move on the chess board a person makes is to checkmate their own soul in hell for the sake of being king rather than subjecting to their King of God’s will, Jesus Christ. When the boundaries to what this world has to offer has been discovered a question is proposed: Will you escape? Because being a “good” person does not grant salvation.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Nathan Dooley

Monologue: A Clear Conscience | 11/13/2022

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In case you missed it, it was a beautiful day. This morning there was frost on the rooftops and green grass, a warm glow pierced through the cold making everything sparkle as though Edward from Twilight were on the scene in everything.

Laura (my wife) was still asleep; I went to our spot, the Place Unexpected, and sat on a bench to enjoy the mood of the morning.

Nathan posing for an epic pic of the morning mood

I’ve been thinking about how to “upload” what is “downloaded” in my heart and mind. I feel like at this present time my conscience is clear and in the process of being cleansed; cleansed from all the dust and muck that “hidden” sin leaves behind after every “item” is moved out. That reminds me of biblical verses vital to my present state:

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

— Matthew (12:43-45)

“When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”

— Luke (11:24-26)

In both the gospel of Matthew and Luke, Jesus warns how the unclean spirit goes of a man—in this case myself—and travels through dry places until the spirit returns finding my conscience clear and clean, then goes out to bring with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, making my next state worse than it was prior. I take responsibility for allowing what is unclean and against Christ in me.

As the Holy Spirit works to cleanse the dust and muck from within me, I must discipline myself as the apostle Paul said, “I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” And this writing is me showing up to do just that, discipline my body!

UNTIL NEXT TIME – LORD WILLING TOMORROW

Nathan Dooley

Red Ink | #1

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“What do you seek?”

Looking at the gospel according to John I imagine myself a Jew awaiting the prophecy of promise, the Messiah.

John the Baptist is on the scene and you are one of his two disciples. Meditate on that… Can you imagine going from disciple of John the Baptist to follower of the Lamb of God (John 1:35-37)? I can imagine thinking, what did John the Baptist mean exactly by this “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world”? As you’re following this human Lamb does curiosity not grip you? Do questions not shake you? Then imagine his attention shift to you, his focus on you, “What do you seek?”

When I go to the gospel (the Bible), what do I seek? A want? A wish? What?

What about you? What do you seek?

I want to remain in the “Red Ink” of Christ, the blood of Jesus, The Word of God! While that sounds good I’m quickly distracted by fleshly desires, social media and worldly affairs. I’m recognizing more and more the nature of sin in my life, the devil is in the details.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Roman’s: “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (8:13).

It’s time to live.