Tag Archives: Freedom

Christian Soapbox, Nathan Dooley

YOU SHALL LOVE…

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I recently read a rule on writing: write the way you speak. And so this is me trying to write how I speak, only…I don’t—actually—know that I would’ve started off so eloquently as I have. It might’ve started something more like me interrupting your peaceful train of thought on something much more…stupid— “so yo I read this rule about writing the way you speak,” as you roll your eyes to look at me with annoyance for interrupting a perfectly awesome daydream about things I would not care at all about other than, of course, the fact you cared enough to depart your attention from the society I so happen to inhabit. Which is unacceptable. I can’t have that.

Anyway. The point is, I need your attention. “Why” might be your urge that boils from within to a steam for my ears to hear, but let me save you that frustration by demanding you obey these two commandments before you burn…me (haha—did you like that pause, cause I did).

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Upon these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets.”—Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)

See, now, doesn’t that make you feel all better…

If you’re of the literal type, you might be driven to brink of insanity when stuck on whether your author is being humorous or narcissistic—or possibly both. And so let me save you the suspense by affirming that I look at myself in the mirror when singing, also after taking a selfie, which causes me to start singing again. So basically I’m singing as I look at myself in the reflection of my computer screen:

OUR GOOOOOD…IS AN AWWESOMMEE GOD
HE REIGNS…FROM HEAVEN ABOVE
WITH WIIIISDOM, POWER, AND LOVE—

Because after all, our God is an awesome God for making someone like me— am I right!? And if you haven’t laughed at all by anything I’ve written thus far…welp, congratulations, you interpret everything from an extreme literal perspective. Which is perfectly fine, you just…might, well…need a moment, or two, to breathe, but regardless; my sense of humor is outstanding— am I right!?—(last one—that was the last one).

So now that you’ve loved me this far into your reading, lets talk about how God loves you.

YOU SHALL LOVE

I don’t think Jesus—the proclaimed Son of Man—would’ve said what He didn’t learn from His Father—the proclaimed God—without you—the proclaimed reader—in mind when He said: You shall love… .

Is it wrong of me to believe that Jesus knew the conditions for such a—an axiomatic—statement yet to be proven on the terms of human nature?

I guess what I mean by that is…because Jesus knew that mine and your condition of sin (as equivalent to those questioning) blinds us from seeing the truth of such love accomplished in Him; how could there be any other way for us to see that eternal meaning of Love that God is, than for Jesus to die without tasting sin—although tempted to the point of sweating blood in resistance as you might recall “yet not as I [Jesus] will, but as You [Father] will“? The discipline of God’s Just wrath due our sin could only be quenched by the blood and water of the innocent Lamb of God—Jesus our Christ. And that, by what Jesus did on the cross, gives us a new way of seeing.

Whatever the hurt, pain, or suffering you’re experiencing; you might be on trail for your faith. And I encourage you by calling to mind where Jesus is, your Intercessor of the faith in which you hold so dear. Keep holding, hold on, don’t let go. God knows the truth of your condition so intimately that He gave His only Son as that Lamb for the sake of you. He loves you.

Don’t get me wrong, I write this in “confidence” while yet experiencing my own set of trials tempting my carnal intellect for all kinds of ghastly evil; a 3 or 4 letter word at my fingertips all too simple to type with a swift motion of my pinky—*enter*—is all it takes. Then down the rabbit hole I go with all reputation to proceed me, and that might be you at this very moment or possibly even the next. Is it? Will it be?

If it is; if it will be; be encouraged! There will be a necessary discipline, two world’s divided before you; one world will hate you, and the other will identify you as a hypocrite, but live in the former and not the latter even when you might visit the latter for a time (Don’t stay there!) Keep the faith!

Jesus showed us how we shall love, I pray we are doing so in this Christmas season, and even to death.

Amen

Christian Soapbox

Juneteenth Freedom Day or Emancipation Day for Zero Tolerance

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America,

You have no need to become educated by what this day represents. In celebration and concern to commemorate today, I write this post. Have you heard the news? Look and see! Slaves are free! Here you go, let it be!

It infuriates me to learn about such injustices of our history, prompting so many questions that quickly induce an emotional high on the subject. It’s ironic that today, in our news, we are faced with evolved injustices as result of those previous. An example is given by how we are treating people at the border of Mexico and the U.S. that prompts more questions evident by widespread uproar. I will not dishonor our president in obedient practice of what is learned through the teaching of the gospel, as every believer who fears the Lord would quickly remind themselves.

16 Act as free men, and [a]do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the [b]king.

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are [c]unreasonable. 

—1 Peter 2

Mr. President of the United States of America:

There is an abundance of information that proves indignant regarding the zero tolerance policy?

People of America:

There is a different way of conducting ourselves to provide a point of influence, but the war is not against our President or flesh and blood! That needs to be clear!

1 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against [a]flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

—Ephesians 6

Christian Soapbox

Session 3 – An Interviewing by God

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Featured photo: Ben Jacobi www.bdjphoto.com 

9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2)

I understand Job to be an illustration of our present day global suffering to the individual adversities each of us share.  Just as Job had experienced the loss of nearly everything, it wasn’t finished.  Evil has a strategic agenda to confuse the truth with lies, and thereby, challenges our devotion to what is good and righteous.  As long as our hearts receives the approval of those we care so deeply for rather than receiving from the only One Who matters, we’re lost and without understanding; in danger of fearing the wrath of God at the coming of His Son.

Although the wife of Job insists to “Curse God and die!“.  Job is not manipulated by the love he has for his wife; because God supplied and took away what was necessary for this process of understanding the truth of God.  Someone tell me.

  • How did Job come to life?  – Was it not through suffering?

11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, they came each one from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. 13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great. (Job 2)

We will not find truth in succumbing to the flattery of friends, nor by believing the accusations against us by self-righteous friends.  However, as Job goes through the turmoil of Satan discovers the character of God and His immense power.  Don’t give up where you are and don’t make the mistake of being someone else’s “god” for the sake of easing their pain.  Live by the understanding that the grace given by God abounds the sins of your life.  Confess and contend with God, but understand this truth, Job repented in dust and ashes when God showed up!  Do you, or we, think, that our place is not the same as Job’s.  Or are you so arrogant as a son or daughter of Satan, to challenge the character of another based on what God has provided for them, and not you?  I pray this is not confused with partiality or being favored by what is given materially, for we all equally have the opportunity at receiving the gift of God.  What have you chosen over that gift?