Tag Archives: Heavenly Father

Christian Soapbox, Nathan Dooley

COUNT THE COST

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There was a time… a time when I transitioned from a site supervising security officer to an engineer of a 14-story class double “AA” office tower that required knowledge around high end M&E (Mechanical and Electrical) equipment to manage through SCADA systems alongside my chief engineer. These machines were the power of the Tower, everything was programmed to turn on and off at specific times: lights on, air moving, water flowing, and doors secure.

The environment was damn near perfect for any and all the fortune 500 companies. A fortress of success and cutting edge technology… What could go wrong? As long as the condition was perfect my job was humbly making keys, eliminating odors from p-traps, painting, changing ceiling tiles, etc. And it was during that time as an engineer I became inspired by an idea. I decided to start a ministry called “Salvational Engineering” where I would pick up trash around our little place in the hood. 

The idea was to prune the ministry by hitting every neighboring’ hood encompassed around mine—and you wouldn’t believe some of the things I found as trash, or actually… you just might!

So while that was in the making, a friend of mine invited me to help him on a move. I thought it was just me helping a friend; I tried to refuse payment, but he insisted on paying me for the hard work. And it was HARD work! Moving is no joke!

Then the friend called me again for a move, then again, again, and again. As this became something of a normal thing I saw the potential my friend had to do something about this moving thing and planted the idea of him starting a moving company; to which if he did, I’d be his right hand. Next thing I know we’re free falling, quitting our careers to pursue this entrepreneurial thing; it was grind time, everything changed! Salvational Engineering quickly faded into the background and eventually was set aside for an unexpected future resurrection.

At this junction the risk became surreal when my friend and I didn’t get that expected direct deposit into our accounts. We had to get side jobs to stay afloat: stained fences, landscaped – from planting flowers to cutting down trees – and then beating up rich people… ask Fred! (I’m joking). The business grew and grew, beyond our expectations, it was amazing to see how God took care of us at every turn, overcoming every obstacle. My wife was able to quit her job for us to focus on making them babies, but then… guess what happened! I’d later get terminated due to a story for another time…

Nathan preparing to recruit and my “conscience” (wife) interrupting 😂.

I know, the suspense will kill but long story short; we’d worked out our problem with another christian brother because after all we’re members of the same body in Christ. I was invited to come back as part of the Swan Moving Services team but had decided that continuing on that journey wasn’t worth the potential destruction of our friendship.

The principle that was crucial for me to understand before anything and everything else was that as believers I belonged to Christ before the business, relationship, and especially my own soul! I am going to teach you what that means and how to meet that principle as the story continues. Remember the machines that keep the power in the Tower; we function like machines, and the power in our “Tower’s” is the Spirit of God if the Spirit of Christ dwells in us (Romans 8).

James 3:1

“Do not become teachers in large numbers, my brothers, since you know that we who are teachers will incur a stricter judgment.”

I have a responsibility, especially in the trouble of today, to be humble before the Holy Spirit as He helps me navigate from the sin of past experiences to the discipline of our heavenly Father. I have believed and am believing with enduring faith in trials and temptations of this present evil age, humbled to suffer in the name of Jesus Christ as a son of God. Discipline hurts but produces the trait of humility and fruit of righteousness which is of heavenly value through Jesus Christ exalted as head over all.

So there I was, free to do whatever again…

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I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For the waywardness of the naive will kill them | P1-V32

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Wisdom Warns 

Proverbs 1; I die daily devotional.

32 “For the waywardness of the naïve will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them.

Was the year 2020 a wayward year? You’re the judge, but TODAY … is more than a NEW DAY! We’ve just kicked off the starting line of a NEW YEAR! TwentyTwenty-one! MMXXI! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2021

The first part of our verse today kills me (no pun intended) because the waywardness of the naïve is seen not only in my environment—as I think of select individuals and their reasons to reject the proclamation for a behavior contrary to the spiritual work of the gospel—but all around the world through social media. I mean if we really looked intently at the law of liberty (James 1:25) next to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. posts can see the alarming nature of the human condition that will kill them. Now, of course, it might be that someone reading this is still in the process of learning about the Christian faith while Christians of the faith are still going through their process of sanctification, and when these two different stages of faith developments’ collide can be catastrophic to the conscience of both parties, but as we go through these Proverbs together will discover the healthy environment that the Holy Spirit works in—to the glory of Jesus Christ.

COMPLACENCY

If you happen to be one of those people who are seeing the nature of sin by the world around you as your conscience bears witness, your spirit gradually descending into depression, don’t fret or become intimidated by the information overload that our advancing society expects us to keep up with; you know… the new trend, or… that new smart technology, whatever it is that compels you to show it off in a new selfie photo, waiting for the ‘likes’ and ‘loves’ of those who care. “OH BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!” Now distracted by the ‘ads’ in the onslaught of social media feeds that the complacency of fools spend there days to grab your attention, sucking your life blood into their vortex of demise, an outcome that will destroy them. It’s time now to turn our attention to the good Word of God that means to save your soul, not destroy it. You see, there is an Eternal Father that loves you more than you’ll ever know because that’s how faith in eternity works, a hope that is for you, personally:  Romans 8:24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.  Hebrews 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. So don’t find yourself wayward with the naïve, but blessed by the grace and mercy of God to pray for a clean conscience and live by that faith; don’t get distracted (for at least too long) by the social media drama and become so complacent you forget that perfect law that set you free from sin. Let’s replace the sin about our lives with the confidence we have in Christ!

  • How have you kickstarted your new year?
  • What are your faith goals for 2021?
  • How can you avoid being naïve?
  • What is the best strategy against complacency?
  • How can you serve the Church this year?

RECOURCE

Proverbs 1 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel: 2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, 3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; 4 To give prudence to the naïve, To the youth knowledge and discretion, 5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.  8 Hear, my son, your father’s instruction And do not forsake your mother’s teaching; 9 Indeed, they are a graceful wreath to your head And ornaments about your neck. 10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent. 11 If they say, “Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause; 12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit; 13 We will find all kinds of precious wealth, We will fill our houses with spoil; 14 Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse,” 15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path, 16 For their feet run to evil And they hasten to shed blood. 17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the baited net In the sight of any bird; 18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives. 19 So are the ways of everyone who gains by violence; It takes away the life of its possessors. Wisdom Warns 20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; 21 At the head of the noisy streets she cries out; At the entrance of the gates in the city she utters her sayings: 22 “How long, O naïve ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? 23  “Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. 24 “Because I called and you refused, I stretched out my hand and no one paid attention; 25 And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; 26 I will also laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your dread comes, 27 When your dread comes like a storm And your calamity comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. 28 “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me, 29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. 30 “They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. 31 “So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way And be satiated with their own devices. 32 “For the waywardness of the naïve will kill them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them. 33 “But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil.”

COMMENTARY

Matthew Henry (P1-V32) Commentary
[5.] Now they value themselves upon their worldly prosperity; but then that shall help to aggravate their ruin, v. 32.

  • First, They are now proud that they can turn away from God and get clear of the restraints of religion; but that very thing shall slay them, the remembrance of it shall cut them to the heart.
  • Secondly, They are now proud of their own security and sensuality; but the ease of the simple (so the margin reads it) shall slay them; the more secure they are the more certain and the more dreadful will their destruction be, and the prosperity of fools shall help to destroy them, by puffing them up with pride, gluing their hearts to the world, furnishing them with fuel for their lusts, and hardening their hearts in their evil ways.
Nathan Dooley, Spiritual Insights

Spiritual Insight | 15

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3 Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be established.

Proverbs 16

I love thunderstorms! I hear its sound and see its magnificence approaching through the window and must leave my typing to go outside and experience it… I appreciate how a thunderstorm displays the majesty of God. Not that I woke up to, but it’s a pleasant feeling when waking up to a subtle thunder and flashes of lightning, grace filled rain fall. …Awww… think of the smell of rain, love that smell!

During work at (T4P) this morning I’ve come to realize my project on ‘The Temptation‘ is taking much more time than I’d like to commit to, honestly, but the spiritual journey due to the commitment is so very rewarding.

The proverbs ring true at this insight, I’ve committed my work to the Lord and plan to have published work for my readers to read this morning. Imagine coffee in hand, bible at my side and in my heart, journal before me to record this process, and finally, ear buds in my ears to hear scripture rapped by Shai Linne.

There is a divine experience when the work of the Heavenly Kingdom is in the work of my fingers to type each word signifying the gospel manifest in the saving work of the Holy Spirit in my life to hope for my readers salvation in Christ. That is the spiritual insight of this post—that the word of the Kingdom of God is evident in this work of my commitment to Jesus Christ, and the work is also available to you.

How do you use your time to commit to Jesus Christ?

I would genuinely like to know how you apply that proverb in your life. You can tell me in a comment or maybe I’ll watch and read about it sometime somewhere, Lord willing.

I’m deeply encouraged by my bothers and sisters in Christ (in my life personally) already applying this principle to their life. It’s so AWESOME!

I so strongly desire to spend time with many of my fellow brothers and sisters in the faith while struggle in that same desire by the cost of time; it’s possible I’ve failed to communicate my priorities to several of my friends that desire time, there is no excuse but to continue in my work of the cross by this (T4P) site.

But I pray that any friend reading the above paragraph does not think that all my time goes into isolating myself behind a screen to do this work. It’s doesn’t. Let me explain. I’ve committed myself to a select few in life under the stewardship of Watermark Community Church to help govern my life in the counsel of scripture by God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

I’m on active mission with these select few in honor of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to cultivate the birth of salvation in those lost by our world of sin, yet hopefully found by the hearts behind this site pointing to His MERCY, GRACE, and FORGIVENESS.

The sacrifice is real!

I think the most difficult aspect of my faith is navigating time with my fellow believers appropriately. But not only them.

Biological family is also demanding when it comes to desired time spent, not a bad thing, it’s only natural because of endearment. But here come why it’s difficult.

Expectations!

I expect, you expect, they expect, we all expect! Expectations have such potential to cause unnecessary consequence, pain and hurt due to the sin of idolatry. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Lord willing… We’ll have eternity together! I love you!

God speed.

Proverbs 16 (Motive)

Spiritual Insight | #16

2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the Lord weighs the motives.Proverbs 16 Have you ever woke up feeling… weird? Like… spiritually weird? I did, and can’t figure out why, or what is going on. SO! Thought it appropriate to write about and see what we find out. At first I had…

by Nathan Dooley

Spiritual Insight | #17

4 The Lord has made everything for its own purpose, Even the wicked for the day of evil.Proverbs 16 Do your motives reveal Jesus Christ? To continue from my insight #16. The elements that make up our reality communicate options to possibilities. They also communicate our limitations. But what do the motives of our conclusions reveal…

by Nathan Dooley