Tag Archives: security

Christian Soapbox, Nathan Dooley

…TO SECURITY TO ENGINEERING TO ENTREPRENEUR TO…

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COUNT THE COST

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…

by Nathan Dooley

So there I was, without a job and free to do whatever again… I thought about seeing if my old position in the Public Services department (City of Richardson) as a Water Production (SCADA) operator was available, or to go back to engineering, but my heart has always been geared toward mission work! I just hadn’t known how it was going to come about. 

Laura and I prayed and waited a month before I would go back to Security Guard work; bear in mind that I’d been working random shifts on the GaurdTexas team through a friend/ Operations Manager (Boss Man) who kept me in the loop for Security work throughout Dallas. God’s providence is very real! 

So that’s what I did, I decided to go back to being a humble security guard with a plan to work the night shift. The days are too distracting for what I needed to sort out and not only that, I needed time to learn premiere pro. I’ve always enjoyed shooting video to create content, and to my surprise Laura wanted to join me on an adventure to video editing work through a friend you’ll know or discover if you stick around on this site, aka Dallas. The man is so good at what he does, especially when it comes to loving his family and others! Dallas blessed us with work, entrusting us to his guidance and direction as we got our feet wet in that field through him.

Now there’s a question that’s been beckoning…

“So why not go to bible college and or seminary?” MAN—that’s the question! Isn’t it! The answer is not a simple one for me and really, I think it might be controversial which is not my intention for it to be, but I have my concerns about that approach to “ordination” because of some trauma from my past, I don’t trust it.

Fast forward to January of 2022 when a breakthrough happened when fellowshiping with a friend over…

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

Then you will walk securely | P3-V23

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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 15:56-57 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 26:64Jesus *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

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. 4 So 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-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.’
I die devotionals, Nathan Dooley

For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul | P2-V10

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The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security

Proverbs 2; I die daily devotional.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

WISDOM WILL ENTER

When we wake up everyday with an effort of directing our soul to the Kingdom of God, wisdom is stored up in the innermost part of our being waiting to fill every intent and motive with breath, word, and action.

Let’s really think about that for a moment.

The wisdom of God is stored up inside a person, how? The grace of God. By God’s grace we have access to live and have life, but then what does that mean, “to live and have life?” All of these words (wisdom, grace, live, life) mean different things to different people, but when we make it a spiritual matter, then what? The insignificance of these words become significant, not by any human will or definition, but by the will and power of God. God has somehow invented a way for the human soul to have faith by grace: without faith the human soul is lost in science, and without grace, the human soul is lost in sin.

The gospel is being sent out and preached to the ears of the unheard around the world, but this religion of Christianity seems to be well built into the subconscious of the western hemisphere. So wisdom has already entered every place where the gospel has been preached (not every place around the world, research the 10/40 window), even places where Jesus was unwelcome, which is as a consequence of their rejection—became a testimony against them; the disciples that carried the message saying, “‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.” means that the message of salvation was not received and becomes as a curse—a judgement so severe that not even the day of Sodom will compare when Jesus returns.

Luk 9:5 — “And as for those who do not receive you, as you go out from that city, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”

Luk 10:10 — “But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 12 I say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city.”

So I pray this gospel I’m writing about will find you where you are with an open heart to receive and learn to understand, than to find you outright reject this presence of peace. The message comes so near to your heart with no expectation of price than to receive the gift of God’s kingdom, Jesus is knocking by this truth of His Word, and so will you open the door and invite Him in and listen while you host every need?

KNOWLEDGE WILL BE

The act of grace to receive the gospel message is an act of faith to receive the Lord Himself into your life by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the knowledge of Jesus in your heart is so pleasant that a taste of eternity is there, there is nothing like this experience of salvation in Christ our Lord, Jesus.

But now there is a world of which needs to hear about this grace through faith in our King that lives in the hearts of all that receive Him, the spiritual knowledge of the kingdom of God. So put on your armor against the temptations of the world, but carry the gospel with only your clothes, nothing more; in doing so will exercise that wisdom that has entered your heart and the pleasance of knowledge in every circumstance. Trust in the will of the Lord.

  • How do you experience wisdom entering your heart
  • What does knowledge feel like, is it pleasant?

RECOURCE

[BP]

Proverbs 2 (NASB)—blueletterbible.org
1 My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come  knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. 9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you, 12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things; 13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who delight in doing evil And rejoice in the perversity of evil; 15 Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways; 16 To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words; 17 That leaves the companion of her youth And forgets the covenant of her God; 18 For her house sinks down to death And her tracks lead to the dead; 19 None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life. 20 So you will walk in the way of good men And keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will live in the land And the blameless will remain in it; 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land And the treacherous will be uprooted from it.

COMMENTARY

Matthew Henry (P2-V10) Commentary
I. For our preservation from evil, from the evil of sin, and, consequently, from the evil of trouble that attends it.

  • 1. In general (v. 10, 11), “When wisdom has entire possession of thee, it will keep thee.’ And when has it an entire possession of us?
    • (1.) When it has dominion over us. When it not only fills the head with notions, but enters into the heart and has a commanding power and influence upon that,-when it is upon the throne there, and gives law to the affections and passions,-when it enters into the heart as the leaven into the dough, to diffuse its relish there, and to change it into its own image-then it is likely to do us good.
    • (2.) When we have delight in it, when knowledge becomes pleasant to the soul: “When thou beginnest to relish it as the most agreeable entertainment, and art subject to its rules, of choice, and with satisfaction,-when thou callest the practice of virtue, not a slavery and a task, but liberty and pleasure, and a life of serious godliness the most comfortable life a man can live in this world,-then thou wilt find the benefit of it.’ Though its restraints should be in some respects unpleasant to the body, yet even those must be pleasant to the soul. When it has come to this, with us, discretion shall preserve us and keep us. God keeps the way of his saints (v. 8), by giving them discretion to keep out of harm’s way, to keep themselves that the wicked one touch them not. Note, A principle of grace reigning in the heart will be a powerful preservative both against corruptions within and temptations without, Eccl. 9:16, 18.