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Christian Soapbox

I Don’t Follow Jesus

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I Don’t Follow Jesus

“What!? No.” I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not trolling you. And remember, even though I don’t follow Jesus … keep loving people like He did and treat them as you want to be treated. Don’t try and scroll down to see what my aim is here. Does it surprise you? I mean…

I think John L. Cooper said it best—

“More and more of our outspoken leaders or influencers who were once “faces” of the faith are falling away. And at the same time they are being very vocal and bold about it.” (link)

And it only makes sense according to the Christian Post—

“Back in the 1930s, only 5% of Americans did not identify with any religion. In 1990 that number had risen to 8%, a modest increase after more than half a century.

But these last years have brought a dramatic change. By 2008, the number of Americans not identifying with any religion had risen to 12%, and by 2012, it had risen to 20%, with the number among millennials around 30%.” (link)

So this should not come as a surprise to you if it does. Especially if you’ve read how dark my previous post was. I mean, come on. I’ve been in the pits of unquenchable fire and suffering. I guess now the question is whether I truly EVER followed after Jesus? Some might think that my believing was in vain and only wanted something to gain. That I NEVER truly believed.

I would disagree and counter you misunderstand the enlightenment of your own faith or have not been enlightened to the truth of the gospel altogether. Just because you read that I don’t follow after Jesus does not mean that I wasn’t enlightened by the truth of the gospel, see I still know the truth and that is what should make this statement alarming.

The real question is—

Can the person turned away from their faith in Christ re-enter the Christian faith?

Sense we are talking about me because I’m selfish. The answer to that question for me is “no” because in my case I’ve confessed to taste the heavenly gift that made me a partaker of the Holy Spirit. So it is impossible for me to be renewed again to repentance since I again crucify to myself the Son of God and put Him to open shame. Don’t believe me, check out Hebrews chapter 6 in your Bible.

It is the Holy Spirit through the inspired words of the Bible that speak with authority … I’m just a messenger.

That is what happened to Judas Iscariot. Judas held onto his thievery at heart, did not confess this sin. To do this leaves the “believer” (by association) in this case, Judas Iscariot, vulnerable to Satan’s influence (John 12:4-6) and ultimate possession. This is why it is so important for professing Christians to not sell their soul for the cost of their sin not confessed.

38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. (Mark 9)

49 John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name; and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow along with us.” 50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not hinder him; for he who is not against you is ]for you.” (Luke 9)

I’ll confess that I used this title to especially peak the interest of those who thought they knew me to catch them like a fish. Because it’s the kind of friend I am, it’s what I do, that’s my humor and getting a rise out of my friends is quite fun, I admit. Not with the intention of destruction of course, then there would be an issue.

I wasn’t lying about not following Jesus, but I do follow after Jesus with all my heart, soul, strength, and mind. So brothers and sisters in the faith, don’t hinder me just because I’m not following after the style of gospel in you. Don’t hinder me just because you think there are enough christian resources out there for me to get plugged into one without having to startup a recourse of my own. Don’t hinder me…

In Love.

Nathan Dooley

Christian Soapbox

Oracles of God

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Featured photo: Ben Jacobi www.bdjphoto.com 

Prayer is a place to go to empty the soul.  Where darkness is not judged by the light; condemned, to Hell.  But is a place to become invisible with God; completely vulnerable, as a child, broken before their parent, trusting it’s going to be okay when reasoning the pain away.  Sometimes the process to mend what was broken…is more painful than when the break itself occurred.  The experience is…  Difficult to bear.  But out of that pain produces character.  Now what of the pain of the Parent/s?  …Having to operate on their broken child screaming and lashing out “IT HURTS” because of the unexpected consequence.  That pain, brings a unique revelation.  God is mending to fix my spiritual brokenness…as my parent.  When I close my eyes to enter the closet of my soul and the darkness of my life closes in around me…  There comes a LIGHT!  That LIGHT reflects the glory of a transformed nature.  A new creation!  The light is operating on me through conviction.  The experience feels like Hell (whatever that place feels like) but just like a child would trust their parent to fix what is broken.  I trust this spiritual process for the sake of my salvation.  Emotions flood the system that produce questions compacted with surrender.  Exclaiming in anguish:  

I DON’T GET IT!!!  I DON’T!!  I DON’T UNDERSTAND!!!  I’M ANGRY!  IM SO ANGRY!!!  IS THIS WHAT LIFE IS!?  WHY WAS I ABUSED!?  WHY WAS I ABANDONED!?  WHY WASN’T I TAUGHT!?  WHY WASN’T THIS EXPLAINED!?  WHERE WAS MY CHOICE!?  MY PROTECTION!? WHAT IS THE POINT!?  I DON’T UNDERSTAND!?  YOU PROMISED!!!  YOU PROMISED!!!  YOU ARE AN ETERNAL GOD AND MY FATHER!  YOU KNEW MY LIFE BEFORE I KNEW MYSELF!  WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THIS PAIN!?  WHAT HAVE I DONE!?  WHAT DID I DO!?  AM I THE DEVIL!?  FORGIVE ME?  PLEASE! WILL YOU FORGIVE ME?  HELP ME!

Ben’s photo so beautifully depicts a difference between the darkness that compliments the light and the darkness on the cabin by the light.  The darkness on the cabin reflect my broken soul.  The light within the cabin is the work of God that has transformed my soul into a spirit that cries out “DAD”!  A evidential condition to every soul claiming Jesus for salvation.  So the experience of our broken lives are not without meaning.  In fact, the meaning for me is this…  Every decision I’ve made right or wrong is consequential.  Coming to the end of myself is the beginning of my existence.  Everything about who I am was nailed to the Only Son of God on His cross.  God is the Heavenly Father of Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the Son of God that bore my sinful flesh to the point of His cross.  Jesus obediently accepted to receive the consequence of my sin that should have killed me to Hell.  But not just killed me…  all the world!  Because none is capable of enduring a consequence of that magnitude other than God Himself in Christ Jesus!

Death is the result of sin but not everyone will die because of their Life received by acknowledging Jesus as their reason of and for salvation.  Because no one will be saved by any other name than His.  And, the only way of truly knowing that, is by conviction through the Holy Spirit that seals our fate.  Faith is the evidence of an invisible God at work in the life of a believer.  The evidence is judged by the fruit of our lives  The Holy Spirit of God is our Eternal Law Informant; letting us know we are dying for a reason; and with that understanding, teaching us how to conduct ourselves as a people saved by grace through faith.  God related to us by sending His only Son for our example to follow what pleases Him as our Father.  He was killed by sin at the beginning.  My God and Father knew it would cost the life of His only innocent Son to redeem a guilty one.

I hope that is making sense.  If not I pray you reason with me by going into a secluded place to pray.  And, before you move the tongue of your mind; address God in the Name of Jesus; then communicate about who you are; what’ been done to you and what you’ve done.  Listen with anticipation for His voice…  I promise, He does answer.

Sooo…  There is a man I know who reasoned with God for an example.  He reasoned with God for sake of a city much like the world is today.  I pray the reader will reason with God for the sake of their soul for salvation.  In Jesus Name…  Amen.

“And the LORD said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave. I will go down now, and see if they have done entirely according to its outcry, which has come to Me; and if not, I will know.” Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, while Abraham was still standing before the LORD. Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” So the LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.” And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am but dust and ashes. Suppose the fifty righteous are lacking five, will You destroy the whole city because of five?” And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” He spoke to Him yet again and said, “Suppose forty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.” Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak; suppose thirty are found there?” And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” And he said, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord; suppose twenty are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.” Then he said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once; suppose ten are found there?” And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten.” As soon as He had finished speaking to Abraham the LORD departed, and Abraham returned to his place.”
~ ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18:20-33‬