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Providence

Mar 18
Love0

The Enemy of Faith

By Faith, Providence, Trust, Worry No Comments

As the fourth week of strikes on Iran approaches, Americans are bracing for soaring gas prices and sustained inflation. With an April 15 deadline looming, many taxpayers dread their final bill from the IRS. Here in West Tennessee, tornado season is now underway, often leading to numerous sleepless and watchful nights. As the completion of another school year hangs on the horizon, students are anxious about final exams and GPAs.

On and on it goes, but no matter the problem or issue, all of us deal with the nagging, intrusive burden of WORRY. The uneducated worry because they don’t know enough. The educated worry because they know too much. The poor worry because of what they do not have. The wealthy worry because they fear losing what they do have. The young worrybecause they don’t want to get older. The elderly worry because they are afraid of not getting older.

All of us, in varying degrees and frequency, will have to face the enemy of worry along the way. Believe it or not, Jesus had a great deal to say about this subject. His Sermon on the Mount offers practical guidelines for overcoming our common nemesis. With piercing clarity and pastoral concern, our Savior is eager to free us from the anxieties that plague us.

First, we should realize that worry is sinful. Three prohibitions against worry underscore its offense to God. Do not worry about your life (Matt. 6:25); do not worry about what you will eat or wear (Matt. 6:31); and do not worry about tomorrow (Matt. 6:34). For Jesus, worry is more than a bad habit; it is practical atheism. Restlessness communicates that we do not trust God to handle our problems. Faith and distress are always in dichotomy. Without mincing words, Jesus insists that Christians who worry behave more like unbelievers than children of God (Matt. 6:32).

Second, we should recognize worry as illogical. To illustrate the foolishness of worry, Jesus points to nature, specifically the birds of the air and the lilies of the field (Matt. 6:26-30). Have you ever heard of a bird being treated for high blood pressure? Or stress? Though they do not know where their next meal will come from, God feeds them, and they thrive.

Think about the beauty of wildflowers growing in a field. While these plants do nothing to grow, they still clothe the countryside with their beauty. Such natural wonders are here today and gone tomorrow, yet God still covers His creation with them. If the Lord will feed the animals and dress nature with such elegance, how much more will He take care of human beings who bear his image (Gen. 1:26-28)? Furthermore, if the Lord is faithful to meet our daily needs, we can certainly trust Him with our tomorrows. Worry is not only unbiblical, but also nonsensical!

Finally, we should resist worry with spiritual priorities. In order to prevent worry before it starts, we must learn to reorder our goals and ambitions. Much of what causes us stress and unease reveals our desire for pursuits that are unholy or selfish. Thus, Jesus instructs us to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first, believing that He will supply all our needs (Matt. 6:33). Simply put, our greatest passion in life ought to be the pursuit of God’s will. Jesus does not want a place in your life; He does not want prominence in your life; He wants preeminence in your life, and nothing else.

Ironically, the pursuit of personal happiness will ultimately lead to our demise. When we seek God’s perfect reality for our lives, though, there is joy in addition to freedom from anxiety. Our thought lives, spending habits, recreational hobbies, personal goals, relationships, and work ethic must come under the Lordship of Jesus Christ if we want to enjoy the peace that passes understanding (Phil. 4:6-7). At the risk of oversimplifying, much of what we worry about is the result of ambitions that contradict the kingdom of God rather than build it. Thus, absolute surrender to the will of God is the first step toward tranquility. Happiness is often a wonderful by-product of the holiness the Lord desires to build into our lives.

Adam B. Dooley
March 18, 2026

Feb 18
Love0

The Pleasant Lines of the Lord

By Christian Living, Faith, Happiness, Joy, Providence No Comments

Sometimes I have to pinch myself. When I look at my wife and children, I cannot believe they are mine. When I stand before the congregation I serve each week, the privilege of leading them overwhelms me.  When I consider all the simple pleasures that are continually part of my routine, joys like sports with my kids, Bible studies, and fellowship meals, I realize just how much I love my life.

Or, to quote King David, “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me (Psalm 16:6).” Indeed. And yet, before we can celebrate our receiving from the Lord, we must first appreciate our need to take refuge in the Lord. “Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You,” David wrote, “You are my Lord; I have no good besides You (Psalm 16:1-2).”

The order here is important because our greatest treasure in life is God Himself, not the blessings He bestows. We should count all things as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (Phil. 3:8). Thus, seeking Him first provides the backdrop upon which God draws the pleasant lines of our existence (Matt. 6:33).

In fact, the moment we prioritize the gifts of heaven, we will most assuredly miss the Giver behind the mercies we enjoy. I often wonder how much of God’s benevolence I have missed simply because I found greater security in myself. Taking refuge in Christ, you see, is not less than receiving protection from our enemies, but it is more.

Trusting God for opportunities to experience His blessings is also an expression of confidence in His care for us. Knowing that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,” Christians can rest in the safety and provision of the Lord (James 1:17). Doing so prevents us from looking for that which is good outside of the will of God.

Fundamentally, every temptation woos us to pursue what is noble through dishonorable means. By perverting legitimate desires and ambitions, the enemy entices us to fulfill appropriate longings in inappropriate ways. Pay close attention to the first act of spiritual sedition in Eden’s Garden and you will quickly notice Eve wrestling with the dilemma of believing God or trusting her instincts.

Tragically, because the fruit of the forbidden tree was good for food . . . a delight to the eyes . . . and desirable to make one wise, the first woman fell for the lie that the path to happiness and satisfaction exists outside of God’s directives (Gen. 3:6). Fulfilling the right aspirations in the wrong way is always a recipe for disaster.

How often are we guilty of the same miscalculation? Failing to take refuge in the Lord inevitably results in misguided transgressions aimed at personal contentment and gratification. Cheating can tarnish our pursuit of success. Pride can pollute our healthy desires. Selfishness can soil our best deeds. Unfettered rage can blemish even our most fitting words. And our pursuit of justice can fall short because of revengeful bitterness.

In each instance, we knowingly or unknowingly choose to step outside of the Lord’s gracious refuge. This is why dating couples choose to seek intimacy (which is good) by defiling their marriage bed (Heb. 13:4). This is why homosexuals search for love (which is good) by stepping outside the boundaries of nature and Scripture (Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). This is why people work hard to care for their families (which is good) by trusting in the uncertainty of riches (1 Tim. 6:17).

On and on it goes, but far too easily we trust in the pursuit of God’s blessings more than God Himself. Everything truly good in our lives will originate from God and will be consistent with His character. Sadly, we often miss the abundance of God’s best because we prematurely take matters into our own hands. Those who find refuge in the Lord are secure enough to trust whatever He gives, whenever He chooses to give it. Then, and only then, will the lines which outline our lives be wonderfully pleasant and satisfying.

Adam B. Dooley
February 18, 2026

Apr 04
Love0

Knowing the Will of God

By Faithfulness, Peace, Priorities, Providence, Will of God No Comments

“Where should I go to college?”

“Who should I marry?”

“Should I take the promotion?”

“How do I choose the right church?”

All of these questions are a variation of the most common question I’ve gotten over the years as a pastor. “How can I know God’s will for my life?” For many, nothing is more mysterious and elusive than discerning how God wants them to live. The consternation and confusion caused by this dilemma can be exhausting.

But what If I told you that it doesn’t have to be that difficult? What if I told you that you that the will of God is not nearly as complicated as we often make it? If you could have confidence that each of your decisions honored the Lord, would you be interested?

Thankfully, tucked away in Romans 12:2 is the wonderful statement that “you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” The key, though, is that we learn to think biblically and spiritually. The context of these words reveals two lessons about discerning the will of God.

First, God expects us to approach all of life with a posture of submission. In other words, when we understand all that Christ has done for us, we should gladly yield to whatever He chooses for our lives as it becomes apparent. Think of it as putting your “yes” on the table even before you know what God desires.

The Apostle Paul wrote, Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (Rom. 12:1). The image of a living and holy sacrifice hearkens back to the Old Testament blood sacrifices offered by the nation of Israel. The idea here, though, is not that we should die for the Lord, but that we should die to ourselves each day as we seek to live in obedience.

According to the text, this is the only reasonable response when we understand the mercy of God (explained in the first 11 chapters of Romans) in our lives. God’s grace is never a license to live however we choose. Instead, His love and grace compel us to submit ourselves gladly to the will of God.

Second, we must learn to operate within the parameters of Scripture if we are serious about pleasing our Savior. Unfortunately, we often think very little about the will of God until we need to make a what we classify as a BIG decision. Things like where to live, whom to marry, what career to pursue, and so on usually drive us to consider seeking the Lord’s direction. We should not expect God to reveal new direction to us, however, if we are blatantly ignoring what He has already revealed in Scripture. If we refuse to obey what is already clear in God’s Word, why should we expect Him to guide us in new ways?

To help us, the Apostle Paul offers two guardrails (one negative, one positive): Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Rom. 12:2a). Defensively, we should not conform to this world. The word “world” refers to a worldview that is dominated by Satan. Proving the will of God requires resisting the fallen way of thinking that plagues our culture. With so much homemade religion in the world today, there is tremendous pressure to approve what is blatantly contrary to Scripture and, frankly, common sense. Neither slick propaganda campaigns nor selfish emotional appeals will ever justify disobedience, though. If it contradicts Scripture, it is not the will of God.

Proactively, the renewal of our minds is what transforms us. Stated differently, the Holy Spirit changes us when we learn to think correctly. How is that possible? Again, the Bible provides the parameters for sound, godly thoughts and decisions. Refusing to fill our minds with filth prepares to us to read and understand the Scripture as God desires. When we resist sin daily and fill our minds with the Bible continually, the profound result is not that we find the will of God but that we prove the will of God. To use Paul’s language, we prove that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom. 12:2b). The idea is that we are free to make spiritual decisions with confidence, knowing what will honor the Lord!

Let’s put it all together. If my driving ambition is to honor Jesus (present your bodies); If there is no unconfessed sin in my life (do not be conformed); and if my mind is sanctified with Scripture (the renewing of your mind), I am free to make decisions, big or small, with confidence that God is leading me. Discerning God’s will is not a mystical experience dependent upon signs from heaven before we can obey. Instead, the daily practice of submission to God coupled with the renewal of our minds through Scripture makes the will of God readily apparent.

Adam B. Dooley
April 4, 2025

Mar 19
Love0

My Favorite Verse

By Future, God, Peace, Providence, Trials No Comments

My Favorite Verse

The name Abe Anglin probably means nothing to you, but from the fourth grade on I knew he just had to be my sixth-grade teacher. He wasn’t much over 6 feet tall, but to me he was a peculiar, giant of a man because he had a bald head with a large scar on the side due to brain surgery. Little did I know that I would not only be a student in his class, but I would also learn lessons from this man that still shape who I am today. In the providence of God, our families quickly became friends during my last year of elementary school. As a result, “Mr. A” as we called him, soon invited me to a church function where he would share his testimony.

As I listened to the story of how his brain tumor was successfully removed, he boasted only in the faithfulness of the Lord and the grace he received. I still remember how I felt when he began sharing his favorite verse of Scripture. “And we know,” he said, “that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).” Instantly, I knew those words were special, and I soon decided that this would be my favorite verse too. What I did not realize, though, was just how important those words would be to me a few short months later.

Weeks before Christmas, while I was a student in his class, Mr. Anglin’s tumor came back. Before his second surgery, we sat outside my classroom on the floor after school. “Adam, I’m not afraid to die,” Abe said slowly. I shook my head, not immediately sensing the gravity of the moment. “Let me say it again. I will probably die from this tumor, but I want you to know I am not afraid.” His words overwhelmed me. I believed the gospel, but I had never met anyone with such bold faith. “If you will live for Christ,” he added, “you won’t fear that day either.”  The conversation is still so vivid to me.

By the time I reached the eighth grade, Mr. Anglin was still battling cancer. After having his tumor removed a third time, it became apparent that he would indeed die. At the tender age of 26, he was gone far too soon. Yet, no matter how unbearable his malady became, the words of Romans 8:28 always gave this remarkable man hope no matter how grim things appeared. I didn’t fully understand it then, and frankly, I’m not sure I grasp it now. I am certain, though, that this powerful verse of Scripture is a steady anchor when trials beat against the shore of our lives. Even death cannot unravel the hope found within these profound words.

If I may state the promise succinctly, God is always working for your good, even when you can’t see it. In every circumstance, in every struggle, in every heartache life throws your way, there is nowhere you can go and nothing that can happen to you when God is not actively working to bring about good. It may not always be obvious to you, especially during tumultuous seasons of misfortune, but the Bible teaches that God is out before you, guiding the steps and rhythms of your life.

“And we know . . .” conveys a sense of confidence and assurance. Though our world is constantly changing, these words represent an unchanging promise from our eternal Lord. “God causes all things . . .” communicates the comprehensive scope of our Savior’s commitment to His people. God is actively weaving the incidental and monumental events of our lives together for His particular purposes. Not some things or most things, but ALL things. God uses every moment of your life to work toward His ultimate good for you.

Every enjoyable and wholesome circumstance you savor fits perfectly into God’s creative intentions for your life. He uses all the moments that give us overflowing gratitude far beyond the immediate satisfaction we can see and celebrate. In addition, the word ALL includes the less desirable realities of life as well. Bad things, tragic things, depressing things, shocking things, and even evil things have a sense of design because of God’s redemptive purpose for His children. NOTHING comes across the pages of your life that God doesn’t utilize for His greater plan. EVERYTHINGin your life leads to good when you know Jesus.

I would be remiss, however, without acknowledging that this wonderful promise is conditional. God limits His reassurance “ . . . to those who love God, to those who are called.”  When the Bible says WE know, it is referring to those who know and love God; or those who are born again. This promise, as most others, applies only to those who belong to Jesus. By turning to Christ in repentance and faith, we can live with the assurance that our Heavenly Father is actively working for our good.

And why is the Lord so faithful to His own? The next verse explains that God’s ultimate goal is to conform us to the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29). Our happiness and comfort are secondary to this primary agenda. The silver lining behind every burden is not that our circumstances will change, but that our character and commitment will transform instead.

Adam B. Dooley
March 19, 2025

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