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Apr 14
Love0

Enthusiasm Talks, But What Does it Say?

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If I may ask a deeply personal question, what is your biggest failure or regret as a Christian? Was it a private sin that still causes you hidden shame? Or a public stumble that embarrasses you in front of others? Maybe it was a single act that haunts you daily? Or a pattern of disobedience that hounds you even now? All regrets in life are painful, but failing the Lord has a much deeper sting.

To illustrate, let’s learn from what was surely the most profound failure in the life of the Apostle Peter. His example is like a roadmap to help us find our way when we stray. My intent is not to throw stones, but to learn from the mistakes of one of God’s most sincere servants.

Admittedly, there is much to admire about Peter’s relationship with the Lord. Protestants are sometimes hesitant to acknowledge his influence as the leader of the apostles because of the false notion of a papacy (based upon a misinterpretation of Matt. 16:16-18). Peter was no pope, but his name is mentioned first wherever we find a record the early apostles and disciples (see Matt. 10:2; Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14; Acts 1:13). Furthermore, he was part of Jesus inner circle of three that Jesus privileged to witness the resurrection of Jarius’ daughter (Mark 5:35-43), the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-3), the Olivet Discourse (Mark 13), and the Gethsemane prayer time (Mark 14:32-42).

Added to all of this was Peter’s unrivaled enthusiasm. Only he jumped out of a boat alone in order to walk on water with Jesus (Matt. 14:22-33) and then later to swim ashore just to be with Jesus first (John 21:7). He also insisted so vehemently that he would never deny Jesus that the other disciples felt compelled to join his fervor (Mark 14:29-31). Yet, the scathing failure that follows and the lesson that emerges teaches us that enthusiasm does not always equal maturity.

As soon as Jesus was taken away (Mark 14:53), the Bible reveals that Peter began to follow the Lord at a distance (Mark 14:54). Granted, all the other disciples had already fled for their lives (Mark 14:50). We should not miss, however, that the one who promised he would die before denying the Savior was trying to protect himself by blending in with the crowd.

Even worse, though, is Peter’s three-fold denial that contrasts Jesus’ time before the High Priest (Mark 14:66-72). What began as a cavalier dismissal of the man he identified as the Christ (Mark 8:29) ends with Peter cursing and swearing just to prove his innocence (Mark 14:71). The intensity grew as he denied the Lord before a single servant girl, then a group of bystanders, and finally many others as well. As the cock began to crow, Jesus’ trusted disciple began to weep (Mark 14:72). Peter, the rock, cracked under the pressure.

And so do we.

God calls us to take up our cross and follow Him (Mark 8:34-35), but few of us are as eager to do so as we often communicate. In fact, like Peter, we are much quicker to deny our Lord than to deny ourselves. Turning the gospel into a means of self-fulfillment and self-preservation signals that we aren’t all that interested in self-denial. The expectation that we will deny dreams that dishonor the Lord, actions that disobey the Word, and attitudes that dismiss the Spirit often falls by the wayside.

In the aftermath, we cover our immaturity with an extra dose of enthusiasm. We boast of faithfulness that we have not lived. We celebrate victories that we never actually won. And we guarantee sacrifices that we don’t ever expect to pay. Peter’s shortcomings remind us that it’s not how loud you shout on Sunday that matters, it’s how straight you walk on Monday that’s important.

I’m not suggesting that enthusiasm is bad (far from it!), but that it simply is not an accurate measurement of real commitment to Christ. Emotional displays often lack substance. Grandiose promises can be void of genuine commitment. Worship experiences do not always translate into life impact.

All the warning signs were there that Peter was not as committed as he portrayed himself to be. Just hours before the cross in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus invited him to pray. Nevertheless, in what became an accurate prophecy of his upcoming denial, three times the Lord found His compromised disciple sleeping on the job. In other words, when Jesus needed him the most, Peter hadn’t been there for Him once before.

Denying ourselves, not enthusiasm, is the true mark of maturity. Doing so means that we refuse to assert our rights when what we want violates Scripture. It means that we follow what God teaches rather than our heart or our feelings. We should boldly share our faith without calculating how others might perceive us. We should prize our convictions over our comforts. And we should carve out time in our busy lives for Bible reading and prayer.

Thankfully, Peter not only admonishes us through his mistakes, but also in his restoration. Even if you have denied Lord, it is never too late to come back to Him and be part of His kingdom. Peter certainly did. Three times he fell asleep on Christ. Three times he denied his Savior. But three times he also expressed his love for Jesus.

Do you remember Jesus’ appearance to Peter and the twelve after His resurrection (John 21)? It must have gotten his attention when Jesus asked Peter, do you love me? The second time probably rattled him. But the third time I am certain Peter realized that this was his opportunity to make right what he did so poorly before. By restoring his beloved Apostle, Jesus proved to him, and us, that our past failures need not define our present faithfulness.

Adam B. Dooley
April 14, 2025

Mar 15
Love0

The Authority We Need (and Resist)

By Authority, God, Sovereignty, Uncategorized No Comments

We live in an age where people resist and even resent the idea of authority. A rugged individualism that says you cannot tell me what to do governs our thinking. Misguided moral relativism whispers the lie that what’s true for you may not be true for me. Added to this is an increased skepticism which insists that we should never believe or trust the strong and powerful.

Recently in our home, one of my precious daughters whom I adore and for whom I would do anything, looked up at me and said, “You can’t tell me what to do, Daddy!” No sooner than my frustration began to rise, the Holy Spirit immediately convicted me, suggesting that I respond the same way to Him.

Indeed. From a young age our fallen nature prods us that all authority is bad and should be resisted. Admittedly, we can all point to examples of abuse that stems from unchecked power. Authoritarianism frightens us, and for good reason. Each of us has seen the strong take advantage of the weak and the empowered cheat to keep the upper hand. Additionally, most personally know the misery that comes when a person is forced do what he does not want to do.

Yet, misusages like these notwithstanding, God has woven healthy authority into every part of our world. Humanity has authority over this earth (Gen. 1:26-28). Government has authority over its citizens (Rom. 13:1-7). Pastors have authority over their congregations (Heb. 13:17). Husbands have authority over wives (Eph. 5:22-33). Parents have authority over children (Eph. 6:1-4). Employers have authority over employees (Eph. 6:5-8). Most importantly of all, though, Jesus Christ has authority over each of us (1 Cor. 11:3).

The gospel of Mark goes to great lengths to demonstrate Christ’s sovereign dominion over all creation. After shaming the chief priests and scribes into silence for their efforts to entrap Him over John the Baptist (Mark 11:27-33), Jesus offered a parable to expose these religious leaders who rejected His authority (Mark 12:1-12). The underlying lesson that remains for us today is that God’s condemnation awaits those who resist His Son, who has every right to act with the unlimited authority of heaven.

Next, the Pharisees and Herodians present Jesus with the conundrum of paying taxes to Ceasar, specifically the unpopular poll tax reserved for residents of Judea and Samaria (Mark 12:14). Though the sum of the charge was small (one denarius), the imposition was greatly offensive to Jewish loyalists. If the Lord instructed them to pay the tax, His own people would have rebelled against Him. But, if He gave Jews permission to disobey the state’s demand, Roman soldiers would have arrested Him immediately.

Refusing to fall for their deceit, Jesus held up a Roman coin and asked whose likeness appeared on it (Mark 12:15-16). With Ceasar’s face on every denarius, the caption would have read, “Tiberius Ceasar, Augustus, son of divine Augustus.” Because ancients believed that coins belonged to whoever’s picture was on them, Jesus wisely instructed onlookers to render unto Ceasar that which belongs to Ceasar (Mark 12:17a). His next statement, however, ought to arrest our attention.

“Render unto God, the things that are God’s (Mark 12:17b). But what exactly was Jesus referring to with these words? If we return to Ceasar that which has his image, what exactly bears the image of God? The answer is as old as creation itself. The first chapter of Genesis reveals the Trinitarian agenda of heaven, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness . . . (Gen. 1:26a).” Scripture then adds, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them (Gen. 1:27).”

The idea is that every human soul is God’s property because each uniquely bears His image as Creator. Fourth century theologian Augustine went as far to instruct that we should render “to Ceasar his coins and to God your very selves.” How far does Christ’s authority extend over your life? Over every single part of it.

With this mind, we can better understand why Jesus insisted the following Him requires dying to ourselves and taking up our crosses daily (Matt. 16:24-26). Practically, the authority of our Lord means that He determines what we believe about right and wrong, how we define success, who we spend our time with, and where we plant our lives. God unapologetically desires to dictate how you live, love others, spend your money, treat your spouse, forgive your enemies, put in a day’s work, and enjoy your spare time.

Jesus has no interest in having part of your life; He lays claim on your entire life. God wants your whole heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:29-30). He has every right to expect you to FOLLOW Him and LOVE Him. If you do, you will find His authority is good and life-giving, as He leads us down the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Ps. 23:3).

Adam B. Dooley
March 15, 2025

Dec 29
Love0

Are New Year Resolutions Helpful?

By Future, Sanctification, Uncategorized, Will of God, Worry No Comments

Should Christians make New Year’s resolutions? While no such biblical requirement is explicit, Scripture does admonish us to contemplate our lives and commit them to the Lord (Prov 16:9). We are told to set our minds on things above (Col. 3:2) and to put our immoralities to death (Col. 3:5) while pursuing compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col. 3:12). Admittedly, none of these aims are date specific, but adopting any of God’s commandments is always a good place to start for those eager to improve the overall quality of their lives.

We should acknowledge, however, that many of our new commitments can quickly fall by the wayside. Research out of the University of Minnesota suggests that 80 percent of our resolutions don’t survive past Valentine’s Day. Our aspirational lists include goals of exercising more, getting organized, and being a better friend. We dream of gaining more knowledge, worrying less, and living each day to the fullest. Practical ambitions like shedding a few pounds, saving money, and career success also woo us. Christians often envision sharing their faith, reading their Bibles, and spending daily time in prayer. Yet, for most these milestones won’t become a reality.

So why do so many of us fail? And what can we do about it? Though a single explanation may not exist, over the years I have come to believe that unrealistic expectations and goals derail even the best of intentions. Generally, we overestimate what we can accomplish in one year and we underestimate what we can achieve in five years. So, instead of transforming yourself into a giant in the field of your interest, focus instead on the long game of slower but lasting transformation.

Christians, for example, can focus on how we face the future instead of what the future holds. Tucked away in Proverbs 3:5-6 are the keys to a consistent, meaningful strategy for facing whatever 2025 might bring. The text simply says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Notice the three helpful guidelines within these words that can redirect the trajectory of our lives over time.

One, trust God completely. Trusting the Lord bears the idea of putting your full weight upon Him. Doing so with all your heart requires the totality of your being. The first step of walking with God is relying upon Him fully. Refusing to lean on your own understanding is an unwillingness to be wise in your own eyes. It means we trust what God says more than whatever we think or feel that might be contrary to Scripture. These steps of faith liberate us from the anxiety of carrying our burdens alone. We should live believing God’s Word will continue to be true; God’s way will continue to be best; and God’s work will continue to be important. Learn to trust Him no matter what comes your way this year.

Two, acknowledge God always. The purpose of every human life is to make much of God by living for Him rather than ourselves. Acknowledging God means that we are always pondering what He desires or what He is doing in every situation. Socially, financially, professionally, recreationally, and vocationally—in ALL our ways we are to look for and submit to God’s will for our lives. It’s true about big things like where we live, whom we marry, or what career path we choose. But it’s also the goal with the small, seemingly mundane parts of life as well, things like how we use our time, how we treat other people, and what food we put into our bodies. How would our lives be different, even better, if we simply sought to make much of God in every place, every day of 2025?

Three, follow God’s plan. The promise that the Lord will make our paths straight is conditional. When we trust Him always and acknowledge Him continually, God’s plan for our lives unfolds without interruption. Most of the world lives with the mantra, “I will do whatever I want to do.” Many well-meaning Christians make decisions with a spiritual twist, “I do what I think I ought to do.” A better way, though, is the commitment, “I will do whatever God leads me to do.” Intrinsic to living this way is a settled conviction that God has a plan for every person’s life. Through the pages of Scripture, the accountability of a church family, and the counsel of godly friends, the Lord makes His direction plain for those eager to follow.

Foundational to all these commitments is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the doorway to trusting God, the way to acknowledge God, and the first step down the narrow road of walking with God. My prayer for you, and all in our community, is that you will experience God’s best in the coming year.

Happy New Year!

Adam B. Dooley
December 29, 2024

Nov 29
Love0

The Danger of False Positives

By Christian Living, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Grace, Liberalism, Peace, Pluralism, Truth, Uncategorized No Comments

Though it’s been several years ago now, I still remember one of the more exciting trips to St. Jude Hospital with my son during his battle with childhood leukemia. Back in those days we lived in Mobile, Alabama, requiring us to fly for weekly chemotherapy in Memphis. Over a three-year period, we made 128 consecutive trips in order to jumpstart and protect my son’s remission from cancer.

While passing through security on our return trip, a Ziploc bag containing a bottle of medication tested positive for a small amount of glycerin, which can be used to make explosives. Quickly, TSA workers surrounded us with a bomb sniffing dog. They pulled us aside and began a battery of tests. Thankfully, our faces were familiar and employees recognized us. My son’s glistening, bald head gave away our recent trip to the hospital

Still, it was only after several minutes of awkward suspicion and investigation that we were allowed to pass through the security checkpoint. Turns out it was a false positive caused by a melting icepack that was cooling the medication. The whole ordeal got me to thinking about the misleading consequences of false impressions, which can leave us happy or scared depending on what they report.

For example, you might be overjoyed initially only to be disappointed later if a pregnancy test falsely reveals that the child you’ve prayed for is on the way. Or, you might be immediately frightened when airport security suspects foul play as you travel, even if you are able to laugh about it afterward. The problem, though, is that neither reaction is trustworthy. False positives are dangerous because they invite us to live outside of reality based upon something that is not true.

Unfortunately, American Christianity has its share of false positives. Many Bible teachers are anxious to assure their listeners that God’s primary goal is our personal happiness. Others insist that hell cannot be real because a loving God would never allow anyone to go there. Notions of remaining in sin while following Jesus is the most damning false positive of all. These untruthful assertions are usually received with enthusiasm, but they create a false narrative about WHO Jesus is and WHAT He came to do.

The historical reality that God would sacrifice His Son to deal with our sin problem is insulting to some and downright barbaric to others. Retired Methodist theologian, William Willimon, fairly critiqued, “If you listen to much of our preaching, you get the impression that Jesus was some sort of itinerant therapist who, for free, traveled about helping people feel better.”

Thankfully, Jesus had a way of turning our temporal ambitions on their head in order to focus on what we really need. Take, for example, the familiar story of Jesus healing the paralytic (Matt. 9:1-8). Without question, this man’s burdens were significant. He could not walk, eat, or bathe without the help of others and, by consequence, he was an outcast in society. We can hardly blame his friends for attempting to help him.

Rather than heal the man immediately, though, Jesus said to him, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven (Matt. 9:2).” By doing so, Jesus reminded us that our temporal burdens are merely symptoms of our greatest needs. He is not a Savior who came to improve the quality of our lives (though He often does), but who came to forgive our sins. Yet, popular false positives deceive us into believing that God solving our earthly problems is more important than His addressing our eternal condition.

Because the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy (Matt. 9:3), He immediately exposed their blindness with a piercing question. Is it easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or “Get up, and walk (Matt. 9:5)?” Amazingly, Jesus chose to heal the paralytic in order to demonstrate His authority to forgive sins, not distract from it (Matt. 9:6). The real goal was much bigger than the man’s physical healing. In fact, had Jesus only forgiven the paralytic’s transgressions it would have solved his greatest threat.

I am not suggesting that we should not seek God’s intervention when trials come. During my son’s fight against cancer, I repeatedly begged the Lord to heal him. Yet, we often equate our present comforts as an indicator of our eternal health. Our desperation for temporary relief from earthly troubles often far exceeds our concern about spiritual matters. Even worse, we sometimes reduce God’s faithfulness to His meeting our immediate needs.

God, show me a miracle and prove you’re real.

God, answer this prayer and prove you’re real.

God, give me what I want and prove you’re real.

God, heal me and prove you’re real.

God, open this door and prove you’re real

Tragically, expressions of temporary grace often grip us more than eternal realities. Our need for forgiveness, though, is so urgent that we ought to be willing to lose this life entirely in order to receive it from Christ (Matt. 16:24-27). Nothing is more necessary, and nothing is more remarkable than the glorious truth that Jesus would come to seek and to save the lost!

Adam B. Dooley
November 29, 2024

Nov 24
Love0

Why Thanksgiving Matters

By Gratitude, Thanksgiving, Uncategorized No Comments

The week of Thanksgiving affords us the opportunity to unplug, evaluate, and offer thanks for the numerous blessings in our lives in a way that the pace of our normal routines doesn’t always allow. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and every year.

My relationship with Jesus is growing. I find myself in a place that I deeply love, surrounded by people who enrich my life, leaving my family happier than we have ever been. A wonderful wife and five healthy children fill each of my days with joy despite the typical trials that come and go. In addition to these personal blessings, I pastor a healthy, growing congregation that has me enthusiastic about my calling in a way that resembles my earliest years of ministry.

Simply put, life is good.

But why should you care about my blessings? And why would I take the time to share these personal realities here? The answer lies in one of the most neglected disciplines found in Scripture. According to the Bible, thanksgiving should be more than a holiday on our calendars. A day devoted to thankfulness is helpful to be sure, but God desires for the pulse of our hearts to beat with the rhythm of gratitude and appreciation.

Even with a cursory reading of God’s Word, the theme of thankfulness emerges. King David instructed, appointed, and admonished leaders in Israel to offer thanks to God after settling the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 16). He tells the people to make God’s deeds known (16:8), to speak of God’s wonders (16:9), to glory in God’s name (16:10), to remember God’s work (16:12), to proclaim the good tidings of God’s salvation (16:23), and to ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name (16:28-29). Then, at a high point of praise, David admonishes: “O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting (1 Chronicles 16:34).”

Neither time nor space will permit me to cite all the verses extolling the virtue of gratitude. My personal favorite simply reads “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:18).” But why does God care so much about our expressions of appreciation?
At the risk of being overly simplistic, two primary reasons reveal why God prioritizes a heart of thanksgiving. To live without gratitude expresses two egregious mentalities that are fundamentally opposed to Christianity.

First, thanklessness is an expression of idolatry. Candidly, we are often guilty of celebrating what God gives rather than God Himself. So much of modern Christianity reflects a bait and switch that magnifies the gifts of life above the Giver of life. We may not worship idols made of wood, but we live with an arrogance that hopes in health, possessions, and success more than God our Father. Diagnosing our spiritual ailment, 1 Timothy 6:17 forcefully commands: “Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches . . .” This verse uncovers the universal temptation to place our hope in the temporal realities of earth rather than the eternal God of heaven.

What is the remedy? Our verse continues, “. . . but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” In other words, learn to appreciate the blessings of life, but put your hope in God rather than His gifts. Continually giving thanks enables us to distinguish between what we enjoy and who we worship.

Second, thanklessness is an expression of atheism. Each year around Thanksgiving I always chuckle when I read about atheist and humanist groups attempting to express appreciation to no one in particular. Some will merely voice gratitude to family and friends (we can learn much about the value of esteeming the people in our lives). Notions of secular grace, however, leave many worshipping the universe or luck in general. Not only is this logically and theologically inadequate, but it is also a colossal waste of time. Giving thanks, by its very nature, requires that someone be there to receive it.
Thanklessness is a form of independence from God, which is nothing more than practical atheism in disguise. Giving thanks not only reminds us that God is real, but also that He is both active and benevolent in our lives.

So, join me this week, and every week, in giving thanks to the Lord for the magnificent work of His hands. Count your blessings and voice your love and appreciation to the Father above (Psalm 105:1). If you find yourself in the midst of a difficult trial or burden, stop to thank God for the promise that He is working all things together for your good (Rom. 8:28). On your good days and on your bad days, remember the will of God and give Him thanks through everything (Eph. 5:20).

Happy Thanksgiving!

Adam B. Dooley
November 24, 2024

Nov 19
Love0

Our Common Problem

By Christian Living, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Grace, Peace, Sanctification, Sin, Uncategorized No Comments

The small town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, is dying. Literally. A place that used to be home to over 1,000 residents reported a population of just five people in the 2020 census. But why are people fleeing the quaint community? For years the town has been home to several underground coal mines. Unexpectedly, in 1962, a fire began in one of those mines that is still aflame today. Beneath the surface, a hidden inferno is still consuming a particularly slow-burning type of coal that experts expect to simmer for another 250 years! Both the depth and the heat of the fire make it impossible to put out.

As a result, there are hot spots, buckled highways, and parched grass. Most of the buildings in Centralia have already collapsed. Residents permitted to stay are under a court order not to pass their property down to the next generation. The fire and gases are destroying everything good about the hidden borough three hours west of New York City.

Temptation is like that. Deep within all of us at an unseen level there is a burning desire to rebel against God. The fires of enticement want to consume everything good and holy in your life, sometimes even resulting in an abandoned walk with God. No matter how hard we try, the fires of temptation will burn throughout the entirety of our lives.

Most people respond to temptation in one of three ways. Some will just give in to it and reason, “If it feels good do it!” Others will fight hard against it but repeatedly lose the battle. These are those who yield to sin, feel guilty for doing so, and vow to never succumb again, only to renege hours or days later. But some will overcome temptation by the grace of Jesus Christ. Obviously, most want to be in the latter category. But how do we get there? Let me suggest three realities about temptation we must recognize in order to be victorious.

YOU WILL ENCOUNTER TEMPTATION

The Bible says in 1 Cor. 10:13a: No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man. That means all people everywhere will face temptation. We need to admit that none of us are exempt from the allurement of sin. Furthermore, temptation in and of itself is not sinful if we do not yield to it.

• Adam and Eve were tempted in the Garden of Eden.
• Israel was tempted in the wilderness.
• David was tempted in the palace.
• Peter was tempted in Jerusalem.
• Even Jesus was tempted in the desert.

The commonness of temptation also means that our allurements are not unique. Regardless of how we feel, there is nothing new under the sun. You are not the only person who in the history of the world who has struggled with whatever is seducing your heart.

GOD CALLS EACH OF US TO ENDURE TEMPTATION

The Bible goes on to say that God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it (1 Cor. 10:13b). We often mistakenly assume that those who do not give into temptation know nothing of its power. The opposite is really true. Those who surrender to temptation the most actually know the least about the full burden and challenge it brings. We yield to what pulls our heart away from God because of the desire to find relief from our struggle. When we resist, though, the battle persists with annoyances that do not go away. Yet, this is the narrow road God calls believers to walk. We won’t always succeed in our efforts, but victory rather than defeat should be the pattern of our lives.

YOU CAN ESCAPE TEMPTATION

If we are to endure in faith, we should always be looking for the way escape when we are tempted. The idea is not the God will help us to avoid temptations, but that He will walk with us through them, helping us to persevere. Sometimes we give the false impression that if a Christian loves God, all their previous worldly inclinations will immediately disappear. While some experience that kind of dramatic deliverance, what is more common is the daily battle to resist lifestyles that on contrary to God’s design.

The way of escape is trusting God who promises to help us overcome. It means allowing the Lord, not the culture, to define right and wrong for us. It means that sometimes we run away from people, situations, or circumstances that cause us to stumble. It means we proactively fill our minds with Scripture, remind ourselves of the gospel, and seek the Lord in prayer. It means that we recall how vulnerable we are and continually pledge our hearts to Christ. The question is not will God provide a way of escape to prevent our waywardness, but will we be looking for it instead?

Adam B. Dooley
November 19, 2024

Nov 07
Love0

Don’t Sweat the Big Stuff!

By Anxiety, Hope When Life Unravels, Peace, Prayer, Trials, Uncategorized, Worry No Comments

We know something about anxiety. Sometimes it shows up on an x-ray. You can hear it in the pacing rhythm of footsteps late at night. Troubled eyes and wrinkled foreheads are also telltale signs. Desperate silence and nervous chatter are dead giveaways. I heard about one man who worried so much that his hair fell out – of his toupee! Today’s priorities often fall victim to tomorrow’s problems due to anxiety.

Despite Jesus’ admonitions to the contrary, we worry about physical needs like food and clothing (Matt. 6:25), how long we will live (Matt. 6:27), and the potential trouble tomorrow will bring (Matt. 6:31). 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 have. The young worry because they don’t want to get older. The elderly worry because they are afraid they won’t get older.

So what are we to do? How do we shed the anxiety that plagues us?

First, we need to confess our burden to the Lord. While writing to Philippian believers, the Apostle Paul instructed, “Be anxious for nothing” (Phil. 4:6a). The predicate behind this command is that all of us frequently battle the temptation to despair. A divided mind will pull your heart in completely different directions. We know that God can take care of us, but doubt and concern distracts us from our otherwise resolute faith. Admitting our vulnerability is the first step toward coping with our weakness.

Remarkably, God’s apostle wrote these words from a Roman prison cell. False teachers continually attacked the church he loved, and each day brought the possibility of his death by execution. Yet, knowing that worry signals a lack of trust in God, Paul calls on all Christ followers to be anxious for nothing. Jesus Himself insisted that continually fretting is the behavior of unbelievers who are unaware that God is providentially watching over us.

Second, we need to communicate our needs to the Lord. Through the means of prayer and supplication, we are to let our requests be made known to God (Phil. 4:6b). With no concern for how we sound, we should humbly, even desperately, express our deepest fears and our heartfelt pleas directly to the Lord.

In addition, these inquiries should be seasoned with thanksgiving. The idea is that we worship God before He answers because of our intentional commitment to submit to His will. Doing so reassures us that God is trustworthy and that His will is purposeful and best, even if it is contrary to our desires. Specificity is important here because general prayers lack particular power. Weak generalities and platitudes seldom move the heart of God.

Third, we need to welcome the peace of the Lord. What is the result of our intentional prayers? The unexplainable peace of God guards our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). This holy serenity is supernatural in its origin and comprehensive in its effect. God promises to intervene in the midst of our trials and troubles by protecting us with his peace. If prayer opens the door to the Lord’s consolation, learning to think correctly enables us to enjoy the relief God affords. Thus, the Bible admonishes, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

If all this seems too good to be true, take a moment to consider the lilies of the field and the birds of the air (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. Think about the beauty of wildflowers growing in a field. They do nothing to grow and yet they clothe the countryside with their beauty. These 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)?

Adam B. Dooley
November 7, 2014

Oct 15
Love0

Abusing God’s Love?

By Uncategorized No Comments

Abusing God’s Love?

God created every living soul with an innate desire and hunger for love. Though love will not fill your stomach, quench your thirst, or warm your body, none of us can live without it. In his effort to explain this unique human need, the Apostle John insists that love is from God (1 John 4:7) because God is love (1 John 4:8). The magnitude of these statements is just as great as the likelihood of their misinterpretation. Tragically, some pounce on John’s reassurances as a means of justifying immoral behavior. So, what do these words mean?

The idea that “love is from God” is not a blanket endorsement of all actions that bear the label of love. Every expression of pure, holy love that is consistent with God’s nature is from Him. But according to God, love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth (1 Cor. 13:6). The God who loved the world enough to offer His Son as a sacrifice on the cross (John 3:16) takes no pleasure whatsoever in wickedness (Psalm 5:4). In other words, God’s love for us does not result in His turning a blind eye to our sins, but His covering them through the shedding of Jesus’ blood instead (1 John 4:10).

Furthermore, the assertion that “God is love” is not an affirmation that “love is God.” While it is true that God defines love; it is not true that love defines God. Failure to make this distinction blurs the lines of God’s essence and diminishes the complexity and nuances of His glory. Perhaps an illustration will clarify what’s at stake.

One of the more remarkable beauties of the created world is the nightly luminary we call the Moon. Its light is both peaceful and practical as it pierces the canopy of darkness that covers the earth. Yet, would you be surprised to learn that the Moon possesses no light of its own? This celestial satellite merely reflects the light of the sun. Or, the sun’s light is the only moon we see, even though the moon itself is not the sun.

In a similar way, God is love, but love is not God. Love is an accurate reflection of who God is, but it does not capture the totality of our Creator. Sound like semantics? Hardly. God’s love for all people is not a divine stamp of approval of errant lifestyles and wickedness. Certainly, God tempers all His actions with love, but such does not make Him incapable of hating what is evil. According to Solomon, “There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers (Prov. 6:16-19).”

Divine hatred also appears in the prophetic book of Zechariah: “‘Also let none of you devise evil in your heart against another, and do not love perjury; for all these are what I hate,’ declares the Lord.” In the book of Revelation, God singles out the blasphemy and sexual immorality of the Nicolaitans while affirming the Ephesians, “you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate (Rev. 2:6).”

For many, love can become nothing more than an idolatrous expression of narcissistic behavior that contradicts the holiness of God. Some recklessly diminish the sacredness of marriage in their pursuit of selfish love (Mal. 2:16). Others dismiss the natural function of their gender for the pursuit of dysphoric love (Rom. 1:26-27). The deeds of the flesh which war against the Spirit of God, including immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these (Gal. 5:19-21), can all be justified if we twist and manipulate both the definition and expression of love.

Identifying love as the motive for disobedience, however, does not make vile actions more honorable to the Lord. Citing God’s love as a justification for ignoring what God says is a gross misinterpretation of Scripture. Christians do not worship love; we worship the God who demonstrates love toward us even while we are sinners (Rom. 5:8).

The human tendency to abuse the gift of God’s love should not cause us to cease marveling over the wonderfully profound nature of the Lord. Though God will judge all sinners because He is holy, He is patient toward us, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). He rejects the wicked (Psalm 11:5-6), but He provides His Son as a way of escape (Rom. 10:13). In fact, there is no greater love than laying down your life for your friends (John 15:13). Who can fully comprehend the depth and magnitude of God’s love? The hymn writer said it best:

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Adam B. Dooley

October 15, 2024

Sep 19
Love0

Too Heavenly Minded?

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History credits Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. with the assertion that some Christians are so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good. The same sentiment found its way into Johnny Cash’s 1977 album The Rambler when he recorded the song “No Earthly Good.” But is the idea true? Is the opposite possible? Despite contemporary notions that Christianity is a plague on society, believers anchored to eternity have often led efforts aimed at the betterment of society in the here and now.

Though secular elites now posit the modern university as the alternative to religious superstition, many of America’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning were started by devout Christians. The vision of the Puritans birthed Harvard and Yale. The motto of Princeton, started by early Presbyterians to train ministers, still reads, “Under God She Flourishes.” Brown University was the dream of the earliest Baptists in America. Dutch Reformed believers boast of Rutgers University. The same religious influence is just as obvious across the Atlantic. Oxford, Cambridge, and the University of Edinburgh all have thoroughly Christian roots. Sadly, a robust commitment to Scripture has waned in most of these organizations, but their origins remain clear, nonetheless.

Ever wonder why so many hospitals bear denominational labels or are run by Christians? At the risk of being overly simplistic, caring for the sick is intrinsically a Christian idea. Our contemporary hospital system is the fruit of a Judeo-Christian ethic. As early as the fourth century, Christ followers began ministering to those who were ill in their homes. Albert Jonsen, in his Short History of Medical Ethics, reminds us that the first Christian hospital appeared during the same period at Caesarea in Cappadocia. Currently, over 700 faith-based hospitals exist in the United States.

The same pattern exists for orphanages. More than 8000 faith-based adoption agencies currently serve our nation. On the other side of the equation, evangelicals are twice as likely to adopt as are their secular counterparts. Names like Amy Carmichael and George Mueller are historical reminders of heroic saints who started orphanages and schools in order to rescue endangered children.

I do not mean to imply that only Christians do noble things; nor do I wish to insinuate that followers of Jesus have never fallen short of the standards and expectations of Scripture. Sometimes, even in the name of God, believers justify the unthinkable and bring shame to the name of Christ. Yet, the notion that casting an eye toward heaven leaves Christ followers blind to the needs around them is contrary to reality. In fact, the most committed believers seem to be motivated by their eternal hope, not despite it.

William Wilberforce worked tirelessly to end slavery. Dietrich Bonhoeffer resisted Adolf Hitler and rescued Jews from the Nazis. Florence Nightingale founded modern nursing. Clara Barton established the American Red Cross. John Witherspoon helped craft the Declaration of Independence and promoted the virtue of freedom in a moral society. On and on I could go, but the point is that eternal priorities do not distract from the common good, they promote it.

In his letter to the Colossian church, the Apostle Paul captured the impetus behind the Christian pursuit of making the world a better place—Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve (Colossians 3:23-24). In other words, eternal rewards accompany eternal life. Though salvation is a complete work of grace that cannot be earned or deserved, God is eager to celebrate our faithful acts of obedience. The privilege of being in God’s family brings with it the responsibility of living fully yielded to the Lord.

A similar instruction appears in Paul’s Corinthian letter as well—we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:9-10). Our longing to see God should inspire us to please God. The more heavenly minded we are, the better off our friends on this earth will be.

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