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May 28
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A Holy God in an Unholy Age

By God, Holiness, Repentance, Sanctification, Surrender, Worship No Comments

Before his passing in 2017, the late theologian R.C. Sproul remarked, “The greatest spiritual need in people’s lives today is to discover the true identity of God.” Those words are just as convicting today, if not more so, than they were a decade ago. Though many in our world would never reject God outright, multitudes are content to reinvent Him.

Modern versions of Christianity continue to shrink God to a size that is more manageable to our senses. We prefer a tame deity who stays in the background. One who shows up when we need Him because He fancies us the center of the universe. This god is anxious to take his marching orders and eager to remain quiet when we disagree with him.

Isaiah 6 offers a much different picture. With a vision of the Lord enthroned, untamed, glorious, and burning with holiness (Isa. 6:1-4), Scripture confronts us with the unrivaled identity of the only true God. This prophetic picture shatters our sentimental preferences. The living God far exceeds the watered-down mascot who cheers our every ambition, no matter how misguided.

 The background of Isaiah’s glorious image was a season of national uncertainty in Judah. After a reign of more than 50 years, King Uzziah died, leaving a hole inhabited by instability and anxiety (2 Chr. 26:3). Yet, when God’s prophet looked toward heaven, he did not see the Lord panicked or pacing, but reigning from His throne without interruption (Dan. 4:34-35). History does not rattle Him. Evil does not overcome Him. The future does not intimidate Him (Isa. 46:9-10).

Around the throne flew seraphim—angelic servants—who antiphonally sang, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3)!” We prefer to speak more casually about the God we serve, eagerly reducing him to the man upstairs, our life coach, or even worse, our co-pilot. Yet, Isaiah’s description leaves no room for such frivolities.

The seraphim did not chant, “Love, love, love,” even though God is love (1 John 4:8). Nor did they cry, “Merciful, merciful, merciful,” even though the Lord delights in mercy (Mic. 7:18). Instead, they selected the single attribute that most fully captures God’s essence. Holiness does not stand beside God like one trait in a list of many. Holiness defines God, along with all the glory and majesty that accompanies Him (Lev. 11:44–45; 1 Sam. 2:2; Ps. 99:3, 5, 9).

Even the repetition matters. The three-fold declaration marked the emphasis that should grip us. Our God is in a category all His own, without rival or equal. The scene echoed Sinai, where the mountain quaked and smoke rose like a furnace due to Yahweh’s awesome presence (Ex. 19:18). The glorious holiness of God is heavy, and none swagger into His presence.

Isaiah certainly did not.

With a confession that cut through every self-illusion of righteousness, he lamented, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5). Notice that there is no excuse for or dismissal of his sin. Holiness means that God stands completely separate from wickedness. Evil cannot corrupt Him. The darkness of our transgressions has no fellowship with the light of His purity. We cannot celebrate our sins and embrace God at the same time.

Tragically, our contemporary efforts to rush toward God’s love with no mention of His holiness forfeit the very grace we desperately need. Yet, the greatest testimony of God’s compassion for sinners is not His affirmation of our waywardness, but His transformation of our lives. Though we were formerly dead in our trespasses, walking according to the course of this world, God has made us alive together with Jesus (Eph. 2:1-5). Christ did not die to save us from nothing, but to rescue us from our vile disobedience.

In his humility, Isaiah experienced what countless Christ followers would later find out for themselves. When one of the seraphim took a burning coal from the altar and touched the prophet’s lips, his iniquity was taken away (Isa. 6:6-7). Therein is a picture of the same gospel Christians preach today.

Notice that God took the initiative. The coal came from a place of sacrifice where the consuming fire of God cleanses our shame (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:29). The Lord does not negotiate with sin; He destroys it. Thus, God transferred Isaiah’s guilt to the offering, satisfying His holy wrath. Simultaneously, God covered His servant with grace and forgiveness.

The same mercy is available to us through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. He was pierced through for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, as God transferred our guilt upon Him (Isa. 53:5-6). Through His scourging we find healing and by means of His chastening He purchased our well-being (Isa. 53:5). Christ became sin for us, not because the Lord was eager to embrace our rebellion, but so that we could become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). God loves us enough to send His only begotten Son, not to wink at our sin, but to do something about it (John 3:16).

How holy is our God? So much so that He put His Son to death to save sinners like you and me. Our world does not lack opinions about God. What is missing, though, is reverence (Rom. 3:18). Many laugh at the idea of holiness. Others rewrite reality altogether (Isa. 5:20). Far too many demand affirmation, then punish dissent. Thankfully, our God does not take cues from this fallen age. He reigns from His throne in strength and power, knowing that He will have the last word (Ps. 2:1–4).

Adam B. Dooley
May 28, 2026

Feb 11
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When Heaven Touches Earth

By God, Revival, Worship No Comments

After closing our doors for two Sundays due to inclement weather, churches across our community met again this past weekend for what I am sure were powerful gatherings. With so much discouraging news in our world recently, it seems to me that people are hungry for a genuine encounter with the Lord. I am praying that the churches across our nation will see an undeniable visitation from God in the days ahead. A heaven-sent revival is exactly what we need.

The cry of every human heart is to know and connect with our Creator in a meaningful way. To better understand what we should be praying for, allow me to make a distinction between the omnipresence of God and the manifest presence of God.

The Lord’s omnipresence simply means that He is everywhere at the same time. The psalmist illustrates God’s inescapable presence: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there” (Psalm 139:7-8). The problem, though, is that God can be present while we remain totally unaware that He is with us. He may be everywhere, but He works differently at given times in various places.

For example, is God present in a church building when its doors are locked, and the people are not there? Certainly! But is He present in the same way when His people assemble in that building for worship? I hope not. The manifest presence of God, you see, refers to those unique moments when God makes Himself known in such a way that we cannot ignore Him.

Scripture offers plenty of instances of these rare but powerful encounters with God.

From the Lord walking with Adam and Eve in Eden’s Garden (Gen. 3:8) to His tearing of the veil of the temple and shaking the earth as Jesus died on the cross (Matt. 27:51), sometimes we cannot ignore the overwhelming presence of God even if we try. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Babylon’s fiery furnace, I long for God to show up in a pronounced way with greater frequency for longer periods of time.

When the Lord manifests His presence, we realize that He is our greatest treasure. Thus, every time we gather as believers, in the spirit of James 4:8, we should draw near to God believing that He will draw near to us. Like Moses, what we need more than anything or anyone else is a glimpse of God’s revealed glory (Exodus 34:6-8).

That’s when we learn that God is compassionate. Though we are dead in our trespasses and sins He is willing to make us alive in Christ (Eph. 2:1-7). He is gracious, because though our sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow (Isa. 1:18). He is slow to anger even though all have sinned and fall short of His glory (Rom. 3:23). He is abounding in loving kindness, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). He is abounding in truth, because He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He forgives iniquity and transgression and sin, though we pierced, crushed, and chastened Him (Isa. 53:5). He is holy, which means He is unwilling to leave the guilty unpunished and He will smite the nations with the sword of His mouth (Rev. 19:15).

I fear that far too often, we prefer God’s blessings over God Himself. We want protection from Hell. We need healing from sickness. We crave material prosperity. We approach God like a genie in a bottle expecting Him to give, give, give. We want just enough religion to make ourselves feel better, but still so little that it makes God sick. And we forget that, without God in our midst, all forms of religious piety are dead and worthless.

So, let’s pray that God will revive our hearts. Let’s submit ourselves to the gospel of Christ and the authority of Holy Scripture. Let’s seek the Lord while He may be found. Pray that our hunger for God would grow. Pray that God’s presence would fall on your city and mine. Pray that our churches would grow tired of business as usual. Pray that God will show us His glory!

Adam B. Dooley
February 11, 2026

Dec 10
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The Forgotten Gifts of Christmas

By Christmas, Hope, Surrender, Uncategorized, Worship No Comments

Most have heard the ancient proverb, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Some trace the pithy premise back to Aesop’s fable of a fox that lived in such proximity to a lion that he was terribly afraid. Over time, though, the interaction between the animals became more casual. Soon, the fox strolled up to the lion, only to be devoured as a result.

No matter the origin, the principle is painfully clear. Constant exposure to anything can dull our sense of awe, gratitude, and reverence. Certainly, the lesson applies to the holy realities of our faith. Much to our chagrin, our commitment sometimes grows cold and our enthusiasm tends to wane. Regarding Christmas specifically, genuine Christians would never show open contempt for the nativity, but our familiarity can rob us of its joy.

Think I am overstating our pattern? When the is the last time you pondered the details surrounding Jesus’ birth? Do you still find the gift of God’s Son touching? Or, has the most remarkable story in history become mere wallpaper amidst a busy holiday schedule? Is it possible for us to understand what Christmas is about without being moved by it anymore?  Sadly, we are quite capable of singing carols, attending services, and hanging decorations while our hearts barely flicker.

A quick survey of the first Christmas, however, paints a dramatically different picture. The wonder and astonishment of Mary uncovers what I refer to as the Forgotten Gifts of Christmas (Luke 1:46-56). Her perspective is the spiritual antidote to our seasonal boredom.

Admittedly, some have erroneously exalted the mother of our Lord to the place of God. Nowhere does Scripture instruct us to worship Mary or offer her our prayers. She did not live in perpetual virginity nor was she free from original sin. Yet, we ignore this godly woman to our peril. Her example is both inspirational and instructive.

Mary reminds us that worship is a gift. After the annunciation of Gabriel (Luke 1:28-37), Jesus’ mother marveled with worship, exalting the Lord for His grace (Luke 1:46). At this moment, God was bigger to Mary than ever before. His greatness loomed large as she contemplated that her Son would save God’s people from their sins (Luke 1:31). As God in human flesh, Jesus stepped out of eternity into time so that one day He could take us out of time into eternity. Even more, these realities were the messianic fulfillment of promises made to King David long ago (Luke 1:32-33; 2 Sam. 7:12-13).

Additionally, Mary understood that she, too, needed a Savior (Luke 1:47). Realizing her humble state, the teenager from Nazareth knew she had nothing to offer the Lord (Luke 1:48). She could no more save herself by good works than she could have chosen to have a child as a virgin. Thus, Mary became a disciple of Jesus even before she held Him as a mother. We, too, come to Christ empty handed. The only recourse is to admit our need, plead our guilt, and revere the Lord with our worship and praise (Luke 1:50).

Mary reminds us that surrender is a gift. By identifying herself as the Lord’s bondslave, Mary highlights her complete submission to the will of God. With the same posture that Jesus would later carry into Gethsemane (Luke 22:39–46), she yields to God’s desire and plan (Luke 1:38). The profundity of her commitment is often lost on us because we remember Mary as a heroine of the faith. Our modern accolades quickly gloss over the upheaval caused by her holy visitation.

At just 12-14 years old, Mary was busy planning her life with Joseph. She was probably giddy over how handsome he was. Likely, her mind was full of dreams about their first home together and how many children they might have. Then, in a dramatic moment marked by the stress of potential misunderstanding, Mary realized that hers was a story that few would believe. How would she explain it to Joseph? What would her family say? What would her friends think? Would the wedding still happen? Would anyone ever believe that she was still a woman of integrity?

Yet, with resolute determination, Mary insisted, “May it be done to me according to your word (Luke 1:38).” Soon, God settled her heart in the home of Elizabeth where John the Baptist leapt in the womb due to the presence of God (Luke 1:39-45). By saying yes to the Lord, Mary experienced her Savior in a personal way.

The same is true for us. For some, surrender means receiving Christ as your Lord and Savior. For others, it will require formalizing membership in the church home of your choice. Yielding to God may result in baptism, service, giving, or sharing with others. But nothing unleashes the presence of God in our lives like surrendering ourselves fully to Him.

Finally, Mary reminds us that hope is a gift. Often forgotten this time of year is that God promises to make the world right and new. Luke emphasizes these themes by listing a series of role reversals where God scatters the proud, exalts the humble, and fills the hungry (Luke 1:51-53). In an age where the ruthless get ahead, the elite lord themselves over others, and the wealthy ignore the needs of the poor, Christmas encourages us that God will have the final say. Tis the season for Him with whom nothing is impossible (Luke 1:37)!

The hope of the nativity is not merely for Mary and Joseph, or even for Israel, but all spiritual descendants of Abraham as well (Luke 1:54-55). Because God took care of Abraham and Mary, He will take care of you and me, too, along with all of those who are in Christ Jesus.

Adam B. Dooley
December 10, 2025

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