My dog, my metaphor

A lot of people have pets. I've had family with snakes and lizards for housemates. A friend from High School had a tarantula. Some have cats for some reason. I grew up with dogs. Dogs come in many different colors and sizes. One breed, the Neapolitan Mastiff, can get as big as 160lbs. That animal does not bark, "it should whinny and wear a saddle". Dog owners love their companions. Some love a distinct breed paying thousands of dollars for a registered animal. Others are attached to the sickest looking, ugly mutt in deplorable condition.

My dog Major has bad breath. Not his most notable characteristic, nor certainly not his most noble. He has stood up to intruders, even some that were not invited friends and relatives. He is a hound, and boy can he bay, but as they say, “this dog can’t hunt”.

Major has arthritis, but still likes to dig. He currently is laying on some papers and books I left on the floor next to my desk (bad habits on both our parts). I could go on, about some of the rude behaviors he has, but lets face it, he is a dog. Dog lovers and cat lovers agree that dogs have no social graces. Dogs pick the most inappropriate times to love you, getting fur on clean church or work clothes. They love to interrupt conversations, and get hungry in the middle of a really good movie.

BUT HE IS MY DOG AND I LOVE HIM!

The neighbor has a dog. It is the most irritating creature on the planet. It has no social graces, barks incessantly without purpose. It has only three legs, one eye, and one ear. It is constantly digging and has no respect for other people’s property. It is a dirty, mangy animal with big wads of fir falling out.

The difference is I love Major. I redeemed him from the shelter some years ago. I picked him out of the puppies. They were all cute, and all wagged their tails. I just picked him. While it could be said the home protection dogs provide is valuable, there has been no other return on the vet bills, dog food and aggravation that canines consume/generate. No other return, other than the love.

In John 1 the Bible says that, "He came unto His own but His own received Him not. But to as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the children of God. Even to them that believe on His name." God set His love on us, not because we looked good, not because we are smart, not because we were reliable, or a host of other things we cherish in dogs. God grants us membership in the family if we "receive" him. The thief on the cross just believed Jesus to be "something".

How do you measure Love? We have abandoned the dogs outside in the rain or snow while we were gone on a trip that lasted sixteen hours which was more than we planned. They still loved us and accepted us, no apologies required when we got home. They are always happy to see us. Leave for fifteen minutes and they will welcome you back. I believe George Carlin wrote something about that.

God redeemed us for us to Love Him. What could we give of any value beyond that; He made EVERYTHING. When at the Pound or shelter, we look at puppies and pick the one that wags it's tail. If it actually tries to injure us it looses appeal as a loving partner. I hear some choose the vicious for purposes other than love. For the believer, it is as if we "wagged our tail". Even in that the Bible says, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:10. We are chosen for love when there is no apparent reason. Our lack of qualities did not get us noticed, nor will they get us rejected. John 6:37, "All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away."

How are we different from the “dog” next door? We are redeemed and being trained. Remember the movie Homeward Bound where Shadow, Chance and Sassy (dog, dog, and cat) get lost, and have to find way home. Anyway in a classic line the young pup is misbehaving and the old dog says, “Does a rolled up newspaper mean anything to you?”

Major is an old dog. He knows the house rules. He knows he can get away with some things if no one is looking. I still catch him with his nose in a waste can on occasion. God finds me where I should not be on occasion.

Major and I appreciate what a “rolled up newspaper means”, but we are still loved.

Difference between left and right side of boat

Question: What is the difference between the left and right side of a boat?
Answer: Enough fish to sink your commercial fishing vessel.

After Jesus Resurrection, the Disciples were renewed in hope but still in disarray. John and Peter decide to go fishing “to clear their heads” (I don’t know, just my imagination), but they are out all night with their buddies. It is not DEADLIEST CATCH and in fact it is emptiest catch. Nada, zip, zilch, zero, goose egg, and bump kiss is floating in the tank of the hold when the morning begins to break on the horizon, and a dark stranger calls out with a weird request.

“Toss the net over the other side.”

There is a quick round of smirks and hushed laughter. These are weather hardened men who have, 1) been up all night, 2) been working up a sweat, 3) likely gotten very hungry, 4) no patience for armchair quarterbacks, 5) have had their share of outside opinions and right now could serve up a very hot and tasty zinger that could melt the Devil’s socks off.
Before anyone makes the aforementioned snide remark, the net gets tossed as suggested. That 6-8’ of difference is the kind of thing the Captains of the Maverick and Time Bandit would sell their souls for. More fish than what the boat could carry.
How often have we found ourselves doing what we know to do, with out success? God says, “trust me, and toss the net over the other side”. ? ? ? But Lord, There is no difference between the water on this side of the boat and that side. It is the same lake. We did not move the boat. The net did not get bigger. Lord, “What if we make a bigger net? Or yank it out faster, or leave it in longer, or use a rocket launching system, or make a giant kite to fly it out, and drop it far from the boat? Could we use the Internet and electronic imaging systems to track the moving of the schools?

“Toss the net over the other side”.

This is not about technical skill. Ecclesiastes 9:11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happens to them all.” God has a plan of action that is in fact a puzzle that He has designed to foil the pride of man. 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are".

God asks the impossible, but simple. See what can’t be seen. Do it ‘cause He said so. Any more questions?

Rescue Team: On Stand-By

Gentlemen, eyes front! I need your attention. No cloudy minds, no blinking eyes, no premature or late discharge of weapons. Ladies, you are NOT out of this mission. I will have no soldier in battle with unloaded weapons, or unsure defenses, (remember the armor of God, each piece put on with prayer). This is a call to duty. The lives of kidnap victims are at stake. Know your part. Take your position. Do not fail the team.

In taking note of 2 Timothy 3:6, “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,” I see the operative verbs to be on the part of the kidnappers.

While the silly women bear responsibility for their lusts, they are TAKEN captive. Where are the protectors who should have guarded the houses? In my opinion (for what it is worth) this is the logical conclusion of women’s liberation. The movement pushed for the fairer sex to have its own definition of success, its own achievements, its own rules, its own power base, and its own joys/toys at whatever cost.

What is a logical conclusion you ask? In Buffalo, New York the Niagara River is smooth and slow moving. If you launched a rowboat or canoe it would seem harmless enough. At that point few would notice or say anything. A few miles down river there is a cable stretched across the water at a rather rude height, with a rude and opinionated message. It does not care how you feel, what you believe, or allow you to discuss the topic. I read the sign (from shore) and I forget the actual words but in effect it says, “GET OUT!” The logical conclusion of riding the Niagara River is to go over the falls. When you reach the awareness of the danger, ability to self extricate may no longer be an option.

Our weapons of war (2 Corinth. 10:4) are not for the removing of appendages, but for removing bondages. The sharpness of our sword, to divide joints and marrow, can remove a person from entrapment. Keep in mind that if you jump into homeboy’s ride, stab his $5000.00 Sony XPLOD, and say, “You are free my brother, from the bondage of Rap music”, know that he is likely to whip out his strap an’ put a cap in yo’ ***(put a gun in your face and a bullet in your brain). Conviction and freedom are the work of the Holy Spirit. (Personally I have had the temptation to explode some XPLOD’s myself, even if it is not Christian.)

So let’s go back to the kidnap victims. Where are the fathers or husbands who should be protecting the silly women? Well, the silly part is that the women refused to obey and be under their man’s protection. Granted men have as often failed to take post, but those of us in the church who have eyes to see and ears to hear, are the watchers/rescuers called to pull the rebellious women or lazy men from the fire, if they will hear our Gospel (Jude 1:23).

Christians, you have your mission. Keep yourselves untarnished from the world (James 1:27). Keep eyes peeled for enemy tricks (2 Corinth. 2:11). Sight your target, get in, get out, we are not strong enough to hang out in enemy strongholds, save your ammo, the Big One is coming (1 Corinth. 10:12, Rev. 16:16). Treat the victims gently, they need healing but it takes time (Isaiah 40:11). Know that no soldier of the cross will be left behind (Hebrews 13:5)

The New President and VP

We appear to have elected Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the Presidency (there still is the formality of the Electoral College, but in reality it is a done deal). I do not mourn or fear the placing of these two men per se.

Barack and his wife are a family that represent family values. As an American I cherish the right to defend his right to worship God (by what ever definition Barack has) and I will take up arms to protect that right. I pray he will uphold his constitutional obligation to do the same.

Individuals with opinions that I oppose are spread far and wide throughout the Offices of America. What burdens me is that their agendas co-incide with ballot measures throughout the state and local voting. The People at large have spoken in majority to say:
1.Assisted suicide is becoming welcomed, not a crime.
2.Abortion is not only legal and paid for by tax dollars, it can happen after live birth.
3.Same sex marriage is to become normal.
4.Soldiers are to police social-agendas, and hate-crimes, but not fight wars.
5.Wealth belongs to everyone, without regard to contribution.
6.Crime is a state of mind. If you were insane or the state doesn't mind, it wasn't a crime.

God used Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt to burn Israel to the ground, mass murder it's people, and carry off huge numbers to captivity when they forgot Him. When they remembered and repented, He allowed them to return to the burned rubble and rebuild. Israel had promises of a Nation and a People. America has no such promises.

If America chooses to ignore Jehovah, cast His name off our buildings, money and laws, if we decide to turn our collective backs on what He has done and how He brought us here...

The concern is much more than two men in the White House.

Sworn to Service

I sent some greeting cards out a few weeks ago to some service
members (two girls, one guy) who are family of our church. After
watching the Gene Hackman/Owen Wilson film "Behind Enemy Lines"
I was inspired to think of some Bible verses in military context. Since
the Bible uses military illustrations I figured it would be okay.

Sitting here now, as I write seeing returns come in, too soon to know
anything I thought it might be good for us all to remember what
Jesus said. (paraphrased by me), Matthew 10:16

"Make no mistake, I am putting you in harms way, watch each
others back. You will need the stealth of a python, but the diplomacy
of a small bird."

In a crowd of angry armed men, standing alone, Jesus said, (in effect)
that He could have instantly called for cover fire, and I do mean
FIRE of the brimstone type, but willingly walked into the enemies
stronghold.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We are and have been behind enemy lines all
of our lives. Our citizenship is in Heaven, this is not our Home.
This world hated our Master, and will hate us. 'People and politics'
come and go so while the day is still light, take Jesus to people who
need Him. The rest is just smoke & vapor.

Theology in a Penny Roll

Ever give a roll of pennies much thought? That paper tube that has fifty copper circles, stamped with the face of Abraham Lincoln. When you first try to fill an empty tube by hand, it can be a wonderful and thrilling source of frustration, until you develop a system that gets a few in place and one end folded flat. Even after a good start, a rebellious penny can interrupt the process and cause new attention to detail. Once you have a full roll with the right number and both ends properly folded, there is no need to count the next roll, just stand them next to the first, when they line up, they will have fifty, they will be perfected, they will be complete, they will be “holy”.

Consider the penny and paper tube to be created by the master. The tube, filled with pennies, stacked flat with nothing else inside, and having both ends folded closed is the masters perfect design. Anything else is “sin”.

Imagine, if you will, a man and his wife, call them Adam and Eve. They don't spit in God's face. They don't try to forcibly take over the Garden of Eden and keep God out. They don't try to sneak up on God to attack Him. I hope you get the point.

All they did was put something other than a penny in the stack. Maybe they didn't make a penny fully lay flat, or a penny was just dirty. The HEART of the matter is that the penny stack did not match up to the Master's Design. Their Penny Roll was no longer “Holy”.

In our penny rolls we get a piece of sand, mildew or other foreign object, (or penny turned on edge), so God chooses to fix us. To do so He does one of two things. One, He dumps our pennies out and restarts the filling process. Two, He breaks the paper roll open, removes the unwanted parts, and puts us back together with celestial duck tape until “He restores our soul”. The Great Physician can bring the fibers of the paper back together again or leave us wounded in this world, should it serve His purpose. The dumps out or rips out choice might not be ours, but if we rebel it will certainly be ripping.

Sadly we have been deluded into thinking, in this life, that the hard things, (sand, rocks, etc), are supposed to be there. Ezekiel 11:19 “And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh”. The stony heart is accepted in this world, so when God has to use harsh measures to pull it out, such as devastating disease or the death of a child, we point our finger at God and cry FOUL!

Our superior educated minds pass judgment on God that He has no right, or reason to mess with our penny stacking. We were doing just fine on our own.

The trouble is, in fact, it just did not measure up to the Master Design.

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Only He can fill my penny roll with CLEAN pennies and get it FULL, get it RIGHT, get it HOLY.

Kill for food?

A couple years back, we gained some puppies. We already had 2 dogs, the puppies were somebodies "gift". We live in the country, a mom and pups ended up under our porch, when she saw us, she took off and we had puppies. Fortunately they were old enough to be on solid food. One big dish was good enough for all seven, but did cause consternation for our 2 older dogs. As the pups neared a year, we had progressively found other homes for all but 2. Now we had 4 canines. Feeding became a ritual with 4 distinct separate distant bowls. I emphasize distant because if they got closer than say 3 feet of each other, growling began. Without intervention a genuine serious fight would follow. Dog owners know all this and if you are willing to pay the vet bills to establish the hierarchy let'em work it out. I prefer to keep the peace. The point is, dogs like most animals will kill to get and keep food.

People are more civilized than that right? Go to Darfur or Samolia for 6 months and come back alive before you answer the question. Currently we fear the housing market crash here in America. If in the most unbelievable worst case-scenario the Dollar goes the way of the Dodo, some wise individuals will have foresight to store food in secure places in basements and such. This will be the life future of their family.

What will you do if your food stash is secure in the crawlspace and gun toting thugs threaten to enter your home to take what you have? Will you kill for food?