The similarity of Dog Training and Discipleship

The similarity of Dog Training and Discipleship

by No Longer Wounded Minister on Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 11:09am ·

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My daughter and I have two wonderful puppies, Angelito and Tia.  We love these little fur balls a lot!  Recently in puppy charm school they have been learning the command COME.  They are having some difficulty with it but as they are giving up their free will and submitting to their Master's command they are mastering it.  This command is the most important command they will ever learn.  It can literally save their life once mastered.  For example if my little bundles of joy are running loose and get in the road and I yell COME before a car gets to them and they obey it could save them from being ran over.  

This command made me reflect on the life of the believer.  Isn't surrendering to God's will very important to us?  Like Angelito and Tia we must surrender our free will when our Master commands us to COME.  When He calls us to pick up our cross and follow Him.  He never said it would be easy, but just like Tia and Angelito get rewarded each and every time they follow this important command, we will too.  Hopefully our Master gives us more than cheese or hotdogs pieces.  :)

Just look below and see how God's people were called to come and rewarded when they obeyed! I listed just a few examples of scripture; there's so much more!  Let's all surrender and listen to our Master!  Be Blessed!

Genesis 6:18 (Amplified Bible)

But I will establish My covenant (promise, pledge) with you, and you shall come into the ark--you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.

Exodus 17:6 (Amplified Bible)

Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at [Mount] Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Numbers 27:17 (Amplified Bible)

Who shall go out and come in before them, leading them out and bringing them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep which have no shepherd.

Deuteronomy 28:6 (Amplified Bible)

Blessed shall you be when you come in and blessed shall you be when you go out.

1 Samuel 17:45 (Amplified Bible)

Then said David to the Philistine, You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the ranks of Israel, Whom you have defied.

The Chopstick Bandit

The Chopstick Bandit

by No Longer Wounded Minister on Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 9:53pm ·

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I had lunch with a dear girlfriend of mine today.  I love this lady dearly. She strenthenes me like in Proverbs when it says iron sharpenes iron. (Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose].Proverbs 27:16-18 Amplified Bible).  She and I have been close friends for many years.  She has kept me on track.  Many people think I am a bible banger, Jesus Freak, Holy Roller type.  I like to think of myself as super cool, fun loving, and fabulous all within in the confines of pleasing God and representing Him well!  Sorry if that is boring...  Anyways, my point is this lady could make me look like the devil she is so squeaky clean.  She honestly could be nominated for sainthood based on her Christain walk.  Like me; she feeds the homeless, clothes the needy, teaches the Word, maintans a household, raises Godly children, etc.  I have the highest respect for my anonymous friend.  With her explict permission and request I am going to blog about our lunch encounter.

My friend and I enjoyed a delicious lunch at one of our favorite Chinese resturants.  At the end of our meal she put the chopsticks (not the disposable kind) in her purse very casually.  I looked at her and said "I don't think you're supposed to take those."  She replied, "Really?, I have been for years.  I have a whole drawer full at home.  A little collection. Aren't they suveniours."  She was dead serious.  I told her I didn't think so.  She asked the waiter because at this point we were curious.  He tried to play it super cool and said "No, those can not be taken", in a voice where his manager could hear him.  Then he whispered to us. "You can take them if you like, I just had to say not to in front of the manager."

We laughed for awhile at her unknown reign of chopstick stealing.  This Godly lady was unknowlying doing a bad thing.  She felt horrible at first but she had no way of knowing she was wrong UNTIL she asked the PROPER AUTHORITY.  Have you ever just played by your own rules and coasted by on your self-made ethics and moral code?  Chances are like my dear friend, you will not always be right.  Sadly, more often than not the consequences will be much greater than feeling a bit embarassed and laughing about accidentally taking chopsticks from an overpriced Chinese bistro.  Thus she has been labled the "Chopstick Bandit" by yours truly.

There is no need to go around in the dark without knowing right from wrong.  The directions for life are printed for us in a 66 chapter book called The Holy Bible.  Don't guess and live your life by throwing caution to the wind.  Use the instruction manual God gave you!

Be Blessed and Informed!

Where no wise guidance is, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:13-15 Amplified Bible

In all of your ways know, recongnize, and acknowleadge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6 Amplified Bible