Although not related to Buddy, Snoopy is a dog. A lot of Christians feel discouraged right now, but like Job, we are not always given the reason for when God allows evil to triumph.
“I know that You can do all things and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” Job to God, admitting that he had no right to question the Creator. Job 42:2
God bless you.
Love from Dawn and Buddy
If only people were more like dogs. When a dog meets another dog they usually either:
1. Greet the other dog with a butt sniffing;
2. Bark in fear to warn them away (well, Buddy does); or
3. Growl a warning to stay away.
OK. Those responses don’t seem too godly. So what do I mean by “I wish people were more like dogs?”
Because a dog’s reaction is not dependent upon the breed or color of another dog, but usually some perceived personality characteristic.
In ancient Israel God rejected the current King, Saul, from continuing to rule over His people because his heart was not right with God. Saul was physically strong and handsome, looking like a mighty ruler of a great kingdom, judging by human standards. He even purged mediums and spiritists from the land who communicated with the dead, in direct violation of God’s commands (Deuteronomy 18:10-12).
God sent his prophet Samuel to anoint another young man to be king in Saul’s place, instructing him to choose from the household of Jesse of Bethlehem.
When Samuel met Jesse’s oldest son Eliab, he believed he’d met the new king, because apparently he must’ve looked mighty and regal.
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7)”
God had chosen the youngest son of Jesse as the next King of Israel because his heart was totally devoted to obeying God.
Later, when David sinned greatly as a king, he repented with great sorrow (Psalm 51) instead of denying he had disobeyed God. Whereas King Saul pretended to repent but only proceeded from bad to worse, even consulting a medium near the end of his reign for advice, one of the few to escape his earlier purge.
So let us honor Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s great dream that people in our nation, would “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” August 28th, 1963, “I Have A Dream” speech at the nation’s capital.
That’s how God does it.
Mr King’s heart reflected the heart of God.
God bless you. Love from Dawn and Buddy.
Thank you for following and reading “Meditations About God and Buddy.” You could be doing other things with your time and attention and chose us. God bless you. Dawn and Buddy
During our recent walkies, Buddy has become frightened, planted his feet and demanded that we return home. I’m not sure what is causing his fear.
In ancient Israel, King Saul and his army knew what they were afraid of: a mammoth giant named Goliath who taunted the army of Israel for 40 days, night and day (1 Samuel 17:16), for their cowardice. He kept cursing God and demanding that someone come forward to challenge him.
“When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.” 1 Samuel 17:11
One shepherd boy with faith in God was visiting his three older brothers who served in the military. He heard the giant’s taunts and stepped forward to fight Goliath. King Saul tried to dissuade him, telling David that he was too young and not experienced enough in warfare to prevail.
But David refused to be discouraged by King Saul’s poor opinion of his skill: “Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, since he has taunted the armies of the living God.” 1 Samuel 17:36
There are a lot of different interpretations of this passage and a multitude of sermons, but this is the point I’d like to hone in on:
Are you like David?
Or King Saul?
Do you run in faith toward the challenge to defeat it in God’s power?
Or cower as the enemy taunts you endlessly, day and night?
Too often I have been like King Saul, my knees shaking with fear in the midst of a mighty army that refuses to move forward to meet the enemy head on.
I’m not claiming to be super spiritual nor superhuman.
Only one young man trusted God enough to step forward out of the crowd.
But we live in trying times when lies are being shouted with wild abandon and truth whispered.
We need men and women to step forward, confident and full of faith, to run forward and challenge the enemy of truth.
And not cower in fear and discouragement, using “being nice” as an excuse to be passive.
“Like a trampled spring and a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.” Proverbs 25:26
I’m not advocating violence, but “speaking the truth in love (Apostle Paul, Ephesians 4:15)”, stand against evil by speaking out against it.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Apostle Paul, Romans 12:21
Be a light.
Don’t shiver in the darkness.
God bless you! Dawn and Buddy
***
Without the power of God, it’s difficult to muster up the faith to stand against evil. We have “all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)”.
Please “confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord (ie. God), and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Apostle Paul, Romans 10:9-10
Ask Jesus to grant you the faith to believe. And give you the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13) so that you’ll become born again.
And if you have prayed with sincerity, congratulations on your new birth. Please ask God to lead you to a Bible believing church or broadcast to learn more how to walk in Him.
There is a mighty army of faith, waiting for you to join them.
Or be its next leader of faith.
PS. Hopefully I will be permitted to keep blogging. Free speech is under attack online. God bless.
Holidays are usually the time that little dogs (and sometimes large dogs) are tortured for our amusement: hats, sweaters, antlers and crowns grace their heads. Sometimes the dog (like my belated Silky, Buster) will cheerfully put up with the holiday nonsense out of devotion for their owners. Others, like Buddy, merely endure.
Because Jesus was willing to endure the humiliation of the Cross to pay the penalty for the sins of humanity (Hebrews 12:2), we can receive a fresh start in life. By “confess(ing) Jesus as Lord and believ(ing) in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”—Romans 10:9-10, Apostle Paul
When you accept Jesus is God in the flesh—Immanuel (Matthew 1:23)—you become born again. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within your heart, your spirit. You become whole again, no longer having an emptiness within: mind, soul & Spirit, complete.
You become a new creation in Christ Jesus!
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”—2 Corinthians 5:17, Apostle Paul
If you’re already a new creation, you can rejoice in your continued salvation, for the Lord loves you totally as His beloved child.
If you haven’t become born again, please note that this fresh start in life comes through Christ Jesus alone—the new birth, receiving the Holy Spirit of God—comes through no one else.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we may be saved.”—Apostle Peter as recorded by the physician Luke, Acts 4:12
God bless you—And HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Love from Dawn and Buddy
Meditations About God and Buddy 