Perhaps you heard of the large two-engined train was crossing Canada. After it had gone some distance, one of the engines broke down. "No problem," the engineer thought, and carried on at half power.
Farther on down the line, the other engine broke down, and the train came to a standstill.
The engineer decided he should inform the passengers about why the train had stopped, and made the following announcement:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
The good news is that there is hope even in failure. You and I are on a great journey to follow Christ and as we do that, we often times experience failures. We can choose to look at the dark side of things or the bright side of things.
Rom 3:23-25 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (NIV)
Another man was taken back when his wife announced that their mother-in-law was moving in with them. Well after a few days he came home from work and his mother-in-law was passed out on the floor. So he being a Christian man gave her mouth to mouth and did everything he could to revive her and then took her to the hospital. Well, a few minutes later the doctor came out and said, well I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news. What do you want first. He said, well give me the bad knews.
So the doctor says, the bad news is that your mother in law is unable to take care of herself any more. She is going to have to be fed by hand three times a day. Not only that but she is going to have to have someone take care of her every need from here on out. But not only that but she will need someone to bath her and clean her everyday. The guy said, “Oh my what in the world is the good new?” The doctor said, “Awe I’m just kidding she is dead.”
The good news for those that know Jesus is that you are saved! The bad news is you have to train yourself in the ways of the Lord, and training is hard work.
Just to review what we started in our first week regarding dog training for dummies. Or if you would prefer the more spiritualized version “Discipleship for the Ordinary Person.”
1. Establish the leader of the pack. Who is your pack leader? If you have a family who is the Lord of the house?
Josh 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (NIV)
You have to choose the leader of your house.
2. We have to train ourselves first. If we train ourselves then we can help others.
Remember the difference between a trained Christian and an untrained Christian is what they do when bad things happen.
Prov 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. (NIV)
3. Training is important. If you think that church is a waste of time and not worth your time. Then you are undervaluing God’s word and it’s ability to work in your life.
1 Tim 4:6-8
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (NIV)
4. Learning the Basics to Christianity is important. Praying, Studying, Listening to God, Obeying God.
A third grade teacher was teaching in the classroom when her students were working on their math words. They were supposed to write a sentence using the words given for the week. One of the words was prism. A student in the class wrote, "My dad just got out of prism." Needless to say she had him redo the sentence using the right definition.
POUND PUPPIES: You and I were in the pound and God came and got us. What kind of dog goes to the pound? An untrained dog always ends up in trouble.
SEVEN BAD HABITS OF AN UNTRAINED DOG: THE NATURES OF AN UNTRAINED DOG:
1. Chasing distractions: Chasing fake rabbits makes a dog race: Worldly minded Christians are always chasing worldly distractions. Everyone needs a dream to chase and pursue, but it is of utmost importance that we pursue the dream giver more than we pursue the dream.
Eccl 6:9 Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (NIV)
People today chase wealth, looks, fame, titles, but not many are chasing the one who can make an eternal difference in them.
2. Jumping Up on People: The most irritating thing your dog can do is jump up on the company that you have over. I liken this to the Christian who likes to jump on people in the church and tell everyone else about their shortcomings.
Folks we should always learn to trust other and to think the best of people first and believe in people. Not jumping on their back when they are down, but being the church that lifts them up.
There is someone that you will meet this week that you can lend a hand to and help them get up.
When I was a kid my big St. Bernard Brooks jumped on my friend and held him to the ground. It would have been embarrassing to an adult, but to a 12-year-old it was funny. I got a whipping for that one.
James 3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. (NIV)
3. Operates in the immediate: Christians that seek recognition for everything that they do in the church are operating in the immediate. We need to operate in the eternal mindset. My dog will do just about any trick in the book so long as he gets a treat when he is done.
Jesus disciples were operating in the immediate and shallow when they begin to discuss who was going to be sitting next to Jesus.
Learn to operate in the eternal: Laying up treasures is more than just about your money. It’s about treasures in heaven of friends, family, and others. They learn the value of waiting for the best things and don’t settle for just a good thing. It’s amazing to me what I can teach my dog to do with a treat that is the size of a nickel. Keep your eye on the eternal purposes and the prize.
4. Digs holes in the yard: In order to cool themselves down a dog will dig for a cool place; They dig up things that shouldn’t be dug up.
There are Christians that will always try to dig up things that don’t need to be dug up. They dig up the past and past mistakes of others. They wont let hurts go and learn to forget.
5. Biting People: Biting Christians are the ones in the nursery. (HEHE) Biting Christians bring hurt to anyone they can.
What we need to learn is how to love more. A trained Christian bring unity to situations, healing to relationships, health to a home.
6. Barks at Everything: This is annoying because you can’t get any rest because they are barking at everything that moves and howling at the moon. I compare this to some in the church that complain about everything that goes on in the church.
But a trained Christian speaks worlds of encouragement and life. Matt 12:34-35 For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. (NIV)
7. Tries to get out of the safety of fences: Last night my dog broke out of solitary confinement, maximum security fence. Why because of unfounded fear.
This is a person that balks at any an all authority figures in their life. Understand that all authority is given by God.
Ps 95:3-4 For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, (NIV)
The Bible also says that ”The hearts of kings God holds in his hand”
Understand that all authority is given by God.
(CLOSING)
THE NATURES OF A TRAINED (Christian) DOG:
They stay focused: There are a lot of distractions out their for Christains. Wealth, Fame, Prestige, A Title, A key to the executive lavatory, pomp. Christians shouldn’t go chasing everything that comes along no matter who else is involved or chasing it.
They learn to forgive and not dig up the past at every drop of a hat.
Fleas and Ticks: They attract them and they get them.
Getting scratched in the right places, is that what we are wanting?
