What Are You Calling Me A Dog?

What? Am I A Dog? 2 Kings 8:1-13

Shortly after this Hazael found himself alone with King Benadad. He took a towel, dipped it into water, and proceeded to smother the king. Hazael became the king and God’s Word was fulfilled.

But I would like for us to consider the response of Hazael when Elijah told him what he was about to do

Hazael’s response, “Am I a dog” is equivalent to saying “This is unheard of, I would never do such a thing.

"It could never happen to me.”

How many people thought the same thing? How many are locked up in prison thinking that they would never do what they did...

Hazael could not picture anything such as this in his future.

Unfortunately, we all know someone who is no longer serving God as they did in the past.

Prov.28:13

a backsliding Christian

If we were to tell them that there would be a day in their future that they would not be in ministry, or a day that they would not be attending church or even a day in which they would not be serving God they would respond just as Hazael did.

“No way, Impossible it could never happen to me.

What if you went to David when he was a young man serving the sheep in the hills of Judea, and told him that one day he would commit adultery and murder.

How would he have responded? Possibly, “No way, it could never happen to me.”

This reminds me of a man in the New Testament Who's name was Peter

Matt.26:33-35

Hear Peter and the other disciples all said the same thing. That we would never do

Like Peter standing by the fire...

cursing, and denying... hearing the cock crowing

Philemon 1:23-24 Paul speaks of a man whose name was Demas and Testifies that he was a labor together with Paul

He knew about sacrificing for the Lord

He knew about persecution, trials, and tribulations

Yet in 2Tim.4:10 He fell back in love with this old world He probably thought "this would never happen to me"

Many think well I may break commandments 1, 2, and 6 but NEVER 3, 5, or 8

And somehow many try to justify their actions and words by putting the blame on someone else...

Paul said in the book of Romans14:12 We all must give an account to God

If you had told ADAM that he would EAT of the tree he would say "What am I, a Dog?"

SOLOMON IDOLATRY he would say "What am I a Dog??

James 1:13-16 sin is aggressive

What can we do to prevent this from happening in our own life?

What kind of precautions can we take?

No, we may not commit a terrible sin such as David or Hazael but we may find ourselves away from God, in a state of lukewarmness and separated from the flock.

I would like to share some Bible principles that will keep us from falling into the trap of satin and cause you to do what you know is wrong

1- stay sensitive Ps.100:3 direction & voice

2- stay focused Ph.3:14 he sees the mark

3- stay connected Jn.15:5

My son and I went on a walk in San Francisco out at Golden Gate Park.

He told me dad look at all the dead trees on the ground big massive trees were laying on the ground once full of life are now dead...

Many that were rotten, I thought to myself

How did this tree go from a tower of strength for years to this. state of deterioration?

Somewhere along the way it was disconnected from it’s source of life.

4- Avoid the very appearance of evil. 1Thes.5:22

5- Continually take inventory

of your spiritual life, are you more humble now than a year ago? 1Cor.10:12

6- surrender every thought

2Cor.10:3-5

7- If you do fail or fall, immediately and sincerely repent. 1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

The Bible says to “Keep (guard) your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4:23