Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Hello all
I know it may seem like I've abandoned the blog, but I haven't. With this cast on my leg I can't reach the scanner to scan the nuggets I get from our friend Arthur. while I am posting this short note to let you know to check back in a few more weeks, I want to say something else. R.I.P. Tom Wooster, you helped get me started in my trade and I owe much of my learning to you and others like you. Also, R.I.P. woody and tia, I sure loved you. Some of you might think it rediculous, but I sure hope dogs go to heaven too. My heart is broken because they are gone.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Basic Obedience
Today I want to share something with you, that's a little different than what i have so far shared with you. A very important lesson from Darcy, and her human, Shawna.
I am aquainted with Shawna through a now defunct Christian forum called Doulos. There were some mighty fine Christians there, i made some great freinds and learned alot too. Anyway, before I get too far off course, I will let them begin. Be advised, I still have not learned how to properly edit this blog to make the paragraphs show the way I post them. So here is the lesson from Darcy, through Shawna:
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Several years ago I was struggling with trying to obey God with a list of do’s and don’ts and I wasn’t being very successful. I desperately wanted to serve Him but had no idea where to start or how to get there. I was in the process of training a very talented dog who had an incredible ability to find people by scent. It was suggested by some that I should go into search and rescue with her and through various happenings, the Lord led me to believe that this was the way I was to go. There was only one problem, my dog hated other dogs and would try to attack when given the opportunity. This unacceptable behaviour stood between me and search and rescue training and so through prayer God led me to take a professional dog trainers course in Victoria.
That’s where it happened. He had me cornered in the solitude of a lonely motel room for two whole months. As I studied my Bible each day He began to show me that the obedience I was teaching dogs was in many ways the same as what He expected from me. Not an endless list of do’s and don’ts but some very simple commands that would lead me into a closer relationship with Him and a whole new adventure in my life. In simple terms, He showed me the way to walk in obedience to Him and this is what I want to share with you.
The obedience my dog does is somewhat different from obedience you may have seen in competition or have taken in class with your own dog. There is a reason for this; we have now learned that dogs communicate in certain ways that the old style of very strict obedience goes against. Perfectly straight comes and sits are considered rude and offensive in the dog world. I consider the extremely formal obedience to be a type of legalism. It puts unnecessary stress on the dog and most of it has absolutely nothing to do with real obedience anyway; this is much like many of our church traditions.
The dogs I train learn to be obedient without the extreme rules that go against what they are naturally able to understand. Obedience to God is also this simple. It’s not a matter of rules and regulations so much as it’s a matter of relationship. When the relationship is right, the obedience will be quick and joyful, when the obedience is quick and joyful, the relationship is right, and growing in the direction it should.
Before you can train a dog there are some basic principles you need to understand.
Corrections:
The first thing is the proper use of corrections. There are many different corrections that can be used. In order to be effective and fair they must be timed perfectly. Some corrections simply make the dog uncomfortable while others are a hard and direct challenge to the dogs desire to be pack leader. Do not say “NO” to your dog for everything, Sometimes you will only say “uh, uh”, “NO” is reserved for only the things that you NEVER want the dog to do such as chewing, biting, or stealing food. Verbal corrections, like “uh-uh” can be used to communicate that the dog has made a mistake and it is then given the opportunity to obey the command. If the dog still refuses, a physical correction is used to teach the dog to comply.
Many people don’t think it’s necessary to use physical corrections on a dog, however dogs will physically correct each other. It’s something that is part of their nature, they understand and respond well as long as the corrections are fair. Corrections are used to teach the dog it needs to obey simply because the handler said so which in turn can, in some circumstances, save the dogs life. While this may sound like forced training it is actually building a relationship with the dog. All dog packs must have a leader and most dogs do not wish to lead. By using a fair and understandable correction you show the dog that you are someone worth following.
God uses discipline because he loves us.
Hebrews 12:10-11 “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful, Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
God says “NO” for the things we must never do. This is for our protection not to make us miserable. Very often He says, “Uh, uh, this isn’t in your best interest.” If we choose to ignore the verbal correction we may receive from His word or a brother or sister in Christ, we could find ourselves in the midst of a physical one where God lets the circumstances around us do the correcting.
Distractions:
In order to teach the dog to obey the command in any situation, we introduce distractions and teach the dog to work through them. So often people tell me “but my dog always does it right at home.” The dog has learned to obey under a certain set of circumstances but not under all circumstances. The only way to teach the dog to obey in every situation is to introduce the dog to new and varied circumstances and distractions.
Some distractions are simply the things in life around us that cause us to be too busy to listen to the Lord. Psalm 119:37 “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
We often think we’re doing just fine, we have finally made it. All is good and then suddenly, that thing we thought we had dealt with comes back and we find that maybe we didn’t have it all together after all. It’s easy to be comfortable in our own world and do every thing just right, but the moment a new situation arises we discover we still need more work. This is not something to beat ourselves up about. We pray for forgiveness and guidance, which the Lord has promised us, then we get back up and try again. Distractions aren’t evil plots so God can thump us, but rather put there to shape our character and teach us to depend on the Father and keep our eyes on Him. 1 Peter 5:10 “And the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
Without training with corrections and distractions, the dog can never be completely reliable and therefore is open to all kinds of dangers. The same goes for us, if we never learn to keep our eyes focused on the Father no matter what is happening around us, we are always vulnerable to dangerous pitfalls in our spiritual lives.
The dog is given two seconds to comply to a command. After two seconds, the dog is corrected into the position that was requested. Delayed obedience, is disobedience and will lead to more and more compromise if let go.
Sometimes you’ll have a dog that will obey most of the way, but not quite all the way, it is corrected the same as if it hadn’t obeyed at all because partial obedience is also disobedience.
The Walking Exercise:
In the walking exercise, the dog learns to follow the handler wherever he/she goes, quietly and without question. In order to accomplish this, the dog is asked to follow close to the handler without lunging or pulling. The dog also learns that it is not to bark or growl at passers-by, but rather to focus its attention on the handler. As long as it stays within a certain distance, it can look around; however, it must be paying sufficient attention to the handler so that if a change in direction were made, the dog would automatically follow without having to be corrected or even spoken to.
In order to learn this, the dog must give up all rights to chase after its own desires. It learns that with the handler is the best place to be. In the beginning, toys, people and various other things might hold the most interest; but with proper training the dog will have a change in its thinking and the handler will become the primary desire. The outcome is a dog that follows close to its master with joy and enthusiasm.
The rest of the dogs training hinges on the walking exercise. Once the dog learns to follow freely and accept correction the rest is easier.
The walking exercise is the equivalent to “Come, follow me”. When Jesus said to His disciples “Come follow me”, He was asking them to give up everything in order to learn from and become like him. He was asking them to deny themselves the right of choosing their own life in order to live the life he chose for them. When he said, “take up your cross and follow me,” he was saying ‘die to your own desires and natural self and live according to what I have planned for you.’
Our natural tendency is to make our own way, to seek after material and worldly things. When we walk on our own, these natural desires will often lead us into things that go against God’s value system. Before we know Jesus, these things seem right and good to us; being able to run in our own direction feels like freedom, but it leads to death. When we learn to walk with God, we give up our right to chase after these things, we learn what is acceptable and what is not, and we learn to repent. Repentance is agreeing with God as to what sin is, and then, once we agree, we turn from sin to follow Christ. Through a change in our thinking, we find that following after Christ becomes our hearts one desire.
The walking exercise involves forgiveness, both from God and toward others. A Christian cannot have an intimate relationship with God if they are unwilling to forgive. Just as a dog can’t focus on its master if it’s busy barking at the neighbour, we can’t focus on Christ when we are living behind a wall of anger, bitterness or hatred toward someone else. We must learn to accept and view others from God’s perspective. They are also created in his image and although they may not belong to him, they are loved by him and deserving of our respect for that reason alone.
Colosians 3:1-10 says; “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
To sum it up; we give up our right to go our own way – to do our own thing. We give up our right to bark, growl, and hurt those around us. It is repentance without argument and forgiveness freely given. We learn to keep our eyes on Him – this is the beginning of obedience.
The Sit Command:
The dog must learn to sit when the handler gives the command and stay until the release word or a new command is given. The dog must learn to keep its eyes on the handler and listen for any new commands.
Sit is often used to make the dog wait for something such as its food. The sit command can be used to teach the dog self-control. By requesting the dog sit before the door is opened, it can learn the appropriate way to meet a guest.
The “sit” command is simply spending time studying the Bible and allowing it to change us. Mary understood the importance of sitting at the Master’s feet. While Martha busied herself with things, Mary settled at Jesus’ feet to learn from him. When we follow Mary’s example and open ourselves up to the Word of God, we will begin to know him in a very personal way. The Bible tells us to “Study to show yourself approved” 2 Timothy 2:15 and to “hide God’s word in your heart”. We need to spend time in the Word, learning who He really is. Learning how He expects us to respond, and learning to love Him more. We can’t have a proper relationship with someone we don’t know. God has given us the Bible so that we might know him through it. His character is clearly and consistently shown, his value system, sacrificial love for the benefit of others, is prominently displayed. If we ask him to show us more of who he is, he will open our eyes to understanding all he is and does and will change a willing heart so that we too might become like him..
2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Beware of distractions; it is so easy to say “Well, I’ll read later” but we soon discover that later rarely happens. Just as a dog might want to finish sniffing the grass before it sits, all too often we have something that drags our minds away from God’s Word. There will always be time for other things; we must make time for the Lord.
The Come Command:
When given the come command the dog is expected to come in straight, fast and sit in front within touching distance of the handler. Some dogs meander slowly in, grudgingly. The look on their face seems to say “Oh, alright, whatever.” Others will race in and at the last second see something and speed right past the handler. Some dogs have such a desire to come that they can hardly contain themselves until they hear the command. They then gallop in, sliding to a stop in front so fast that they will often bump into the handler’s legs.
The come command is the time spent in prayer. The Lord prompts us and it is up to us to comply. Sometimes we grudgingly leave what we are doing to pray, the whole time thinking about our day and everything else. Sometimes we say, “Yes, I’ll pray,” and at the last moment get distracted and dash off thinking, “I’ll do it later.” Instead, when we hear that still small voice that could only be His, let us fall on our knees at His feet and pray.
Prayer is an open invitation into His presence. Just as the dog needs to come close enough for the handler to touch the collar, we need to come close enough to let God touch us and take hold of us, as we surrender ourselves up to Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
The Down Command:
This is the hardest command for a dog to learn. To a dog, lying down is to put itself in total submission to the handler, not all dogs want to do this. It requires surrendering and saying, “Yes, you’re the boss.” Many dogs will appear to be in a down but will hold their elbows just off the ground. A simple rule is, if the elbows aren’t down, neither is the dog. Allowing the dog to keep its elbows up even slightly can lead to future dominance related behaviour problems and even a total disregard to the handler’s authority.
Submission to God is also the most difficult thing for us to do. He asks us to submit to Him entirely and trust Him completely. We tend to say, “I surrender all (except this one little thing, you won’t mind will you?)” That is the spiritual equivalent of keeping your elbows off the ground. God doesn’t want some of me some of the time; He wants all of me all of the time. So instead, let us submit totally and completely to God. Surrender everything to Him. Give up everything and trust fully in His ability to lead and guide you safely through. Hold nothing back – if your “elbows” aren’t touching, you haven’t surrendered all – you haven’t learned total obedience or trust.
Philippians 3:8 “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ”
When we submit totally and completely, we gain Christ, totally and completely.
Tricks:
Tricks are taught without corrections. They are commands that ask a dog to do things that don’t make any sense to him. Some people don’t view tricks as being part of obedience; however, without the dog desiring to do the trick on its own, it can’t be done. This is a special part of obedience; it’s a willingness to give what it doesn’t understand just because we ask for it. How much more obedient can you get?
Sometimes God will ask us to do things that don’t make sense to us or those around us. We might just have a feeling that we can’t shake that is requiring us to do something out of the ordinary. Duncan Campbell had such a feeling while he was speaking at a conference. He told those who had invited him to speak that he must leave before his final address and set out for a destination he had never been to. Such behaviour would seem foolish to some, however his obedience was an answer to prayer for a brother in Christ and led to a revival that swept through the area like a storm. Repeatedly in the New Testament Paul talks about the things of God seeming to be foolishness to man; are you willing to be a fool for Christ? “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 1Corinthians 1:25
Advanced Obedience:
Once you have learned basic obedience the next step is advanced obedience. This is where we really get in tune with God. We learn to sit from a down and down from a sit, it doesn’t matter how far off He seems, we keep our eyes on Him and He will keep us safe.
Other things we learn: Heeling – the art of walking in perfect step with the Master. With our eyes focused on Him we can’t possibly make a wrong turn.
The flying down – dropping into a down position from a dead run. Oh to be able to hear His voice and fall on my face before Him regardless of the chaos around me.
Directed out run – where He sends me I will go. I don’t know the reason or what will happen when I get there but I want to say “I will go with joy and speed for I know my Master and His purpose is always good.”
Worship:
Maybe you are thinking I’ve left out one important part of obedience, worship. One client put it in perspective for me when she was watching me training with my dog. She said, “I love to watch you work with Darcy, she worships you.”
Obedience IS our worship; it’s the laying down of our whole selves - body, heart, mind, and soul - for the glory of God.
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship.”
Perhaps you are wondering did I go into search and rescue. Within six months of returning home it was evident that my dog would have to be put down. Darcy, the puppy God had persuaded me to buy in Victoria didn’t have a talent for searching. I asked God about it and He said, “What is to search but to seek, what is to rescue but to save. I came to seek and save the lost – there is your search and rescue.”
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Several years ago I was struggling with trying to obey God with a list of do’s and don’ts and I wasn’t being very successful. I desperately wanted to serve Him but had no idea where to start or how to get there. I was in the process of training a very talented dog who had an incredible ability to find people by scent. It was suggested by some that I should go into search and rescue with her and through various happenings, the Lord led me to believe that this was the way I was to go. There was only one problem, my dog hated other dogs and would try to attack when given the opportunity. This unacceptable behaviour stood between me and search and rescue training and so through prayer God led me to take a professional dog trainers course in Victoria.
That’s where it happened. He had me cornered in the solitude of a lonely motel room for two whole months. As I studied my Bible each day He began to show me that the obedience I was teaching dogs was in many ways the same as what He expected from me. Not an endless list of do’s and don’ts but some very simple commands that would lead me into a closer relationship with Him and a whole new adventure in my life. In simple terms, He showed me the way to walk in obedience to Him and this is what I want to share with you.
The obedience my dog does is somewhat different from obedience you may have seen in competition or have taken in class with your own dog. There is a reason for this; we have now learned that dogs communicate in certain ways that the old style of very strict obedience goes against. Perfectly straight comes and sits are considered rude and offensive in the dog world. I consider the extremely formal obedience to be a type of legalism. It puts unnecessary stress on the dog and most of it has absolutely nothing to do with real obedience anyway; this is much like many of our church traditions.
The dogs I train learn to be obedient without the extreme rules that go against what they are naturally able to understand. Obedience to God is also this simple. It’s not a matter of rules and regulations so much as it’s a matter of relationship. When the relationship is right, the obedience will be quick and joyful, when the obedience is quick and joyful, the relationship is right, and growing in the direction it should.
Before you can train a dog there are some basic principles you need to understand.
Corrections:
The first thing is the proper use of corrections. There are many different corrections that can be used. In order to be effective and fair they must be timed perfectly. Some corrections simply make the dog uncomfortable while others are a hard and direct challenge to the dogs desire to be pack leader. Do not say “NO” to your dog for everything, Sometimes you will only say “uh, uh”, “NO” is reserved for only the things that you NEVER want the dog to do such as chewing, biting, or stealing food. Verbal corrections, like “uh-uh” can be used to communicate that the dog has made a mistake and it is then given the opportunity to obey the command. If the dog still refuses, a physical correction is used to teach the dog to comply.
Many people don’t think it’s necessary to use physical corrections on a dog, however dogs will physically correct each other. It’s something that is part of their nature, they understand and respond well as long as the corrections are fair. Corrections are used to teach the dog it needs to obey simply because the handler said so which in turn can, in some circumstances, save the dogs life. While this may sound like forced training it is actually building a relationship with the dog. All dog packs must have a leader and most dogs do not wish to lead. By using a fair and understandable correction you show the dog that you are someone worth following.
God uses discipline because he loves us.
Hebrews 12:10-11 “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful, Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
God says “NO” for the things we must never do. This is for our protection not to make us miserable. Very often He says, “Uh, uh, this isn’t in your best interest.” If we choose to ignore the verbal correction we may receive from His word or a brother or sister in Christ, we could find ourselves in the midst of a physical one where God lets the circumstances around us do the correcting.
Distractions:
In order to teach the dog to obey the command in any situation, we introduce distractions and teach the dog to work through them. So often people tell me “but my dog always does it right at home.” The dog has learned to obey under a certain set of circumstances but not under all circumstances. The only way to teach the dog to obey in every situation is to introduce the dog to new and varied circumstances and distractions.
Some distractions are simply the things in life around us that cause us to be too busy to listen to the Lord. Psalm 119:37 “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
We often think we’re doing just fine, we have finally made it. All is good and then suddenly, that thing we thought we had dealt with comes back and we find that maybe we didn’t have it all together after all. It’s easy to be comfortable in our own world and do every thing just right, but the moment a new situation arises we discover we still need more work. This is not something to beat ourselves up about. We pray for forgiveness and guidance, which the Lord has promised us, then we get back up and try again. Distractions aren’t evil plots so God can thump us, but rather put there to shape our character and teach us to depend on the Father and keep our eyes on Him. 1 Peter 5:10 “And the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
Without training with corrections and distractions, the dog can never be completely reliable and therefore is open to all kinds of dangers. The same goes for us, if we never learn to keep our eyes focused on the Father no matter what is happening around us, we are always vulnerable to dangerous pitfalls in our spiritual lives.
The dog is given two seconds to comply to a command. After two seconds, the dog is corrected into the position that was requested. Delayed obedience, is disobedience and will lead to more and more compromise if let go.
Sometimes you’ll have a dog that will obey most of the way, but not quite all the way, it is corrected the same as if it hadn’t obeyed at all because partial obedience is also disobedience.
The Walking Exercise:
In the walking exercise, the dog learns to follow the handler wherever he/she goes, quietly and without question. In order to accomplish this, the dog is asked to follow close to the handler without lunging or pulling. The dog also learns that it is not to bark or growl at passers-by, but rather to focus its attention on the handler. As long as it stays within a certain distance, it can look around; however, it must be paying sufficient attention to the handler so that if a change in direction were made, the dog would automatically follow without having to be corrected or even spoken to.
In order to learn this, the dog must give up all rights to chase after its own desires. It learns that with the handler is the best place to be. In the beginning, toys, people and various other things might hold the most interest; but with proper training the dog will have a change in its thinking and the handler will become the primary desire. The outcome is a dog that follows close to its master with joy and enthusiasm.
The rest of the dogs training hinges on the walking exercise. Once the dog learns to follow freely and accept correction the rest is easier.
The walking exercise is the equivalent to “Come, follow me”. When Jesus said to His disciples “Come follow me”, He was asking them to give up everything in order to learn from and become like him. He was asking them to deny themselves the right of choosing their own life in order to live the life he chose for them. When he said, “take up your cross and follow me,” he was saying ‘die to your own desires and natural self and live according to what I have planned for you.’
Our natural tendency is to make our own way, to seek after material and worldly things. When we walk on our own, these natural desires will often lead us into things that go against God’s value system. Before we know Jesus, these things seem right and good to us; being able to run in our own direction feels like freedom, but it leads to death. When we learn to walk with God, we give up our right to chase after these things, we learn what is acceptable and what is not, and we learn to repent. Repentance is agreeing with God as to what sin is, and then, once we agree, we turn from sin to follow Christ. Through a change in our thinking, we find that following after Christ becomes our hearts one desire.
The walking exercise involves forgiveness, both from God and toward others. A Christian cannot have an intimate relationship with God if they are unwilling to forgive. Just as a dog can’t focus on its master if it’s busy barking at the neighbour, we can’t focus on Christ when we are living behind a wall of anger, bitterness or hatred toward someone else. We must learn to accept and view others from God’s perspective. They are also created in his image and although they may not belong to him, they are loved by him and deserving of our respect for that reason alone.
Colosians 3:1-10 says; “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
To sum it up; we give up our right to go our own way – to do our own thing. We give up our right to bark, growl, and hurt those around us. It is repentance without argument and forgiveness freely given. We learn to keep our eyes on Him – this is the beginning of obedience.
The Sit Command:
The dog must learn to sit when the handler gives the command and stay until the release word or a new command is given. The dog must learn to keep its eyes on the handler and listen for any new commands.
Sit is often used to make the dog wait for something such as its food. The sit command can be used to teach the dog self-control. By requesting the dog sit before the door is opened, it can learn the appropriate way to meet a guest.
The “sit” command is simply spending time studying the Bible and allowing it to change us. Mary understood the importance of sitting at the Master’s feet. While Martha busied herself with things, Mary settled at Jesus’ feet to learn from him. When we follow Mary’s example and open ourselves up to the Word of God, we will begin to know him in a very personal way. The Bible tells us to “Study to show yourself approved” 2 Timothy 2:15 and to “hide God’s word in your heart”. We need to spend time in the Word, learning who He really is. Learning how He expects us to respond, and learning to love Him more. We can’t have a proper relationship with someone we don’t know. God has given us the Bible so that we might know him through it. His character is clearly and consistently shown, his value system, sacrificial love for the benefit of others, is prominently displayed. If we ask him to show us more of who he is, he will open our eyes to understanding all he is and does and will change a willing heart so that we too might become like him..
2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,”
Beware of distractions; it is so easy to say “Well, I’ll read later” but we soon discover that later rarely happens. Just as a dog might want to finish sniffing the grass before it sits, all too often we have something that drags our minds away from God’s Word. There will always be time for other things; we must make time for the Lord.
The Come Command:
When given the come command the dog is expected to come in straight, fast and sit in front within touching distance of the handler. Some dogs meander slowly in, grudgingly. The look on their face seems to say “Oh, alright, whatever.” Others will race in and at the last second see something and speed right past the handler. Some dogs have such a desire to come that they can hardly contain themselves until they hear the command. They then gallop in, sliding to a stop in front so fast that they will often bump into the handler’s legs.
The come command is the time spent in prayer. The Lord prompts us and it is up to us to comply. Sometimes we grudgingly leave what we are doing to pray, the whole time thinking about our day and everything else. Sometimes we say, “Yes, I’ll pray,” and at the last moment get distracted and dash off thinking, “I’ll do it later.” Instead, when we hear that still small voice that could only be His, let us fall on our knees at His feet and pray.
Prayer is an open invitation into His presence. Just as the dog needs to come close enough for the handler to touch the collar, we need to come close enough to let God touch us and take hold of us, as we surrender ourselves up to Him.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
The Down Command:
This is the hardest command for a dog to learn. To a dog, lying down is to put itself in total submission to the handler, not all dogs want to do this. It requires surrendering and saying, “Yes, you’re the boss.” Many dogs will appear to be in a down but will hold their elbows just off the ground. A simple rule is, if the elbows aren’t down, neither is the dog. Allowing the dog to keep its elbows up even slightly can lead to future dominance related behaviour problems and even a total disregard to the handler’s authority.
Submission to God is also the most difficult thing for us to do. He asks us to submit to Him entirely and trust Him completely. We tend to say, “I surrender all (except this one little thing, you won’t mind will you?)” That is the spiritual equivalent of keeping your elbows off the ground. God doesn’t want some of me some of the time; He wants all of me all of the time. So instead, let us submit totally and completely to God. Surrender everything to Him. Give up everything and trust fully in His ability to lead and guide you safely through. Hold nothing back – if your “elbows” aren’t touching, you haven’t surrendered all – you haven’t learned total obedience or trust.
Philippians 3:8 “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ”
When we submit totally and completely, we gain Christ, totally and completely.
Tricks:
Tricks are taught without corrections. They are commands that ask a dog to do things that don’t make any sense to him. Some people don’t view tricks as being part of obedience; however, without the dog desiring to do the trick on its own, it can’t be done. This is a special part of obedience; it’s a willingness to give what it doesn’t understand just because we ask for it. How much more obedient can you get?
Sometimes God will ask us to do things that don’t make sense to us or those around us. We might just have a feeling that we can’t shake that is requiring us to do something out of the ordinary. Duncan Campbell had such a feeling while he was speaking at a conference. He told those who had invited him to speak that he must leave before his final address and set out for a destination he had never been to. Such behaviour would seem foolish to some, however his obedience was an answer to prayer for a brother in Christ and led to a revival that swept through the area like a storm. Repeatedly in the New Testament Paul talks about the things of God seeming to be foolishness to man; are you willing to be a fool for Christ? “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 1Corinthians 1:25
Advanced Obedience:
Once you have learned basic obedience the next step is advanced obedience. This is where we really get in tune with God. We learn to sit from a down and down from a sit, it doesn’t matter how far off He seems, we keep our eyes on Him and He will keep us safe.
Other things we learn: Heeling – the art of walking in perfect step with the Master. With our eyes focused on Him we can’t possibly make a wrong turn.
The flying down – dropping into a down position from a dead run. Oh to be able to hear His voice and fall on my face before Him regardless of the chaos around me.
Directed out run – where He sends me I will go. I don’t know the reason or what will happen when I get there but I want to say “I will go with joy and speed for I know my Master and His purpose is always good.”
Worship:
Maybe you are thinking I’ve left out one important part of obedience, worship. One client put it in perspective for me when she was watching me training with my dog. She said, “I love to watch you work with Darcy, she worships you.”
Obedience IS our worship; it’s the laying down of our whole selves - body, heart, mind, and soul - for the glory of God.
Romans 12:1 “Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – which is your spiritual worship.”
Perhaps you are wondering did I go into search and rescue. Within six months of returning home it was evident that my dog would have to be put down. Darcy, the puppy God had persuaded me to buy in Victoria didn’t have a talent for searching. I asked God about it and He said, “What is to search but to seek, what is to rescue but to save. I came to seek and save the lost – there is your search and rescue.”
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The Cross
With the release of Mel Gibson's film "The Passion of the Christ", the whole world is taking a second look at the crucifixion scene. It is said a picture is worth more than a thousand words. Billy Graham said that one film is worth a lifetime of sermons. There is no doubt that the world is now getting its first graphic, heart wrenching, understanding of the price Jesus paid to free people from their sins. Only perfect, agape love, (unconditional) could enable Jesus to bear such brutal torture for us. We need to remember that He did it for His enemies, as well as for His friends. His last words were, "Father, forgive them!"
The cross was probably the cruelest execution ever devised. God purposely allowed it because it was peculiarly suited to fit the crimes that Jesus was dying for. More on that later. But God wants us to fully understand the enormity of sin. The world jokes about sin, but God hates it with such a passion that He was willing to give His beloved son, first, to show us the horrendous consequences of sin, and second, to stamp it out. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked three times if there was another way, but God let him know unless He took our sins and our death penalty, we would be destroyed. When Jesus considered this, He began to sweat blood. This was just a glimpse of the agony He was going through. Most people think the cup Jesus was to drink was His fear of death. This could not be. It had to be His revulsion, His horror of actually becoming the sin that He hated, as well as having His Father forsake Him. Just think of Jesus becoming the worst monster like Hitler, Stalin, or Saddam Hussein. This is what caused His blood vessels to rupture. See 2 Cor. 5:21.
In recent days, whole herds of cattle and thousands of chickens had to be destroyed for having a disease. Everybody understands this. Without immediate action, thousands, maybe millions of people would be at risk. This is the situation with sin. It is a deadly disease. It has spread all over the world and there is no cure. The penalty of death must be carried out. This is a spiritual law as irrevocable and unchanging as the law of gravity. Jesus knew He was the only one who could save mankind. His perfect life qualified Him to take our place and pay our penalty. He then could be raised to life again, since Satan had no claim on Him. We should thank God every day, that Jesus was able to say, "Not my will but thine be done."
As mentioned earlier, the cross is peculiarly suited to express the wrath of God upon each part of the body that was involved in sin and rebellion. It is a huge object lesson to the world that, sadly, is too little understood. You must keep in mind as you read on, that the punishment inflicted on Jesus was designed for sinners (you and me). It is a very graphic and terrible picture of the consequences of rebelling against God
Notice that the feet are singled out for punishment. There was much concern in Bible days about having clean feet. Think of the King of the Universe stooping so low as to wash the disciples' feet. The feet were supposed to do good. Isaiah 52:7 says, "How beautiful are the feet of him that brings good tidings." But then, Proverbs 1:16 says, "Their feet run to do evil." Romans 3:15 says, "Their feet are swift to shed blood." Isaiah 53:6 says, "We all have turned to walk in our own way." It was a fit punishment for feet to be nailed.
The hands are such an indispensable part of the body, having the ability to do much good, not just for ourselves, but for others. They are used also in showing friendship and in the worship of God. Jesus touched people and they were healed. But, Micah 7:3 says, "They do evil with both hands earnestly." In John 19:3, they smote Jesus with their hands. Revelation 9:20 says, "They repented not of the work of their hands." It was fitting that the hands should be nailed.
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Notice the case against the mind, once the most wonderful part of the body. But, the part that distinguishes us from animals became the part that made us worse than animals. It totally rejects God.
"God is not in all their thoughts." (Ps. 10:4). "It is the enemy of God." (Rom. 8:7). In many verses, it is described as corrupt, blinded, reprobate and totally depraved. Every imagination of the thoughts of men is only evil, continually. (Gen. 6:5). What an indictment! Of course, our eyes and ears we have closed, lest we see and hear and understand God's call to us: It is well deserved that the head should be pierced with many thorns.
The face is the visible expression of the heart. It is supposed to show the glory of God as did Moses coming down from the mountain. But, instead we read, "They have made their faces harder than a rock." (Jer. 5:3) They hid their faces from Him (Jesus). They spit in His face (Jesus). (Mt. 26:67). It is a well deserved punishment that the soldiers should spit in the face. (Is. 50:6).
The beard is supposed to be a sign of maturity, but man, long ago, forfeited any claim to maturity. Jesus focused on it when he said, "You're just like children. John came neither eating or drinking and you said he was a devil. I came eating and drinking and you say I'm a drunkard." It was well deserved that the beard should be plucked out. (Is. 50:6).
The back is a symbol of strength. A man is praised for having a backbone. In the beginning God made man upright. The upright are His delight. (Prov. 11:20) But man chose to turn away. (Eccles. 7:29) Micah 7:2 tells us, "There is not one upright among men." Psalm 44:25 says, "Our soul is bowed down to the dust." Isaiah 2:9 and 46:2 say, "They stoop, they bow down to idols." It was a righteous thing that the back should be scourged with many stripes.
The heart keeps us alive physically and spiritually. Out of the heart are the issues of life: our emotions, conscience, affections and desires. "Guard your heart - set your affections on things above," says the Bible. But man rejected this advice and let the heart run wild and become vain, darkened, vile, proud, sensuous, deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. It was fitting that a spear should be thrust through the heart.
Isaiah 53 is called the Calvary of The Old Testament. Here we read of Jesus being wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, chastised for our peace and beaten for our healing. Is. 52:14 tells us that Jesus was marred (beaten) more than any man People who saw Him were appalled. But God looked upon the suffering of His Son and was satisfied. (Isaiah 53:11). How could God be satisfied? Because God's people, whom He loved, were saved from destruction. To use the vernacular, Jesus got us off the hook. He took what we deserved - paid our debt in full. Everyone who desires to be in God's family is now welcomed simply by receiving Jesus as Savior. "When you make His soul an offering for sin, He will see His children." (Isaiah 53:10) The human race was saved (all who respond to His offer).
Friend, I responded to His offer. I'll be the first to admit that my feet went astray; they ran to do evil. My hands became fists more than once; they took things belonging to somebody else. My face leered at the goody-goodies. My heart ran wild for too many years. I let the "evil birds" build a nest in my mind. Even now, as a Christian, my backbone is more like a wet noodle. But, because of the cross, all that is behind me. I say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ." (Gal. 2:20) The parts of my body that served Satan died on the cross. They have been resurrected to serve God. (Rom. 6:19) Now, here is the crucial point. If you accept God's offer but continue in sin, you're wasting your time. You're either a new creation or you're still in sin. (2 Cor. 5:17) If you still feel the pull of the world, you need to realize that the carnal mind is death. Only the mind controlled by the Spirit leads to eternal life. (Rom. 8:6)
Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things. (2 Tim 2:7).
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Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.
Something new
I recently discovered Godtube
and there is some really neat stuff there. I came across the video i have posted below. It is an awesome piece that, when I watch it, moves me because it tells my story, in a way. To be honest with you, when I watch it, it makes this tough guy cry rivers of tears. The gratitude towards my Lord and savior overwhelms me.
Friday, August 3, 2007
The Body II
"God gave Jesus to be the head to the church, which is His body." (Ephesians 1:22-23) "We are to grow up into Him, which is the head, from whom the whole body fitly joined together, each part helping the other parts so that the whole body is healthy and growing in love." (Ephesians 4:16)
The body is a huge object lesson. The body is under the control of the head. When the head says run, swim, wrestle, walk, or throw, etc., the parts obey. If any part doesn't function, it is considered paralyzed, and must be examined and given proper treatment. In some cases, limbs have to be amputated, so the rest of the body isn't affected.
It's the same way with the Spiritual body. When a Christian doesn't hear the Lord's voice and doesn't obey, it's a very serious matter that must be taken care of, lest the rest of the body is affected. Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5, had to deal with this problem. One of the members got into serious sin. Paul used another object lesson to explain the situation. He said, "Don't you know a little leaven leavens the whole loaf?" In other words, the whole church will be affected. "Purge out the leaven - remove the wicked person so that you will stay healthy."
Another example is found in Galatians 4:19, "My little children, of whom I trevail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you." Here it sounds like Paul isn't sure these people are part of the body yet. In verse 20, he says, "I stand in doubt of you." In verse 16 he says, "Obey the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do." In other words, to be a part of the functioning body of Christ, you must be yielded to the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said in John 10:27, "My sheep (my body) hear my voice - and they follow me (obey)." It's quite plain. You are either hearing His voice (reading the Bible) and obeying it, and are therefore, in the body, or you are not hearing His voice, (not reading the Bible) and not obeying, and are therefore, not in the body.
If you are in the body of Christ,. Then you have a special job to do. "God has set the members, every one of them, in the body as it pleases Him." (1 Corinthians 12:18) Paul mentions the physical parts, such as eye, ear, hand feet, etc., each having their part to play. So in the Spiritual body, each member should know where they fit in. (1 Corinthians 12:15 & 17) Members should have the same care, one for another. "When one suffers, all the members suffer with it." (Verses 25 & 26) "All of us who are His body, are connected to Christ, the head, by His strong sinews and we grow as we get our nourishment and strength from God." (Colossians2:19)
The Body
Genesis 1:26 tells us God created us in His own image and likeness. Psalm 139:14 says we are fearfully and wonderfully made. It's important to see how God put many complex systems together that work in perfect harmony. Everybody needs to take a few minutes from time to time to think about this miraculous body and to show appreciation of God's handiwork. We will look at ten or eleven systems.
The first is the skeleton. One of its purposes is to give us shape so that we're not like jelly fish. It also makes it possible for us to move. In addition, it provides vital protection to our organs, i.e., ribs and skull. There are over 200 bones, like the framework of a house, in all shapes and sizes, but every one is precision fit. I used to be in building and know how difficult it is to get a precise fit. The skeleton is also the factory where bone marrow makes blood cells. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Have you ever said, "Thank you God for bones?"
The second system is the muscles, which are like cables on a crane. The two purposes are to actually move the frame, as well as fill it out for appearance sake. Muscles are made of long, thin fibers that can stretch out or bunch up. When they bunch up, as in your biceps, your arm moves. Body builders know that the more you use your muscles, the stronger they get, which is very important for people who do hard physical work. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. How many say 'Thank you God for muscles?"
Third is the Digestive system. We have a skeleton and muscles to move the body, but without energy, we're not going anywhere. So, the purpose of the digestive system is to provide energy. The food we eat begins to digest as soon as we chew it. Then it goes to the stomach where a chemical process takes place, using enzymes and acids, etc., to break up the food into tiny molecules that can be absorbed into the cells. The molecules are like tiny logs, which burn slowly (not with a flame - ho! ho!), giving off heat and energy. Can you say, 'Thank God for the digestive system?" and especially for the delicious food that we must eat to keep it going.
Fourth is the respiratory system. The little molecules of fuel cannot bum without oxygen, so we have a pair of lungs and a windpipe which enable us to breathe in the air. The lungs are like millions of micro balloons, which expand and contract, holding on to the oxygen and letting the carbon dioxide escape. Did you thank God today for lungs?
The fifth system makes everything work. It's called the circulatory system. A big, all-muscle pump called the heart, moves the blood throughout the body. It pumps it at the rate of about sixty times a minute. The blood flows through arteries, which are like one way major highways, getting smaller and smaller until they become microscopic and are called capillaries. The blood then returns through the veins to the heart, where it is pumped out again. Every blood cell is like a truck that goes to the lungs for oxygen, to the small intestine for fuel, and then off to all the cells of the body. Not only does it drop off the fuel and oxygen, but it picks up the waste gas and expels it through the lungs. The Bible says the life of the flesh is in the blood. It is easy to see why. Any cell that isn't taken care of dies. This is why we have heart attacks and strokes.
Let's all say hooray for the blood. Incidentally, what a spiritual lesson this is on the blood of Jesus!
Sixth is the immune system which is to control and check disease. Since the blood goes everywhere, God put defenders, the white cells, in the blood, where they are able to protect the whole body. Thank the Lord for such protection.
Seventh is the glandular system, which is the special effects department to control growth or energy output, or prepare you for an emergency. Thank God for glands.
Eighth is the communication or nervous system. It is like the bridge of a ship, or the board room of a company, which controls everything. Even a pinch on the little toe is recorded and an adjustment is ordered. Information that would fill a library is stored in the brain, ready to be retrieved at a moment's notice, try to imagine the chaos we would have if all communication systems in the world were to shut down. Paralysis would set in immediately. Thank God for our central nervous system.
Ninth is our sensory system. God gave us five senses so that we'd be aware of our surroundings. They are sight (eyes), sound (ears), taste (taste buds), smell (nose), and feel (touch cells). It is only in the last few years that motion sensors, etc., have been invented. God was way ahead of us. Where would we be without them! Thank God for each one.
The last system for this article is the reproductive system. God really made us in His image and likeness when He gave us reproduction powers. This is so fantastic and miraculous that the mind can't absorb it. But - (a big but), seen too often, familiar with the story, first we joke about it, then we endure it. Then we debauch it. God have mercy on us.
These facts about our body should overwhelm us and, of course, this article is just a drop in the bucket. David expressed his wonder and amazement in Psalm 139:13. Everyone should express their wonder, if not verbally, then in writing, and include thanks and praise to God.
Now that you are suitably impressed with the wonders of the body, I hasten to remind you that our bodies, sadly, are going back to dust. They are only a tent to house the soul. The soul, the real you, is what is really important and the only part that will last forever. So, you ask, what is the purpose of the body? The body is a temporary arrangement to house your soul and see if you are willing to allow God to dwell in you. "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?" (I Corinthians 6:19) God's purpose is staled in Genesis 1:26. "Let us make man in our image and likeness." The only way this can be done is for His Spirit to dwell in us. The problem is, He won't dwell in anybody unless He's invited. "He stands at the door and knocks." (Revelation 3:20) II is up to us to invite Him in. If we do, we will be part of the glorious Kingdom of God that is soon to be established on earth. The Lord's prayer will be answered, 'Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth is it is in heaven."
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