Monday 1/4/13 Doggie Wash

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters.  What a great weekend.  I don't know about where you live, but in our area it was warm, even if we did not see the sun much.  I will tell you this, and maybe there is a future message in it.  We did not see the sun much this weekend, even though the sun is out each and every day.  This weekend it was just covered with clouds and fog.  Sort of like the Son is out all the time for us, but on some days we are so covered with fog and clouds, you know, sin and dirt of worldly living, that we cannot see the Son, our dear Jesus.  Monday and the day we pray for our leaders and our veterans, our military, our state and local police and firefighters, and all those who work to keep us safe and healthy.  Please pray also for all those who have the flu and for God to heal this virus and throw it away.

James 4:7 - Submit yourselves then, to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  8 Come near to God and he will come near you.  Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded.

Revelation 22:14 - Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.  (NIV)

Doggie Wash:  Some time ago, as I was washing my little dogs, holding them on my shoulder in the shower, I just got to thinking, I am cleaning these little ones up, washing them real good.  Wash their heads with baby shampoo so the soap does not burn their eyes.  Then oatmeal shampoo to help their skin, then a good people shampoo and conditioner so they brush out nice.  I wash and rinse them and dry them off.  I place them on the floor and they shake and then after awhile they go outside AND ROLL IN THE DIRT!!!  You folks that have dogs know what I am talking about, what is it with dirt that makes these dogs want to roll in it?  Then they come in and want to jump back up on the bed or a chair or your lap, and yes, I let them do that.  Then I pet them and tell them I am not mad at them, but it would be nice if they stayed clean for a bit.  The other morning I took our three dogs, two of which are blind, and even being blind they like to roll in the dirt.  WAIT A MINUTE.  WAIT A MINUTE.  Hold on just a minute.

How often has our loving Lord Jesus picked us up and washed us off, cleaned us of our dirt (sins) and put us back down to find out that we go right out and ROLL IN THE DIRT?  How often have we gone to Him asking that our robes be washed whiter than the new-fallen snow and we go in the filth of this worldly earth? I am sure Jesus is not happy to see this happen just like we are not happy to see our dogs roll in the dirt right after a bath.  Each day I start by asking God to forgive me of my sins, wash me white as snow and then sometime during the day either my actions are not what Jesus wants and expects from me or my thinking goes astray.  How about you folks, how often do you take a roll in the dirt?  But we know better or we should, but so often we forget to repent and we go in that old dirt pile.  And you know when we come back out of the dirt pile, Jesus does not turn His back on us, no, He will hold us tight, He will work with us, and yes, He will work with us, and yes, He will give us another bath.  Just as we do with those pets that Jesus gave to us.

I hope you get the point of this short message today.  It is an example that God gave me before and again today.  Folks, He gives me the same messages over sometimes, and I would think it is because we did not take the warning seriously the first time.  Oh, and like I told my dogs today, I think Jesus is telling us the same thing.  STAY OUT OF THE DIRT.  KEEP CLEAN.  And love your Master.  Of course you do not need to tell your dog to love their master, our dogs and cats just love us, but for people, well, we need to be told.  So today, remember to tell people to LOVE THEIR MASTER, our Lord Jesus.  Amen.  Oh, and as you pray today, it is okay to hold your pet.  God loves our pets also, and yes, there will be dogs in heaven.

Dear Father in Heaven.  Please wash me today, wash me clean of sins with the blood of Jesus.  Lord, I confess that I am a sinner and saved only by the dear grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus.  Be with those on our prayer lists this day and watch over them.  Be with our leaders and also those who keep our country free, safe, and healthy.  Please, Lord, heal the flu in our country.  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Go forth sharing your blessings and sharing the Love of Jesus to others, and please, "stay out of the dirt."

Love ya, Pastor Dan.