Faithfulness.

 O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer. (Ps 31:23)

I am an animal lover, especially when it comes to dogs. We have owned a couple of dogs and have been blessed by their company. One of the most impressive traits that I admire is their faithfulness. It’s hard not to get attached to these animals, and the pain is deep when they die. I have lost two dogs, and it was a sad moment in my life.

Yesterday, the Lord gave me an interesting analogy about dogs and how it applies to our walk with the Lord. It had been years since we had a dog. My son, who lives with us, brought a dog for us to have in our home. I remember when I first saw our new dog, Sheba.

She came to me while I was working on a couple of tasks on my computer and wanted me to pet her. From then on, she won my heart. Dogs are brilliant, and they can sense affection. Even though she was my son’s dog, we adopted her as part of the family. From then on, my son James read all he could about dogs and how to train her.

Joshua (My other son) with Sheba who is part of our family.

Recognize God’s Voice.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27)

From day one, my son James was determined to train Sheba to hear his voice. He told us not to order her around and let him take care of that. Diligence and patience paid off. Sheba is quick to listen to James’ voice. As I observe this, I notice how patient God is when he trains and prepares us to hear his voice.

Beloved, now more than ever, we need to learn how to listen to his voice. The word of God tells us that there are many voices. ( I Cor 14:10) The voices of distraction, our soul, and confusion. These voices make their way into our lives and will lead us into disaster if we are not careful. Let us learn from the example of Caleb to be faithful.

Recently, the Lord had me do a study on the name of Caleb. The Hebrew word for Caleb is “kaw-labe” which means dog. It defines the faithfulness that is present in a dog no matter what the circumstances. Caleb was faithful, along with Joshua. They stood strong on the promises of God despite opposition from the Jews. In the end, Caleb inherited God’s promises.

Take some time to practice hearing God’s voice. A couple of nights ago, I could not sleep, so I decided to hear God’s voice. Nothing happened. Many would have given up at this stage, but I was determined to hear from the Lord. I went to his word, and the Holy Spirit showed me his will for the day.

Here are a couple of things to consider. Don’t read the word like a newspaper. Pray the prayers of Ephesians. Have at your side a notebook and pencil. Take advantage of what technology has to offer. Read Bible helps and devotionals along with your study of the word.

The Holy Spirit will bring to light something relating to your life. Please write it down and rehearse it during the day. An excellent tool to use is Biblegateway. For just under six dollars a month, you can have access to many Bible commentaries and study aids. You would be surprised what the Lord will bring to your attention.

I have enclosed some funny and exciting animal videos below. We can learn a lot by looking at our pets. These links will provide some encouragement and bring some laughter. God bless.

Prayer–Dear Lord, Thank you for your word. Help me to discern your voice. Forgive me for the times I have disobeyed you. Help me to remain faithful to your cause. I confess that I am your sheep and I hear your voice. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Funny and interesting animal links-

1. My Sheep hear my voice—https://youtu.be/mmfduDJXM6Y?si=qMyUdkrLKGkyGrZ
2. A Talking Dog —https://youtu.be/nGeKSiCQkPw?si=mWKGpHOSZ82u2JyH
3. A singing Dog—-https://youtu.be/39xq5AATMp4?si=mdbxoW-bDvuWJh7u

Bible verses courtesy of http://www.biblegateway.com

Dog picture courtesy of Richard Brutyo, whose works can be found on http://www.unsplash.com