From Gary... Cleaning up the mess

My dogs have been on my mind a lot today.  Something woke me up about 3 a.m. and when I went into the living room, I had quite a shock.  There was dog waste in four spots- what a mess!!!  I cleaned things up and went back to bed, but about an hour or so later, my Linda awakened me with the news that something was wrong with Pal; he just wouldn't stop crying!!!  So, I dressed as quickly as I could and soon I was on the dog walk --at 4:30 in the morning.  Dysentery, what an awful word!!!  Well, when we returned, I did another clean-up and went back to bed.  Poor Pal, the new treat we bought for him (them) wreaked havoc with his digestive system.  I saw this picture and chuckled to myself a bit, because my first thought was that the waste bin might be a good place for my red poodle today- think how much time I would save if he was on that pot ALL DAY!!!  But, that isn't the message the picture is supposed to communicate.  In fact, whoever put this dog in the waste container, just didn't understand the sign, or (more likely) was trying to be "funny"!!!  People are like that too- sometimes they misinterpret things.  That is true today and it was true a couple of thousand years ago as well.  Here is a prime example...

1 Corinthians, Chapter 1

  4  I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge;  6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:  7 so that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;  8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.  10 Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  11 For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”  13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?  14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius,  15 so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.  16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)  17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.  18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.  19 For it is written, 
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”

  20  Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.  22 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,  23 but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,  24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

You and I don't know more than God.  We are simply NOT QUALIFIED to design our own Gospel!!!  God sent Jesus and HE IS THE ONE WE SHOULD FOLLOW!!!  You may consider yourself intelligent (the Corinthians surely did), but God's intellect is beyond comprehension.  Moral of all this is-- God designed the way for us to be right with him- so "Listen to HIM" -- reminds me of...

Matthew, Chapter 17

  1 After six days, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves.  2 He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as the light.  3 Behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them talking with him. 

  4  Peter answered, and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you want, let’s make three tents here: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 

  5  While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. Behold, a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to him.”

And when people don't listen- what a mess!!!  It was true in Corinth and is true in the concept of denominational-ism today!!! Just think how much better "Christianity" would be today if we just followed Jesus and his word (the Bible). If we all had the same standard for doctrine (teaching), for liturgy (worship) and ethics (how we live), we would be one corporate body, unified and faithful.  Until that day, we will just have to clean up the mess that comes from doing things our own way!!!  If you just happen to associate the word "dysentery" with this, I can't help it!!!