It was bedtime so I told Denver (our 5 month old golden retriever) to get in his crate.  He looked at me as if he was afraid of something and refused to go into his crate.  Then I heard a growling noise.  I could not figure out what was going on so began searching for clues!  While peering into his crate, I saw two beady eyes staring back at me.  Blackie (the “older brother cockerpoo” who reluctantly and sporadically accepts the newbie) was stretched out on the pillow in Denver’s crate – as if daring him to come in. 

I thought to myself -Blackie gets full reign of our house – and yet now he wants Denver’s crate too? Who does he think he is?  And Denver refuses to get into his own crate?  Does Denver not realize he now towers over Blackie?

I laughed as I observed this unspoken canine communication.  Denver had let the little “alpha dog” take over what belonged to him.  I looked at Blackie with disapproval, and as if reading my mind he slithered out of the crate.

I began thinking about this little exchange between the dogs and wondered – Who do we let take over “our house?”  It often seems that someone or something tries to take away what has been given to us by God.

God has given me a spiritual house, including everything I need for life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3)  His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

In Christ, I possess what every person in this world needs more than anything

(Acts 26:29)

    Paul replied, “Short time or long–I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”

Yet at times – I can get fearful or timid with my faith.  I can be like Denver, who let a small growling dog keep him from going into his “own house.”

My house is filled with so many blessings and promises from God.  God has promised me peace that passes understanding. (Philippians 4:7) So why do I let worries of this world keep me from that peace?  He has promised that He can do more than I ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)  So why do I struggle at times with wondering if something is too big for God to change?  He has promised that He will hear my prayers. (1 John 5:15) So why do I sometimes fail to pray to Him with confidence?   God’s Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) so why don’t I always use it to convict my own heart as well as those of others? God has given me a spirit of power, love and self control…so why would I let any of these obstacles keep me from possessing what has been given to me?

2 Tim. 1:7   For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

I pray I can look at these obstacles  with determined eyes of disapproval…and watch them slither out.       James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

With Jesus I am more than a conqueror. Nothing has the power to separate me from the love and power of God.  Nothing has the power, no matter how loud the growl or beady the eyes – to keep me out of the spiritual house God has provided for me.

Romans 8:31-39

    What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? [32] He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? [33] Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. [34] Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. [35] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [36] As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 [37] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, [39] neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.