My Dog Inspired This Message

So on this fine Autumn morning I was petting my dog who was lying right up against my chest and arm. And I had this thought about dogs and how loyal they are and then a flood of dog stuff came to my mind, so much so that I had to get up and begin this day with this message least I forget any of its bits. I planned on today being a recording day of which it will, but I feel that as always this message is a reminder from the Holy Spirit to chit chat about the Dog species. Why a reminder? Because earlier this year He put the same message in my heart and I simply hadn’t got to it. My response today is like when your boss asks you to do something and you forget and when they ask you how the project is going to feel the blood rush from your brain and reassure them that you will immediately get to it straight away.

Yes you guessed it I have been watching some British car shows and have picked up on some of their language such as bits and straight away. I like doing that just to keep things fun.

So in the beginning God gave Adam an assignment so let’s peek in on it to see what the assignment was:

Genesis 2:19–20 - 19 Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him.

Isn’t it strange that he called of all animals a dog a dog? For us to understand that question we are going to have to have a look at the furry creature and define some of its attributes.

Dogs reflect divine or god-related attributes through their capacity for unconditional love, steadfast loyalty, and patient presence. 

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Hello, this is Ken, your podcast preacher. Welcome back to my podcast Deep Waters. This podcast is brought to you by Applied Strengths Ministry, where we believe working together on our strengths is the effect of working out the will and calling of God and into our lives. Thanks for joining me. Let's open up in prayer. God, we thank you for today and for the opportunity to grow. We pray that you would give us a revelation within this message that you intend on us receiving with the understanding. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. The title of this message is My Dog Inspired This Message. So on this fine autumn morning, I was petting my dog, who was lying right up against my chest and arm. And I had this thought about dogs and how loyal they are, and then a flood of dog stuff came into my mind. So much so that I had to get up and begin this day with this message. At least I forget any of its bits. I planned on today being a recording day, of which it will, but I feel that, as always, this message is a reminder from the Holy Spirit to chit-chat about the dog species. Why a reminder? Because earlier this year, you put the same message in my heart, and I simply hadn't got to it. My response today is like when your boss asks you to do something and you forget, and when they ask you how the project is going, you feel the blood rush from your brain, and then reassure them that you will immediately get to it straight away. Yes, you guessed it. I've been watching some British car shows and have picked up on some of their language, such as bits and straightaway. I like doing that just to keep things fun. So in the beginning, God gave Adam an assignment, so let's peek in on it to see what the assignment was. Genesis 2, 19 through 20. Out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all the cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. Isn't it strange that he called, of all animals, a dog, a dog? For us to understand that question, we're going to have to take a look at the furry creature and define some of its attributes. Dogs reflect divine or God-related attributes through their capacity for unconditional love, steadfast loyalty, and patient presence. The spiritual and divine parallels. Unconditional love. They offer affection regardless of human status, wealth, or failures, mirroring divine grace. Forgiveness and mercy. They harbor no grudges and keep no record of wrongs, embodying the unresentful spirit, constant presence. They remain faithful by their owner's side through hardship and joy, reflecting a steadfast companion, living in the present, they exist fully in the current moment without being burdened by past regrets or future anxieties. Now that definition came from the following question What are some God related attributes that a dog has? But for my ever so Bible cautious students, I asked the question, what are some God related attributes that a dog has in the Bible? In the Bible, dogs are not assigned divine or God related attributes, but are instead viewed as functional working animals, scavengers or metaphors for watchfulness. Watchfulness in Isaiah fifty six ten through eleven, spiritual watchmen are compared to guard dogs. A good dog barks to warn the household of danger, which the Bible uses as a metaphor for spiritual alertness and warning others. Loyalty and devotion. The major Hebrew spy Caleb has a name that literally means dog in Hebrew. Despite the low cultural status of dogs in ancient Israel, Caleb showed fierce, unwavering loyalty to God by trusting him to bring the Israelites into Canaan. Empathy and Healing The Parable of Lazarus and the rich man nineteen through thirty one, street dogs came and licked the sores of the suffering beggar Lazarus. This shows a gentle, comforting presence in contrast to the cold indifference of the rich man. Modern theological reflections While Scripture itself does not call dogs divine, modern Christian writers often draw spiritual parallels between the behaviors of dog and the character of God. Unconditional love. A dog's affection does not depend on a person's wealth or status, which reflects a concept of divine grace and forgiveness. Dogs do not hold grudges or keep a record of wrongs, mirroring biblical descriptions of patience and mercy. Now, as we all know, not all dogs exhibit the so called normal traits of what the majority of dogs exhibit. It is like, and now we have to transition our image that a dog resembles godly attributes most often associated to God, and think a bit differently for some dogs, which is that it seems somewhat apropos that it appears that some dogs, like angels, went another way. So to speak in clearer terms, we could say, in sticking with the angel analogy in this portion of the message, that they have fallen from grace, similarly to the sons of God spoken of in Genesis chapter six. Ah, but we will go back to the happy part of our story, as all species have a tarnish, except those who remain perfect in heaven. Now I bet God smiled when Adam thought that of all the dogs that could have been named a dog, it would be the dog who would carry the name of God. No, not be god or a god, but to most resemble the god characteristics to humanity. Spell dog backwards and see if I am mistaken. I tried it with elephant and did not come up with the same results. In two thousand nine there was a film made called Hachi, a dog's tail, often referred to interchangeably with the real life dog's name Hachiko, or misremembered phonetically as Hachi. The history and background of Hachi, a dog's tail highlights its global origins and impact. The real life history. The movie is based on the legendary true story of Hachiko, a golden brown Akita dog born in Japan in nineteen twenty three. Hachiko was adopted by Hastaburo, Uno, a professor at the University of Tokyo. Every day the dog would wait at Tokyo's Sabuya station for his master to return home from work. When the professor died suddenly of a cerebral hemorrhage in nineteen twenty five, Hachiko continued to return to the train station every single day at the exact time the train was due. He did this faithfully for nearly ten years, until his own death in nineteen thirty five. Today a famous bronze statue of Hajiko stands in Sabuya Station as a testament to his loyalty. Continuing on with the movie, the original Japanese film, before Richard Gere's version, the story was famously adapted in Japan as a nineteen eighty seven film titled Hajiko Monogotari. The American remake, the 2009 version transposed the setting from 1920s Tokyo to a modern day Rhode Island. Richard Gere stepped in not only to star as the Americanized professor, Park Williams, but was also reserved as one of the film's core producers. Gere's connection. When first reading the script, Richard Gere famously admitted that he cried like a baby and could barely talk about the story at dinner without choking up, prompting his deep personal investment in making the project. To portray Hachi across different stages of his life, top American animal trainers utilized three different Akita dogs named Chico, Leia, and Forrest. The release and reception, the film premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival on june thirteenth, 2009. While it was a massive international box office hit, grossing over forty six million dollars overseas and striking a deep emotional chord worldwide, Sony Pictures decided to forego a traditional US theatrical release. Instead it went straight to DVD in the United States and premiered on television on the Hallmark Channel in 2010. Now there have been other movies made about dogs, in fact, probably thousands, which prompts the question is God trying to tell us humans in a general, revelatory way that we will see him in the actions and behaviors of dogs? Yes, he uses all created things to do that, but this is a dog story. So let's stick with that theme. Let's see if you remember any of the famous dog movies and see if it conjures up warm memories. Classic Family Adventure one hundred and one Dalmatians nineteen sixty one Lassie Come Home nineteen forty three, Beethoven nineteen ninety two, and Homeward Bound nineteen ninety three Emotional Dramas Marley and Me 2008 and Togo 2019 Animated Features Lady in the Tramp 1955, All Dogs Go to Heaven, 1989, and Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs 2018. We even have a list of fallen dog movies such as Stephen King's Cujo in 1983, White Dog in 1982, Man's Best Friend, 1993, or the Canine Uprising drama White God 2014. For the confused and god detached, they have worshiped dogs as gods, missing Adam's whole point, which I think was that as we watched and experienced dog behaviors, we would see the similarities between a dog and God. Now for a slight bonus departure, I will show you that the ten plagues in Egypt was not a demonstration of God's meanness or about his judgment against a rebellious people, but it was truly a battle against false gods, empowered by demons. And but before we get to that list, think about how many other battles God has been a part of on earth and how they, even though it looked like he was against the people, he was actually fighting against the devil and his demons masquerading as false gods. For a specific relatable read, you can read the book of Joshua, whereby how they went in to take the promised land to see just how many of those cities were occupied by giants who came from the fallen sons of God, and who had, even before the flood, which resulted in the corruption of all flesh, introduced the worship of demons under the disguise of gods and false deities. Anubis, the most famous canine deity, depicted as a jackal headed man or a full black jackal dog, was the ancient Egyptian god of mummification, the underworld and protector of graves. Sinopolis, dog city, in ancient Egypt, the city of Sinopolis served as a center for a cult of Anubis, where dogs were kept in sacred enclosures, fed fine meals, and mummified upon death to be offered to the canine god. Wepwawet, another jackal slash dog god, known as the opener of the ways, who acted as a war deity and scout for the king. Hinduism and festival worship. Kirkur Tahir in Nepal and parts of India, dogs are actively worshipped during the annual Tihar Festival, specifically on Kirk Tahir. People garland dogs mark their foreheads with Tika and offer them delicious food to honor their loyalty and their role as messengers of Yamaraja, the god of death. Barava in Hindu mythology, a fierce manifestation of Lord Shiva, Kalabrahvra, uses a dog as his divine mount, the Hana. Stray and black dogs are often fed and revered as manifestations or attendants of Barava, Mesoamerica. In Aztec mythology, Exlat was a dog headed god of fire, lightning, and the underworld. He was a twin of Quezakotal and was believed to guide the souls of the dead through the dangerous transitions of the afterlife. Gula, the Mesopotamian goddess of healing was closely associated with dogs. Excavations at healing temples, such as in Ashkelon, revealed hundreds of deliberate dog burials, suggesting that live dogs lived within the temple precincts and were considered participants in healing rites. Is it any wonder that in our mentionables list Egypt is included? Ah, those poor souls have not learned about the god who conquered all of their past gods in the last days of Moses. The plagues and targeted Egyptian deities, water to blood, the Nile River, targeted Hapi, spirit of the Nile slash flooding, and Canam, guardian of the Nile source. Frogs targeted Heket, the frog headed goddess of fertility and childbirth. Gnats and lice targeted Geb, the earth god, flies, targeted Kipri, the scarab beetle god of creation and rebirth, Death of Livestock, targeted Hathor, the cow goddess of love and protection, and Apis, the sacred bull. Boils, targeted Sekmet and Isis, deities associated with healing, magic and medicine. Hail and Fire targeted Nut, the sky and weather goddess, locusts, targeted Osiris and Seth, who were believed to protect crops and agriculture. Three days of darkness, targeted Ra or Aman Ra, the supreme sun god and chief deity of Egypt. Death of the firstborn, targeted Pharaoh himself, who was viewed as a living earthly incarnation and son of Ra. This false god stuff has been going on since the beginning of time, really being introduced to us in Genesis chapter six. When Satan gets you to worship a false god, which is really a demon in disguise, he pulls what only belongs to God, which is worship, and he convinces you to give it to him. This is what he has always wanted, which is to be worshipped as a god. Listen to the music of the world and tell me it's not so. It makes you wonder if certain cultures are predispositioned to worship demons instead of the one true God. Bible evidence, please? Deuteronomy thirty two seventeen. Moses rebukes the Israelites for abandoning God, stating they sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they had not known, gods that really appeared, which your ancestors did not fear. Another way of saying that without changing what Moses was saying is to say that your sacrificing to false gods and deities is actually you sacrificing to demons. Psalms one hundred six thirty seven reflecting on Israel's history of disobedience. The Psalmist writes that the people sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, contaminating the land with innocent blood. Another way of saying that without changing what David was saying is to say you're actually sacrificing your sons and daughters to demons through false gods and deity worship. Leviticus seventeen seven The Israelites are commanded not to offer any more sacrifices to the goat demons, or satires, with whom they had prostituted themselves in unfaithfulness. When God states that his people have committed adultery or have prostituted themselves or have acted in unfaithfulness, he is talking about them sacrificing and worshiping demons and false deities, instead of sticking to the one God who, time and time again, has shown his deep love for them. In the New Testament in 1 Corinthians ten twenty it states the apostle Paul explicitly connects pagan religious practices to spiritual entities, writing instead that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. Let's look deeper at what the phrase shares in demons mean. In first Corinthians ten twenty, Paul warns Christians not to participate in pagan idol feasts because the sacrifices made there actually connect people to demons. The context of food and idols false gods are fake. Paul agrees that an idol made of wood or stone is just a lifeless object. Spiritual reality is real, even though the statue has no power, real spiritual forces, fallen angels or demons, operate behind pagan worship. Shared loyalty when the believer joins in pagan meals or sacrifices, they form a spiritual partnership with those evil spirits, just as taking communion unites them with Christ. Why Paul warns them? Divided loyalty. Paul states that a person cannot belong to Jesus and participate in demonic worship at the same time. The spiritual danger joining these feasts provokes God's jealousy and places a believer in direct opposition to God. The clean break he tells the church to completely avoid idolatry and stay away from pagan temple meals. Keep this in mind that this is out of the New Testament and applies to us as today. Yes, it is a warning to us today, so the question that you might want to ask yourself is, does your current lifestyle worship God one hundred, or is there some part of it that still latches on to the things of the world, like watching too much TV or certain programming on TV, social media or listening to the wrong type of music that is not God honoring? Those are just some of the basics. Revelation nine hundred twenty, looking towards future judgment. The text describes humanity failing to repent of the works of their hands, continuing to worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Paul warns that in latter times some will depart from the Christian faith by giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, or demons. Okay, so let's get back to the puppy lovey furry dog story. Speaking of puppies, is there any human on earth that doesn't emotionally react in a positive way when they see a basket of puppies? When I was six or seven years of age, we had a Labrador who would somehow always get pregnant, and I tell you, we as kids could hardly wait until she had a basket load of puppies, thirteen in one of her birthings. And I remember lying in the backyard letting those puppies run all over me. It was then that I discovered puppy breath. I know you know what I'm talking about. Dogs around the world hold many unique and important jobs. Public safety and rescue, search and rescue dogs, locate missing people after disasters, earthquakes, or avalanches using their strong sense of smell. Police or canine dogs help law enforcement officers track suspects, detect illegal substances, and protect handlers. Military dogs detect explosives, patrol dangerous areas, and complete tactical missions alongside soldiers. Assistance in health care, guide dogs, lead individuals who are blind or visually impaired safety through public spaces. Therapy dogs bring comfort and emotional support to patients in hospitals, schools, and disaster zones. Psychiatric service dogs help owners manage mental health conditions by recognizing panic attacks or interrupting repetitive behaviors. Conservation and science. Detection dogs sniff out endangered species, invasive pests or whale feces to help scientists study wildlife health. Museum pest detectors walk through museum galleries to sniff out destructive insects that might harm historical artwork. Agriculture and labor, herding dogs manage and move livestock like sheep and cattle on farms. Truffle hunters, they use their sharp noses to find rare, delicious underground truffles in the wild. Sled dogs pull heavy loads and transport people or supplies across snowy northern regions. So I think some things were left out of that list, so I pulled up another list by simply asking the question differently. Service dogs do much more than provide comfort, they carry out trained actions that directly reduce the impact of a disability. Depending on their handlers' needs, their jobs include guide dogs, navigate safely around obstacles, stop at curves or stairs, and help blind or visually impaired individuals travel independently. Hearing dogs alert deaf or hard of hearing owners to important sounds like smoke alarms, doorbells, knocking, or crying babies by touching them and leading them to the sound. Mobility support dogs, retrieve dropped items, open and close doors, turn on lights, pull wheelchairs, or brace and balance handlers who have physical or balance impairments. Medical alert dogs detect oncoming medical episodes, such as dangerous drops or spikes in blood sugar for diabetics, or impending epileptic seizures, give handlers time to take medication or get to safety. Psychiatric service dogs help handlers with PTSD, severe anxiety or depression by waking them from nightmares, interrupting panic attacks, performing deep pressure therapy, or creating a physical space barrier in crowded areas. Autism service dogs prevent wandering in public, manage sensory overload, and help guide individuals through overwhelming social settings. Legal status and public access. According to the ADA Service Animal Resource Hub provided by ADATA.org, service dogs are legally defined as working animals, not pets. They have public access rights and are allowed in businesses, restaurants, hospitals, and airplanes where pets are normally barred. They are trained to remain calm, focused, and quiet in busy public settings. They are distinct from emotional support animals or therapy dogs, which do not share the same specialized task training or public access rights. Specially trained service dogs effectively help veterans and military personnel manage both the physical and mental trauma of battle. How service dogs help with mental trauma, PTSD and TBI, interrupting panic and nightmares. Dogs are trained to wake handlers from night terrors or physically press against them, deep pressure therapy, to interrupt escalating panic attacks or anxiety. Creating public space. In crowded spaces, dogs can stand or circle behind the veteran to create a physical buffer, reducing hyperviligence and personal space anxiety. Behavioral grounding, dogs sense early signs of distress, such as rapid breathing or restlessness, and nudge or paw the veteran to redirect their focus outward. Daily routine. And sobriety. Caring for an animal provides a foundational daily rhythm, motivating veterans to get out of bed, leave the house, and maintain sobriety. How service dogs help with physical impairments. Mobility support. Dogs assist veterans with balance issues, traumatic brain injuries, TBI, or physical wounds by helping them rise, steadying them while walking, or retrieving dropped objects. Medical alert and response. Some dogs are trained to recognize medical emergencies, summons help, or guide handlers towards safe exits when disoriented. What the research shows, clinical trials, including research published from programs like Canines Four Warriors, indicate that veterans paired with service dogs experience less severe PTSD symptoms, milder depression, lower anxiety, and a higher overall quality of life. Experts emphasize that service dogs are a powerful complementary tool rather than a standalone cure, working best alongside traditional counseling and medical treatment. Organizations such as American Vet Dogs provide these highly specialized dogs at no cost to eligible veterans, though wait times and rigorous qualification criteria remain common barriers. Okay, so we take a turn for a sad bit of facts just to see the correlation between this dog rejection that we have and our ability to reject God and how they are so similar. There is no exact global count for the total number of dog shelters and pounds in the world today, because many countries lack centralized tracking systems, government registries, or unified data for animal welfare organizations. Well, countries like the United States have robust data tracking, reporting roughly 3,500 brick and mortar animal shelters and over 10,000 rescue groups across nearly 14,000 reporting organizations. Many developing nations or regions with massive stray populations have very few formal facilities relative to the need. For example, Turkey has roughly 4 million stray dogs, but fewer than 250 official municipal shelters, and some nations have virtually no nongovernmental organizations, NGO safety nets at all. So what specifically does a stray dog population represent? How about as we go through this next section, we associate it to those people who have not yet given their life to God? Yes, preaching the gospel is like calling those stray dogs home. There are an estimated two hundred million to over four hundred and thirty million stray and free roaming dogs worldwide out of a total global dog population of roughly nine hundred million. Global estimates, traditional estimates, the World Health Organization and animal welfare groups like four paws long estimated the global stray dog population at around two hundred million. Broader free roaming count. Recent broader studies on free roaming, community and unowned dogs suggest the actual number may be much higher, pushing past four hundred and thirty million when including semi-dependent village and street dogs. Total dog population out of roughly seven to nine hundred million total dogs on Earth, an estimated seventy five percent are considered free range or unconfined to some degree. Now for this near to the end of this fantastic dog story, this next bit represents, in my mind, those who permanently reject salvation. There is no exact global number for the number of dogs euthanized each year, because many countries do not track or publish official animal shelter statistics. But the data shows, global data is missing. Worldwide tracking systems for stray abandoned or sheltered animals do not exist. United States numbers. In the US, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that roughly 320 to 390,000 dogs are euthanized in shelters annually. Other developed nations, countries like Australia and parts of Europe, track regional numbers where tens of thousands of healthy or unhoused pets are still put down yearly due to shelter overcrowding, though rates vary widely. Developing nations, in many parts of the world, without formal shelter systems, pet overpopulation is managed through calling or street management rather than official veterinary euthanasia, leaving these numbers uncounted. Okay, so we finish with happy dog thoughts. Have you ever wondered why dogs come unglued when they see you return home, even if you have been gone for only an hour or so? You can look at YouTube to see some of those heartwhelming reunitings. This bit is a bit technical, but I also believe it is reminiscent of the prodigal son story, not that just because you leave to go shopping, it means that you have walked away from God. Luke 15, 11 through 32. Dogs lose their minds when you return because a surge of happy bonding hormones hits their brain the moment they see or smell you. Why they get so excited? Love hormone spikes. Your dog brain instantly releases oxytocin, the bonding chemical, when you walk through the door. Relief from stress. Being alone raises stress hormones. Your return washes away that tension, turning pent-up energy into pure joy. Brain Reward Center. Scans of dogs' brains show that their reward center, the caudate nucleus, lights up just from smelling their owner's own scent. Seeing you in person activates that joy on a massive scale. Pack instinct. Dogs are social pack animals. To them, your return means the pack is safe and back together again. Do we have a dog-related event in the Bible when someone returns home to God? That is, that they get born again? Luke 15, 7 through 10. I say to you that likewise, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance. Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it. And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the peace which I lost. Likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of angels of God over one sinner who repents. This smells of puppy breath all day long. Now don't run out and get a puppy that you might later have to rehome or send to a shelter. A sense that you can handle a dog responsibly, because a human relationship with this particular animal is very precious, and after hearing this message, I would hope that it really reminds you of God's loyalty and love that He has for us. Now, but also if you are inclined to kick your dog for misbehaving or yelling at them, barking insulting accusations at them, let this story remind you of just how much they are actually like the love of God. Yes, no, God can handle your shouts, screams, and kicking much better than a dog can. But I would say that even if you are predisposed to do these things, they both will be excited and overflowing with joy to see you return home. Well that's it for today. Remember, it's not what you find wrong or disagree with regard to these messages, but what you can take away from it. Together we can do more to impact the kingdom than if we work alone. Let's flip the script and kill, still, and destroy the works of the enemy and create space for the light of life to shine through in people's lives. Plan a seed and click on the like and subscribe button. Repost on your social media platforms and help us make disciples. Link this message out or teach from it in your Bible study, your life for sale group, and yes, even in your church. You can be assured it comes from one call to teach, and though imperfect, you have the word of God to use to test everything I say. Let's build this ministry together. Thanks and see you next time in Deep Waters.