Giving all honors and obediance to God the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. It is indeed an honor as well as a pleasure to be found in the house of God one more time. I am like David when he said, "I was glad when they said come let us go into the house of the Lord." For the Lord is good in greatness and he is great in goodness. I’m glad to see as many people who are present tonight and just for that cause you ought to be jumping and shouting because it’s not who you are that you are here, but it’s who you know. I know that I am well taken care of while preaching because I have God the father above me, I’ve got his son Jesus Christ beside me, I’ve got the holy spirit within me, and I’ve got all of his angels encamped around me. And if that’s too complicated for you, Ive got the creator inside of the creation. Those who you who brought your weapon (Bible) please look with me at Philippians 3:2. The main objective here is a dog. I have a story about a dog and it goes a little like this: There was a little dog inside on a porch inside of a gate. Every time someone walks past the gate he would run to the fence and bark, bark, bark. But one day his owners forgot to close the gate. Someone walked past the house and the little dog came flying off of the porch and when he noticed the gate was open. He ran back up on the porch and went to sleep. And that’s the way it is in the church. Some folk would raise a hundred dollars worth of Hell about something as long as the gate is locked, but when we have to face the issue the first thing they say is Bro. Pastor I don’t know a thing about that. As far as I know Bro./Sis. so-and-so is alright. See the gate is open now. But don’t worry about them phise dogs, you just watch those dogs.
Well the second type dog is a chow dog. He has a black tongue. And he’s a very treacherous dog. Chow dog he’s playful when he’s a puppy, but when he get’s old he get’s trecherous. Let me tell you the church has suffered enough fights, falling outs, and splits because of treacherous folk. Trechery is the greatest enemy the church has ever had. Trechery is the worst virus in human nature. Trechery is confounded of evil strawed, cowardness, and revenge. Trechery is a cancer in our society. It will eat away love and peace. Trechery is the greatest traitor that ever committed domestic treason. Trecherywill stop the choir from singing; trechery wil stop the ushers from serving; trechery will stop a church from shouting. Trechery is a little dog in the middle of big dogs. you just watch them dogs.
One day these dogs were in a yard and they found a bone. The little dog stayed back and let the big dogs fight over the bone and while the big dogs were fighting the little dog came and picked up the bone and politely walked away with it. And when the big digs stopped fighting they looked and the bone and the little dog were gone. Well this happens in our church. While the preacher and the deacons are arguing over something, the other fellow takes over and goes on off with the church. You better watch them dogs. The next type of dog is a curr dog. He is fanous for being a coward. He tucks his tail and runs quick. Or he’ll run with a gang of dogs but when the fighting comes, he runs out. There are people in the church that will follow the crowd, but when the church needs them, when it comes down to him standing up and stating his conviction, he’s quick to say I ain’t got nothing to do with that. I’m neutral. There ain’t a neutral ground when right and wrong is involved. You better watch them curr dogs. The third type dog is a coon dog. He is a type of night prowling church member. He runs only at night. Trailing in the dark. Throwing a brick and hiding his hands. We got coon dogs in our church. They come to church on Sunday morning and sleep all the way through service because they have been out all night long. They want to bring all their sins in the church and lay them on the pastor. That’s why they get frustrated when they hear that the pastor has sinned. Because now they don’t have any where to hang their sins. They looking for him to be pure and holy so they can come in and undress and hang them all on him. Having him walking out loaded with all of their sins. The first time they hear that he has done something that he shouldn’t have they say "aw ain’t that a shame before God." Oh we got to get rid of him child. We got to get ourselves another pastor. I can’t use nobody no better off than I am. Well devil, all of us sin. It ain’t no easier for a preacher to get into Heaven than it is for you. We all just trying to make it in. You watch them coon dogs.
Then you got another type of dog it is the blood hound. This this dog is used to track down criminals. Yes, we have some blood hounds in our church. People who have an instict of a blood hound for uncovering scandals in other folk lives. They find out who is going with who in the church. They will search your garbage can and see if they can find any liquor bottles or beer cans and if you ask them about something that’s going on and they don’t know they’ll tell you well I don’t know right now. But give me about ten minutes and I’ll get back with you. I’ll find out. You watch them blood hounds.
Then the fifth type dog is the pott hound. His stomach is the biggest thing about him. I know a man who used to cook barbeque on an open pit. And one day this pott hound ran up and grabbed a piece of this hot meat off of the BBQ pit. The meat was burning him in the mouth and he was hollin’ but wouldn’t drop the meat. He just kept on holding onto it and was hollin’ every step of the way. Well we got some folk in our church like that. They holla about their sins, but they won’t drop them. Every time you see them they saying I know I ain’t living right pastor. I know I ought to do better, but he won’t quit. I’m going to let this sum up my list of unrighteous dogs. Now let me tell you about what a faithful dog would do. A faithful dog would sleep in the cold and rest if only he can be at his master’s side. Ain’t that right. He will kiss the hand that has no food to give him. The dog will guard the seat of his poor master as if he was a prince. If fortune drives his master out into a homeless world. The dog has been known to go along at his his side. And when death over takes his master he has been known to lay beside the grave with his head between his paws with sad eyes and stand watching there and will wine all night long. Yes a good dog is faithful to his master even in death. Jesus my master I will follow him on. When men and women are ungrateful to his love and kindness, I will sing his praises. Yes Jesus my master died, but there were those who had been with him that left him when he got in trouble. John the apostle could be here characterized as a faithful dog. For he did not desert Jesus. John went with Jesus as a member of the inner circle. John was with him in the garden of Gethsemothe. I’m gonna be through here in a minute. John was with him when he was captured. John was with him when he was trialed before the court. John was with him when he was nailed to the a rugged cross. John was with him when he cried in a loud voice it is finished. John was with him when they took him off the cross and when they laid him on a borrowed tomb. John was with him when he heard him say be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life. And John started preaching about the story of Jesus. The Pharisees told him John if you dont hush, we are going to vanish you to a lonely island. John if you dont quit carrying on like you are doing, we are going to vanish you off by yourself. Because John you crazy. You have lost your mind. But John said no I’m not crazy for I was there. I was right there with him when he changed water into wine. I was there with him when calmed the raging sea. I was righ there with him when he raised the dead one day. I’m telling you what I know not what I heard. Adn John kept on preaching until long last one day. I’m closing now.
They caught him and they bound him. And they led him down by the sea of Galilee. They led him down to a ship they had waiting to vanish him. But I saw old man John he wasn’t worried. For he said I heard the Lord said if you go, I’ll go with you. I heard that he never leave me alone. But I just want to put him to a test before I step on board the ship. They tell me that he reached down and broke off a twig and they tell me that he raised the twig in the air. And he looked up toward heaven and he said Jesus me master here I am they’re getting ready to vanish me to a lonely island. I’m getting ready to be sent over there were the rocks and snakes are. I don’t mind if you don’t gop with me, but I want to know will you be with me over there. I’m going to raise this twig and if you’re going to be with me. I tell you what I want you to do. Let an East wind just move this twig in my hand. And they tell me that he raised the twig over his head and an East wind blew the twig out his hand. Yes Lord. I know the man’s alright. Do you know if he’s alright. I tried him for myself. Late one Friday night I called on the Lord and got an answer. When the storms rise, when the wind blow he’s still right there. To fight my battle.
I hope that this sermon has been of a blessing to you. Please continue to stay in the word of God and seek first the kingdom of heaven.
(This sermon was documented by Jarrod R. Bottley, P. O. Box 331, Waterproof, LA 71375 with the advising of the Holy Ghost.)
