What a way to start the new year 2017!

There is a story told about a missionary who led a tribal leader to the Lord. Some time later he went back to see the chief and asked how the new believer was doing. He said, “Inside of me there are two dogs. The black dog is mean and tries to talk me into making the wrong choices. The white dog is good and encourages me to make the right choices. The black dog fights the white dog all day.” When asked by the missionary which dog wins, the chief reflected for a moment and replied, “The one I feed the most!”

You know, most of us believers are the same way. There is a part of us that is Christ-filled, compassionate, trusting, caring, serving and focused on helping others. (Our White Dog or New Nature.) We also have a self-centered, fearful, habitual, controlling, anxious part of us that is generally focused on “me, myself and I” and preserving the status quo. (Our Black Dog or Old Nature.)  These two natures are in a constant battle.

Even the Apostle Paul had this struggle. He put it this way. “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:21-25 NLT)

So how do you feed the white dog? Turn from the dark and un-holy things which your spiritual enemies, the World, your Flesh and the Devil throw at you every day and seek and saturate yourself with the things of the Lord instead! Daily reading and meditation of the Bible, God’s holy Word (see link below for my blog “The Plus 30 Plan” for a helpful way to read the Bible).

Make a prayer list and pray daily for yourself, your family and others. Attend a church which preaches from the Bible and where you can make new friends of common faith. Serve others in any little and large way you can. All these things feed the white dog and lead to a much much more fulfilling and rewarding life.

FEED THE WHITE DOG!

Feeding plan here: The “Plus 30” Plan