It's a Doggie World

The House of a Thousand Mirrors

Long ago in a small, far away village, there was a place known as the House of 1000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could.

To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as fast as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the House, he thought to himself, "This is a wonderful place, I will come back and visit often."

In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1000 little dogs growling back at him.

As he left, he thought to himself, "That is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again."

All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see in the faces of the people you meet? ---Author Unknown

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A word from Gary Amirault:

You will become or manifest in the world what you worship. That is why it is VITAL to KNOW your heavenly Father as He REALLY is, not as you perceive Him to be or as your religion or denomination portrays Him to be. Ultimately, you will manifest outwardly what you focus on inwardly. We become what we passionately or zealously worship or pay attention to. Zealous worship does not necessarily mean manifesting the nature and character of God. It may actually mean the opposite. Look at the Pharisees as an example. We really should be VERY careful what we eat from our spiritual table. It may determine whether the world is full of angry dogs or whether we are living in the kingdom of God.

Manufacturing a false image of God by projecting our own passions, fears, resentments or the teachings of our religion upon the nature of the True and Living God is perhaps the most fatal thing one can do to their lives and the lives around them. This is what true idolatry is really all about. REAL idolatry is bowing down to false images of God in our hearts and minds. And most of the world is doing it, including Christians. (Ezekiel 14:1-8) This can only be overcome by love.

There are a lot of doggie Christians out there fearing the world around them. Perhaps that is why the various "fly-away" theologies have become so popular in the last few decades. Life is a delicious banquet . . . for those in love.

"Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." (Hebrews 12:14, 15, NKJV)

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live THROUGH Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

"And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" (1 John 4:8-20, NKJV)

"If I speak with human, even angelic eloquence, but don't do it in love, I'm just drawing attention to myself with noise. I may prophesy -- know and understand the deepest secrets of the universe — have faith to move mountains but if I can't move in love I have accomplished nothing. I may give all I own, even offer up my own body to death but without love, these acts gain me nothing of value."

"This love puts up with a lot; it is sweet to all. In real love there is no need to impress people or be jealous of them -- no boasting because pride has no place. It is not touchy. One is so secure in pure love it is easy to believe the best in others and want the best for them. There's no need to lift oneself up by putting others down. Love finds no joy in hearing a bad report about someone, but rejoices with the truth. Under it's power it is possible to put up with seemingly unbearable people and impossible situations. Love withstands abuse real well. Bottom line: real love never fails because it never gives up — never!" 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, Amirault Translation

So my little doggie Christian, how do you go through this world? Growling with anger and fear or wagging your tail? And what is your preacher usually doing in the pulpit? Remember, you become what you eat. If you're not becoming more and more a personification of a LOVE that can lay down His life even for his enemies, then perhaps you'd better find another table to eat from.