Bulldogs For The Lord
W.A. Criswell, the long-time beloved pastor of the First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, told a story about an evangelist who loved to hunt.
The man bought two setter pups that were top-notch bird dogs. He kept them in his backyard, where he trained them.
One morning, an ornery, little, vicious-looking bulldog came shuffling and snorting down the alley. He crawled under the fence into the backyard where the setters spent their day. It was easy to see he meant business.
The evangelist’s first impulse was to lock his setters in the basement so they wouldn’t tear up that little bulldog. But he decided to let the creature learn a lesson he would never forget.
Naturally, they got into a scuffle in the backyard, and those two setters and that bulldog went round and round and round! The little critter finally had enough, so he squeezed under the fence and took off. All the rest of that day, he whined and licked his sores.
Interestingly, the next day at about the same time, here came that same ornery little bulldog—back under the fence and after those setters. Once again, those two bird dogs beat the stuffing out of that little bowlegged animal and would have chewed him up if he hadn’t retreated down the alley.
Would you believe it, the very next day he was back! Same time, same station, same results. Once again, after the bulldog had all he could take, he crawled back under the fence and found his way home to lick his wounds.
“Well,” the evangelist said, “I had to leave for a revival meeting. I was gone for several weeks. And when I came back, I asked my wife what had happened. She said, “’ Honey, you just won’t believe what’s happened. Every day, at the same time every morning, that little bulldog came back into the backyard and fought with our two setters. He didn’t miss a day!
And I want you to know it has come to the point that when our setters hear that bulldog snorting down the alley and spot him squeezing under the fence, they immediately start whining and run down into our basement. That little, old bulldog struts around our backyard now just like he owns it.’” (Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations & Quotes, Chuck Swindoll)
The bulldog was resilient. Determined. Stubborn. He refused to quit. Yes, he lost some battles. But he did not lose the war. He kept on fighting.
The Great Apostle Paul had a little bulldog in him. The haters insulted, stoned, beat, and imprisoned him. But he refused to quit.
He did not shrink from declaring to the Ephesians anything that was beneficial and teaching them publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:20)
Paul was resilient. Determined. Stubborn for the Lord. He refused to quit. Yes, he lost some battles. But he did not lose the war for their souls. He kept on fighting.
My friend, we all need a little bulldog in us. The personal, ministry, and business success that we are looking for. The anointing we are looking for. The spiritually rich relationship with the Lord we seek is rooted in our ability to overcome opposition. To deal with the everyday trials and tribulations of life. To deal with the haters. To deal with an enemy who wants to sift us like wheat.
He wants to tear our lives inside out and upside down. He wants to derail and discourage us. To cause us to question who we are and what we can do in Christ Jesus. To cause us to question the Lord’s love for us.
But we must be resilient. Determined. Stubborn for the Lord. We must refuse to quit.
Sure, we may lose some battles. But like the bulldog and Paul, we do not have to lose the war over our souls and purpose. We must be resilient. We must continue to serve the Lord!!! (Acts 20:19)
Looking for a great church? In-person or Online, Exhort Community Church is a great place to connect, grow and serve.
Looking for an engaging communicator for your next church, school or corporate event, LET’S TALK.
