I woke up really early this morning with Psalm 91 on my mind.  Psalm 91:1 says, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."  That is awesome to me.  It has been one of my favorite verses and places to go when things get crazy.  And for months, things have been really crazy!  Good crazy...but none the less, crazy.

When I think of the Most High I think of El Elyon, the Most High God.  That name for God stresses God's strength, sovereignty and supremacy.  He provides us a place to dwell or to sit for long periods of time when there seems to be more going on than you can handle.  Life can be overwhelming at times.  It is so comforting to know God has a shelter to get in out of the storm.  When I think of abiding in the shelter of the Almighty, I think of El Shaddai, the All Sufficient One.  Whatever you need in the difficult times of life, God is enough.  He is all sufficient. 

So when life gets crazy run to the shelter of the Most High and sit a while in the shadow of the All Sufficient One because He cares for you.  The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade on your right hand.  (Psalm 121:5) 

Our dog got in the trash the other day...again.  We have 2 large trash cans but sometimes they get full and we have to keep a bag in the garage until trash day on Monday.  If the garage door is left up he slips in there and has a hay day!  I guess he considers it a treat because he strows garbage everywhere.  If we ever miss him or he is not around for an extended period of time the first place we look is the garage, especially if we know we have a bag of trash in there.

Many of you know we have a miniature dachshund named Bo.  Sometimes as you drive by the house you will see him sitting up on his back legs in the yard watching the world go by.  I am not sure if he is our pet or we are his people.  He seems to be more in charge than we do most of the time.  Even though he can't speak "the people talk" he can communicate to us clearly what he wants.  He has a pretty good life.  He gets fed with fresh water everyday, he stays inside and not outside where the elements can be harsh, he gets regular check ups, treats, he is played with, petted, loved...you know what I mean?  He has a really good life.  He does nothing in return for all this affection and attention except love you back.

That is what aggravates me so much when Debbie and I are out there in the garage picking up the trash he has spread all over the place.  I think to myself, "After all we do for you, all that we give you, this is the way you do us?!"  :-)  Then I am reminded that no matter what we do for Bo and how we treat him, he is still just a dog.  I don't mean just as in worthless and of no value but he is a dog.  A dog is going to do what a dog is going to do.  Dogs get into trash.  That is his nature.  We cannot change his nature.

Then I am reminded of my nature.  I have a sin nature.  I am born with that.  So are you.  We cannot change that.  I constantly battle my flesh.  There is a war raging inside all of us, the war of the sin nature against the spirit life.  Bro. Danny even refered to it Sunday when he said the one that wins is the one you feed the most.  I have said that for years as I know it to be true.

Left to myself I will rummage through the garbage!  I am so thankful that Jesus gives me the better life and through His Holy Spirit teaches me and convicts me of the garbage in my life.  In Galatians 5:16-17 Paul said, "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.