August Newsletter 2024
PARABLE OF THE MUDDY DOG
By: Charles Carrin
One rainy night a young man–-Bob–-heard a scratching at his door and opened it slightly. What he saw was a tiny puppy, cold, wet, and needing help. He threw open the door and bent down; but when he did, a large, vicious dog--muddied and wet with rain--rushed past him into his house. Bob yelled in terror. How could he have been so wrong?! Through the crack it looked so different! Bob’s house was beautiful, filled with expensive furniture and valuable gifts his parents had left for him. Frantically, he tried to catch the dog, but the animal was too quick and too dangerous. It snarled at him, baring its fangs. Then it leaped onto his bed and tracked rain and mud on the covers. Bob drew back in terror and ducked behind a chair. He did not know what else to do.
The name of the dog was Addiction, and like a hurricane, it tore into his life, instantly destroying everything he owned. Nothing was spared. His job, his family, his health-- seemingly everything-- was consumed by it. It stole his bank account and wrecked his car. His girlfriend left him and canceled their wedding. He was amazed that so much damage could be done just by opening the door so slightly. But there were the results! Everything was in ruins! He was wiped out. Friends came to help him, but the dog drove them away.
“It isn’t worth it!” Bob wept. “I don’t want this dog ruining my life!” But the dog would not leave. It stayed, fouling every room and fighting everyone who tried to get near Bob to help. It wasn’t long before family and friends could no longer see Bob at all. All they saw was the dog. It slept with him, ate with him, and totally controlled his life. It made all his decisions. In his dreams it haunted him, and during the day it bit and clawed him. Still, he submitted to the dog’s abuse and stayed with it. Before long, he began looking like the dog. His clothes, his hair, and the color of his skin came to be like that of his new master. They even smelled the same. In time, Bob became ugly, like the dog, with a yellowed, snarling mouth that attacked everyone who came to his door. Even his mother was chased away by the dog.
For months, she tried to get into the house and rescue her son, but she couldn’t come near. Nothing seemed to work. Even if she had a few words with Bob through the crack in the door, the dog quickly appeared and began snarling. The mother prayed and prayed for help.
Then, one day she was on her way to her son’s house when an old Friend approached and pressed a Book into her hand. “I wrote this Book,” He said. “It will tell you how to get rid of the dog.” “Really?!” she answered. “Will it really help?” “Yes!” the Man replied. “I fought that same dog many years ago and won. He remembers Me well. You will find instructions in the Book on how to conquer the dog.” With that, her Friend disappeared, and the woman hurried away.
Anxiously, as she read through the pages, her eyes fell upon this important line: “No one can enter into the mad dog’s house unless he first binds the mad dog. Then he can safely enter and take whatever belongs to him.” (Matthew 12:29) “But how do I catch the dog to bind him?” the woman wondered, and frantically continued searching for answers. As she read, she discovered other important facts. The dog was a trespasser and had no right to be in her son’s house. The animal was really a thief who came to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10)
As she continued reading, she felt an unusual anger swelling up in her. But it was more than anger; it was like a powerful authority. Then, wonderfully, her eyes fell on another line her Friend had written. It said: “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on mad dogs and over all the power of the enemy. Nothing shall hurt you …” (Luke 10:19)
That was wonderful news! Quickly, she turned the pages for more help. And it was there! Every page was packed with valuable information. Her Friend had written: “These signs shall follow those who believe. In My Name they shall cast out mad dogs …” (Mark 16:17,18) A flash of light shot through her mind. She had already learned two important lessons. First, she had to “bind” the dog, and then to “cast” him out. She did not understand how this was to be done, but somehow she knew it could be. Her Friend would not have told her to do it if it were not possible. The next line she saw brought her to tears: “For this purpose was the Son of God manifested, that He might destroy the works of the mad dog.” Every page was filled with words of powerful encouragement for her son’s rescue. (I John 3:8)
It was then she realized something she had missed before. There was a similarity between the suffering of her son and the Friend who had given her the Book. In His battle against the dog, He, too, had suffered. He was a son also; the Book talked about His Father. And because of his suffering and victory over the dog, the Father had put “all mad dogs under the feet of His Son.” It explained that all things had been placed in subjection to the One who had given her the Book! Amazing! Wonderful!
The woman got very excited. The Man who wrote this wonderful Book was not a dead author; He was still alive and was her Friend. (Heb. 2:8) Her eyes then fell upon the most amazing promise. It was as if it had been written personally to her. It said: “Forasmuch as the Son is a partaker of flesh and blood and is subject to the attack of the mad dog, He also took part of the same, that through His battle with the dog and His death, He might destroy the animal who had the power of death and deliver your son, who is now in bondage to the dog.” (Hebrews 2:14,15)
When the woman read that she shouted for joy! Suddenly she understood what it was all about; all of the lines she had read came back in power: “These signs shall follow those who believe. In My Name they shall cast out the mad dog …” (Mark 16:17-18) A fearlessness shot through her body like an electric jolt. Suddenly, she was no longer afraid of that dog. The dog had already been defeated and was really under the feet of her Friend.
Another line from the Book leaped from the page at her: “The God of peace shall bruise the mad dog under your feet shortly …” (Romans 16:20) The dog was going to be bruised under her very own feet! That was amazing! But there was another line. It said, “Submit to Me, resist the dog and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)
That was all she needed to know. She turned on her heels and started running toward her son’s house. As she rounded a corner and broke through a hedge, her Friend suddenly appeared before her. She dropped to her knees, held Him by the feet, and wept for joy. “I submit to You!” she cried. “Do what you have read in My Word,” He said, “All power is given unto Me in heaven and on earth. You go for Me, cast out the dog, and I will be with you always …” (Matthew 28:18-20) The woman did not wait. She leaped to her feet, went running and leaping toward the house of her son. A wonderful sense of authority filled her.
Along the way, she glanced at other homes. Some of them looked dark and foreboding just like the house of her son; she knew a dog was in some of them, too. The faster she ran, the more powerfully other messages in the Book began coming to her. This time, however, when she spoke them, she claimed them as her own confession. They became expressions of her personal faith. As she turned the corner and the house of her son came into view, she began shouting to the dog: “The weapons of my warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of your strongholds! By the Name of my Friend, Jesus, I cast down the imaginations with which you have crippled my son! I destroy every false idea you have exalted against the knowledge of God! I bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!” (II Corinthians 10:4-6)
As she neared the door, she realized that her hands had become like hands of steel. There was a power in them like the grip of a vise. With one kick of her foot she shattered the knob, splintered the panel, and burst into the room. Something inside of her roared with anger and authority at the dog. Then he lunged for her, but she ran toward him and shouted, “You come to me with fangs and a growl, but I come to you in the Name of the Lord of Hosts!” Her eyes were blazing. “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will rescue my son from your control … In the Name of Jesus I bind you!” (I Samuel 17:46)
Before she could realize what was happening her hands clamped around the dog’s throat like a steel trap. She seized him with the fury of a Grizzly Bear. Swinging him overhead, she hurled him through the open door and onto the street. He hit the pavement with a splatter of blood and dog hair! As she ran toward him a strange thing happened. He suddenly came back to life to the size of a tiny pup. He was the same size as the night Bob first saw him. With his tail between his legs, he went yelping into an open sewer. From deep inside the pipe she could still hear him whining and crying.
A moment later her son came running and shouting from the house. “It’s gone, Mama! It’s gone!” He laughed and cried as he grabbed his mother in his arms, “It’s gone! The dog is gone from my life!” The two of them hugged and kissed, wept and laughed together for a long while. Finally they went back into the house and began restoring the rooms. Life became beautiful again! The Dog was gone!
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I wrote this article years ago, and it enjoyed a wide response. Later I was preaching in Augusta, Georgia, and after the service two men came to me, reminding me of the "Muddy Dog" story. We stepped to a private spot. "We want to tell you that we are both former alcoholics who read this story! Because of it, we were both miraculously delivered from alcohol addiction! We are free men again! The 'dog' is gone from our lives!" To that I say, "Thank You, Lord!"
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At age 93, and looking back over a continuous ministry of 75 Years, I am overwhelmed with gratitude to all of you who shared my Vision and helped me fulfill it. It all began in 1947 when I was 17 years old. That was a long time ago! While I will never quit ministering the Kingdom message, Heaven daily becomes more real. Thanks for your wonderful support!
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Thank you for your financial help! Readers around the world are grateful!
Many who cannot support are benefited by your giving. Thank you!
P.O. Drawer 800, Boynton Beach, Florida 33425-0800
E-Mail: CarrinMin1@aol.com.
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