BOTH MY PARENTS HAVE MULTIPLE SIBLINGS AND I LOVE ALLLL MY AUNTS AND UNCLES. BUT THERE WAS ONE UNCLE WHO WAS KIND OF MY FAVORITE. HE TRANSITIONED FROM THIS LIFE TO BE WITH THE LORD IN 2005. I MISS HIM SO MUCH BUT I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE WISDOM HE IMPARTED IN US AND IN MY SON LATER-ON WHEN HE CAME ALONG.
THIS WAS MY DAD’S BABY BROTHER AND HE WAS ONE OF OUR FAITHFUL DEACONS AT THE CHURCH. HE WAS THE UNCLE THAT TAUGHT US HOW TO TAKE CARE OF THE HOUSE OF GOD. FROM CLEANING THOSE HARD WOOD BENCHES WITH PINE OR MURPHY OIL TO CLEANING THE BATHROOMS PUTTING PINE OIL IN THE TOILETS TO TAKING OUT THE TRASH. TO HELPING IN THE KITCHEN PREPARING FOOD LIKE MIXING THE MAYO IN THE POTATO SALAD, TO SELLING SWEET AND HOT SAUSAGES, TO SELLING PENNY CANDY, TO SELLING DONUT QUEEN DONUTS AFTER SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR FUNDRAISING.
I WANT TO BRING OUR ATTENTION PARTICULARLY TO TUESDAY NIGHTS AFTER BIBLE STUDY. EVERY TUESDAY NIGHT AFTER BIBLE STUDY MY UNCLE WOULD TAKE OUT THE TRASH OR HAVE US HELP HIM. WHEN I SAY “US” I MEAN ME AND OR MY SIBLINGS AND OR MY COUSINS (HIS CHILDREN OR ANY OF THE OTHER MULTIPLE SETS OF COUSINS FROM MY OTHER AUNTS AND UNCLES). IT WOULD NOT BE ALL OF US AT ONCE BUT ANY COMBINATION OF US ON ANY GIVEN WEEK. HE ALWAYS HAD US IN PARTS OF THE CHURCH DOING SOMETHING AFTER CHURCH.
THIS ONE TUESDAY NIGHT I REMEMBER I WAS ONE OF THE CHILDREN HELPING WITH THE TRASH AND MY UNCLE BROUGHT OUT SOME AMMONIA. YES AMMONIA. I AM THINKING WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO WITH THAT? HE ASKED ME TO POUR THE AMMONIA OVER ALL THE TRASH BAGS. I FOUND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN BUT I REMEMBERED THAT STRO-O-O-ONNNG SMELL. SO, THE INQUISITIVE BOLD CHILD I WAS I ASKED, “WHAT IS THAT?” THEN I ASKED, “WHY ARE WE POURING AMMONIA OVER THE TRASH?” MY UNCLE SAID IT WAS TO KEEP THE DOGS FROM BITING THROUGH AND TEARING THE TRASH BAGS APART AND EATING THE TRASH. HE WANTED THE TRASH TO STAY IN THE BAGS IN PLACE FOR WHEN THE TRASH MAN CAME. YOU SEE OUR CHURCH WAS IN AN AREA IN THE CITY WHERE THERE WERE A LOT OF STRAY DOGS. HE EXPLAINED THAT THE AMMONIA BLOCKS THE SMELL OF THE TRASH AND WILL KEEP THE DOGS AWAY. THE DOGS HATED THE SMELL OF AMMONIA.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT LESSON THAT NIGHT WOULD BLESS ME WHEN I GOT OLDER. I WAS THINKING NOT TOO LONG AGO HOW I NEED TO KEEP MYSELF PROTECTED. YES OFCOURSE, GOD IS OUR PROTECTOR… HE PROTECTS US…NO DOUBT FOR THIS IS VERY TRUE BUT WHAT SCENT ARE WE GIVING OFF? THERE IS A PART WE PLAY IN WALKING IN GOD’S PROTECTION. I AM NOT CALLING US TRASH AT ALL BUT WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR HEARTS AND THE GIFTS THAT GOD HAS PLACED INSIDE OF US. WE NEED TO PROTECT OUR BODY WHICH IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
JUST LIKE THAT AMMONIA…POURING THE WORD OF GOD OVER YOURSELF (BY READING AND SPEAKING IT) OVER YOUR LIFE IS PROTECTION. POURING PRAYER (WHICH INCLUDES PLEADING THE BLOOD OF JESUS OVER YOURSELF) IS PROTECTION. HIDING YOURSELF IN WORSHIP IS PROTECTION. USING WISDOM AND SETTING FORTH BOUNDERIES IS PROTECTION. PUTTING ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD IS PROTECTION.
IN THIS WORLD WE WILL HAVE TROUBLE WE ARE NOT EXEMPT BUT WE DO HAVE CONTROL OVER WHO WE LET IN… HOW MUCH WE LET IN AND OUR RESPONSE TO THE TROUBLE. IF YOU DO NOT POSITION YOURSELF TO BE PROTECTED, THE DOGS WILL COME AND TEAR YOU A PART. THE BIBLE WARNS AGAINST BITING AND DEVOURING ONE ANOTHER. THE BIBLE SAYS BEWARE OF THE DOGS AND I AM AFRAID THAT REFERNCE WAS NOT THE ACTUAL ANIMAL. IN THIS DAY AND AGE YOU HAVE TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE “STRAY DOGS” IN YOUR LIFE “ANNNNND THE ONES YOU KNOW”. IF YOU DO NOT PROTECT YOURSELF EVERYTHING IN YOU WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BEING DESTROYED FINDING PIECES OF YOU OVER HERE… THEN OVER THERE ON THAT ROAD FAR SO FAR FROM WHERE GOD INTENDED FOR YOU TO BE.
CHOOSE TO PROTECT YOURSELF SO WHEN OUR FATHER COMES TO PICK YOU UP TO TAKE YOU TO THAT NEXT PLACE IN HIM YOU WILL BE FOUND TOGETHER AND READY FOR YOUR NEXT LEVEL OF PURPOSE.
SCRIPTURES:
Philippians 3:2 (NIV)
2 Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
Galatians 5:15 (NIV)
15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Proverbs 2:11 (NIV)
11 Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (AMP)
19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]? 20 You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.
PRAYER : GOD YOU ARE LORD AND YOU REIGN OVER ALL. I THANK YOU FOR THE PROTECTION PLAN YOU HAVE IN PLACE FOR MY LIFE. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE BENEFITS YOU MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH YOUR GREAT SALVATION. I REPENT RIGHT NOW. INCREASE MY FAITH. BE MY AMMONIA. HELP ME TO BE ALERT AND TO CHOOSE WISELY PARTNERING WITH YOU FOR DIVINE PROTECTION THROUGH READING YOUR WORD AND SPEAKING YOUR WORD OVER MY LIFE, HIDING MYSELF IN WORSHIP, PRAYER, PLEADING THE BLOOD OF JESUS, WEARING YOUR ARMOUR, AND SETTING BOUNDERIES. I BELONG TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR COVERING ME WITH YOUR FEATHERS AS YOUR WORD PROMISES. I POSITION MYSELF NOW TO WALK IN YOUR FULL DIVINE PROTECTION OVER MY HEART, MIND, BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT, GIFTS AND CALLING. AMEN
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