Corrupt Influences

I wish I had a camera to show you out my dining room window, the snow is falling by the bucket load. We just finished a full day of book work. The kids were all itching to go outside but I told them we were going to have an indoor day and keep things quiet.

While we were doing our devotions today the topic was on influences, all afternoon the conversation has been swirling around in my head. I was evaluating all the outside influences that I allow into my home. What sinful attitudes am I alone allowing in? I know right off the top of my head I tend to struggle with a critical spirit. I have been repenting every time it creeps up on me the way ugly sin does and turning from things that seem to make it grow. Being critical is like mold, given the right conditions there is nothing that stops it, it just keeps growing. Sin is never stagnant is always grows. I need my heart scraped clean no matter how much is uncovered and leaves me exposed, I can't afford one tiny spore of mold left to grow.

I share this because I have the potential to be a corrupt influence over my children. Their character is shaped in my hands. Not only do we need to be vigilant over music, movies, peers even christian ones we need to be watchful over our own sin. When our children are at the tender age, and that is as long as they are under our roofs we must remove ALL corrupt influences. So I started to ask myself how? how do you remove a sinful influence in your home that is coming in from you? Here's what I have come up with,

Thank the Lord out loud, let your children hear you thank Him for things. This will bring the joy of the Lord and joy to our children.

Prayer. Pray pray pray! Pray alone, pray out loud, pray with your children and pray with your spouse. I convinced the only way to conquer this is by nailing to the cross.

Proclaim and pray the blood of Christ morning and evening.

Have patience! The same power that raised Christ from the dead is working in you everyday. That is so encouraging and a HUGE amount of power.

Don't live by your feelings! I am so guilty of this, the Lord has showed me how much bitterness I allow to enter my heart because I tend to let my feelings rule me.

Be pleasant. Make your home a place people want to be. SMILE choose to speak sweet words, positive words. Our words as wives and mothers have power so we need to watch what we say.

Keep yourself pure. Repent of any bitterness and jealousy don't hang onto your sin. Get rid of it just like you would the garbage. Garbage stinks and so does sin! We wouldn't let the garbage pile up in the house so don't let sin pile up in your heart. Whatever is in your spirit will affect your children. Bless those who hurt you, this will free you.