It Won't Hurt Anything

I have been reading an article by Nancy Campbell in the magazine "Above Rubies".  The article is titled "Building a Home to Honor the Name of the Lord."  She breaks down several of the Old Testament names for God, such as, Jehova-Jireh, Jehovah-Rapha, Jehovah-Tsidkenu and more.  If you have not ever studied the Names of God, it is well worth your time to do so.  There is power in the Name of God!

This morning in my study, I was reading on Jehovah-Tsidkenu, which means The Lord my Righteousness.  The article talks about building your home to honor the Names of the Lord, so how can I build my home to honor Jehovah-Tsidkenu?  I am not righteous!  I have no righteousness in me except that of Christ, Who lives in me.  But here is a bit of what she says:

"God does not tell us to tolerate evil, as is the popular opinion today, but to HATE it!  Psalm 97:10 says, 'Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.'  Romans 12:9 says, 'Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.'  To abhor, means to shudder with horror, to utterly detest.  Is this how we feel about sin?  Is this how we feel about evil in our home? Is this how we feel about the evil that is happening in our nation?  It is a powerful thing to build a righteous home.  It is not easy.  Evil finds a way to sneak into your home.  Be watchful as you build your home.  As more and more families build righteous homes, the more we become a nation of righteousness.  Above everything else, it is righteousness that lifts up a nation.  Proverbs 14:34 says, 'Righteousness exalts a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.'"

So I began to ask myself, "what am I allowing into my home that is not honoring God"?  It can be something so simple as a G rated movie that I am just sure cant be bad, right?  But like Nancy said, evil finds a way to "sneak" in.  And, the images that are reflected in my home, on that screen, stay in my house for weeks, even after the movie goes off.  Just yesterday, Sterling was walking around quoting the newest movie we watched.  The movie was rated G.  But after watching the movie I had a sick feeling in my heart.  I knew that some of the things which that movie showed as "acceptable or normal" were things that God would HATE.  That is how easily EVIL can come into your home.  We must be vigilant to keep it out!  Let us not get lazy, as I have lately, thinking that its just a little something, it wont hurt anything.  We must realize that "anything less than perfection comes short of His holiness".  Let us cling to Jesus whose blood covers our sins, and abhor what is evil.  Unfortunately, I realize now, that this movie cannot stay, and sadly, there are probably more.