DRAW THE LINES

Main Scriptures: Matthew 5:16

More Scriptures: 1Pt.2:12, Jn.15:8, 1Cor.14:25

All things are lawful but not all things are permissible (1Cor.10:23).

These words from the Scriptures are one of the most powerful words of God to every godly husbandman. It calls every godly shepherd to be responsible and responsive to what he watches and listens to. As the shepherd of your sheep, you must understand that you cannot be greater and better than the things you associate yourself with. As the head of your family, it is not all programmes you must listen to. It is not all TV programmes you must watch. As a wise shepherd, you must be able to know when a program has crossed its line. Very importantly, it is not all films that you must allow into your sheepfold. You must censor what is allowed into your life, your sheep and your sheepfold. That is one of the characteristics of the godly shepherd.

So, the question you must ask yourself is this. What kind of programmes do you listen to or watch when you are alone? What kind of programmes do you allow your sheep to watch and listen to? There are radio and television programmes that have dangerous content in them and are destroying the lives of our sheep. These programmes are filled with sexual, drugs, and murder related contents. It is not about being modern. It is about protecting your wife, children and family from the abuse and calamities of the new age. You have a responsibility to nurture your children in the way and admonition of the Lord (Eph.6:4). It has been observed that a lot of the things that we watch on TV or listen to on radio, always look innocent and harmless at the first instance. But a closer look at the programmes has some dangerous intentions behind it. A friend told me that homosexuality has been subtly introduced into cartoons, where you find men kissing fellow men on their cheeks. On the surface, this is an innocent act. But imagine your child sitting for long hours, into long days and long weeks and long months to watch these kinds of programmes. He will grow up to believe that kissing a fellow man is right and once that is formed in his heart, he becomes an easy prey for ungodly men to sexually abuse their sexuality. You and I have a greater role to play in the lives of our sheep. We must all rise up and screen and censor what our sheep watch and even our wives and what is allowed into our sheepfold. As the head of the family, you may have to sever those social relationships or gadgets from your child and sheepfold. And this requires you to make time out to teach your sheep godly values of holiness, honesty, purity, graceful words, contentment and so much more. Always encourage your sheep to be examples of godly character everywhere they go so that their lives will bring honour to Jesus Christ (Matt.5:16).

SPIRITUAL EXERCISE

• Father, in the Name of Jesus, baptize me with the Spirit of wisdom to make godly decisions for my sheep.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, deliver me from the spirit of compromise.
• Father, in the Name of Jesus, fill the hearts of my sheep with the spirit of holiness and obedience.

FAITH CONFESSION

I take charge of my sheep and sheepfold and protect them from ungodly influences of sin, satan and the world because that is what makes me the good and godly husband in Jesus Name. Amen.

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