Welcome to Pomoja Podcast, a ministry of Life
of Christ International Ministries, the place
where stronger lives are built, faith is strengthened,
hearts are encouraged, and Christ -centered homes
are shaped through ordinary conversations that
become extraordinary encounters with God's truth.
One conversation, one story, one revelation at
a time. In our last conversation, we discovered
that every house has windows. Every marriage
has windows. Every covenant has windows. And
I left you with a question. If the greatest danger
is not always the storm outside, how does the
enemy get inside? Today, I want to answer that
question through an old story. It is not found
in the pages of scripture. But like many stories
passed from one generation to another, it carries
wisdom. It is the kind of story elders tell around
a fire, simple yet unforgettable. The story says
there was once a husband and wife who lived peacefully
together. Their home was known for its warmth.
Travelers often admired it. Neighbors respected
it. People who entered always felt welcomed.
One evening, a traveler arrived at their door.
He looked tired. Dust covered his clothes. His
voice was gentle. His smile seemed sincere. He
asked for nothing more than a place to rest for
the night. The couple looked at one another.
How could they refuse? After all, hospitality
is honorable. Scripture teaches kindness to strangers,
so they welcome him. They prepared a meal. They
offered him water. They gave him a place near
the fire. That evening, they laughed together,
shared stories, talked about life. Everything
seemed harmless. The next morning, the traveler
remained. He offered to help around the house.
He complimented the husband. He praised the wife.
He appeared grateful. Again, nothing seemed wrong.
Days passed, then something changed, not in his
behavior, in his conversations. When the husband
was away, the traveler would casually speak with
the wife. I noticed you carry many responsibilities.
You deserve more appreciation. I'm surprised
your husband doesn't see how much you do. Nothing
offensive, nothing obvious. Just observations.
Seeds. Then, when the wife was busy, he spoke
privately with the husband. You work so hard.
You sacrifice so much. I wonder if she truly
understands everything you carry. Again, nothing
dramatic. Just words. Simple words. But words
have a way of finding fertile ground. Before
long. The husband began noticing things he had
never noticed before. The wife began remembering
disappointments she had long forgiven. Conversations
became shorter. Patience became thinner. Suspicion
quietly entered the room. The fire still burned.
The house still stood. But something invisible
had changed. The atmosphere. The elders would
end the story with these words. The Traveler
never came to steal the house. He came to change
its atmosphere. And once the atmosphere changed,
everything else became easier to destroy. When
I first heard that story, I thought it was simply
about being careful who you invite into your
home. Now I believe it is much bigger. The Traveler
represents every influence we welcome without
discernment. Not every influence is evil because
it looks evil. Some arrive looking helpful, comforting,
understanding, reasonable. That is why discernment
is one of the greatest protections God gives
his people. When Satan appeared in the Garden
of Eden, he did not force his way in. He started
a conversation. He asked a question. Did God
really say one question? One conversation, one
suggestion. That was all it took to open a window.
Notice something remarkable. Eve sinned with
her hands. Only after she had first entertained
the conversation in her mind, every visible fall
begins with an invisible conversation. I have
learned something through life. The enemy rarely
begins with behavior. He begins with perspective.
If he can change how you see your spouse, your
marriage, your calling, your church, or your
God, your actions will eventually follow. Behavior
is often the harvest. Perspective was the seed.
That is why we must become very careful about
the voices we repeatedly listen to. Not every
voice deserves access to your marriage. Not every
opinion deserves a seat at your table. Not every
friendship deserves your deepest confidence.
Not every counselor speaks with God's wisdom.
Not every social media personality understands
covenant. Not every successful person is qualified
to teach you how to build a godly home. Influence
is never neutral. Every voice is planting something.
I have also discovered that the most dangerous
influences are rarely loud. They are subtle.
A television series that slowly normalizes unfaithfulness.
A co -worker who always seems to understand you
better than your spouse. An old relationship
that begins with, we're just catching up. A private
conversation that doesn't mean anything. A comparison
that starts with, I wish my marriage were more
like theirs. Little by little, the traveler finds
a chair by the fire. The tragedy is this. Many
people believe they are simply opening a window.
They never intended to lose the house. No husband
wakes up planning to destroy his family. No wife
dreams of breaking her covenant. The collapse
usually begins much earlier. when someone or
something was allowed to stay long enough to
reshape the atmosphere. This is why scripture
repeatedly calls us to watchfulness. Not because
God wants us to live in fear, but because he
has entrusted us with something sacred. Marriage
is sacred. Family is sacred. Peace is sacred.
The presence of God in your home is sacred. Sacred
things deserve protection. There is one line
from the elder's story that has never left me.
It says, the traveler eventually left the house.
But his voice remained. Think about that. The
visitor departed. The whisper stayed. How true
that is. Many of the voices that shaped us are
no longer around. Yet their words still echo
in our minds. Sometimes we are still fighting
conversations that ended years ago. Sometimes
we are still believing lies spoken by people
who are no longer in our lives. Sometimes we
are still living under the influence of someone
who has already walked away. The good news is
that God also speaks. and his voice is stronger
than every whisper of the traveler. His truth
can silence every lie. His word can renew every
mind. His spirit can restore the atmosphere of
every house willing to welcome him. Next time,
we will become even more practical. We will identify
the specific windows that are most often left
open. The window of words. the window of comparison,
the window of offense, the window of secrecy,
the window of distraction, the window of influence.
And we'll discover that protecting a house is
not about building higher walls, it's about wisely
guarding the windows God has entrusted to us.
Until then, remember this, be careful who you
invite into your house, because some guests leave
but their voices remain.