The Danger of the Compromised Life - II

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If you would like to know how you can become a harvest partner, just go to harvest.org that's harvest.org Pastor Greg Laurie Moran showed our spiritual adversary is relentless and he won't stop tempting us, even after we become believers: I can say that you believe in Jesus, so let me of a few areas of your life so you want to save the enemy, you get nothing you get nada you get zero and I don't want you in my life anymore. I'm done with you.

You can leave no goodbye get behind me Satan go in every gun sales.

He always has a rebuttal counterargument offer.

Sometimes the best way to deal with them is just as today on a new beginning pastor Greg Laurie points out, we can use that same approach with our spiritual adversary. We can negotiate with sin, we can't come to an understanding with evil we can't compromise with the devil today some insight from our study of the life of Moses murder story of odds are one of the shoot a bear. So we went out with a gun marching through the forest looking for is prey.

Finally he found the bear bear had his back to him. The hunter got his gun ready lowered his sights exhaled began to squeeze the trigger when suddenly the bear turned around and said to him, excuse me, is it better to talk than the shoot.

It was shot because not only was it a talking bear, but it was a bear with the British accent, then the bear said constantly negotiate the matter in the hunter with will surprise them versus let me ask you what is it you're looking for hundreds and I'm looking for a fur coat. So the bear what I looking for a full stomach. Let's have a discussion about it and perhaps we can reach a compromise and the hunter said all right then. Zoe said his gun that they disappeared into the forest and apparently the negotiations were successful because the bear came out alone so everyone got what they wanted. The bear got a full stomach and the hunter got a fur coat that some compromise were with the devil. When you try to strike a deal with the devil.

You'll always be the loser. That is why the Bible tells us in Ephesians 427 neither give place to the devil, or as the new international version puts it, never give the devil a strong role was in the. The devil is evil, the devil is wicked, but I'll tell you one thing the devil is not that stupid.

He's been honing his crop for a long time now.

He knows in general he cannot bring the believer down and one fell swoop, so he'll try to dismantle them a bit at a time. Sort of like death by a thousand cuts. He does this through the strategic and very effective tool of compromise. But be forewarned if you give the devil it is. Go take a mile. So here's the take away true don't get into deals with the devil, because you will always lose. And I bring that up because now we have Moses trying to get the Israelites out of the bondage of Egypt and Pharaoh is saying no Exodus chapter 8 on the reverse is 25 to 28.

I'm reading from the new living translation. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron.

All rights go ahead and offer sacrifices to your God notices, but do it here in the land you might underline that phrase do it here in the land to come back to Moses, or by what I would be right. The Egyptians, the test the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God looking we offer our sacrifices here with the Egyptians to see us. They will stone us. We must take a three-day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, as he has commanded us Pharaoh replied all right, go ahead.

I'll let you go to the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God, but don't go too far away underline that phrase as well. Don't go to far away. No hurry. And pray for me.

So here's a Pharaoh doesn't want to let him go want to keep in clothes once him on a leash so we can reel them back again.

So he says in verse 28. I'll let you go but don't go very far intercede for me this is clever and looks like he's opening his heart to God, but he wasn't at all you know, maybe you're involved in a relationship with the nonbeliever. It's a romantic relationship even worse a sexual relationship.

So one day you decide will be the Bible you terminate the relationship, is that we can't be together anymore. This is dragging me down spiritually and your nonbelieving friend says all men don't do it. I'm so close to coming to Christ, pray for me.

Originally, please, you're never gonna win someone to Christ by lowering your standards and I get to bring someone in Jesus by becoming more like them. If you become too much like them. Why would they ever want to become like you take a principled stand and what the Bible says AW toes or a writer from years gone by.

Send it up this way and I quote one compromise here, another there and soon enough the so-called Christian and the man in the world.

Look the same." That is why the Bible reminds you to not be unequally yoked together with the nonbeliever for what fellowship does light have with darkness or righteousness with unrighteousness or as a modern translation interpretation puts it, quote don't become partners with those that reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong that's on a partnership that for his light best friends with Darek this Christ goes trolling with the double do trust and mistrust hold hands while said no they don't. Is the answer and so the pharaohs trying to keep them close so he can still influence them. Listen, if Eric cannot keep them in Egypt, he would at least try to keep them near Egypt well more plagues come another Pharaoh is finally cracking.

Let's see what happened then Exodus 10 verse eight. So Moses and Aaron were brought to Pharaoh and he said to them all right. Go serve the Lord, by the way, were the ones who are going Moses said will go with our young or old with our sons and our daughters with our flocks and herds we will go we must hold a feast of the Lord, then the pharaohs of the Lord better be with you when I laid you and your little ones go, but where evil is ahead of you.

So basically Rosa so was going on out. Well everyone the old people, young people, even our cattle young people forget about that your kids are staying here now Moses might've said hey it's a break. Let's get out of here will come for our kids later Moses knows he can do this with. This is a good reminder of the Pharaoh is trying to break up the family in the same way the devil has declared war on the family in our culture today. Satan hates the family. There is a full throated all out attack on their family and our nation today consider this when the family is strong. The church is strong over the church is strong, the nation is strong, the family breaks down the nation breaks down with it. Today there are many people trying to figure out how to fix our country. The rising crime rate. The opioid crisis. All of the people in need of being incarcerated and there's all these ideas all villages legalize all the drugs and let's just release people that are in prison serving time right now… Try this and change that and that we have the economic imbalances, you know, so we did. I'm telling you, here's the thing.

Nobody is talking about. And this is the root of everything. It's a breakdown of the family. You can take almost every social ill in America today. Girls getting pregnant outside of wedlock people getting in the drugs people becoming alcoholics run away people who are attempting suicide. People who are ending up committing crimes. People who are joining gangs. People who are incarcerated every one of those things and there's many studies to back this up can be directly traced back to the breakdown of the family and specifically to the absence of fathers so we need to do everything we can to strengthen the family. Let's start with you. You need to do everything you can to strengthen your family. You can save America nor can I you cannot save all the families in America, but you can start with your family.

You can say this family is off-limits to the devil saying you cannot have this family. Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Many write or call us to share their stories of pain and loss but also of hope in our program about every variable will me that I been going through your margin were murdered oldest daughter. All of the precleared look extremely devastating to me and I'll bump up by Greg Laurie Berkley helped me tremendously. Help me to get my focus on the Lord help other people put garbage that gives great this ministry. I will continue to work well find out hearts online store.harvest.org when we hear it's not only a blessing. It also confirms that the program is touching lives here in this community.

Leave a message for Pastor Craig: 1-866-871-1144 again that's 866-871-1144. What were in the book of Exodus today eavesdropping on Moses dialogue with the Pharaoh message called the danger of the compromised life.

One final movement in the were done in this story, so the Pharaoh is just going to try one more time.

One more compromise. Exodus 1024 Pharaoh called the Moses that all day. Go serve the Lord let your flocks and herds we Back and you can even take your little ones with you see the devil is fighting tooth and nail for every inch. Why would the Pharaoh care about their animals. It was a small victory. What was was a foot in the door first, Pharaoh tried to keep them in the land. Then he tried to keep them near the land then released.

He wants to keep a part of themselves in the land if their animals are treasures, their livelihood were left in Egypt. Their heart would be there as well. Jesus said where your treasure is there with your heart be also. The devil might save you.

In effect, all right. I never wanted you to become a Christian, but I can see the you believe in Jesus. Now, so I'm just asking. Let me have a few areas of your life. So let me keep your money. I still want a big say-so and how you spend your money, you know true conversion is happened when the Lord has your wallet stories told of Gen. Sam Houston Caro of Texas history. He came to Christ at a later time in his life. He was an older man and so he said to the pastor. I would like to be baptized pastor and the pastor said okay so he took general Houston down to a little country river and does he was getting ready to baptize them.

The general Houston gave Ms. glasses and and then the pastor noticed that the general still have this wallet and this fancies in general you want to take your wallet out it will get wet in Houston replied if there's any part of me that needs baptizing. It's my wallet has your wallet been baptized yet.

The answer to that is determined by how and where you spend your money, don't forget to invest in God's kingdom. I love the response of Moses. We want to keep your animals is the Pharaoh. Moses is.

Here's my answer. Read my lips didn't say that but I meant it's implied. Exodus 1026, not a growth shall be left behind Pharaoh.

Here's the deal.

Listen now, you get nothing you get nada you get zero. No deals, no negotiations, no compromises. I've had it with you. You're not getting anything from us were making a clean break. I'm going three days in the wilderness and we need to say the same thing to the devil you get zero.

You get zip you had your time in my life. I saw what your plan was. I saw the misery you brought in the habit you brought and I don't want you in my life anymore.

I'm done with you. You can leave now. Goodbye get behind me Satan in Galway. You show me a person that the compromise and also your person that's headed to ruin.

As I pointed out earlier, no one falls away all at once at small steps.

Show me a marriage that's unraveling so-called irreconcilable differences. By the way, I've been married for 45 years to Kathy and we have irreconcilable differences always have always well there irreconcilable. She's need I messy I will usually early see sometimes late. She's cute. I'm fat, it's irreconcilable. You get my point. You have differences.

Don't tell me you have irreconcilable differences. God could restore their marriage. If you want him to do. If you would pray about it and, more specifically, do your part. All I know there's some exceptions to this, and that's another message for another time, but I'm telling you most divorces I've seen and I've seen a lot in my years as a pastor could have been avoided. The relationship could have been restored but the people were willing to do their part but anyway, my point was, if a marriage is falling apart. If the husband has the wondering eye looking at other women.

Wife is kind of dripping from her husband. That's because they haven't kept the marriage strong.

You wanted good marriage. You want a lasting marriage.

You want to bless marriage keep romance alive. Keep affection alive keep communication open always be working on it to make it stronger. Don't neglect it, and the same is true of your relationship with God. You show me a person is falling and then this sin or giving that in this area and it's all these other little things in the antidote to. It is a close relationship with Jesus is one old Puritan preacher put it, we need the explosive power of a new affection, the explosive power of a new affection. Is it what is that even me a new affection. What is that Christ would Christ as your primary affection expects falsehood and drives the other things the way you won't down yourself wrapped up compromise as Elijah said she was you this day whom you will serve the promise were trying to live in two worlds. Some of us, and were miserable winning because you have too much of the Lord to be happy in the world you have too much of the world to be happy in the Lord just doesn't work. I wonder if I'm speaking to someone today. That's let compromise and that their life that made a deal with the bear that they lower their guard there doing things they were doing.

You made this break was sent after you became a Christian and things were great but I'll slowly but surely old vices have crept back can you backed off on your spiritual life and you let these other things get a hold of you and your saying what is happening compromises coming in and there's only one thing to do. You got a clean house. You have to admit it, acknowledge and be specific about it and asked the Lord to help you to get these things out of your life. Only you can see this change, you have to draw the line like Moses drew the line you want to say to the enemy were done here, not a host shall be love fine, you get nothing done with this I done with compromising and I believe the Holy Spirit will work in your heart and show you those areas that need to change the Holy Spirit will show you. Maybe an area of compromise in your life, you'll show you a relationship that is toxic and harmful to you spiritually will show you things that you know you shouldn't be doing. I don't have the say it will say to you, Greg Laurie, urging us to make a change in our relationship with the Lord today got encouragement and before today's addition of a new beginning. Concludes pastor Greg will return to lead us all in a word of prayer.

Stay with us if you missed any part of today study a message called the danger of the compromised life. You can hear it again online@harvest.org or get a CD copy by calling 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 yesterday when the worst happens.

The most common question people ask is why why did this happen, why me, why now and were making available a movie right now that tackles those questions had on yes and I'm thinking a lot of people will find comfort in the powerful story on this DVD. It's early to Dave. You know this is a story of a young man named Jeremy Camp. Many of you know him because he is a has a great career out there is a singer-songwriter but dubbed Jeremy went to a Christian college and met his bride to be. Melissa it's it's a beautiful love story really the two of them coming together and I have to say it's powerfully acted like EJ Alpert and Brent Robertson.

They have a real chemistry and and you really pulled into this story and they got married and everything was looking great for them but then of course if you don't know the story.

It turns out that Melissa had cancer and she had great faith in. She was hoping that she would overcome this cancer. But tragically that's on the way the story went, and so we think well I don't know if I want to watch a movie like that though actually you do because this is a story that doesn't flinch in the face of tragedy. It deals with that head on, but it shows how faith can overcome adversity. We all like stories with happy endings in the center is a happy ending to this story but there's a lot of twists and turns before we get there just met this girl was deceased. We were supposed to run towards the highway from other teams.

I know this will give you hope it will bring encouragement. Anybody who is facing adversity in the film is called.

I still believe it's actually based on a song that Jeremy wrote after Melissa went to be with the Lord. It's as incredible performances from Shania Twain, Gary Sinise, Britt Robertson and playing the role of Jeremy Camp, KJ Appa, who is featured on the Riverdale TV show.

So urinal of this film and I'm in the send it to you for your gift of any size whatever you can send will use those resources to continue to bring this radio ministry around the world. So don't delay.

Order your copy of I still believe from his here is a new beginning. I know you'll be glad you did. Yeah, that's for sure who it's from our friends the Irwin brothers who produced I can only imagine, and Woodlawn. It's a touching movie with a strong gospel message and will send it to you for your investment in reaching out with pastor Greg strong gospel messages here on a new beginning and through our large-scale evangelistic outreaches to harvest crusades so right for your copy of I still believe a new beginning. Box 4000, Riverside, CA 92514 or call 1-800-821-3300. That's 1-800-821-3300 or go online to harvest.org everybody Greg Laurie here inviting you to join me every weekend for what we call Harvest at Home.

It's a church service. It's a worship service.

It's a Bible study and its wherever you wanted to be in your home in your car sitting on a beach walking down the street watching it on your phone wherever you are taken with you and the minister to every weekend. Join us for Harvest at Home@harvest.org when next I miss pastor Greg continues our study of the life of Moses was he the wisest plan is to put God first in our lives no matter what. More on that next time we been studying Moses encounter with Pharaoh today and considering the danger of compromise and pastor Greg concludes this way when you pray together them and ask you to just commit it to the Lord and turn from it. Call it what it is sin, repent of it.

It's a Lord.

This is the dam marking it on my calendar the day when I got rid of this compromise in my life that I made a stand in the decision to return to my first love in Jesus Christ. This can happen for you right here right now. Let's all pray father. We are your people gathered in different locations here here with all of us and we think of the words of the psalmist to said search me oh God and try me and know my ways. See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me to the way everlasting Lord we ask that your Holy Spirit would shine a light in our heart to every recess of it. If there is an area of compromise, sometimes called love and in the Bible Jesus that Ted tends to have a great effect a little break down here lowering our guards there a compromise in another place.

Lord, would you show it to us and we want to break free from.

We don't want to live that way anymore.

We want that explosive power of the new affection when we love you with all of our hard with all of our soul and with all of our mind. So Lord, we commit this area to you. Now we commit these areas. Do you now forgive us of our sins and fill us with the Holy Spirit. Here's our deal with the devil. There is no deal. It's off the table were done here.I hope she'll be left behind. We give it all over to you, Lord. From this moment forward and we pray this in Jesus name and message from Greg Laurie was made possible by harvest partners, helping people everywhere know God sign up for pastor grades free daily email, devotions@harvest.org