No Compromise
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 07/14/2019
Foundation Scriptures:
And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. 2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold. 3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the Lord. 5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents. 6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together. 7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land. 8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. 10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar. 11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other. 12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom. 13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the Lord exceedingly. 14 And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever. 16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered. 17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee. 18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the Lord. Genesis 13:1-18 KJV
1. The Path to Victory.
a. Many people think that the path to victory is the easy route.
b. I, personally, have not found that to be the case.
c. Indeed, it is safe to say that the path to victory is never the easy way.
d. Many people take the line of least resistance.
e. Every Bible “hero,” whom we admire, faced much opposition and many challenges on the way—including, and especially, Jesus.
f. Noah: Preached 120 years and had only seven converts.
g. Abraham: Waited 25 years for Isaac; then had to offer him as a sacrifice.
h. Jacob: Wrestled with an angel.
i. Joseph: Favorite of his father; sold into slavery by his own brothers; falsely accused and imprisoned; raised up into Pharaoh’s right-hand man; savior of his people.
j. Moses: Almost murdered at birth; rejected by man; elevated by God; thrust into a position he didn’t want; faced down Pharoah; delivered three million ungrateful people from bondage; had to take care of them and put up with them for 40 years.
k. Joshua: Waited over 40 years for the promise of God to be fulfilled; had to fight many battles before he received the promised inheritance.
l. David: His own family did not think much of him; he faced and defeated a lion, a bear and a giant; had to escape from a jealous king; was anointed king—but had to fight many battles and had to wait many difficult and challenging years before being allowed to ascend the throne.
m. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: Refused to bow to an idol; were thrown into a fiery furnace.
n. Daniel: Thrown into the lion’s den.
o. Jesus: Rejected and killed by those He came to save.
2. Compromise.
a. Lot chose the most fertile, best-looking land—unfortunately it was right by Sodom—full of wicked sinners.
b. First, he was just their neighbor—but then he moved in with them—right into the city.
c. He was on the outside looking in, but soon he was on the inside looking out.
d. Compromise will rob you of everything God has for you.
e. People try to fit in and be accepted, so they “run with the hares and bark with the hounds.”
f. Preachers preach a compromised message.
g. The people live a compromised life.
h. Compromised faith.
3. Uncompromising Faith will Produce Uncompromising Results.
a. You don’t have to help God.
b. If you refuse to compromise, you’ll see the unusual; the miraculous; the unprecedented.
c. God is looking for people who will trust Him and not buckle or bend.
d. Do not take the easy way—take the way of the Cross.
e. NO compromise!
4. What you Compromise to Keep, You Will Lose.
a. If you love your life, you’ll lose it (John 12:25).
b. You choose to either succumb or overcome.
c. It’s time to stand up and draw a line in the sand and say: NO COMPROMISE!