Compromise in the Camp February 15, 2015

Transcription

1 Compromise in the Camp February 15, 2015

2 I. Introduction

3 Inquiring of the Lord keeps us from being fooled into compromising with the enemy.

4 I. The ruse

5 Joshua 9:1-2 - And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite heard about it, that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord.

6 Joshua 9:3-15

7 II. The reasoning

8 Joshua 9: So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

9 Proverbs 28:26 - He that trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.

10 Mark 7: For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

11 I Corinthians 3:1 - And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babies in Christ.

12 I Corinthians 3:3-4 - for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?

13 Romans 8:6-7 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

14 Q: What is an effective way to avoid being tricked by human reasoning and carnal thinking? A: Inquire of the Lord often instead of inquiring of the world or of your own heart.

15 I Chronicles 10: So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; And inquired not of the Lord: therefore He slew him, and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

16 James 1:5 - If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

17 III. The result

18 Joshua 9: And it came about at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were neighbors and that they were living within their land. Then the sons of Israel set out and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon and Chephirah and Beeroth and Kiriath-jearim.

19 Joshua 9:19 - But all the leaders said to the whole congregation, "We have sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.

20 God can take a curse and turn it into a blessing.

21 Joshua 9:22-23 Then Joshua called for them and spoke to them, saying, "Why have you deceived us, saying, 'We are very far from you,' when you are living within our land? "Now therefore, you are cursed, and you shall never cease being slaves, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God."

22 Joshua 2:9-10 And (she) said to the men, I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

23 Joshua 9: And they said to him, "Your servants have come from a very far country because of the fame of the Lord your God; for we have heard the report of Him and all that He did in Egypt, and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon and to Og king of Bashan who was at Ashtaroth.

24 Conclusion: Inquiring of the Lord keeps us from being fooled into compromising with the enemy.

25 When we are fooled and we fail, God can turn the curse of sin into a blessing as we repent and follow Him.

26 The Christian life is characterized by a progression of new beginnings, a series of fresh starts.