COMPROMISE

Do you live in a state of compromise?  Do live a ho hum life with no excitement?  Do you ever feel like you never take a stand for what you believe in?  Do you give in too easily?  I know for many years I have lived in a state of compromise.  I never wanted to ruffle anyone's tail feathers, or get their panties in a twist, so I always just kept my mouth shut and kept my beliefs to myself.  I didn't want to offend anyone and I didn't want to stand up for what I knew was right.  I was afraid that if I stood up, it would end in an argument and I am a peace loving person, so I lived with compromise.

I would always tend to just go along with the crowd instead of saying, "No! That's not right."  Or "I'm sorry, I don't believe that."  Or "No!  I don't want to do that."  Am I the only one who has lived this way?  I know I'm not alone here.  Yes having peace is fine, but when it leads to compromise it isn't fine.  

For many years I kept my beliefs to myself.  People would voice their opinions, their beliefs and I would just keep silent.  Even if I knew what they were saying was wrong, I remained silent.  Living in a state of fear that I couldn't express what I wanted to say right, I would rather keep my mouth shut.  I didn't want to make a mistake, I didn't want to sound stupid, I didn't want to appear like a know it all.   I mean after all we all know people that are so opinionated we want to scream.  We all know people who don't know when to keep their mouth shut.  We all know people who don't know what they're talking about yet keep on yapping.  Right?

Compromise!  Lukewarm living!  To me they are the same thing.  We change our views and beliefs to fit in.  Our values and morals and our standards for behavior are lowered in order to be accepted.  As believers, we're saved just enough to make sure we're not going to hell, but not enough to stand up for our beliefs.  As believers, when we live with compromise we are basically telling Jesus, "Listen it was fine for you to take a stand, after all you're God in human form.  But me?  I can't!"  So what we're telling God is that the opinions of our family and friends matter more than Him.  Think about that for a moment, then read this verse.

Revelation 3:15-16 (The Message)  I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit.

Now do we really want to tell God that our family and friends opinions matter more than His?  Okay I'll be honest, there is no way in hell I want God to spue, vomit or spit me out of His mouth!!!  I do not want to compromise any longer.  I don't need to comprise.  If someone doesn't believe like I do, that's fine.  I will never get in anyone's face and shove my beliefs down their throat.  But I will voice my beliefs when it's called for.  I won't yell or point fingers or tell them their going to hell.  I will simply state my beliefs and live in love.

That being said, I want you to know that I am in love with Jesus Christ!  He is my everything!  He is my Lord and Savior!  God is depending on us believers to be His hands and feet on this Earth.  He needs us to be Jesus on the Earth today.   There are people who are hungry and thirsty, there are people who are searching for joy and peace, there are people who are longing to be loved and accepted.  If we're so busy compromising, they won't see Jesus.  They will see someone who says they believe in Jesus, yet compromise their morals and values.

Listen I know it may seem hard to stand up and be red, hot on fire for Jesus in  today's world.  I know it's risky to stop compromising and stop living a lukewarm lifestyle.  But God expects us to do just that.  He needs us to do that.  He needs us to be a voice to the lost, a city on a hill, a light in the darkness.  How can we do that if we compromise and hide our light under a bushel basket?  

Okay, honestly I will admit that I cannot do this in my own strength and my own power.  I need to allow the Holy Spirit to work in me and through me.  With Him working in and through me, I will know when to keep my mouth shut and when to open it.  He will help me with what to say and how to say it.  My confidence is not is my head knowledge or scripture knowledge.  My confidence lies in my Lord who gave me His Holy Spirit.  Because of the power of the Holy Spirit, I can know that lukewarm living is not for me, compromise is not in my vocabulary any longer.  I am red, hot in love with Jesus Christ!

Lord, thank you for your Holy Spirit that resides in me.  May my words, thoughts and actions always bring you praise.  May I no longer live a compromising live style and no longer be lukewarm.  Lord I pray you never spue me out of your mouth, in Jesus name I pray, amen.