Podcast/TH120927/Danger of the Compromised Life

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We were all under the power and control of the devil's been jerking our team for a long time ripping this off probably and promise enough pleasure. He gave us misery, promising funny brought his skill, promising life. He brought us that in the most clever strategy of all, we didn't even think he existed only thought we were in control of our own lives within one day in each of our hearts like a lightning bolt from heaven. We realize that there was a God who loved us and we committed our life to Jesus Christ. And so we made that commitment to the Lord. You took that plunge to pray that prayer you took that step.

Let me tell you something. The devil is not happy about that one bit. You try to keep you from doing it. But now you've done it and now the battle begins.

It's been said conversion is made. Our hearts a battlefield. And it's true.

When you believe in Jesus Christ. A battle begins in your heart and it's a battle between God and Satan the devil wants to pull you away from this commitment you have made so if you have found yourself being attacked this week or being tempted a lot.

Sure up its indication your living is a true Christian, how many of you come under some kind of Satanic attack and this week misery. And how many of you been tempted to sin today. Misery get all your hands up you liar what are you talking about pay. It's not a sin to be tempted. So don't feel bad about it.

That's another strategy. The devil loves the youth will tempt you and condemn you for being tempted started sin to be tempted.

It's a sin when you give in to the temptation is not the basic constitute sin. It's the buying. If you refuse it and overcome it is a matter of fact, God promises to bless you for what.

Here's the bottom one. Okay now you're under the control and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. You got God's ID tag on you and the devil can no longer control you begin no longer manipulates you so is given try to draw you out. He's good at trying to weaken your resolve is gonna try to get you to compromise so his approach is going to go along the lines of trying to take you one by at a time.

This is a very effective strategy that he uses. I read a while back, I think I mentioned this in an earlier message about a trainer who found that a lot of this clients were struggling with their weight and you know he was in perfect shape just enough cotton muscular and never had an ounce of fat on women anything you know I don't really know what it's like.

I joke up just thinking about no really notified to be excessively overweight song to go again a bunch of weight so I can feel and empathy for the people that I'm training so we went out and intentionally decided to gain 70 pounds, so he only fattening foods. He stopped exercising. He would eat corndogs and donuts and for breakfast he would have Cap'n Crunch cereal for snacks banana bread for dinner chicken Alfredo pasta, that sounds good to me. By the way, Eddie said you know it is a started to eat that way. I didn't notice any discernible difference I'm you look fine. I was okay for the first weekend even part of the second week, but then reality started to kick in and the first thing that he noticed was his abs were gone. Then the rest, then the weight started to come on him that he had never known before, so I doubt we'll all just turn this around and I'll show everyone how easy it is to lose away what you gave it but it wasn't so easy and it took them a lot longer than he thought it would.

His blood pressure went up. He was tired all the time he was lethargic and depressed. So this is how it works. Assess the devil get excited like not all at once. A little bit here compromise their little rearguard in the southern area and pretty soon you find yourself in the place you never wanted to be well that just sort of the set up for the story before us now because we can read about Moses and his confrontation with the Pharaoh who was the king of Egypt and how we got the Israelites out from under the pharaohs control little bit of a backup information. Last time we saw Moses he was being called by God to deliver Israel.

Are you remember that he was being raised in the Pharaoh's court probably according to the Jewish historian Josephus being groomed to be the next Pharaoh, but Moses was a Jew and he felt concern over his fellow Jews in their mistreatment by the Egyptians and ended up killing an Egyptian guard had to go to exile because the Pharaoh effectively took the contract autonomous. So Moses thought he was done he spent 40 years in the middle of nowhere and suddenly the Lord comes again and speaks to them through a book, so wouldn't stop burning and the Lord said, I want to go back to Egypt and I want you to get those ears Israelites out of there and Moses offered up a bunch of excuses as to why he couldn't do it. And God refuted each excuse and God said, here's what I wanted to do want to the take the Jews three days journey into the wilderness out of Egypt. God also warned Moses that Pharaoh would hardened his heart, so that's of the story picks up in Exodus chapter 5 afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh thus says the Lord God of Israel, let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness and the Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should obey his voice or let Israel go. I don't know the Lord nor will I let Israel go. So they said the God of the Hebrews is meant as please let us go three days journey into the desert and sacrifice of the Lord our God, but the fall upon us with pestilence, with the sword.

So the big moment is, Moses is probably hoping that it wanted and and say what he had to say in the borough would say no problem man, go, go for it. Everything is good girls like her are you joking or you, why should I listen to you and the Lord God, who the Lord God, I don't believe in him here's the thing you need to know. Sometimes we think will more in the will of God. It's always good to be smooth sailing, but I found the opposite is usually the case when I'm in the will of God. I braced myself for opposition.

In fact, if there is no opposition.

I wonder what I'm doing wrong, but when things are being challenged when I see the devil trying to sidetrack us. I think men we are on the right track, let's keep going. I am a see that Satanic opposition as a confirmation I'm doing the will of God.

So don't be discouraged if you try to go serve the Lord or do something for God's glory and and you found that people of nonsupported viewer people have even harassed you over it. That's exactly what happened to Moses and so now this whole thing is just falling apart effectively at the complete disaster and Pharaoh makes things worse.

He says to those in control over the Jews that you know what these Jews obviously have too much time in their hand. They got this crazy guy Moses coming in and asking for the release so I want you to not only make them work hard, but I want them to even work harder and before I would give them straw get a hold their bricks together.

Now they have to go get their own straw there on the road on the leaders of Israel found out these it takes a lot Moses for nothing. Ironically, they initially supported him when things didn't go their way.

They turned against God's messenger. To his credit, Moses does not back down to Beaufort.

Exodus 7 now and let's reverse 10 so Moses and Aaron went into Pharaoh as he did so the Lord commanded.

Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent or snake, but Pharaoh had wise men in sorcerers so the magicians of Egypt they did in like manner with their enchantment for every man threw down his rod and he became like serpent, but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods and Pharaoh's heart grew hard and he did not see them as the Lord had said so now it is the 10 plagues that are going to come Pharaoh's way. Upon the land of Egypt, each one gaining in intensity as Pharaoh's heart grows harder and harder. These include plagues of water being turned the blood frogs and lights and much more.

What is interesting is everyone of these blades was level at a God with a small G of Egypt using the Egyptians worshiped many gods and they had millions of God's. And so the Lord is effectively saying okay since you worship all these deities. I'm in a show you the futility of them really start with the symbol of Egypt. What was a symbol of Egypt there was a cobra, so presumably this the rod of Moses turn into a cobra and and then the magicians of Pharaoh were able to duplicate this. I would say replicated, but which is a not a duplicate of a replicated is what I meant to say it. It probably wasn't the real thing in the same manner, but it certainly was close enough and so here these two snakes, both cobras, but then Moses brought the turn into a snake eats the Pharaoh's brother turn into a snake showing the power of God over Egypt and were even told with the names of these other magicians were in second Timothy 38. They were jammies and genres will oppose Moses and the oppose the truth men of depraved mind, so here's something you need to know this is a classic satanic tactic. We all need to be aware what is it the devil is in imitator when he cannot stop a work of God, he will offer his cheap imitation. That way he minimizes the power and the glory of God. The purpose is to neutralize the impact of our life and testimony. So if you're the kind of a person that I want some kind of spirituality, health, anything you want some spirituality. I'm good with that. I give you some spirituality you know you can have a little of this a little of Hansen to shake it up and have your own little concoction in believers you choose to believe in. And maybe that will sort of pacifying it. You know what a pacifier is here given to a little child a don't offer any nutrition but they keep the child happy and so the devil will offer his cheap imitations. God has a genuine, the devil is the imitation God as love the devil has lost, God has true faith in Christ.

The devil has falls, religion enough to keep you from the real truth and people that by end of this will say well I don't really need to hear about Jesus. I'm a religious person or I'm a spiritual person so they satisfied the cheap imitation instead of going after the real thing. In fact, Jesus told a parable of the terrors in the week and basically it's the idea of a farmer that sold sold weed in the field and at night. His enemy came in and sowed tares among the wheat and the tear also known as the darn Elsie looks a lot like we initially but as it grows on it actually uproots the wheat and so that's how the devil works, it will put his plans in the church note on this congregation of believers right now are some fake Christian, but would just end up right now all the fig you want number. Third, their fates and you know it's a pretty good there's a pretty good what they did. You probably wouldn't know though talk like us though use phraseology will use and then the doings to do something crazy like sinful or wicked.Well, I can't believe a Christian would do such a thing.

Here's an idea. Maybe their non-Christian, maybe there a term on the week. My nuts and Christians are incapable of sinning were pretty much capable of doing anything any nonbeliever would do if we choose to give into sin. But my point is either dark people that attend church there might even be faithful in their attendance and yet they are tares among the wheat, they are imitations. Case in point say to this was a terror among the week I with the disciples. And you know what Judas was so good at what he did that when Jesus said one of you is going to be training no one knew it was Judas. If Judas was as obvious as some of us might think he would've been. It seems like they all would appointed in unison that that if Judas says that because our everybody wore a white Robert Judas wore a black one right, a black leather rope and sunglasses before anybody else have the and lurked in the shadows, no Becky seem like a can of virtuous guy when he said on one occasion, why didn't we take the money that was wasted on this perfume used on Jesus and give it to the poor know what he was in imitator the devil puts his big versions out there flooding the market with cheap substitutes, and so it is with these fake miracles just because you see miracles doesn't mean that that ministry is from God. There are people out there that they may have miracle ministries miracle ministry really you know it's interesting in the book of acts.

He never announced the miracle ahead of time. There were no set now did miracles happen in the book of acts. Yes, did blind people receive their cited did work people even raise from the dead. Yes, they were but it was never announced ahead of time.

Miracle service this Sunday picture Simon Peter. There is no it wasn't like that.

It happened when God was at work in the God who was being preached the Lord would confirm his word with signs and wonders and the problem is, some people get so excited about so-called miracle ministries. But here's what you need to remember. Believers should not follow signs and wonders and signs and wonders and follow believer and just because someone can even do what appears to be a miracle, doesn't mean there necessarily from God. These two magicians of Pharaoh did miracles. If you will, and they were not from God at all in the Bible even tells us the end times when Antichrist emerges on the scene, he will have working with them the false prophet who will do lying. Wonder lying wonders something to the plagues came upon Egypt because of the hardness of Pharaoh's heart plug number one the Nile River turns the blood that's Exodus 714 eight so God directs Moses to stem of the Nile River and wait for Pharaoh or by Niles think I should say and wait for Pharaoh, then he is a joke told Pharaoh that he's been sent by God to deliver the Israelites and if you let them go.

Nothing will happen for a course resist the Moses takes his stop and he puts it in the water and it turns to blood all the fish come floating to the surface and they stunk to high heaven. Have you heard, smelled a bunch of dead fish. Interestingly, along on the Pharaoh's magicians and they think all we can do that to kind of interesting that they take what little freshwater is left in turn, not the blood you know you think the bromide is that you know would've been a lot more helpful if you turn blooding water back to pure water so thanks a lot for taking a little pure water. We had left attorney that the blood so what are to show himself.

Stupid people are when they're living in sin and the because of this, the Bible says the Pharaoh hardened his heart. How was this level that a God of Egypt. Well, among other things, the Egyptians worshiped the Nile River. Obviously they were dependent upon the river.

There they would get there water to drink. They would get there food there fish to eat. They would be there. They would use it to clean their laundry pretty much everything they needed came from the Nile so to strike the Nile was to try get a very hard of Egypt and got was a look, your God, has no power to deliver you.

Yet the Pharaoh hardens his heart stuck Exodus 723 says Pharaoh returned to as follows, but the whole thing out of his mind. Even though members bodies like that whatever walks away was even moved by it.

We are plug number two an invasion of France Exodus 8 verse one we read that frogs came upon the land. I mean I'm talking frogs everywhere. I'm talking frogs on the floor. I'm talking frogs on the wall frogs in the oven frogs in your bed. There were frogs no I don't love frogs. I used to live in Hawaii years ago and you know pretty much you walk around barefoot there all the time and we go out at night would step on frogs and you'll kill them and it's gross to step in a frog barefoot. You know, and but we don't really use the fraud, but this was these were so many frogs I here's what's interesting about this. The Egyptians actually had a God.

They worshiped it was known as Peg get also translated to Kermit know I made that up with some extremity frog Sesame Street nears here so they were sent. This frog was limitation. Kermit Bobby is a very bad one, but some they worshiped as gods of God said all yeah you guys are in the frogs. Go in the frogs everywhere in interestingly, Pharaoh's magicians could copy this miracle and Pharaoh goes to Moses and he says you know what I really appreciate it if you would pray to your God to remove these rods and if you do a release. The Jews live in this fascinating is it says to me that Pharaoh knew this was coming from God. Pharaoh knew the Moses had the ability to pray that this God and remove this play in askSam to do it now after the frogs were removed it Pharaoh keep his promise.

No, but the fact that he knew God to do this is amazing to me. There are people out there that know God is real. They know God is powerful. They know God changes lives with their hearts are so hard they won't believe in him that was Pharaoh and we just keep reading over and over again that he hardened his heart. Verse 15 of chapter 80 hardness art, but then later on in Exodus 10 one. We read God hardened Pharaoh's heart all there's one of those contradictions. I knew there was an one in their S on a contradiction as just two sides of the same coin.

Oh, it's true that Pharaoh hardened his heart and it's also true that God hardened Pharaoh's heart is an object that is. I mean, the Pharaoh had no choice in the matter and he just did what God made him to do no ductwork hardened to better be translated, strengthen or stiffen is a God gives to each one of us a free will. He will not violate that free will. But once we have made our choice God and the effect may strengthen us, and that joy is okay. Is that your decision are you sure alright I'm of the strengthen you in your resolve in that direction and that's what was happening here, Pharaoh decided he did not want to believe in his heart God harder and harder and harder. You had more than enough evidence to convince them of the truth of what Moses was saying this just reminds us to turn from the truth is to become more thoroughly than ever entrenched in darkness anything about this Pharaoh some miracles big miracles.

Pharaoh heard the word of God and that knowledge through brings responsibility. I think sometimes we think that if I could just perform miracles. I know all of my friends would believe in Jesus right then invite them over for a barbecue which is peace and rent it when you get a part of the barbecue. Check to set.

I pray and fire come from heaven like Elijah.

Hey, how do you want your meat to live under no about well done good and faithful servant who, although all my friends and say the Lord he is God, the Lord he is God know they wouldn't miracles were causing the belief Jesus Christ walked this earth perform many miracles, including raising people from the dead, and yet largely people did not believe in the Lord himself said look a wicked ended adulterous generation seeks after a sign and no sign shall be given to them, but that of the prophet Jonah. As Jonah was three days and three nights in the heart of the whale or the belly of the whale.

Some of the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of your what is Jesus saying you want to miracle not to get a miracle.

No soup for you. You had plenty of miracles and still you will not believe.

Here's my sign. I'm in a go and dine across. Just like Jonah women that whale's belly. For those three days and nights, Diana Cross and rise again three days later that's my sign. Here's our message to a lost world. Jesus died on the cross, turn from your sin believe in the miracles are not to make them believe, but the message of the gospel will and that's what we are to go and proclaim it. But here's a question. How do you get hardened heart you to be surprised by my answer. How do you get a hard knock.

Let me restate the question is one of the best places to get a hardened heart ready for the answer you're in it will render me in this place, in particular, will not displace in particular, I think any place for God's people gather. I think one of the easiest places to get a hardened heart is in church, no man, you're wrong, Greg. Easiest way to get a hard heart is in a bar or out with a bunch of people to wicked things will maybe that would be the place you would go after you have a hardened heart with the place you might get a hardened heart is in churches they are losing me. Let me explain. When you hear the word of God like your parent right now. Knowledge brings responsibility in the same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay, the same message. It transforms one life can cause another to say I don't believe and if you come to church week after week during the word of God.

Todd and refused to believe it. You can actually get into gear up terribly hardened heart. That said, I'm never coming to church again. That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying come to church with the right heart come to church with an open heart. That's all we bring the beginning.

Lord, we come tonight with an open Bible and an open heart.

But we come in here with sort of a attitude of yah will impress me. I know so much, I've heard so much and got your arms crossed. Right now some of your funeral. I didn't mean the way just as cold. That's all know impress me, dazzle me, that's not the right attitude should come here and I want to worship God. I want to know the Lord. I want to hear from the Lord. Yeah, you can get a hardened heart in church. You can be judged by the very message that should've set you free. That is why PK and church brats are some of the most notorious sinners noted PK is the preacher's kid. How many of you met preachers kids that are really wicked razor. Yeah there's a lot of mother. Not my kids or grandkids or anyone related to no epitaph though with the fact is, sometimes preachers kids are the worst of the lot, or people raised in the church are just as I said church brats. They taken God's word for granted and they pardon their heart against it.

So, may God help us to keep a tender heart and encourage one another was in these words of Hebrews 3 from the Phillips translation address the believers on my that you should therefore be careful, my brothers, that you should not in any way have a hardened heart which causes you to refuse to trust and then dessert the cause of the living God help each other to stand firm in the faith every day wanted to still called today because we continue to share in all the Christ has done for us if we steadily maintain until the end, the trust we had which we began with these words are being said for your ears to hear the damp, you will hear his voice hardened. Not your heart. So to believers, God is saying he don't take these things for granted urge one another, encourage one another, exhort one another welfare would have none of it in his heart is getting harder so here comes Blake number three, a bunch of gnats. That's all folks, a plague of lice are gnats over everyone and every animal. Now this play came without warning. Moses told Fairlane and the frogs are, you are right will you and believe it's okay when now Moses does the mornings, gnats moved in and this is a description of abiding, stinging insects to get everywhere there in your nostrils during your ears doctors why this was especially hard for the Egyptians.

They were fanatical about cleanliness. The pre-flood watch and shave their bodies did come to their God, and now they are invaded by these stinking gnats notice that these legs are getting progressively worse. The plague in the now was a blow to everyone, but people adopted and got by the frogs were induced since they were sick, and even no one was hurt, but this is becoming unbearable in interestingly, Pharaoh's magicians cannot replicate this one.

If I could be the next.

It is a 19 the magician said the peril. This is the finger of God. They Pharaoh we can pull this one off this one is from God, and you know how Pharaoh reacted.

We read on an exit is a 19 Pharaoh's heart grew hard and he did not see them just as the Lord had said no.

This is a good reminder that though the devil is in imitator any can replicate some of the things that God does, he can't replicate all of the things… I think sometimes we think that the devil is God's equal know God is omniscient, all-knowing, so is the double God is omnipresent, present everywhere so is the devil.

No, not at all. God is God is the creator, the devil is a spirit being. Actually, he's a fallen angel, a powerful being. No question more powerful than any person more powerful than many angels but not even near being the equal of God, so he has his limitations and we've seen one here but no more plugs are coming. Plague number four and insect invasion exit is a 24 fixed swarms of flies came in the house of Varro into a servant tells in the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies know this word swarm could be translated mixture, which means a mixture of box though it wasn't just flies. It was spiders pleased to flying vehicles. This was the first instance of Beatlemania. Ladies and gentlemen, the brutal though no one got that Joe how many people got the joke razor will so it just wasn't funny is that it who was a imitating thank you I was imitating that Sullivan, the Beatles, a group that existed many years ago were on the Ed Sullivan show, which was the most popular soul and American television and Ed Sullivan had to sort of weird way of moving so he would we have these four lads from Liverpool beetle should be. Can I would do this. Still not funny okay but the so now the Pharaoh finally realizes he's outgunned, or shall we say out plagued but he doesn't give up so easily in this ruling. Outcomes of the heart of the mess now the bear was going to try a series of compromises to weaken the resolve of Moses and here we see the devil strategy and how he tries to take us down but Exodus 825 in the peril called for Moses and Aaron and said all right then go sacrifice of the Lord your God in the land for Moses said it is not right to do so for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God of lease occupies the abomination of the Egyptians before the rise and will they not stone is no. We need to go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice of the Lord our God, is he will command us Pharaoh said well I will let you go that you may sacrifice of the Lord your God of the wilderness only. You shall not go very far.

Intercede for me. So Pharaoh is making a concession and you could see on Moses to get excited okay okay okay you when you went Moses go ahead and sacrifice for the Lord your God is a new writer with her excuse me. The Lord said we are to go three days in the wilderness evincing two days and he didn't say four days relays turning so we gotta do and God said, I love that stickler for detail. You know, we are not supposed edit the word of God. The people do sometimes when you know I believe a lot of the things the Bible says that I'm not so sure about this all really yeah I don't know if it really comfortable with that we use can attend that out so to edit the Bible know if God says something.

He says it for a reason. He says what he means any means what he says and we need to do what he says as he says to do it.

Jesus said you are my disciples, if you do whatsoever I command you didn't figure my disciples did you do whatsoever you personally agree with whatsoever you're comfortable with whatsoever is popular. No, you are my disciples, if you do whatsoever I command you.

God said three days in the wilderness and Moses would accept nothing less. Can you see how this would be tempting for Moses. While Pharaoh finally gave in and let's go for it. Take the deal man you're crazy. Moses said no, actually, we have to go three days in the wilderness now but listen to this boy of the Pharaoh.

All right, all right, you can do it, but intercede for me what is that mean intercede for me he say okay well praying for me. Remember me in prayer that is clever and looks like Pharaoh is opening this hard to the Lord and bought I've seen this so many times you know you want to reach a nonbeliever and let's hear a guy in there girl and CC will in all go out with in little missionary dating here and in all regions for the Lord, you know will talk and I'll bring up my faith in I'll get them out to church and we go out to dinner and you bring up your faith and they don't respond that much, but you'll do it more next time, maybe more.

The next time and and then finally did agree to go to church up your six date and somehow the dinner just goes a little bit longer than you thought it would, and you don't make it out to church and now you're getting romantic with them and now frankly it's getting sexual and now it's becoming a problem and you're realizing this is really wrong and so you try to terminate the relationship. Look, I can be involved with you anymore actually dragging me down spiritually. I need to break up with him and don't do it. I'm so close to coming to Christ though say pray for me okay let's get back together.

Don't be an idiot. Listen, you've already compromise or witness. You don't bring a person to Christ by sitting or making concessions. If you come down to where they are, why would they want to go up to where you were. Stand your ground have some conviction.

Frankly, the have more respect for you when they get what they want from you the move on to their next conquest. Trust me. So if you stand your ground and say no were not gone there. I'm not doing that and this is what I believe. I think it might impress them. It's a well who is this you know I've never met a girl like this before.

I've never met a guy like that before, and here's what the Bible says specifically about that in second Corinthians 614 don't team up with those were unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness. How can light lit with darkness. What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil. How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever.

Therefore, come out from among them and separate yourself from them, says the Lord to help you know what you mean Greg, I can even talk to a non-Christian, I can go to my workplace observes non-Christians around me. Glad to live in a Christian neighborhood and driver Christian Carney Christian food, no you shouldn't do that at all that we need to go out there and infiltrate this culture with the message of the gospel. But when the Bible talks about being yoked together. This is different than having a relationship with a nonbeliever. Listen, Jesus had relationship with nonbeliever he would hang out with them he would talk to Timothy was criticized for being the friend of the sinner when he was a friend of sinners, but he never compromised it. He always stood his ground but he loved doesn't mean the approved what they did but he reached what they did but he reached out to them. There's a difference between compounding this relationship we are communicating trying to reach him but never compromising your own Christian values big imaging team that in entering into a relationship of close friendship.

The idea of being yoked is well have to go back to the way that they would pull their carts in those days they would joke it to an ox in order to locks and I think about this if every little cart it up to your two oxen and one is alive and strong, and the other is dead.

What direction you think you will pull toward some of them very well were dragging a carcass when a believer yelps himself to one nonbeliever.

The believer does not pull the nonbeliever up. The nonbeliever pulls the believer down in the devil's uses so many times you can leave it and so many good believers have been brought down by this strategy (free for me to intercede for me.

I'll pray for you, but I'm not going to be hanging out with you anymore because you're bringing me down. So this is what Pharaoh was doing he was trying to get Moses the compromise take all right, go ahead and go but don't go too far. Listen better to go far away. And if you're not going to go far away, then don't go at all. The bottom line want to be a Christian be a Christian, you want to be a Christian.

Don't be accursed.

Go to hell for you to remember mom has a good to me to go to hell the night and this ain't just this man up and do it or woman up just do what you're going to do before I was a Christian. I did all the stuff you can do. I been there, done that, bought the T-shirt and when I came to Christ.

It was a real conversion and my height was really changed and you know what just what you want to do drugs anymore and I didn't want to do the stuff I used to do anymore and so I made a break with my old friends and I started hanging out with Christians and there were some really committed believers. There were great to know but telling that if you these people that were kind of like halfhearted and there were, trying to live into world and at that what is with these people. I've done all that stuff and I know the emptiness about wildly living that way where they going forth because probably they were raised in the church and you know when you're raised in the church and you're sorta protected from a lot of those things sometimes they're a little more seductive to you who like to do that when you been out there and you've done that stuff. It's a different story. I'm not saying I can be tempted by things like that again I could be stilt, but what I'm saying is, sometimes when you try the Livingston world you end up completely miserable. 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 either go forward or uncle or make a decision and do it and this is what Moses is aiming for on to play your game. I'm not going to compromise with you going to do what God told us to do. Now listen to this final gasp of desperation from Pharaoh Exodus 1024. This is really interesting boots and Mr. page really get to that later because this is even better before we get to that more plagues come plague number five, six and seven. Pestilence comes on the livestock boils and everyone then severe hail and finally Pharaoh's magicians are afflicted and are taken out of the game.

Exodus 911 says the magicians cannot stand before Moses because of the boils they were on the magicians and all the agenda and all about so that now that the magicians getting to do their thing anymore. They're just covered in boils Arab oil.

They were covered in boils like I could even move. This is good round of the way now. Chapter 10 verse eight. So Moses and Aaron were brought again the fairly said to them, go serve the Lord your God, Charlie here had it with you. Go already.

By the way, who are the ones who are going Moses as well go with our young in our old her sons and our daughters are flocks and herds we were going to hold a feast of the Lord, and he said will the Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go behold evil is ahead of you, mother was okay.

You can go leave your kids here not interesting Pharaoh new if they left their kids would only be a short time until they came back again that would draw them back.

Listen, here's something we need to be really determined about in the church today. The devil can't have our kids know they can have you know when I first started preaching. I was quite young, myself 20 years old and now I'm 30+30 oxen 15 and will be 60 in December and so I been doing this for a while and I've always had a hard to reach younger people know when I started it was easy because I was a kid so I just related as a kid.

The kids in fact one of the reasons we started Sunday morning services in our church in Riverside as we wanted to do an outreach to older people as a whole congregation was young, so we said we need to start reaching the older people you know the ones over 30 Maxi not making any of this up so we started Sunday morning and more older folks of common then one day I woke up and I was an older person myself.

Here's the thing we keep reaching out to younger people and if you come to harvest Crusade of today is way different than the harvest receipt of 1990. You'll see that reflected in a lot of ways, we've obviously embrace new technology has exploded in the last few years of the look and design of it is different and the music is way different and you know what that changes every year because we want to continue to speak to our culture in a relevant way. And here's a problem when you start getting older you get really set in your way when you get older you start liking routine folks who are older like to go to the same restaurant and sit in the same table and order the same thing. I went to a restaurant today and they'd seen some of their menu is an all you know why I have my routine there certain things I like to order and it seems like everything I like. They took off the menu. That's like a great way to get things removed the Greg likes it. Get rid of it. But we like routine, as we get older you know you know you're getting old when at the breakfast table you your snap, crackle and pop and you're not eating cereal you're getting older when it takes longer to read than it did to get tired. You know you're getting older when you have more patients but it's really that you just don't care anymore if you know you're getting older when it takes two tries to get up from the cow Gonzaga to get up and try that one more time every go once more with feeling okay son getting older. I can change that but we really keep reaching out to younger people to do everything we can to reach the next generation is in the so if you come to our service and you think the been robbed you are to stinking baguette over it.

Turn your hearing aid down and stop making it about you start thinking about your kid and start thinking about your grandkids. You show me a church.

It doesn't have a constant flow of new people coming in and I'll show you a church that is dying and living in the past. I don't want to live in the past.

I want to see with the local during the silly saying of the devil know you can have the can have arguments you can have our grandkids you can have this generation. No were not turning them over to you.

We want them. We want them for the Lord now to the point I was jumping to quickly onto going with that was good right Mercer 24 of chapter 10 Pharaoh said to Moses, all right. Go serve the Lord only ledger once and herds we get back. Let your little ones go with weight.

Can you see that I would be tempted to give her the profane. All right, go, go three days in the wilderness of you. Take care stinking kids that you, to keep your animals really yeah I want to ram.

That's it, which is a heightened student first given us carte blanche. He's given us an open door.

Let's leave the animals we don't need him anyway. I love what Moses says is is her 26 for a listening, not a hook will be left behind Pharaoh.

Here's the deal was a very carefully read my lips.

Here's what you get. Not you get nothing you get nada you get zero were sick of you.

You treated is truly we've been in bondage to you. You mistreated us, were giving you nothing. It's a clean break Goodbar take it or leave it.

That's what you need to say that the devil is.

Here's how the devil works is all right. I'll keep you Christian you have to go to church, have a little fun. Still little compromise here. Another little thing over there is not going to hurt all that much in those little things turn into big things. Using first, Pharaoh wanted to keep them in Egypt. Then he wanted him to cure.

Keep them near Egypt and then finally at least keep a part of themselves in Egypt, Moses would have none of it.

Not a hook shall be left behind is my question doing closing. Are you trying to live in two worlds. If so, I know something about you.

I know you're not happy in my right, you know, because here you're sitting in church when you should be joyful and being blessed and hearing the word worshiping in your urine comfortable urine comfortable because of your sin urine comfortable because of what you did before church. But what you did last night or yesterday that thing you did urine comfortable about it means anything to him and I don't feel comfortable here, but here's the funny thing how you leave church and you go back and do that why you're doing that then you're hanging over the people you're not comfortable there either.

I know now you have the conviction of sin. There know I shouldn't be doing this and then while you're here, you're that said that I shouldn't of done that I have an idea, stop doing that stuff like I said make your choice. As Joshua said to the Israelites. As for me and my house we will serve the Lord choose this day whom you will serve him follow the Lord know what you guys going to do. Everyone of us make that decision I can make it for you. You make it for you.

Are you in a relationship that's dragging you down right now.

Are you unequally yoked together with the nonbeliever right now. Are you doing things that are weakening your resolve.

Right now, stop doing the sex is woe to you for you to stand up there for doing is not easy. I'm just telling you we all have to make those decisions we all get tempted well live in the same world we all have a sinful nature well of attempt a devil who tempts us and we all as Christians have a God who will give us the strength to do what he has called us to do so really comes out of this. You really want to change and if you do, God will give me that strength God will give you that result. Remember Moses when the Lord came to him and spoke to the burning bushes at home and I can't do this and I don't know what to say that you know I stumble over my words at the now look at this guy facing up of the most powerful men on the things of the earth that Pharaoh with a word Kevin executed pennies not flinching is not backing down is so bold as God giving the strength God will give you the strength to do what you need to do don't live in two worlds make a complete commitment to Jesus now. Maybe some of you have done that but you had a lapse in your faith and you've kind of gone back to your old way of living.

I with your journey. You deny to make a break and repent, but some of you maybe made a commitment to Christ of never really made that complete commitment you've always sort of tried to live into a world you've always been compromising. It's time for you to make a real commitment under some of you that have joined this to maybe are here and all the stuff of the first time in and you've never believed in Jesus and a friend brought you here in and you want to believe in him and you want your sins forgiven you. Actually are ready to make a break with an old life because you're so sick of it anyway just don't know what to do next. What you need is Christ living in you will forgive you of your sin see it all was taking care of at the cross at the cross, Jesus died for our sin and paid the price of the wrongs we have done enough we will turn from that sin and put our faith in him we can be forgiven and transformed begin this new life with Jesus or begin again if necessary. So him to pray, to give you an opportunity to respond. Let's all pray father referred to word now.

We don't want to live a compromise life and I pray for any here that are living that way that they will come to their senses and make a break with it all a heads up about her eyes are closing refrain.

Maybe some of you would say tonight. Greg, I don't even know I go to heaven when I die, I have guilt Ivan emptiness in me, but I want to believe in Jesus. I want my sins forgiven. Pray for me. I'm ready to say yes to Jesus. I want this forgiveness. I want my guilt taken away if you want Jesus to come in your life tonight if you want to follow him. If you want to be a Christian if you want to go to heaven when you die which you raise your hand up and I like to pray for you tonight, slipped her hand up for a beer sitting. God bless you. God bless you and you anybody also slipped her hand up if you would turn the backup bless you also publish the very backup bless you to compass all of the camera heads about her eyes are close. You want Christ to come in your life you want your sin taken away, you're ready to believe in Jesus. Raise your hand above.

Pray for you tonight ever raise it yet raise it now publish what I have just about maybe some of you would say you know what I believe in that compromise life and I know what you're talking about and I am sick and tired of being sick and tired and I want to make a break with it and I want to totally commit my life to Jesus.

Pray for me. If that's your desire, would you raise your hand up when we pray for you to want to make that recommitment to Jesus Christ compass you publish it with your hand accomplish anybody else raise your hand.

Now when we pray for your publish, bless all of you father, I thank you for the this visa have taken this first step to help them to take the next one income completely and totally start following you tonight. We ask all of this in Jesus name, amen