When I was 17 years old and just a Christian for only two years, my best friend at the time came bounding into our church with a new record album that he had just purchased. He was so excited about me hearing it because this artist named Keith Green liked to bang on the piano as I did. Since Joel only lived a quarter mile away, we drove quickly to his house and put it on the turntable.
From the opening notes exploding from the keyboard, I knew that this performer was like none other that I had ever heard. Keith Green wasn’t just singing a song. Life and his love for Jesus were exuding through him. You Put This Love In My Heart was the first cut on an LP entitled “For Him Who Has Ears to Hear” and the next day I got one of my own and I have been extracting spiritual power from the music ever since.
Keith Green’s music and the Book of Daniel are the inspiration of my new preaching series at The Lighthouse Church that I have just begun called “No Compromise.” This just happened to also be the title of Keith’s second album. The record featured cover art that refers to the Book of Esther in the Bible specifically the part where Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman.
The album’s title is derived from the song written by Keith’s wife Melody called “Make My Life a Prayer to You.” The lyrics include, “Make my life a prayer to You / I wanna do what You want me to / No empty words and no white lies / no token prayers, no compromise.”
We live in a day where compromise within our culture has become no big deal. People lie all the time and hardly ever feel bad about it. People make promises that they never intend to keep. People say whatever they have to in order to receive whatever they want! People break contracts. People leave after saying they would always be there. People use words as if they carry no moral weight behind them. But just because this might be the practice of our society, it goes smack against the principles of our God. Cutting corners in matters of the heart will only undermine any commitment that we are serious about keeping.
No Compromise should be the soul cry of every disciple of Jesus. As we march through this new series, I will challenge us to face head on everything that attempts to keep our hearts from making Jesus No. 1 in our lives. Who or what do you sacrifice everything for? Who or what makes you angry or steals your joy?
Who or what do you worry most about? Whose applause do you long for? Who or what calls the shots in your life? The battle for your allegiance is up for grabs daily. Unless you are serious about keeping close to Jesus, you have no chance to follow through. As we will learn from the Book of Daniel, purposing in your heart to keep the right inner convictions can provide the courage you will need to conquer any outer calls for you to compromise.
We must not allow our ego to take precedence over our soul. While your reputation may be who others think we are, our integrity is who God knows that we truly are. Do what you say you will do! Be who you say you will be. Make My Life a Prayer to You has lyrics that continue, “I wanna die and let you give your life to me so I might live and share the hope you gave to me the love that set me free.”
He who has the Son has been set free to stay true to the promises made back to the One who will always be the ultimate Promise Keeper. Don’t miss a moment of No Compromise. We meet Saturday Night’s at 6 p.m.and Sunday Mornings at 9 and 10:45 a.m. Check out our website at www.tlccma.org
Let Pastor Rudy know what you think by emailing him pastorrudytlc@comcast
