Grace World Outreach Church
Pastor Daniel K Norris
DON’T DIE OF DYSENTERY
The Death of the Pioneers Journey
Main Text: (2 Chronicles 7:1-3; 1 Kings 11:1-13; 2 Chronicles 8:11; 2 Cor 6:11-17)
2 Chronicles 7:1-3 NIV
When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”
Fast forward...
1 Kings 11:1–11 (ESV)
11 Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, 2 from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. 4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. 8 And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.
9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods. But he did not keep what the Lord commanded. 11 Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, “Since this has been your practice and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and will give it to your servant.
How did wise Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, fail so horribly?
He made room in his life for compromise
Compromise is the beginning of the end of every pioneers journey
Your Decisions Determine Your Destiny
The beginning of the end for Solomon
2 Chronicles 8:11 NIV
Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter up from the City of David to the palace he had built for her, for he said, “My wife must not live in the palace of David king of Israel, because the places the ark of the Lord has entered are holy.” (2 Chronicles 8:11 NIV)
Solomon compartmentalized his life, separating the sacred from the secular, and made room for compromise
Where is this place for you?
We tell ourselves that no one will know, that we are not hurting anyone or that everybody is doing it
Notice: The chief companion of compromise is everybody.
If you are going to pioneer a better future, you will have to conquer compromise
2 Cor 6:11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open.
14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
17 Therefore
“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
6 “I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”
7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Three Appeals From A Pentecostal Pioneer
1) GOD HAS NOT LIMITED YOU, BUT WE LIMIT OURSELVES WHEN WE COMPROMISE
vs 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections.
The Christian life is not one of restriction but restoration
2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
a) SO DREAM WITHOUT LIMITS
b) FIGHT FOR THAT DREAM WITH EVERY STEP
Solomon divided his affections, and the Lord divided his kingdom
Compromise = (COM) to bring together (pro+mise) FIRST + MISSION/VISION
When you compromise, try to bring together two visions, you will always create division
2) TO BE LINKED TO GOD IS TO BE LOOSED FROM THE WORLD
Vs 14 Do not be unequally yoked
a) LOOSE YOURSELF FROM THOSE WHO DON'T WALK LIKE YOU
b) YOKE YOURSELF TO THOSE WHO DO WALK LIKE YOU
3 Pioneers You Need To Run With
- Those who are righteous
- Those who are faith-filled
- Those are Christ-like
3) GOD CALLS US TO SEPARATE OUR LIVES, NOT TO LIVE SEPARATE LIVES
Vs 17 “Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord.
God's desire was never to dwell in a temple, His desire was to dwell in us
How did WISE Solomon miss the fact that the TEMPLE OF THE LORD was not a PLACE, but a PEOPLE
For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will dwell in them And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”
RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE SEPARATED FOR THE LORD
Question:
What is the big dream over your life and household? Right it down. Pray over it daily. Add it to the altar.
Where are you compromised or tempted to compromise? Where have you created separation from the Lord?
Best deal with it before it becomes deadly on the journey