Welcome to Saturday, July 31st!

Today’s episode of The Cross Talk Daily Devotional is titled:

Let's Negotiate!

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Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995}

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  Let's Negotiate!

When buying a house, some land, or even something at the market, you may have said, "Can we negotiate on the price?" This is an expected practice throughout the world.

Negotiation is a discussion that resolves an issue in a way that both parties find acceptable.

When purchasing our current car, the dealer stated a price, and after consulting with my wife, we offered a lower price. He then consulted with his boss and proposed a purchase price somewhere in the middle. Our negotiation resolved the price issue in a way that both of us found acceptable.

Years ago, I visited many flea markets. If you didn't haggle on the price, the vendors thought you were odd. They expected a negotiation discussion to take place.

Can you think of a situation where negotiation is not possible?

That's right! We cannot negotiate with God. We cannot do as I did with the car dealer in which we offered one thing and expect that God will come back with a proposal somewhere in between.

Christians sometimes fall into the trap of thinking that their relationship with God operates on give and take. As a result, they treat their relationship with God more as a negotiation than a relationship between a sovereign God and His creation.

This is dangerous ground because one can end up falling into the trap of believing that you have the right to set aside those commands and ordinances of God's Word that you dislike.

Listen to the words of Elijah as he faced the nation of Israel during the time of Ahab and Jezebel.

1 Kings 18:19-21 NAS95

"Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."  [20]  So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel.  [21]  Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.

The people were trying to straddle the fence. I remember doing this as a kid on the edge of the corral fence; one leg on one side and the other leg on the other side. By definition, I was neither on one side or the other.

Elijah tells the people it was time to make a decision. Either the Lord was the only living and true God, or Baal was. Elijah’s point was that they could not keep jumping back and forth between the two.

When I remind Christians that they must choose between honoring the world or honoring God they respond with, “It’s not that simple!” Their response of “It’s not that simple!” means they are contemplating some compromise in their lives.

Compromise is a danger to all of us because it is so subtle.

Satan did not come right out and say that God wasn’t good or hadn’t provided for Adam and Eve.

However, what he did was to plant a suggestion in Eve’s mind that she was missing out on something.

I believe that Satan is incredibly active within the times we live. Therefore, opportunities to compromise face us many times a day. If you are one who believes that he can negotiate with God for a permissible lifestyle, you are in danger of shipwrecking your faith.

I implore you to Stand firm in Christ!

Let’s Pray,

Gracious Heavenly Father,

May we never entertain compromise in our lives.

Help us to more fully comprehend who You are and what You have done for us.

May we joyfully obey and live for You.

In the Name of Jesus,

Amen!