[Steve Myers] We were studying the book of 1 Samuel chapter 15, and in this particular chapter it's about King Saul. God gave King Saul some specific instructions. He told him to go out and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight them until they're consumed. King Saul did not follow God's directions. In 1 Samuel 15 he tells the story that Saul went and destroyed some of the people, but kept the best things for himself and the people and did not kill the king of the Amalekites. And yet among that compromise that Saul did he tells the prophet Samuel, "I have obeyed the word of the Lord." And yet he hadn't. He had compromised. He had taken God's word and decided what would be good, what would fit, what would work for him and did that instead. Now he didn't see the danger in that.

Now the interesting part is that sometimes we don't see the danger and there is unseen danger in our lives as well.

I can think of it in terms of a military battle like the one that Saul was involved in. Out in battles today there's often land mines. And when you run across a land mine, you know, is that something that's obvious? You might go through and see a perfectly calm settled field, and yet it might be covered with land mines just under the surface. And too many times in our life we think we can venture into that field when God's instructions tell us something different. You see, that's what Saul did. He started taking the walk down that path and step by step it seemed like it was okay as he compromised God's truth. And yet ultimately he walked right into one of those unseen land mines. And what happened? God removed his kingship from him. It was torn out from under him because he compromised God's word. And what a valuable lesson for us. We cannot start down that path.

We've got to watch out for the hidden land mines that we're faced in our life. So when God gives us instruction, follow those instructions. Don't start this slow process of making bad decisions, bad choices until each step seem to become easier, until we run into that land mine.

Let's be on our toes. Let's stop that compromise before it even starts. And if we do that, then we refuse to take the very first step. So let's make that choice. Let's be sure we never compromise God's true way.

That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.