In the ancient story The Odyssey, Homer writes of the sirens of the Isle of Capri. These mythological sirens, through their beautiful and enticing songs, lured ships from their appointed journey to their beautiful island. As those ships got close to the island, the waves and currents dashed those ships against the destructive rocks and crags of the coastline and drowned the crew on board. Fascinated by the rumors of these enchanting sirens, Odysseus set off to hear for himself the sirens call, and to face the challenge of resisting the lure of their sweet attraction. As his ship approached the island, Odysseus explained his plan to his crew. He put beeswax in the ears of his crew. The crew then tied Odysseus to the boat’s mast. The crew would sail past the island and not hear the sirens call. Odysseus could hear their call but would be unable to respond to it.

As the ship passed the island, the sirens call nearly drove Odysseus insane. He begged his crew to untie him. He pleaded, threatened, cajoled, and bribed them, but they would not. He struggled to break the ropes that bound him to the mast, but the rope held him securely. Safely past the siren’s call, the crew untied an exhausted and very grateful Odysseus.

Maybe you remember the remake of this scene from the movie, Brother, How Art Thou?

Today we are going to look at a man who could have been greatly used by God, but is known in history as a failure. Why? Because he listened to the siren call of sexual immorality. Genesis 13:1-13 is our Scripture reading for today.

First, moral compromise is a choice. Lot’s problem was that he pitched his tent right in the middle of the most perverse immorality of his day. He could have gone anywhere, but he chose the best land that happened to be in the midst of temptation and decadence. Chuck Swindoll in his book, Dropping Your Guard, writes, “Ever so slightly, invisible moral and ethical germs can invade, bringing the beginning states of a terminal disease…. What was once ‘no big thing’ becomes, in fact, bigger than life itself. What started with inquisitive innocence terminates at destructive addiction.”

Where are you settled morally? Morality is all encompassing and Christianity is a moral religion, i.e. there is right and there is wrong. God calls us to live and do rightly and there are blessings. Living and doing wrongly (i.e. sin) brings all kinds of hurt, heartache, pain, destructive, shame, and brokenness of all sorts. The most destructive of all immorality is sexual immorality. You can chose to set your standard wherever you want to. You can adopt the world’s standard or God’s standard. It will be hard and it is a battle, but it is your choice. If you don’t choose, others will chose for you. Not deciding is really to decide. If you don’t set it now, you won’t set it later.

This choice has a lot to do with what you are accepting in your life, the small choices you make which feed your thoughts, actions, habits, and ultimately your lifestyle. Think hard. Don’t lie to yourself. Remember you will reap what you sow! Genesis 19 is Lot’s story. Read it this afternoon when you are bored because there is no football on television.

Second, moral compromise brings temporary pleasure but long-term pain. Let me sum up Lot’s ‘reaping’ that resulted from his decision to settle in the middle of immorality. His choice destroyed his discernment. Put a frog in a pan of cold water and slowly turn up the heat. The frog will eventually cook to death because it slowly adapts to the rising temperature totally unaware that soon his frog legs will be gracing someone’s dinner plate. So to it happens with us when we compromise with sin and immorality. Imperceptibly we find ourselves in hot water. Lot so lost his moral compass that he offered his daughters to men for their sexual pleasure.

Moral compromise depleted Lot’s resources. He did not have the moral courage and power to overcome sexual perversion because he had replaced God with an idol: himself. You cannot serve both God and immorality and when that happens you’ll have no longer have the wherewithal for decision-making. Proverbs 2:19,“None who go to her (the adulteress) return or attain the paths of life.”

Moral compromise affected family intimacy. Proverbs 5:18 says, “Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” You have only so much to give. If you give it to others, you have little to give to those for whom it is intended.

Compromise with sin depletes ministry. Nothing will rob you faster and more thoroughly than sexual impropriety. Whatever ministry you have, whatever testimony you give, whatever influence for Jesus is flushed down the toilet when you get caught up in sexual dalliance. The consequences are severe and full of shame.

Lot’s compromise endangered those around him. There are no victimless sins. Sin, like the science fiction ‘blob’ engulfs and destroys anyone in its path. Lot’s wife lost her life and turned into a pillar of salt. Lot’s sons-in-law laughed at his call to flee immorality because they were comfortable in it. Lot’s daughters later committed incest with him and bore him two sons: Moab and Ammon. Their descendants were some of the Hebrews greatest enemies in the Old Testament. Sexual immorality has devastating effects in your life and in the life of your family, and it affects so many people connected to you.

It diluted his testimony. I have seen it time and time again. Think Jim Bakker.

Lot’s compromise morally diverted him from his destiny, God’s plan for his life. Lot was never heard from again. His spiritual legacy was lost and his life became a sad illustration of selfishness, debauchery, and perversion rather than a vibrant testimony.

Third, here is the crucial question: What moral compromises am I making that are destroying my discernment and putting my life and those around me at risk? Those compromises have the power to destroy others more than we probably realize. How do I overcome moral impurity?

Prepare for moral temptation now! You can do that by the following ways.

1. Establish a Biblical moral perimeter. The best defense is a good offense is not only true for football; it is also works against sin. That perimeter begins by examining sin’s circumstances. What people are you with when you sin? Avoid those people. What settings are you in when temptation overwhelms you? Don’t go to those places. What props do you have that support your sin? Get rid of them. On the television show “Hee Haw,” Doc Campbell treats a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. Doc Campbell looks at him as replies, “Well, stay out of them places!” We cannot put ourselves in the face of temptation and not be affected. If you don’t want to get bit, don’t tease the dogs!

Establish a Biblical moral perimeter by examining sin’s entrances. There are 4 primary paths of entry for moral impurity into your life: your mind, eyes, heart and body. There are some practical ways to guard yourself against moral temptation.

1. Mind. To guard your mind, get into God’s Word and get God’s Word into you. Memorize Scripture that will help you resist the devil and the Bible says the devil will flee from you. Satan has the power to tempt, but you by God’s grace can resist. You can’t stop birds flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair.” You are not helpless pawns in the face of temptation. You have both the right and the power to chose to reject evil. Decide now what your boundaries are
2. Eyes. The Psalmist declared, “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…” (101:3) Set a watch over your eyes by the television shows you watch. Put a filter on your computer and let your wife set the password. Learn to look away when temptation crosses your field of vision.
3. Heart and your affections. Sexual liaisons and adultery almost always begin, not with the eyes, but with the emotions. Whenever you feel any romantic or sexual intrigue, run away faster than the devil. Share that with a trusted friend who will pray for you and keep you accountable.
4. Body. Set clear parameters for what you will and will not entertain with your physical body. Don’t be alone with someone who might tempt you or lead you astray. Keep the window blinds open!

2. Prepare now for moral temptation by enlisting godly accountability. Find 2 or 3 fellow believers to whom you can share your struggle who will hold you accountable, pray for you and encourage you. If you don’t, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas and will destroy you. As Christians, what happens in Vegas needs to be exposed to God’s truth and to trusted friends who will help to hold you steady in the face of the temptation of the sirens enchanting call. Put aside your pride and fess up to somebody that you need help. If you try to solve this problem by yourself you will undoubtedly fail.

3. Don’t flirt with temptation—run from it and run as fast as you can! The Bible gives us one way to respond when we face temptation—flee! When his master’s wife tried to seduce him, Joseph fled. Better to be in prison than to take advantage of his master’s trust. Mark Twain once quipped, “There are several good protections against temptation, but the surest is cowardice.”

Sin is so powerful and we are so weak. At any point in time when the right circumstances and the right pressures and stresses line up, anyone of us can fail. Sin gets its power by persuading us to believe that we will be happier if we give in to that temptation. It’s what the Serpent did to Eve. It’s what Satan tried to do with Jesus. If the devil tempted Jesus, who are you to think that you are above temptation.

A young man asked an elderly pastor, “Pastor, when will I cease to be bothered by sins of the flesh?” The pastor replied, “I wouldn’t trust myself, son, until I’d been dead about 3 days!”

The call of sexual sin is sweet and beautiful and feels so right. Its lure is captivating and powerful. Its destruction is sure and swift and leaves a tremendous amount of collateral damage. When faced with temptation, especially moral temptation, God’s Word makes it clear that a full out sprint is the best choice.

Thank You for Taking The Time to Read This Message.
May God Use These Words to Help You and Strengthen You.