Murderer!
STRANGLED!
Brazil is home to a vicious murderer.
Forest dwellers call the Matador vine “the murderer”
At first, its slender stem creeps along the ground, but once it meets a vigorous tree, the Matador cleaves to the trunk and climbs it. As it climbs, it sends out arm-like tendrils that continue to grow larger and clasp tighter.
The Matador continues to climb the tree until, as if in triumph, it shoots a huge, flowery head above the strangled tree’s summit. From there this “murderer” scatters its seeds to repeat the work of death.
Throughout South East Asia we see evidence of another “strangler” – the strangler fig tree which has an aggressive growth habit that insures its survival in the rainforest.
ther beginning
Its life begins not in the ground, but in a crevice or the crook of a branch. The seedlings grow slowly at first, getting nutrients from the sun, rain and leaf litter that has collected on the host. The strangler fig puts out lots of leaves that soon grow thicker than the host tree and rob it of sun light.
It also sends out many thin roots that snake down the trunk of the host tree or dangle as aerial roots from its branches. When the roots reach the ground they dig in and put on a growth spurt, competing with the host tree for water and nutrients.
strangler
They also send out a network of roots that encircle the host tree and fuse together. As the roots grow thicker they squeeze the trunk of its host and cut off its flow of nutrients. Eventually the host dies from strangulation, insufficient sunlight and root competition, and the strangler fig stands on its own. A hollow centre is all that remains of the host.
growing roots
Temples and buildings which have been “devoured” by the strangler fig are a tourist attraction.
We can look at the results of a strangler fig and marvel at the awesome sights – but the strangler fig is a murderer. It slowly killed the host tree in order to survive.
Just like that vine,
COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD
will choke the spiritual life of the believer
who allows it to grow and send out its tendrils.
The host tree had no defence.
It could not fight back.
We are WITHOUT EXCUSE!
We have all the resources of God at our disposal and can – not in our own strength, but in the power He gives – say a resounding “NO!” to compromise. We are to avoid all appearance of evil and to allow one “dubious” activity is to let the thin edge of the wedge make an inroad which leads to destruction.
Mr Anon says:
# Compromise leads to compromise – which leads to compromise. . . . .
# ANYTHING that takes God’s place is OUT of place.
# Many things are worse than defeat and compromise is one of them.
Compromise will TAKE you FURTHER
than you ever thought you’d STRAY
Compromise will KEEP you LONGER
than you ever thought you’d STAY
Compromise will COST you MORE
than you ever thought you’d PAY
MEETING IN THE CLOUDS 
I love this post! It’s so true how we might let one thing in our life that we think is no big deal but your conclusion really struck me- it’s never worth it!
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Thanks for the comment.
Compromise is NEVER worth the cost.
Jesus calls us to take up our cross, and as everyone who heard His words realised, that meant only one thing – death: death to self and self will.
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Reblogged this on These Christian Times and commented:
Amazing article. What roots are squeezing the life and faith out of you.
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Thanks for the reblog.
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great read an article loved it..
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Reblogged this on God's Enduring Love and commented:
Cloudwatcher never ceases to amaze me with her illustrated Bible teachings and strong exhortations to the Christian believer and fence straddlers!
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Thanks for the reblog and the encouraging comments.
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Reblogged this on Steve Ashford's Blog and commented:
Hate evil. Hate compromise!
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Thanks for the reblog.
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Angela . . .you are a treasure and your post is powerful and true. Thank you so much for telling it like it is about compromise . . .the bad kind!
God bless you and your beautiful family!
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Thanks for calling by Debbie and for your encouragement.
Compromise is sometimes necessary and mutually beneficial, but compromise which is against God’s standards even to the tiniest extent, is always bad and will always lead to havoc.
Angela
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Pingback: Troubles and Persecution – My Tuesday Three | Linda Kruschke's Blog
Wonderfully truthful post! It reminds me of a line in the song “Slow Fade” by Casting Crowns: “Be careful little ears what you hear; When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near.”
If you don’t mind, I would like to include a blurb from and link to this post in My Tuesday Three post that I am working on for tomorrow. The topic is the persecution of the church, and at first I was going to find three posts about outward persecution by non-Christians in countries like Egypt, China, etc. because I found one great post on that topic. But God has been leading me in another direction, and I believe this post is the third in the set of posts about ways in which Christ’s church is persecuted and attacked by the evil one. Please let me know if it is okay with you if I include this post as part of My Tuesday Three. Peace, Linda
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Here in Australia and the Western world we know very little about persecution as those in some countries know. The biggest problems in our society come from within the Church and compromise is one of the main weapons used by the devil to achieve his results. Compromise is insidious and leads to more and more compromise and before long, truth is no longer seen.
By all means, use my blogs in any way you wish.
Angela.
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Wow…
Thank you so much for sharing…
“Compromise leads to compromise – which leads to compromise. . . . ”
This post has me on high alert. This line sends off warning bells !! 1 peter 5:8 warns us about being on guard as the enemy is checking us out to see who he can trip up. Thanks for the reminder! Praying God will open our eyes to the traps the enemy sets. What a dangerous place we find ourselves in when we compromise!
God bless you.
ann
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Hi Ann
Compromise is such a sly evil. Just like the Matador Vine or the strangler fig tree, it tends to creep up slowly so we don’t even realise it until it has a hold. Allowing our minds to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and practicing the presence of God moment by moment in our everyday lives will protect us from such attacks. As you quote from 1 Peter, we need to be vigilant.
Thanks for sharing
Angela
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Angela,
I really can add very little to your posting… one thing I know is this… over the years I have seen in the life of many dedicated Christians a slow decline into sin through compromise. Once begun… in most cases… compromise continues to take it’s victim downward, slowly but surely.
The only rememdy for this I know of is to never start to compromise our convictions. By standing firm in our beliefs, we please the Lord and work for our good.
May the Lord bless you. Rob
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Compromise, like a lie, cannot live alone. Compromise leads to compromise, leads to compromise – and leads further and further away from God’s way.
The only remedy I know of, once compromise starts its evil work, is the fact that *IF* the person is a child of God, HE will continue His work and draw the person back to Himself, but it is most likely that the person will have to hit rock bottom before he will look up.
Compromise with the world is costly.
The Promises of God are precious.
Angela
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Hi Angela,
Yet another enlightening post! It is truly a sad commentary, of how difficult it is for us to get the world to compromise with us, concerning their worldly ways, yet it is so easy, for the body of Christ, to compromise with the world! The saints who are filled with the Holy Ghost, have no excuse, because God can keep anyone, who desires to be kept by His mighty power! Instead, many are drawn away of their own lust and enticed! “We are without excuse!”
Paulette
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“Drawn away of their own lust” – So true! It is only when we allow SELF to dominate that satan has a victory. When the Lord is in control, he flees – a defeated foe.
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Angela,
| Compromise will TAKE you FURTHER than you ever thought you’d STRAY
Compromise will KEEP you LONGER than you ever thought you’d STAY
Compromise will COST you MORE than you ever thought you’d PAY |
Absolutely. It has been a long time since I have read this type of cut to the quick bullet statement – three bangs, right to the heart. As an aside, this probably goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway: there is a healthy compromise that unless made, we break.
Great post, Angela.
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Hi Todd.
Yes, as any happily married person or any parent knows, compromise (or give and take) is sometimes necessary and beneficial.
BUT . . . If compromise causes harm to anyone, then compromise is wrong. If my ideals, morals, ethics, commitments are compromised, then compromise is wrong.
Above all, if GOD’S STANDARDS are compromised, then compromise is wrong.
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I concur.
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