It's not hard to look around you and see that "the standard" by which people live by is constantly changing...and not for the better. It's ironic that it is still referred to as a "standard" though, considering it is always changing. Webster defines "standard" as "an idea or thing used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations". So since our standard has changed so much over the years, we started to call it "today's standard". In some areas where technology has improved the way we can do things, I can understand and appreciate how standards have changed. But when you start looking at the moral decay of our country/world, we need a wake up call about how much we have allowed things to change.
It is almost hard to to even say we have a standard in some areas of life anymore. It seems like if the right people complain, then all of the sudden the standard changes. Take for example marriage. Marriage was always (since the beginning of time) between a man and a woman. Not because one day someone decided it should be, but because that was the way it ALWAYS was. It was designed by God, and He set the standard. However, we as humans think we can just change the standard on something like that. We get a group of people who want to challenge something and all of the sudden something that always was, is no longer. And people say "well now there is a new standard", but I would argue that, because there really isn't. What there is is a loss of a standard...and now the new standard will change again and again and again. Because as soon as the next group complains, it will get changed again, and so on. And where does is stop. We have lowered the standard on so many moral issues that they are hardly moral issues anymore. They are more like immoral issues. We have changed laws that have been in effect for so long on topics that make no sense...like legalization of drugs, abortion, and even underage sex. I was shocked to once find out that kids can have sex after a certain age (and it's not 18) and parents can't do a thing about it. What?? We can allow kids to make those kind of choices, but they can't vote? Please explain that to me! But again, it's because we have lowed the standard to ridiculous levels in many areas of our society.
So I will ask the question that is the title of this blog....what is the standard? Are you using the world to set the standards in your life, or are you allowing God? Are you allowing your standards to slip and change when it makes your life easier? Or do you stand firm on God's word, hard or not? Let's face it, humans are selfish at the core. And we, when left to our own devices, will make selfish choices that will lead to our own destruction. Blindly walking into the traps that the enemy has set for us because they look attractive to our flesh. It's time for this to stop. It's time for God's people, and God's church, to stop accepting the lower standard because it's "easier". It's time for truth to be spoken behind the pulpit, and instead of worrying about it offending someone who might stop tithing, we pray that it will touch someone's heart and they will turn from their sins. It's time to stop changing the church to fit the world and act like the men and women God has called us to be...those that will change the world. Never stop speaking in LOVE....but at the same time, NEVER stop speaking the TRUTH.
Revelation 21:8 sets a standard, and it doesn't beat around the bush to do it. It says it boldly and bluntly. It says "But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death". And this is my own take on this verse, so you can accept this or not...but the "cowards" that I think that verse refers to are the people who started to go against God and accept the world's standards. The ones who once called a sin a sin...but then started to come into agreement with the world by saying things like "well maybe that's not that wrong". If God's word says it's wrong, then it's wrong. You can sugar coat abortion by saying it's not murder, you can muddy up marriage by saying you don't have to be a man and a woman, you can say premarital sex and living together is ok because it's not hurting anyone....you can paint the picture to make it look however you want. But at the end of the day, we better all remember this...it was never our picture to paint. Whether you believe in God or not, He exists, He created this world, and He set the original standards. And when we go against them, we are going against Him.
If you have allowed your standards to slip like I once did, then ask Him to wake you up! Ask Him to open your eyes and your ears so you can see the decay going on around you that you were becoming comfortable with. Let the Holy Spirit convict your heart and change you into who God created you to be. And be bold, speaking the truth in love!
God, thank You for Your standards. Please forgive us for accepting less that Your standard. Help us to stand firm on Your Word, Your Truth and Your Standards! And let the light that You can produce in us be seen by others. In Jesus name, Amen
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