Sticking to Your Standards

God has really been dealing with my heart about a lot of things recently.  Namely - holiness.  God keeps drawing me to be more, to rid my life of things and to be more steadfast in what He has already led our family to be.

I was reading a book by Hugh Pyle called, Stick to Your Standards and it was even more the same message that God had already been dealing with me about.  There are some things that I've let in to my life and our home that God isn't pleased with.  Sure, I could justify them all day long - but I know deep inside that God has said NO!

Today, I finally let go of the fight and told God that I would let them go.  I didn't experience a life growing up watching a family compromise in many ways that only destroyed the holiness it once had - to do so myself.  I went through it so I would know what it looks like and to raise up a generation that was more concerned about God and holiness.

God needs men, women, and children to lift up the standard in this darkened world.  We are already infiltrated with the doctrines of men that proclaim that sin isn't so bad anymore and that you don't need to be holy.  We don't need to find ways to let more of the world in our homes, we need to find ways to keep more of it out!

I like the quote that was shared in the book I mentioned:

When all of God's sheep become dirty gray, the black sheep feel more comfortable. - Vance Havner

There are absolutes of right and wrong.  There is black and white.  Anything that falls into the gray areas must be carefully and prayerfully considered.  As many have said in times past, I would rather go too far than not far enough and miss the mark.  Thank God that He has standards and that we, by the Holy Spirit, can be directed in our ways and our lives.

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ..... Phil. 1:27