Your Standard (Principles) Or His?

       We live in times that many have attested to being one of the dire times in the history of man. Values that humans held for centuries are being turned on their heads. Truth that held communities together is now being contested and its definition is now said to be subjective. Truly, it looks like the whole world is going crazy. Now before we think this is unusual, the Bible says: “The thing that has been – it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been, in the vast ages of time [recorded or unrecorded] which were before us. There is no remembrance of former happenings or men, neither will there be any remembrance of happenings of generations that are to come by those who are to come after them” (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11, AMP). Thus, whatever we see now had happened before and will most definitely happen again if the Lord tarries. What will end these cyclical events is the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ. This calls for reflection and caution as we await His return. From the foregoing Scripture, one can safely conclude that to effectively navigate the times we are in, it is best for one to return to Him that had being from the beginning of time, for direction and instruction (John 1:1-3).  

       So many sons of God try to live independent of Him by claiming that we live in different times from the biblical times, thus, what operated then cannot operate now. These same people, turn around to ask Him to bless them and the land; and when things don’t go the way they want, they turn around and blame Him. Beloved, the fact that the world has been, is and will be until He comes, tells us that everything operates at His pleasure. Meaning, He has standards (principles) put in place to hold everything together until He returns: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth…For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast” (Psalm 33:6, 9). This tells us that we cannot operate in our standards (principles) and expect Him to come bless us. Those that tried it in Scriptures regretted it; why do you think you can? You may argue and say that is why He gave us brains! True, but the brains were not given to us to set up our own standards independent of His, but that we should search out and follow His standards: “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14). 

       Over the years, His standards (principles) have not changed or evolved; His Word is the same yesterday, today and forever! Because of evil that was prevalent during the days of Noah, God told him to make an ark because He was going to destroy the world. Beloved that instruction has not changed. The Bible tells us: “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same Word, are reserved for fire until the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2Peter 3:7). Like Noah, in order to live well in these times and to scale through unhurt when the world and all that is in it is destroyed, we need to walk with Him according to His standard. He told Noah: “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch. And this is how you shall make it…” (Genesis 6:14-15a). There was an instruction according to His standard. Noah obeyed; he, his household and some of the animals were saved. 

       Beloved, to go against the Lord’s standard will spell certain doom for your ventures. Your marriage, your home, your job and your life, are they according to the standard of God? Are you single and you desire to marry, but you want to marry according to your principles or the principles of men? Beloved, you are setting yourself up for a fail! Or you are married, and you run your home according to your own standard or that of men, crises will not depart from such a home. Beloved, it’s time to look into the perfect Word of God and set aside our standards and pick His up if we intend to reign with Him at the end. The people in Noah’s days scoffed and laughed, but they were sorry when the floods came and Heaven was shut against them. Beloved, don’t wait until then to find out if you are right or wrong. Make the right decision now by exchanging your standard for His. May the Lord flood your heart with understanding and the grace to obey Him. God bless you!