Lift High the Standard...
Along with accountability, I also am hearing Lift High the Standard. Paul speaks to us about running this race to win. We are instructed to lift up the standard as Christians. Yes, Grace and Mercy have their place, but we must not lower the standard and then say it is acceptable because we have Mercy and Grace.
1Co 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Run the race to win...Lift High the Standard...
Isa 62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Isa 62:8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:
Isa 62:9 But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.
Isa 62:10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.
Isa 62:11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
Isa 62:12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.
Lift High the Banner of the Lord...
Psa 60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah.
Because...
Mat 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
This does not sound like some 'walk in the park' journey. It sounds rough, hard, troublesome, but I find comfort with the verse that Christ speaks to us ...
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Our salvation is not based upon works, but neither is it all grace, mercy and do whatever you want.
When champions train for a competition, they put in long hours to obtain their goals. They study hard. Depending upon what they are training to win at, they may eat certain foods thereby depriving the flesh; or they may exercise for endurance, strengthening their muscles, lose weight, or gain physical capacities that go beyond a human body's capacity to achieve certain mile markers. Again, they are subjecting their human body to a routine that will ensure they are a winner. Nowhere in this process do they lower their goals. Lowering their goals will ensure that they do not win thereby defeating their purpose.
How much more as Christians should we lift high the banner of the Lord? Better yet, as Christians, where should we set the goal for the banner? I do not see anywhere where we are instructed to retreat, lower the goals, accept less than...We are in a battle, a spiritual battle and we have a real enemy who wants to destroy anything and everyone. Not a physical battle with this world and its inhabitants, but a spiritual battle with soldiers that we cannot see without discernment from the Lord. May we, as Christians, quit hiding behind the banner of Mercy and Grace and begin training as though we believe what our Bibles say rather than disbelieve God's Written Word.
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