The Standard

Exodus 15:25-26 "It was there at Marah that the Lord set before them the following decree as a standard to test their faithfulness to him. 26 He said, “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the Lord who heals you.”

Exodus 16:19/27-28 "Then Moses told them, “Do not keep any of it until morning.” 20 But some of them didn’t listen and kept some of it until morning. But by then it was full of maggots and had a terrible smell. Moses was very angry with them. 27 Some of the people went out anyway on the seventh day, but they found no food. 28 The Lord asked Moses, “How long will these people refuse to obey my commands and instructions?"

God told Moses that he was going to set a standard for the people of Israel to live by and that the standard would be a test of their faithfulness to God. Every time the children of Israel violated the standard that God set for them, they revealed the true condition of their heart. They loved what God was doing for them, but they didn't love God.

Unfortunately there are many in the Church today who love what God does for them but they don't love God. I know that sounds like a harsh statement but the proof is in the pudding. When you look at how many professing Christians are living their lives, they profess with their mouths but their lives deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They say the right things but live the wrong way. "I love God but I support homosexual marriage", "I love God but I support the murder of unborn babies", "I love God but every decision I make is based on money", "I love God but I just don't have time to be involved in the local church", "I love God but I have no concern for the eternal souls of men, that is the preachers job", I love God but don't ask me to make any sacrifices for the kingdom of God", "I love God but I am my own person and I do my own thing" and the list goes on and on.

Jesus said you would know a tree by its fruits not its profession. The standards of the word of God don't make us righteous, we are made righteous through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and him alone. But the standards of the word do reveal our heart and help us and others to see if we really do love God or love what God does for us. How you respond to the standards of the word of God reveal whether you are faithful to God or just milking God for what you can get from him.

But standards apply not only to your relationship with God but also with those in leadership over you. Standards are test, they test our faithfulness to one who sets the standard. Standards reveal a persons heart toward their leader, those who buck the standard don't have the leaders heart, therefore they don't have the leaders back.

Every pastor/leader should have standards in place that line up with the word of God and the vision of the house. These standards not only protect the people that you have been called to lead, but it reveals the heart of the people and shows the position of their heart to you the leader. Someone that continually bucks the standard does not qualify to be in a leadership position because they don't have your heart.

Now understand that their is a difference someone who has legitimate questions and concern and someone who bucks the standard. The one with legitimate questions ask their questions and move on, the one who bucks the standard is always challenging the way you do things or what you are asking them to do. Standards are test, that reveal people's hearts, if you are a leader and you don't have standards in place then I encourage you to get before God and set a standard for ministry and leadership in your church or ministry. These standards safeguard your people and your own heart.