Raise the Standard

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Saturday morning, the 31st of January, 2026, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.

We start in Isaiah 59:19:

”When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.”

Are you lifting up your standard today, am I lifting up my standard today? Does the enemy recognise who we are? I hope so.

Then we go to Romans 1:16:

”For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

When we stand up for the Lord, He stands up for us. I really want to say, especially to young people who are starting out in a new career, maybe this year you are going to university for the first time, maybe you’re starting an apprenticeship in a company, maybe you have just become a professional sportsman or woman. I want to say to you today, please listen to me, it is vitally important that you start the right way. Yes, you lift up your standard!

In the Book of Numbers, when the Children of Israel were travelling to the promised land, they marched in their different clans, following an order. We are Christians, we need to make sure that people know who we are. We must not be ashamed of the Gospel, in fact I want to go one stage further. I have found in my life that a man or a woman who is not really prepared to lift up the standard of Jesus Christ. In other words, they are believers, they say they love Jesus, but depending on which company they are found in. So if they are found in the pub where the boys are getting drunk and they are speaking about immoral things, and then if you want to join with them, then they look at you sideways, but you’re the person that’s in church on Sunday with your hands raised up shouting, “Hallelujah”, and they despise you for that.  

You see, my dear young friend, people don’t have to like you, but they must respect you, and they will respect you if you stand firm in what you believe. I’m not saying you must point fingers. I’m not saying you must judge or criticise. I mean, who are we to criticise any man, but our standard must be clear. People must understand who we are and who we stand for and you know, when we get into trouble and we all get into trouble, all of us, they will come to you for help. 

Today, raise the standard! 

Jesus bless you and have a wonderful day.
Goodbye.