Good and Evil

I've had so much on my mind lately as I look around at the way things are going. And although the condition of the world and what unbelievers are doing is scary and sometimes shocking, I have to admit that what bothers me most isn't that. It's the choices of those who claim to know Jesus. Who say they are believers of the same God I serve. But yet how they view His word and the truths in it are so completely different than what actually is reality. That is the scariest thing I see these days. But while it does bother me greatly and make me extremely saddened as well, it also makes us step back and reevaluate ourselves. Look at our own family and the choices we've made or are making. We want to hold to the truth of God's laws and not compromise or change them just because it seems like that's what the majority are doing in order to be more comfortable in this world. Saying all that, the Lord brought these scriptures to my mind this week and I wanted to share them (as well as the thoughts I've had along with them) with you all. They seem to speak almost perfectly of how things are these days and most especially to those who are willing to act like sin isn't all that bad anymore.

^{I saiah 5:20} Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
²¹ Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
²² Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
²³ Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
²⁴ Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
²⁵ Therefore is the anger of the Lord kindled against his people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

I just can't seem to get away from thinking about these words. The ones in verse 20 have stayed with me the most and just keep running through my head. I don't want to call evil good and good evil! We want our family to be holy and separate from the world and willing to stand up against sin no matter who is doing it. And no it isn't easy but we want to do it because it's right! There's another verse in Romans that says to "abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good" and we want that to be true in our lives. It's so very easy to let worldly things slip in slowly and not even realize how far we've gone until there's been so much compromise that we've vexed our righteous souls and caused our witness to others to be hindered. Our prayer is that God would help us to stand strong against the lies that Satan (and our own flesh!) try to trick us into believing about things that can harm our fellowship with the Lord. We want to stick to what's good and not fall into the trap of excusing evil rather than hating it. There is SO much out there now that can start out seeming so innocent but in reality leads us away from righteousness in our lives. I want God to keep reminding us to stay vigilant against those things or to become so again if we've let anything slip in.  
Will you join us in praying that as well? That we as Christians will stop calling evil things good (such as movies, music, clothing, attitudes, and other openly, sinful behaviors that don't honor the Lord) and instead pursue true holiness. I think choosing to lay aside the things in our life that have quenched or grieved the Holy Spirit and then seeking His help in having a touch on our hearts to live in a way that's more pleasing to Him is the first step in seeing true revival and repentance in our churches and country. May God burden us even more in these days to live for Him so that the lost world might see a difference and be saved before it's too late! I don't want to be counted as one who has brought woe on themselves by becoming too comfortable with sin. Do you?