“Depart from me, you evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God” (Psalm 119:115).

When Allen trusted the Lord Jesus for salvation, he was eager to tell his friends the good news. These were the friends that he used to hang around with as they went from one club to another. These were the friends he used to drink with and with whom he lived recklessly. As a brand new Christian he came to the realization early that he did not belong in a club. He tried to keep his friends, but in explaining to them why he could no longer go to the clubs, an interesting thing took place. He did not give up his friends; his friends turned their backs on him. At the next small group gathering, Allen shared this with his newfound church friends. One of the men, Alex, spoke up and said, “Allen, you have learned the lesson that several of us in this room have learned. When we trusted Christ for salvation, none of us purposely gave up our friends. Our friends walked away from us because very honestly their lifestyle was evil. It is very important for you, Allen, to live your life built on the Word of God. In doing so, don’t be surprised if your old friends walk away!

For today: Remember that above all else, we must keep God’s Word as our standard.