Upside-Down World
Stop doing evil and do good. Look for peace and work for it. The Lord sees the good people and listens to their prayers. But the Lord is against those who do evil; he makes the world forget them. -Psalm 34:14-16 (NCV)
People who love the Lord hate evil. The Lord watches over those who follow him and frees them from the power of the wicked. -Psalm 97:10 (NCV)
Your love must be real. Hate what is evil, and hold on to what is good. -Romans 12:9 (NCV)
So put all evil things out of your life: sexual sinning, doing evil, letting evil thoughts control you, wanting things that are evil, and greed. This is really serving a false god. -Colossians 3:5
A person must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. He must not say evil things, and be must not tell lies. He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it. -1 Peter 3:10-11 (NCV)
Obeying the principles God lays out will protect us from the consequences of sin. We honor God by obeying Him and living peacefully with each other. -Max Lucado
We live in an upside down world. Men hate when they should love, men quarrel when they should be friendly, men fight when they should be peaceful, men wound when they should heal, men steal when they should share, men do wrong when they should do right. . .
The disciples, to the world, were misfits. To an upside-down man, a right-side up man seems upside down. To a sinner, a righteous man is an oddity and an abnormality. A Christian's goodness is a rebuke to the wicked; his being right-side up is a reflection upon the world's inverted position.
-From Day by Day with Billy Graham by Joan W. Brown; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
As stated above, following God's principles keeps us from facing the consequences of sin. I also see God's principles as guidelines for living a healthier, more content life. God is like an earthly father who desires to protect and keep us safe.
We often encounter those who find God's principles confining or judgmental. That is because they are an "upside-down" person. While the world is fighting for "equality" in areas of marriage, acceptance of certain types of lifestyles, and trying to desensitize us to foul language, violence, and promiscuity; the "Christian's goodness is a rebuke."
But the Bible is clear that the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Those who fight for and live against God's principles will face the consequences for their choices with an eternity of suffering separated from God.
God does indeed love everyone. The Bible tells us that "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). But eternity with God is only given to those who choose to believe in Christ and follow God's principles. "Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
It is clearly an upside-down world in which we are living. But I pray that more and more "right-side up" Christians will rise up and stand strong for the Truth of God and that we can be a light to those who remain in the darkness of the upside-down world.
People who love the Lord hate evil. The Lord watches over those who follow him and frees them from the power of the wicked. -Psalm 97:10 (NCV)
Your love must be real. Hate what is evil, and hold on to what is good. -Romans 12:9 (NCV)
So put all evil things out of your life: sexual sinning, doing evil, letting evil thoughts control you, wanting things that are evil, and greed. This is really serving a false god. -Colossians 3:5
A person must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. He must not say evil things, and be must not tell lies. He must stop doing evil and do good. He must look for peace and work for it. -1 Peter 3:10-11 (NCV)
Obeying the principles God lays out will protect us from the consequences of sin. We honor God by obeying Him and living peacefully with each other. -Max Lucado
We live in an upside down world. Men hate when they should love, men quarrel when they should be friendly, men fight when they should be peaceful, men wound when they should heal, men steal when they should share, men do wrong when they should do right. . .
The disciples, to the world, were misfits. To an upside-down man, a right-side up man seems upside down. To a sinner, a righteous man is an oddity and an abnormality. A Christian's goodness is a rebuke to the wicked; his being right-side up is a reflection upon the world's inverted position.
-From Day by Day with Billy Graham by Joan W. Brown; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
As stated above, following God's principles keeps us from facing the consequences of sin. I also see God's principles as guidelines for living a healthier, more content life. God is like an earthly father who desires to protect and keep us safe.
We often encounter those who find God's principles confining or judgmental. That is because they are an "upside-down" person. While the world is fighting for "equality" in areas of marriage, acceptance of certain types of lifestyles, and trying to desensitize us to foul language, violence, and promiscuity; the "Christian's goodness is a rebuke."
But the Bible is clear that the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Those who fight for and live against God's principles will face the consequences for their choices with an eternity of suffering separated from God.
God does indeed love everyone. The Bible tells us that "God so loved the world" (John 3:16). But eternity with God is only given to those who choose to believe in Christ and follow God's principles. "Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
It is clearly an upside-down world in which we are living. But I pray that more and more "right-side up" Christians will rise up and stand strong for the Truth of God and that we can be a light to those who remain in the darkness of the upside-down world.
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