Living Right Side Up In An Upside Down Society

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LIVING RIGHT SIDE UP IN AN UPSIDE SOCIETY!

Proverbs 3:1-10.

INTRODUCTION: What is a Christian supposed to do? We live in a society that is upside down.

Years ago I rode a ride at the State Fair that turned the riders upside down several times during the duration of the ride. When the ride was finished I had trouble focusing and getting my balance straightened out again. It was hard to determine which way to walk.

I think that is what is or has happened in this society we live in. Everything has been turned upside down. It has been turned upside down morally, ethically, and physically. Nothing is biblically right side up. It is hard to live right side up in an upside down society. But you can live right side up if you want to.

Society has no vision of how God looks at the system that we live in. Society sees everything totally different than God expects us to look at it.

Society says it is proper to kill unborn babies just because the parents do not want the responsibility of raising them.

Society thinks it is proper to condemn, restrict, and ever eliminate a Bible believing and teaching church.

It is accepted by our society for a child to make their own decision as though they were adults. They can choose what is beneficial to them physically, morally, and emotionally. They can even choose a life style that is completely opposed to the family belief system.

It is society proper to allow a perpetrator to have freedom to continue doing his/her crimes and/or any misdemeanor chosen. In most situations it is depriving of personal rights to restrain an individual from doing their own desire regardless if it is infringing on others rights or not.

Society says any and all sin should be looked at as a choice, while restraining the only freedom to truthfully preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Society says that right may not always be right to everyone and the individual can decide for himself what is right and wrong for him.

It is accepted by society that government officials can engage themselves in any conduct and not have to answer to the public for such.

It is accepted by society that religions can be determined by society whether such is legitimate.

When we look at anything from our own surroundings or own ability we will have a distorted view, and it won’t appear like it does to God. When God is given the total freedom to perform His promises and His will in our lives then everything is right side up. Remember society will view it as being upside down.

(Prov 3:5) "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

(Prov 3:6) "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

(Prov 3:7) "Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil."

(Prov 3:8) "It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones."

(Prov 3:9) "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:"

(Prov 3:10) "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine."

This portion of Scripture tells us that there is a way in which every child of God can live successful and acceptable to God even though the surroundings may not be conceivably acceptable.

Notice again Vs. 10: "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." Is Vs. 10 applicable for 2002? Of course it is. Full barns and full wine presses. Plenteous. More than enough. How many of you would consider that to be living “Right Side Up?” I sure would.

Even if the whole society is upside down we, the children of God, can still live right side up.

I want to give you four areas of life in which you must make this work for you.

I. TRUST GOD BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE

(Prov 3:5) "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."

Several have mentioned the 1828 Noah Webster Dictionary this week. The English word “Trust” in the “Hebrew” means - “Be confident or sure:--be bold (confident, secure, sure), careless, confidence, hope, trust.

A very interesting word in this definition. “Careless” – How would that apply in trusting? Christians who put total trust in the Lord will appear to others to be careless in practice and thinking. An unbelieving person would think it very careless for a Christian, to place total trust in the Lord for all our needs, with no regard to whether or not God would do what He promised. It would appear to be “careless” not to make a back up provision in the event God didn’t come through. To an unbeliever it will look careless. To a dedicated believer it is just “trusting the Lord”. When you announce to a godless society that you are going to live totally by faith and they will call you “careless”. If Christians really place their faith and trust in God in the Bible manner, everyone else will think we are “careless”.