Upside Down

Upside down! these words even sound funny when you stop to think about them.  If you owe more money than your property is worth, then you are upside down on your mortgage/loan.  And that thought is scary, but what is even scarier is that we are living in an upside-down world.  How so, you might ask.  The Bible clearly tells us that there is coming a day when good will be called evil and evil will be called good. If you watch the “news” (and I use that term loosely), then you can actually see it playing out right before our eyes, right now, today!  I get so mad just trying to watch the news or read it.  The truth is miniscule if not completely avoided or twisted in almost everything.  I went looking for the verse/verses that spoke about evil being called good and good being called evil. I found way more than I remembered.

In the following verse, Isaiah 5: 20-21 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!  Read the first three words again, “Woe to those”.  What if we changed the word “those” to “me”?  Hmmm, makes you take a pause doesn’t it?

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines “Wo” as a noun; as grief, sorrow, misery; a heavy calamity.  No, I didn’t misspell woe.  Noah Webster wrote it as “wo”.

2 Timothy 3: 1-5 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.  Here is a bit of wisdom we need to know and teach our children. Talk about some great vocabulary words!

Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike, an abomination to the Lord.

Revelation 28:1 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”  This verse is bittersweet.  We sit back and think, “ah, yes. They finally get what they deserve.”  But…then I think, “oh Lord don’t let it be me.”  This verse could be referring to your best friend, the little old lady next door, the teenager that defies all the rules, down the street, or that family member that you know is not saved.  I can’t stand the thought of anyone suffering eternally.  Take your most painful day and think about it lasting for eternity.  We can’t handle that kind of judgment, can we?

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

John 8:31-32 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This last verse is what makes the upside-down right-side up. We (Saved people) are FREE.  No matter the lies and half-truths that spread the world over, WE. ARE. FREE. REDEEMED.  We have been set free through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Never forget, WE ARE FREE by the blood shed on the cross. WE. ARE. FREE. through the grace and mercy of our Father who art in Heaven.  As a failed, sinful human, I want justice for the victims of the evil doers.  But for grace and mercy I could still be one of the evil doers. Thank God I am saved!

The following link was used for scripture reference.

https://www.openbible.info/topics/woe_to_those_who_call_evil_good_and_good_evil