God / Society

Today I have a different style and train of thought for your consideration.  As the years go by, it is apparent that the societal norms and God’s word are farther and farther apart, as appears to be the cycle of history.  We know God’s laws, and the things that please and displease him.  We know how to find salvation (repent, believe!).  But as the world and God get farther apart, the pressure increases and people begin to blur the lines between good and evil.  Those lines blur more with each generation until people forget right from wrong.  We make excuses, we are desensitized, and we bend and make more and more allowances.  While we are changing… God does not change!  His lines are black and white, there are no gray areas, and there is no blurring.  I thought it would be interesting and do a little research into how different Gods’ word and today’s societal norms really are.  We need to wake up, and see just how far our world has strayed from God’s straight lines.

Subject - beauty

Society:  pleasing to the eye, shapely, hot, minimal clothing

God:  1 Peter3:4 “…the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

Subject - success

Society:  money, house, car, expensive clothes

God:  Proverbs 28:6 “Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich.”  Proverbs 1:3 “Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.”  Matthew 19:21 “Jesus told him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me’.”  Success in the bible… is heaven, eternal life! 

Subject - Money

Society: ‘I need more’.

God: Luke 12:21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”  Matthew 19:24 …”it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God.”

Subject - revenge

Society: ‘I’ll show them!”, paybacks!, ‘he’ll pay for that!’

God: Matthew 6:38 – 42 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.  But I say, do not resist and evil person!  If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other check also.”  Romans 12:17 -  “Never pay back evil with more evil.  Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.  Dear friends, never take revenge.  Leave that to the righteous anger of God. “

Subject - lying

Society: ‘a little white lie never hurt anyone’, ‘no one will ever know’

God:  Proverbs 26:23 “Smooth words may hide a wicked heart…”  Proverbs 6:16 “There are 6 things the Lord hates – no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, false witness that pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.”

 

Subject - prayer

Society: separation of church and state, not in public!, not in our schools – it might offend my kid if your kid prays -

God:  Psalm 40:1,2 “ I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”  Psalm 50:15  “Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory.”  Philippians 4:6-7  “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  -The bible repeatedly tells us to pray, IT IS HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH GOD!

Subject - stress

Society: illness, it’s got me down, ‘I need a drink!”, run run run

God:  Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”  Psalm 9:9-10 “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”   Matthew 11:28 - 30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Subject - divorce

Society: ‘I just don’t love him any more’, ‘we lost touch years ago’

God:  Matthew 19:6 “Since they are no longer two but one, let no one split apart what God has joined together.”  Matthew 19:9 “And I tell you this, whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery – unless his wife is unfaithful.”

Subject – punishing children

Society: you can’t spank your children, that is child abuse

God:  Proverbs 23:13 “Don’t fail to discipline your children.  They won’t die if you spank them.”

Subject – envy, coveting

Society: ‘I want, I want, I want’, ‘she has one, I want one too!’ – ‘his is better than mine’, ‘the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence’

God:  Exodus 20:17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house.  You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

Subject - gossip

Society: ‘water cooler talk’, ‘the hens are clucking’, ‘did you hear…?’

God: Proverbs 16:28 “A troublemaker plants seeds of strife, gossip separates the best of friends.”

Subject - parents

Society: ‘they can’t tell me what to do’

God: Exodus 20:12 “Honor thy father and mother.”

Subject - pride

Society:  the ‘look at me’ mentality

God: Luke 14:11 “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”  Matthew 6:1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

Subject - hate

Society: ‘hate those who hate you, hate those who hurt you’

God: Romans 12:14 Bless those that persecute you.  Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.   Romans 12:20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.  If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.”  Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Subject - adultery

Society: there is a show on TV called - Mistresses

God: Exodus 20:14 “You must not commit adultery.”

Subject – life in general

Society: ‘you have to do what is best for you’

God: Matthew 20:28 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  1Peter 3:10-12  “…If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.  Turn away from evil and do good.  Search for peace, and work to maintain it.  The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right and his ears are open to the r prayers.  But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”

The verse that sums up all these comparisons is:

Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

I know I probably left out many verses and many other topics to compare (like bad language).  Feel free to comment with more!  Most of this hits close to home!  I hope it can be used to strengthen your relationship with our Father in Heaven!  As dismal as reading this may seem, always remember the light at the end of the tunnel.  The way out of sin.  The way out of the darkness.  The way to eternal life.  THE WAY!  JESUS!  JESUS IS THE WAY!

John 3:16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believed in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.”

The time is now…