PARADOX

The Upside-Down World

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 09 May 2013

Hi all,

We all begin our new life in the Kingdom of God at more or less the same point. We have been living in a world in which the values are virtually the opposite of Christian life. 

For example, we are taught at school to seek to be “first”. The 2012 Olympic Games in London showed this clearly. Many of the people who came second were in tears. They only came second! Some of us will understand this. They have been in training for about 4 years, getting ready for the event. Hours of training and practice for this one event; a small fortune spent to reach the pitch of perfection. To then only came second? To be second best! All the time and money spent for this! Only second best! My heart breaks with and for them! 

The Christian's Reward
"Well Done Good & Faithful Servant"

Then I pause and think about life in the Kingdom. It’s so opposite to what we have seen in the case of the Olympic Athlete. In the Christian Life race, your competition is you. You are not running for a gold medal but for a “Well done, Good and Faithful Servant” from the King of Kings. You will get a Golden Crown for having finished the course; a crown that will not fade or be put aside in four years for a new competition. You may finish last when competing with others. That’s not important. What is important is to put others first. This means you will be last! (Point 4 below)

This is typical of life in God’s Kingdom. In fact in most areas of life, things are the opposite. To see things correctly, the best thing to do is stand on your head. It’s the paradox of Life. What men believe, is frequently the opposite of what we believe in Christianity!

In the table below you will find 12 “World Principles”. i.e. 12 examples of what we are taught in this world. Next to them you will also find the corresponding and opposite principle in the Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom Counter Culture – The Paradox Of Christian Life With Life In This World
Kingdom of this World Satan = god of this world 2 Cor. 4:4		Kingdom of God JESUS is Lord Phil 2:11		Practical Answers for Christians
World Principles		Kingdom of God	Scripture
1	Seeing is Believing	Believing is seeing	John 20:29	Faith like Potatoes – Angus Buchan’s crop
2	Attain Wisdom	Become a fool	1 Cor. 3:18	Christians are called idiots in Varsities
3	Save your life	Lose your life	Matt 16:25	You get to keep only what you give away
4	Be first	Be last	Mark 10:34	Allow God to promote you
5	Achieve Greatness	Become the least	Mark 10:34	The least in the Kingdom is the greatest
6	Be a leader	Become a servant	Mark 10:34	Servant-hood trains leaders
7	Exalt yourself	Humble yourself	Luke 14:11	If you exalt yourself, you will be humbled
8	Take the front seat	Take a back seat	Luke 14:10	The front is reserved for those God selects
9	Look after your own interests	Look out for others interests	Phil 2.3	Concern for others is measure of greatness
10	Receive much	Give much	Luke 6:38	Don’t stop the flow – giving starts the flow
11	Make good deeds known	Keep good deeds secret	Matt 6:3	Let the Lord do your bragging – say nothing
12	Love a conditional feeling	Unconditional Commitment	1 Cor. 13	Love is a command from God – not optional

The "Lion of Judah"
The KING OF KINGS

The above list in not exhaustive. You will find others if you look for them.

The table introduces us to today’s meditation.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 09 May 2013			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
©	These devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it is for non-commercial Christian purposes					©
INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	PARADOX
Today we look at one of the great paradoxes of Christianity. So let’s begin by looking at one of the definitions of the word “paradox”: a statement, proposition, or situation that seems to be absurd or contradictory, but in fact is or may be true. The paradox in this instance is how each of us should feel in the manifest presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible seems to be consistent regarding this. Every Bible character we know, who comes into the presence of God, feels overwhelmed. Abram is no exception. 1 When Abram was 99 years old, the LORD appeared to him. He said, "I am the Mighty God. Walk with me and live without any blame. 2 I will now put into practice my covenant between me and you. I will greatly increase your numbers." 3 Abram fell with his face to the ground. Genesis 17:1-3 NIrV John Gill’s commentary states: At the sight of so glorious a Person that appeared to him, and in reverence of his majesty, and as sensible of his unworthiness of such a visit, and of having such favours bestowed upon him. Falling flat, face down on the ground seems to be the action of those who’ve had the privilege of what we call a “Christophany” – An appearance of Jesus Christ before or after Calvary; all have reacted similarly. Peter the apostle is not recorded as having fallen face downward. But as it states in Luke; 8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened; he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, "Oh, Lord, please leave me--I'm too much of a sinner to be around You." Luke 5:8 NLT, so his experience was similar to Abram’s. Isaiah was similarly affected. 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Isaiah 6:5 TNIV Saul/Paul had an almost identical experience. He fell to the ground and the brightness of the Lord blinded him. John the Apostle; the one who had leaned back onto the chest of Jesus; the one called “The disciple whom Jesus Loved” did much the same. We think John was Jesus’ favourite. Even so, John fell face down when Jesus appeared to Him. His manifest presence does this to mortal men. Today’s meditation explores this. The paradox is wanting to run away while being drawn to the Lord. I suppose it could be called a lose/lose situation. Whatever I do is the wrong thing. I can’t leave because of my love for Him and His love for me. I can’t stay because his absolute purity scares me spit-less. So what do I do? I really don’t know. What would you do? Jim and Phyllida Strickland			20 But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." John 6:20 ESV 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. Then he put his right hand on me and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One. I was dead. But look! I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Hell. Revelation 1:17-18 NIrV 25 "But I, yes I, am the one who takes care of your sins--that's what I do. I don't keep a list of your sins. Isaiah 43:25 MSG 5 So I said, "Oh, no! I'm doomed. Every word that passes through my lips is sinful. I live among people with sinful lips. I have seen the king, the LORD of Armies!" 6 Then one of the angels flew to me. In his hand was a burning coal that he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, "This has touched your lips. Your guilt has been taken away, and your sin has been forgiven." Isaiah 6:5-7 GW 22 I have swept away your sins like a cloud. I have scattered your offences like the morning mist. Oh, return to Me, for I have paid the price to set you free." Isaiah 44:22 NLT 1 My dear children, I'm writing this to you so that you will not sin. But suppose someone does sin. Then we have one who speaks to the Father for us. He stands up for us. He is Jesus Christ, the Blameless One. 1 John 2:1 NIrV	If Jesus stood before you, how do you think you’d feel? Put your arms around Him and hug Him with great zeal? I wish that I could say that. He’s said He is my friend. But it is much more likely; my knees would shake and bend. I know that Jesus loves me. Of that there is no doubt. But when I stand before Him. He’s everything - I’m nowt. He’s the One Who’s known me since before the world was made. The One Who speaks and His command is instantly obeyed. The One who formed the universe when there was nothing there; Designed the “Laws of Nature” in detail and with care; Made the law of gravity; He fixed the speed of light; The sun to rule the daytime, the moon to rule by night. He fashioned all the galaxies and put each one in place; Planned the” Laws of Motion” and made both time and space! His infinite ability, the power of His lips. He only has to glance at me and I have had my chips! How can I not feel humbled the instant He appears? He knows when I was “started”. He’s numbered all my years. I think I’d do what John did – fall at His feet as dead. He fills me with abundant joy and just a tinge of dread. How do we cope with someone who is the King of Kings? What do we say to someone who flies on eagle’s wings? What is the first reaction when Jesus Christ draws near? Peter knew exactly, a sense of reverent fear, Came up and overwhelmed Him. “Don’t come too close to me. For Lord, I am a sinful man and your bright purity Is now so overwhelming I think I’ll surely die. So don’t come any closer”; would also be my cry! And yet there is a paradox. I want to know Him more. I’d want to stay just where I am and worship and adore, The one who means far more to me than I will ever know. Master what a privilege to let me love You so! Have mercy Lord, I need You. Please don’t send me away! Although I know I have no right to come to you and stay. O Lord, how do I handle this? I want to stay and leave. To stay intimidates me. But I cannot conceive, A life that is without You. Please don’t cast me away. How do I face this paradox confronting me each day? Jim Strickland Written 9th May 2012