Here are Seven of my Favorite Paradoxes.

Man, that so paradoxical and yet practical! 

I love the living Word and the written Word. Yes, the Bible, it’s such a unique Book. It’s the best Book of all books ever. The Bible contains “God’s thoughts” which are SO marvelous. And among them are paradoxes (those are seemingly self-contradictory declarations but are in fact totally true). 

The Bible is God’s love letter to the born again believer. The Holy Spirit caused flawed righteous people to write this truth not to you or me, but for you and me too. Ask what did he mean back in the day to the original author in that cultural setting. Ask are there any timeless transferable truths for us today.. for me to wisely apply.  

To some people, such biblical paradoxes may seem somewhat ridiculous and yet such are the very words of God which were written for our admonition, wise application (so important) and learning. 

Okay, so here are Seven of my Favorite Bible Paradoxes -- They’re truly Amazing Cuz God Is:

1. EXALTATION THROUGH HUMILITY (Jas. 4:10)
The way up for the believer is down, and the way down is to put yourself up (foolish self promotion). God has never been pleased with the arrogant, hubris, proud, boastful and over confident people. Our confidence is to be in Him. We know that and angel called Lucifer in his madness became Satan. He wanted to be put up higher.. yeah, exalted like God (on the same level of authority) but he fell! The Most High God sees to it that all who will desire to be exalted out of His will and timing will ultimately be put lower -- they fall. What a contrast Satan and his children are from Christ who humbled himself but was exalted! (Phil. 2:8-9). Br lowly, meek and think smart. We wisely choose to serve Him and others instead of living selfishly or puffed up. 

2. STRENGTH THROUGH WEAKNESS (II Cor. 12:10)
In relation to other disciples of Christ, Paul received an abundance of revelation and God used him to preach the word and write. Paul wrote 14 New Testament books including perhaps Hebrews. He wrote about 1/3 of the entire NT! With all his God-given blessings and advantages; there was always the possibility of him becoming proud and over confident. So God allowed him to experience a “thorn in his flesh” which kept him lowly and ever dependent on the Lord. He naturally didn’t like it. Thrice he prayed for the removal of this thorn (a messenger of Satan to buffet him), but God said that His grace is ever sufficient for Paul. So in Christ Paul chose to pray and rejoice! Would you like the world to see the power of Christ rest in you? Sell out to the Lord, not to some other idols. Yes, seek and serve the Lord wholeheartedly -- faithfully in spite of any sickness, trials, testings, afflictions, opposition or other troubles that come your way. Rejoice in God! We all have weaknesses which God can turn your weakness into strength. He can use them to make us aware of our limitations and need for Him, and to keep us humble and useful in his hands for future ministry!

3. RECEIVING THROUGH GIVING (Acts 20:35)
The ultimate test of love for God and other people is in giving something that we hold so dear.. as the Lord leads you to. Giving often seems quite foolish to selfish worldly people. The world’s philosophy is get all you can, can all you get and then sit on the can. Yes, to them it’s much better to work and work more, to save and save up more, to earn and invest all you are able to, to get rich for self. To then keep it and long withhold from others! But some of the most miserable people on earth are those who live on the take. Those who selfishly take, gain and take some more. Some of the happiest people on earth are the wise givers (as God leads them to) for they manifest the light of the Lord in their unselfish attitude and deeds. God the Father gave His Son, God the Son gave Himself. God the Spirit gave His baptism, seal and anointing. God is the greatest giver of all givers (John 3:16). God delights to bless you beyond what you need so that you may have the chance of becoming His channel of blessing! He blesses us in order to make us a blessing -- it’s not to self-terminate upon self. He indeed generously gives to bless you but has others in mind as well. He loves us all the same. You may cheerfully and willingly give your time, talent, treasure for God’s glory and in return receive love, joy, peace, satisfaction, respect from men (though that’s not what we seek when we give)! Do you give in secret? 

4. FREEDOM THROUGH HUMBLE OBEDIENT SERVITUDE (Rom. 6:18)
Men think they are free since they are outside of prison cells. The truth is there’s another form of imprisonment and bondage which is both spiritual and moral in nature. Many people today are enslaved by fear, doubt, hatred, vices, and pet sins that add to life’s hardship. Yes, there are consequences for sinning, and many of those are seen while here. Friend, if today you are enslaved by sin and unbelief or doubt, you can be forgiven and set free in the Christ of the Bible! That’s the Christ you and I need. None need a poser Jesus, or a false Christ. None need the Antichrist or an antichrist. Some want to talk about or to the enemy of their souls all day long -- not me. I want to talk to and about how wonderful Jesus is. With all who are open. Yes, I’d rather seek Christ than any antichrist. Only in personally knowing God through Jesus Christ can we walk in true freedom on all levels.  

5. GAINING THROUGH LOSING (Phil. 3:7-8)
Many of us have suffered loss at some time and that really stings. Materialism and the love of money have always been great hindrances to growth and a personal living relationship with the Lord. People who are materialistic never have any thoughts of sacrificing or offering anything to the Lord who died and gave Himself up for them at Calvary. After receiving Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour, we each need to accept the fact that we are to live a clean lifestyle of repentance, of service and of sacrifice for Him. Lets allow the Lord lead us. Only then can we be truly satisfied inside. Why gain the whole world but lose your own soul? That would be dumb (See Mark 8:36; 10:29-30). Like Paul you could lose earthly opportunities, gain better ones. Yes, you can gain forgiveness in Christ and lay up treasure in heaven! You can gain abundant and eternal life starting here and now. Come to.. come back to Christ.. as you are and willing to change.. willing to be made new and changed. 

Remember how King David got majorly ripped off, yep, stollen from.. so badly by the Amalekites. Go restudy that and what he did.  

So what did David do? “Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.”

David own men were ticked off at their leader. They were even talking about stoning him to death, but David encouraged himself in the Lord. 

Yeah, “David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”

“So David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‘Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?’ And He answered him, ‘Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.’” (Whenever David the great warrior prayed, inquired, carefully listened and obeyed God.. he won.)

“..David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that they could not cross the Brook Besor.”

“Then David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.”

“So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all.” NKJV

He lost, it hurt, and then he regained through His relationship with God. “David got back everything the Amalekites had taken, and he rescued his two wives.” NLT

Stay salty in a good sense. "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has become tasteless, in what way can it regain its saltness? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown away and trodden on by the passers by.” Matt 5:13 

In Luke 18:41 we see a man who had lost and then regained his sight. “What do you want Me to do for you?” And he said, “Lord, I want to regain my sight!”

See vs 42 “And Jesus said to him, ‘Regain your sight! Your faith has saved you.’"

“He has seen a man called Ananias come and lay his hands upon him (Paul) so that he may recover his sight." Act 9:12

Yes, Paul turned Saul recovered his sight too. He regained in Jesus. “‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up and saw him.”  Act 22:13 

Here where I live, Americans have been ripped off of their President. Guess what.. the Lord is how the believers will recover. Sooner or later we indeed will. And turning, trusting (saving faith), repenting, believing (and following the Christ of the Bible).. are real keys in gaining and recovering. 

Regardless of what Big Tech, Hollywood and the lying Media keeps repeating, 92 percent of US voters who chose 45 in 2020 and many saw evidence of the Dominion cheating..now believe that the US election was totally stolen from them. And that some past elections have also been stolen. Q: Did you see the USB ports on laptops, and people logging on to the counting center computers?   

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost... but I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.” ~ Mike Vanderboegh

“For you know that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance [there was no way to repair what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], even though he sought for it with [bitter] tears.”  Hebrews 12:17 

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover.’”  Num 21:8

”And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.”  2 Kgs 5:6

“Then Isaiah said, ‘Bring a cake of figs. And they brought it and placed it on the [painful] inflammation, and he recovered.’”  2 Kgs 20:7

God knows what it feels like to lose people, but He recovers his treasure when He forgives and saves repentant humble sinners like you and me. “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people.”  Isa 11:11 

But people who run after the world and the lusts of their eyes and fleshly nature.. like men who go after strange women.. they do not regain. Listen believer, keep yourself in the love of God -- stay blessable. He will always love you, but you have a part in keeping yourself where God’s love can bless you. Choose to be a vessel of honor, not one of dishonor. “None who go to her return again,Nor do they regain the paths of life..”  Prov. 2:19

6. REALLY LIVING THROUGH FIRST DYING (John 12:24)
Back in the day, Jesus was foretelling his death as He served, taught, helped and healed people. Remember? 

Why? Well, the corn of wheat so to speak.. that falls to the ground and dies also grows up and becomes productive. It happens in real life with real wheat huh. This is both an agricultural and a spiritual principle for us. Death to the old self and old life are the first steps to really living here and on into eternity. It’s required for Christian growth and maturity -- and this principle is found in all the Bible (See Rom. 8:13). Death to the old sinful nature inside means to intentionally go against the works of the flesh, against the worldly mentality, against the impure worldly philosophies and damnable superstitions and religious doctrines of the world. Believers are not to live according to the lusts of the eyes or of the flesh, or according to the pride of life, or according to this corrupt world system. God says that the flesh must be crucified with its sinful lusts (Gal. 5:24). The more that you die to SELF the more CHRIST will be seen in you! Those of this world need to see and hear from Him more! John the Baptist taught that Christ must increase and we must decrease! (John 3:30). God says: “For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.”

Romans 6:21 - What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:6 - The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace,

Romans 8:12 - Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.

1 Corinthians 9:27 - No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Colossians 3:5 - Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry.

The Bible says, “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God..” Romans 8:12-14

Jesus: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” (He died) 

“The disciples then said to Him (Jesus), ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’” John 11:12 (He was one among others God raised from the dead)

7. FINDING THROUGH LOSING (Matt. 10:39)
Jesus is enough for you and for me -- He is the need meeting God. Many people today are lonely, unsatisfied, empty, guilty, and afraid to die. Many of them try to find the real meaning of life in earthly pursuits, in trying to succeed and prosper, and in trying to enjoy their material possessions.. only to find out (sometimes too late) that nothing on earth here really satisfies the inner longings of the soul. They try to fill up the empty void in side so to speak.. with all kinds of temporal and other things or relationships. Many look to their career, to a lover, to a car or house or location etc. to make them happy inside. Friend, without Jesus Christ the giver of life.. this life here is meaningless. It’s cuz Jesus is the very essence of life. Yes, He is everything that your person longs for.. your wealthy person needs.. that your poor lost soul has ever longed for. Jesus will still be Lord and King even without you, but friend you are NOTHING without Jesus!

Job 4:11 - The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.

Job 22:21 - Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.

Psalm 23:1 - The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 84:11 - For the LORD God is a sun and a shield; the LORD gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.

Psalm 107:9 - For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Proverbs 10:3 - The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry, but He denies the craving of the wicked.

Proverbs 13:25 - A righteous man eats to his heart's content, but the stomach of the wicked is empty.

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." Psalm 37:25

"Fear the Lord, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. Young lions go lacking and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalm 34:9-11

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33

Photos by Sergey Mazhuga, Adrian Rolfe and by Dave Herring. Thank you!