"A Holy Paradox"

"When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai

rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and

went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a

loud and a bitter cry."

(Esther 4:1)

 "Castle saints, unaware and don't care.

Sackcloth saints, aware and broken.

"Away with the sackcloth!"

"Away with the castle!"

(Pastor Kenneth Phillips)

Esther

It's interesting, isn't it, that Mordecai is out by the gate in sackcloth and ashes mourning for his people, the Jews, and his cousin is in the palace in the lap of luxury, yet both are in the perfect will of God.  Huh?  There is an interesting thing about God  ...  He deals a lot in paradoxes.  What?  Oh, Yes He does, and here are a few:

“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is 

that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.”

(Proverbs ll:24)

“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and 

whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”

(Luke 17:33)

“If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, 

let him become a fool, that he may be wise.”

(I Corinthians 3:18)

 “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he 

that shall  humble himself shall be exalted.”

(Matthew 23:12)

“So the last shall be first, and the first last.”

(Matthew 20:16)

So what does this have to do with Mordecai and Esther?  Esther was exalted to be humbled; Mordecai was humbled to be exalted.  Huh?  Esther was chosen as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, in the king's eyes, and she was made Queen, but it was all in God's providence, so that she would be in the right place at the right time to save and deliver the Jews.  She was exalted to a high position, but then she had to humble herself to accept possible death, and this in itself, exalted her.  Mordecai was in the king's gate, humbled, clothed in sackcloth and ashes, fasting and praying for the deliverance of the Jews, and then, in the next scene, he is being paraded through the streets of the city wearing the king's robe and crown, riding on the king's steed, exalted.

Riches can sometimes make people unaware and uncaring of the Holy statutes and postures of godly things, but at the same time, God's Word says that He wants us to prosper and be in health, even as our souls prosper.  (3 John 1:2)  

If we can be blessed and "still care;" we are wise. 

And, if we can be in sackcloth, and broken, but rise

to realize we are worthy, we are wise.

You say, "What in the world are you talking about?"  When I first came into the Church, I felt so unworthy, even after I was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and received the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues.  I looked around, and it seemed everyone was so Holy, especially the Pastors and staff.  I had not had that kind of life; yes, I was now forgiven, but I did not feel worthy.  I'll never forget that one service when Pastor Phillips asked everyone to say over and over, "I'm worthy."  It was very hard for me to say it, much less believe it, but I did it, and eventually, I felt it and believed it.  Maybe You feel that way, and it's time for You to say it: "I'm worthy."  We are worthy, because Jesus Christ, our Lord, makes us worthy.  The key to this is the "paradox."  We must first realize we are unworthy to believe we ARE worthy!  Think about it  ...

Esther

Humbled

Esther

Exalted

Mordecai

Humbled

Mordecai

Exalted

That's the way it is with Almighty God.  We bow low to climb high; we give to get; we lose to gain; to die is to live; we are deferred to be preferred; we are sorrowful, yet rejoicing; we are poor, yet made rich; and having nothing, yet possessing all things.  It's beautiful, isn't it?  You say, "It's so hard to go through all that."  Yep, but hey, we are destroyed to be made new, mashed to be molded, hated to be loved, given to others to be received of God.  Ah, it's a hard life, indeed, but we have a soft place to fall  ...  always in the arms of Jesus!

Humbled

Exalted

We gotta' get it right; we only go around in this world once.  We learn from the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.  We take up our cross and follow Him; we die out to ourselves daily, and then we rise to newness of life in Him.  Creation must mirror the Creator, and when we do, we become "A Holy Paradox."

Jesus Christ

Humbled

Jesus Christ

Exalted!

(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.)

Pastor Kenneth Phillips

Humbled

Pastor Kenneth Phillips

Exalted!

(He's a paradox of humility and Joy, reaching 

the world for Jesus Christ)

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for preserving our Shepherd!

PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas

Services Sundays 10:30 am and Wednesdays 7:15 pm

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Thank You for worshiping with us!  Please send us your prayer 

requests, and if you would like to sow seed into proven, 

Holy ground that prays and SEES Miracles, you may give online

@ promiselandchurch.net.  God bless you, and I know He will!

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PromiseLand Church!

We have a Shepherd who leaves the ninety 

and nine to go after the lost sheep and bring

 him home  ...  Then, he washes his feet!

(He has been humbled and exalted 

to reach the world for Jesus Christ!)

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