I love the IHOP worship leader Misty Edwards and I recently heard one of her songs with the lyrics, “Inside out, upside down kingdom” (Servant of All on her Relentless album). Those lyrics captured my attention because they are SO TRUE!
Just think about it for a moment. In the kingdom of God, Matthew 20:16 states, “So the last will be first and the first will be last.”
We must die to self to truly live! In Philippians 1:21, Paul states, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
We must humble ourselves to be lifted up. Luke 1:52 reads, “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.”
What is done in secret gets the reward! This is certainly opposite from the ways of the world. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus instructs, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6 verses 4 & 18 also show that we should pray and fast in “secret” so that God will reward us.
The world would say to strike back if someone hurts us. However, Jesus told us in Matthew 5:39 “But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
We can be 80 years old, yet experience NEWNESS of life! 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” We use strange terms like “born again” that even confused Nicodemus in John chapter 3.
We really are members of an inside out, upside down kingdom and I’m so grateful!
1 Peter 2:9 reads, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (Amplified Version)
Philippians 3:20 shows that “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (NIV) We are foreigners here on earth.
I thought it would be fun to ponder some of the ways we are aliens in this world.
Just think about it — we eat the fruit of our lips, we speak things that are not as if they were so, we believe more in the things NOT SEEN that what we see in the natural. We are a peculiar people. Hallelujah!
My sweet friend Jennifer found this youtube for me: Enjoy!
Watch and you can hear the song “Servant of All” — and here are the powerful lyrics (that prompted me to write this blog):
I wanna be Your lover so show me how to go lower
For in the depths I will find You where You’re serving my brother
I wanna be with You where You are I wanna be with You wherever You are
I wanna be with You where You are You’re the servant of all
I’m in love with a king who became a slave
I’m in love with a God who is humble
You gotta go down if you wanna go up
And You’ve gotta go lower if you wanna go higher and higher
Well you’ve gotta hide and do it in secret if you wanna be seen by God
Cause it’s the inside outside upside down kingdom
Where you lose to gain and you die to live
God bless you all! We could probably add many more scriptures to describe our upside down kingdom. We love You Lord!
Beth,
That was beautifully written and what a message! You know, you brought to light somethings that I have not thought about.
Thanks for sharing this tonight!
Have a blessed evening.
Jenn
I love this. I’ve never thought about this in depth and all of these scriptures in combination with each other to find the common theme of being upside down.
We were just talking about us being aliens in the world during our Bible study last Thursday.
Thanks for your visit. I love your blog layout. There are so many cute ones these days.
I’m adding you to my blog list so I can see when you update. It’s so handy.
Sweet blessings,
Paula
What a great post! I love the scripture “we are a royal priesthood”. It puts things in a new perspective.
I have been sharing some of these thoughts with my son as we have studied the New Testament. It definitely makes you stop and think. It makes you wonder if I am really living the way Christ would have me to live. I’m afraid too often the answer is no. But with His strength I will keep trying.
Thanks for sharing such a great post!
Take care my friend!
I believe the frustrations we feel from day to day is because we are not of this world. We long for that peace and total surrender of a World we’ve not yet seen. Thanks for this post. I’m going to share it with my 18 (almost) year old daughter who is struggling right now with those pressures of being accepted by those in “this” world.
Blessings…
All the scriptures you quoted are ones which God reminds me every now and then.
Thanks for another reminder.
Beth,
Beautiful post, my friend. Hope your Thursday is blessed beyond measure!
Hugs to you!
What a neat post. I have thought about these things often. It’s so true – we were created to be set apart and we will not fit in here. It is a very backwards way of thinking. What a great life ! 🙂
What a wonderful message – thanks so much – I needed to hear it today!!
Take care – Kellan
I commented on an older post. You have been tagged, stop by my place for details:)
Beautiful. We are also living inside out (because we’re letting our inside – Jesus – shine on the outside!
Love the name Stinker, hehehhe! I feel your pain about dear hubby and the lights. When we have people over I will shut our bedroom door if it’s messy, invariably, my hubby always goes in there and then leaves it home. What can you do, lol!
Oh… I’ve never heard that song. So true. Thanks for sharing. Great post! : )
Love,
Julie
And inside/out, upside/down Kingdom. I like that. Very thought provoking and meaningful.
So glad to have you, Beth, visit me at my blog. I look forward to hearing your thoughts in the days ahead.
peace~elaine