As Believers, we will all go through Seasons of our life. Doors open and doors close, as the Lord leads us on our journey. But many times, that closing door catches us by surprise and brings out the worst in us. We’re comfortable & very content where we are, thank you, and don’t want to change. Or we’re finally in a place of honor & accolades in our Ministry Outreach…so how dare the Lord shut us down! Closing doors can also be very scary, because what are we going to do now? So, we cling to the door handle & block the door closing with our bodies, all the while crying and complaining…or we curl up in an angry ball in front of the closed door and refuse to move…both of which are totally futile. Proverbs 16:25 tells us that there is a way that seems right to man, but it’s not God’s way…and we all know that God’s way is the best way. So, the next time a door closes in your life, accept it as God’s divine Will.
II Samuel 7:22 ” How great You are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like You, and there is no God but You…”
This is part of David’s prayer of gratitude to God. Having offered Him a house (the Temple), David is overwhelmed by the Lord’s declaration that He will build David a house. (a dynasty) In humility, David recognizes that it’s the Sovereign Lord Who has been present with him all along and will continue to be with him. He is also humbled by God’s unmerited favor…for God has chosen David and the Nation of Israel itself to be His chosen people through whom God’s great Name will become known to the world. (Exodus 15:11-13 & Deuteronomy 7:6-8)
Malachi 3:10 ” Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. ‘Test Me in this’, says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’ “
God usually tests man, not the other way around…but here, God is inviting His people to prove His claims, justify His commands, and determine for themselves His essential character and integrity. The Apostle Paul in his second letter to the Church in Corinth called them to excel in the grace of giving…suggesting that love should move them to greater generosity, and that the Old Covenant of tithing was just the minimum they should be giving. In II Corinthians 9:7 Paul wrote, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” In other words, God examines our motives for giving, not the amount we give.
James 5:10-11 ” Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.”
James is urging his oppressed Christian readers to remain patient in their suffering…reminding them that God is still in control even when their lives appear to be spiraling downward with trials and tribulations. He uses the well-known Old Testament figure, Job, as an example of patience in the face of adversity. For even after losing everything…his wealth, children, and health, Job ‘s trust in God couldn’t be shaken, and his faith remained steadfast. And at the end of Job bearing up under his load of miseries, God’s compassion & mercy delivered him…”Blessing the latter part of his life more than the first.”
Nahum 1:7 ” The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him…”
When Nahum wrote that the Lord was good, it meant much more than just showing us kindness. It stood for God’s benevolence for our wellbeing and His desire for the ultimate plan & purpose of our life to be played out in our lifetime. That’s because, “God knows the way of the righteous.” (Psalm 1:6) So whether we take His way or the other, all is determined by our relationship with Him and where our trust can be found.
I am humbled to now be a published author in an iconic magazine.
“That Church which the world likes best is sure to be that which God abhors.” Charles Spurgeon
Don’t be fooled by a Church that is more entertainment than doctrine…more preaching of social issues & political activism than God’s Word…and more manmade rituals than God’s Truth revealed. That’s because, the Church that caters to the worldview rather than honoring God is dangerously close to becoming dead like the Church in Sardis that John wrote about in Revelation 3. (The Greek word for dead here meaning useless, spiritually dead, and faithless.) The world loves a Church where the only words from the pulpit are man centered, with no conviction or judgement of their sins…desiring rather, Polly Anna, feel good platitudes and worldly cliches about love and what it looks like today. They want a Church that takes the Bible seriously, but not necessarily literally…and questions Scripture rather than requiring blind allegiance & trust. The world likes the Church that doesn’t make them feel uncomfortable and places them on the throne of their life…all the while, pushing Jesus to the background. No wonder God abhors such Churches…
Exodus 21:5-6 ” But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.”
Voluntary servanthood was common during Biblical times as a way to erase a debt that couldn’t be repaid. But on the seventh year, (The Year of Jubilee) freedom must be offered. But for some slaves, they voluntarily committed to willingly stay & serve their master for life. This public indication of an inward decision was done by the master with a sharp instrument used for piercing, called an awl. Sure, there’s an obvious correlation of this passage and our walk with the Lord, in that our required attachment and loyalty, commitment and dedication has to be to Him and Him alone. But this allegiance also applies to personal relationships such as to a spouse or parents. You might call it honoring well… for it’s a lifelong bond of love and gratitude for a debt that can never be repaid.
“If you wish to know God, you must know His Word.” Charles Spurgeon
You can read a Biography of a famous person and know about them…but if you never actually meet and spend quality time with them…you will never truly know who they are. The same goes for being somewhat familiar with God, vs encountering Him as your Lord and Savior through His Holy Word. If you have the time, I encourage you to read Psalm 119 in its entirety and discover the many facets of God’s Word. Throughout this Psalm we read about mediating on His Word & hiding it in our heart, for by doing so we gain Divine insight and guidance as we seek to obey God’s revealed Word in our everyday life. For God’s Word is living and active. (Hebrews 4:12) That’s because, unlike any other written word, His Word is powerful enough to enter the deepest recesses of our being, and potent enough to accomplish its purpose.
Deuteronomy 4:31 ” For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the Covenant with your fathers that He swore to them.”
If today you need encouragement to continue on, know that God will never leave you, no matter what. If you’re feeling discouraged & sad, understand that He is always in control, and that He is a merciful & loving God who wants only the very best for you. Therefore, be strengthened and determined by His Name & His Words…for His Name is Immanuel, “God with us” and His promises are true, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)
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