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.
Tag: God
“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…
Jonah 1:17 ” But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”
God has an uncanny way of getting our attention…of controlling situations until suddenly we find the walls closing in around us. And most times, we’re there because of our own disobedience. We’re self-absorbed and engrossed in the idols of this world…or we’re preoccupied and fixated on what others think of us rather than God. Either way, we end up in dire circumstances with no way out. And as the old saying goes, “Sometimes you have to end up in the gutter to finally look up.” Jonah was running from the Lord in disobedience, when God got his attention by confining him in the belly of a fish for three days. Three long days to think about what he had done…three long days to repent, relent, and be restored. Have no doubt about it, if you’re running from the Lord today, He will get your attention sooner or later.
Deuteronomy 6:4 ” Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
This verse is referred to as the “Shema,” which is how the first word in the Hebrew text is pronounced. This word means “to heed, listen, and obey.” Moses stressed the priority of belief in only one God as the people encountered countless foreign gods around them. And the next verse showed them, and us, the way to perpetuate and foster this belief of only one God, for it states in verse 5, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” It tells us in proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom…” To know God is to love Him, and the more we love Him, the more we desire to listen and obey Him.
Joel 2:12-13 ” Even now, declares the Lord, return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments.”
Humans are funny…we get caught in something, and we’re sorry…not sorry for what we did…but rather sorry we got caught. We make a big emotional show…but there’s no humility or remorsefulness involved in our actions. Psalm 51:17 reminds us of what God really wants from us…not a showy display of emotions that look good to those who are watching, but lack the brokenness of spirit that comes from a truly regretful heart. Rather, God desires from us authenticity, humility, and taking responsibility for our actions.
I Samuel 17:4 “A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over 9 feet tall.”
Goliath was a formidable giant who taunted the Israelite army. His very appearance struck fear in the hearts of the Jewish soldiers. For Goliath was decked out in a bronze helmet, 125 pounds of bronze armor, carried a bronze javelin with a 15 pound iron point, and required a shield-bearer to carry his huge shield ahead of him. But when David saw Goliath, he didn’t see an overwhelming threat…a overpowering force or potential danger…he saw rather, a miracle waiting to happen. For David kept his eyes on God – not the situation or extenuating details surrounding it. Yes, David was up against insurmountable odds…but he had a secret weapon Goliath didn’t know about…David had God.
Galatians 1:10 ” Am I now trying to win approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Paul realized that he would never be able to please everyone by his ministry. No matter how he approached people, he found some would listen…some would scoff…and some would take offense. When we’re a people-pleaser, our focus is to deliberately and intentionally mollify our message…to water it down in order to be palatable for all, but in the process every ounce of Holy Spirit power is leached out. God isn’t calling us to be wishy-washy, lukewarm Christians who try to be “politically correct” with every person we meet. Paul understood that his allegiance was to Jesus Christ and not to the crowds…his total dependence was then on the Master of the universe not man.
Matthew 6:6 ” 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.”
Praying shouldn’t be a publicity stunt for the cameras while seeking 15 minutes of fame. For it’s our personal, intimate conversation with God…and He takes prayer very seriously…and so should we. As a Believer, I’ve seen the power of prayer and witnessed how intercessory prayer can literally change the atmosphere. But we tend to think of prayer as some sweet little poem we recite at the dinner table before meals and not the authoritative commands we can speak under the power of Jesus’ blood. To paraphrase I John 4:4, Greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. And if we could but grasp a glimpse of just how powerful our prayers are…this world would be shaken, and all the evil in it. May I then be so bold as to encourage you to prayer walk around your town…around your schools…around the area you live in. For we are all asking ourselves the same question, “What can I do in the face of all this evil in the world?” The answer is prayer…bold, impassioned prayer.
I Samuel 16:13 ” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.”
God had sent the Prophet Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse’s seven sons as King. As six strapping young men paraded past Samuel…each time he thought to himself, “This has to be the one!” But God reminded Samuel in verse 7, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” It wasn’t until the youngest son, David, was called from the pasture, that God declared, “He is the one.” This should give all of us encouragement…especially those who have said to themselves, “I have nothing to offer God.” The Lord doesn’t consider outward appearances. He looks only at what He can do through us if we’re a willing worker.
Luke 11:5-8 ” Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ “
A man goes to his friend’s house at midnight looking for bread…but is told to “Go away!” In this story, his friend appears not to care about the man’s dilemma. Likewise for us, there are times when it appears to be a shrouding of God’s friendship for us…or at least times when we go through seasons of spiritual confusion. The Lord will seem like a distant, unkind and uncaring friend that won’t answer our calls. It’s during those times of spiritual confusion that we need to hold steadfast to what we already know…that God is faithful, trustworthy, and true. And we need to keep doing the right things…reading our Bible, praying, and maintaining our walk…all with tenacity. For later on in the story, because of the man’s stubborn persistence…his friend did get up and give him bread.
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