Are You Encountering Locked Doors?

I stayed up late by myself the other night. I discovered the Ya Ya Sisterhood movie was on so of course I had to watch it. One of my favorite scenes, though it is quite sorrowful, is where the wife tries to go in at night to see her husband and finds the door to his room locked.  Hope springs in my heart that she tries the door, every single time I watch it. And then sorrow leaps to my throat as I remember he has locked it.

Last night we had the three little visitors staying over with us. You may remember that this means we must well lock all exits so our wanderer, Caleb, will not leave for home if he wakes up in the middle of the night. 

Every night, even if Danny and I are alone, one or the other of us goes through the house to make sure all doors are locked. Sometimes I even lock our bedroom door when I go to bed. Even though I know I am safe with my husband I like knowing we are securely sequestered.

God speaks to my heart and maybe He is speaking to yours as well. Precious one. You have encountered locked doors you did not choose. They often appeared to be a source of sorrow and rejection to you. Yet when you look back over the years, you see that My hand was at every door.  Think back to the times when you wanted to go through a door and could not. Where would you be had I not stood in the way? For you see, I AM the doorkeeper. No other is able to open or close doors.  People will reject you, disappoint you and overlook you. Circumstances will seem to work against you, cause you pain and give you grief. But I AM in charge. I AM the one who walks through the hallways of your life and keeps it all secure. While you may feel you have been denied, it is actually that you have been saved from harm every single time. It’s true, not everyone is trustworthy and not everyone is walking in a Christlike way, but I AM the One who decides your fate every single time.  

Oh beloved, as you stand at the end of one year and the threshold of another, don’t you think it’s time to quit trying to jimmy the deadbolts of life?  Quit standing at the locked doors trying to force your way through. You may not be able to trust another single soul, but you can always trust God. He knows what you need, He knows what’s ahead and He knows that His will is your only open door. Walk freely into His blessings, His plans and His source of joy. You may not know right now the reason or purpose for the locks, but you are securely sequestered in God’s unfailing love and incredible care. He loves you and He’s for you so you can rest in His promises knowing that every door you need to go through will be wide open for you and no one, absolutely no one, will be able to shut you away from those open doors that are ordained by God Most High.

 Colossians 4:2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ.

Revelation 3:8 I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way.

Psalm 138:8 The Lord will work out His plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.  Don’t abandon me, for you made me.

Psalm 57:2 I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.

Let Go of that Doorknob!

 

Our house is built in such a way that if we’re not careful when we close our door it really slams and it slams loudly! But it seems you can’t be careful enough, because although it’s happened before, I never remember it’s going to slam. So if I grab it quickly it booms as though the entire neighborhood can hear it. Every time it happens I look back at the door and ask myself, “how could that happen?”

I am reminded of a saying that is often used: “When God closes a door, He opens a window.” Problem is that some doors sure seem to be slammed. It’s sudden and with no warning it’s jerked from our grasp and banged shut! We didn’t shut the door, but someone did. We didn’t plan it, but someone did. We weren’t looking for open windows but the door is shut nonetheless.

We could keep looking at the door. It’s closed. It’s shut. We could wish we could go back through. We could pray it would reopen. We could whine. We could go get a key and open it back up. We could refuse to let it stay shut. We could remain immovable and continue to stare at the shut door.

But what would happen to the open window? Would it remain there? Would it be available? Would we have to decide between the closed door and the next opening? 

God speaks to my heart: Oh precious one. In My realm one door must be closed before another can open. It’s in that closed door time of life that you will feel vacated, left out, unsure and useless. But if you will trust Me when one door closes, I will open another door for you – this one will be better than the one before because I AM the door. And because I AM who I AM, the door I open can never be closed by any other person on earth. Nothing in all creation can stop my plans for you except you. My will is that you Trust Me, that you wait on Me and that you keep in the Word and rest in My promises. I have the very best in mind for you, even when things look so impossible. Even when you may feel shut out. Ultimately I AM the only one who can close the door and ultimately I AM the only one who can open the window of opportunity where you belong. This time of waiting is a time of preparation and together we will go forth in My glory, My will and My promises.

Oh beloved, hold onto the promises of God and let go of the door knob! Even though you can’t see what’s ahead, you are destined for God’s open door of blessings when you realize that He loves you and He’s for you and He goes ahead to prepare the way for you! Don’t mourn the closed doors of life, rather rejoice in the open doors you cannot see for that’s where the Lord is and that’s where you want to be – with the Lord underneath His care and presence, walking in His anointing and following Him always!

Joshua 22:5 …Love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, obey His commands, hold firmly to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.

John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I AM the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

John 10:9 I AM the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

Jesus is Your Key to Entrance and Favor!

Yesterday I came home from work and as I drove into the driveway I noticed a scooter in front of the garage and then I spied a pair of little boy’s sandals inside the garage.  As I got out of the car and walked up the steps to the house I saw that my front door was ajar.  Walking inside I saw some things strewn across the living room floor, a chair at the refrigerator and a tube of icing laying in front of the refrigerator.

Goldilocks came to mind as I realized my visitor had been a grandson!  He’s an icing thief! He loves to come over and eat the sweet concoction that I keep in the refrigerator for decorating cakes.  He eats it right out of the tube. I quickly cleaned up and put things away.  I was glad that the mother of this grandson lives right across the street or I’d have been fearful to walk in.

She has advised me to make sure my front door is locked from now on. Since it’s happened a couple of times I’ll probably do that. I’m not worried about robbers because she’s right here close, but they don’t need to wander in the house alone. I hate to lock it up but I am going to have to. Because the little boy loves icing the temptation is just too great.   I really don’t mind at all that he was in the house, because I love that boy and he’s one of my favorites! He knows where the food is and where the toys are and that makes me feel good that he likes to go into my house.  But for his safety we’ll have to make sure he can’t get in alone.  Still, it is cute to know that he feels welcome to come and go to his grandparents’ house, that he feels comfortable to make himself at home.

Locking our homes to keep thieves out (and to keep grandsons from eating all our icing) is the best choice. Our valuables and our keepsakes are special to us.  We wouldn’t want to come home and find our things ransacked and missing. I think of the three bears who walked into their home in the story from long ago and they knew that someone had been in there.  They probably wished they’d locked their house as well.

I’m glad this morning that although I have to lock my house for safety, God never locks us out of His home. Heaven is an open opportunity for every single person on earth. And although that would be a huge crowd of people, all are invited to freely come in.  Not only that, but all of God’s valuables and keepsakes are there for anyone to enjoy anytime they want.  No one will ransack God’s property because they’ve been granted the key by the Blood of the Lamb – the precious sacrifice made on the cross by the Owner’s Son.  The door to heaven is open to “whosoever will” and His blessings are so many and so wonderful that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord can have access to the entire banquet of blessings.

Have you been holding back? Are you unsure of your standing with God? Do you feel you’ve messed up too much, gone too far, made too many bad choices? Maybe you think you don’t measure up or have the right to enjoy God’s blessings and enter into His Kingdom. God knows all about you. He knows your mistakes, your problems, your secrets. And He’s made a way for the door to heaven to stay open for you. You can’t make it on your own.  But faith in Christ is your key! Not just to heaven either, but to all the blessings of God! You are invited, you are welcomed, you are free to enter in!

Oh beloved, Jesus is your key to a wonderful life! You are welcome to come into God’s favor and enjoy all of His blessings! You can eat from His banquet and rest in His promises. You can live like a child of the King because you are.  God holds nothing back from His own and even when you feel like you’re less than worthy, He is able to redeem you, restore you and keep you in fellowship with Him for the rest of your life.  Open the Book of Life and read about the Key to Heaven, the Way to Blessings and the Joys of Fellowship with Him! For He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters as you yield your heart to Him and make yourself at Home in your Father’s House.

John 10:9 I AM the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

Psalm 65:4 What joy for those You choose to bring near, those who live in Your holy courts. What festivities await us inside Your holy Temple.

Ephesians 2:13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 3:12 Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.