Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label obedience. Show all posts
Friday, 17 August 2012
God of open doors
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, “These things say He is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”. Revelations 3:7
One of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Door. John 10:9 says “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. Aside been the Door , He also possesses the key of David.
One of the delights of God is opening doors. Psalm 35:27 says God has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. Ecclesiastes 3:13 says the gift of God is that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of his labor. Because He delights in opening doors, you can go to Him over any door and He will open it. Isaiah 45:11 says Ask me of things to come concerning My Sons, and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me. If the Lord decides to open a door, no one can stop Him. Isaiah 14:27 says For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hands is stretched out, And who will turn it back?
A door is used to keep what is inside in and what is outside out. Once a door is opened what is outside can come in and what is in can go out.
The Most High opens doors in different ways. He can do it physically. In John 9:1-9 is the story of a man who was born blind. The door of promotion, happiness, progress, wealth to mention a little were shut at him. Just by anointing his eyes with clay made from mud and saliva,Jesus opened the doors that were shut at him. In Matthew 14:13-21, Jesus touched five loaves of bread and two fishes and the door of multiplication opened. Five loaves of bread and two fishes fed five thousand men not counting women and children and there were still twelve baskets left.
The Lord can command doors to open. Psalm 33:8-9 says the whole earth should fear the Lord because He spoke and it was done. Hebrews 4:12 says the word of God is living and powerful. Jeremiah 23:29 says the word of God is like a fire and a hammer. In John 11:1-45 is the story of Lazarus. This man was dead for four days. At this point, all the doors in the world were shut at him. Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth and he did-all the shut doors were opened .For over seventy years, the door of fruitfulness was shut on Sarah but the Lord visited her in Genesis 18:1-16. While He was leaving He told Abraham, by this time next year Sarah will be a nursing mother and she became pregnant and gave birth at a very old age. In Mark 2:1-12, a paralytic man was brought to Jesus. I do not need to tell you that the door to health was shut at this fellow .Jesus forgave him and told him to take his bed and walk and he did.
He can command animals to open doors. Psalms 50:10 says all the beast of the forest belongs to God.God gives understanding and wisdom to animals . According to Job 39:17, God made the ostrich forget her wisdom and did not give her a share of understanding . Whilst famine ravished the land, God used ravens to open the door of provisions for Elisha. When you look at the species of birds , ravens are known as micers . They are even stingy to thier children .There favorite food is meat ,In 1 Kings 17:5-6, ravens brought him bread and meat twice a day. In 2 Kings 2:23-25, God used two female bears to protect the dignity and respect of Elisha .After the bear incident no one ever looked down on Elisha or make fun of his baldhead till he died.
He can also use the enemies themselves to open doors .Proverbs 21:1 says the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, He turns it wherever He wishes. In Numbers 23:1-24, Balaak an enemy of Israel hired Balaam (another enemy of Israel) to curse the Israelites. Every time Balaam opened his mouth to curse this nation, blessings began to flow instead of curses. In Exodus 1:22, Pharaoh commanded that every son born to the Hebrews be cast into river so as to peg the growth of the Hebrews. When Moses was born, the Lord used the greatest enemy of male Hebrew children to raise him up. By the time we get to Exodus 2:7-11, Moses was on his way to live with Pharaoh in the Palace. The resources of Pharaoh were used to raise Moses as a prince and the mother of Moses got full salary for raising her son -Moses.
Another way He opens doors is through His presence. According to Psalms 16:11, His presence can open the door of Joy. Psalms 21:6 says for You have made him most blessed forever; You have made him exceedingly glad with Your presence. The presence of God parted the red sea before the children of Israel. Exodus 15: 8 says at the blast of Your nostrils, The waters were gathered together; The floods stood upright like a heap; the depths congealed in the heart of the sea. In Acts 16:25-30, Paul and Silas began to pray and praise God and the Lord visited the prison. His presence caused an earthquake that rendered these men free.
Aside opening doors , he can also shut doors for example in 1 Kings 17:7-16 ,the door of poverty, death, loneliness was wide open to the widow of Zarapheth but the Lord sent Elijah to her and all the doors were shut. In 2 Kings 6:24-30, the Syrians besieged Samaria and this resulted in a terrible famine. The Lord took interest in the matter and used Elisha to shut the door of national recession, national sadness, and national darkness to mention a few.
Someone might ask what about broken doors? Well He can fix or replace a broken door. In Mark 5:25-.34 is the story of the woman with the issue of blood. The door that controls the flow of blood in her body was broken and blood began to flow nonstop for twelve years. Just by touching the hem of the garment of Jesus, She received a brand new door and was healed immediately.
This brings us to the question, what opens doors?
· Holiness – Psalm 84:11 says no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. Hebrews 12:14 says pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Psalm 34:15 says the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. Holiness is the key .Hebrews 1:9 says you have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, there God, Your God, has anointed You with the Oil of gladness more than Your companions.
· Obedience –Isaiah 1:19 say if you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. Exodus 23:22-26 says if you obey God, your enemies will be His enemies, you will be His special treasure and you will not be sick. Jeremiah 7:23 says if we obey God, He will be our God and we will be His people. Deuteronomy 28:1 says if you obey God, He will set you on high above nations.
· Prayers –Psalm 91:5 says He shall call upon Me, and I will answer Him. Matthew 7:7 says Ask, and it will be given to you; Proverbs 8:17 says those who seek Me finds me. John 16:24 says ask and your will receive, and your joy will be complete.
· Hard work –Proverbs 28:19 says he who tills his land will have plenty of bread. Proverbs 27:18 says whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit. Proverbs 10:4 says He who has a slack hand becomes poor but the hand of the diligent makes rich.
· Words & Confession –Matthew 12; 37 says for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Proverbs 6:2 says you are snared by the words of your mouth; you are taken by the words of your mouth. Remember Samson and Delilah, his words handed him to his enemy who plucked out his eye. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the power of the tongue. Numbers 14:28 says say to them, ‘As I live’, says the Lord, ‘Just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you.
· Forgiveness – when you forgive people, it will open the door of forgiveness for you too. Mark 11:26 says But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.
One thing to note is this; how you treat the doors the Lord has opened to you will determine if He will open more doors for you. The way you handle the doors He has opened matters a lot. That is why we have to take His errands or task very serious. When the Lord sends us on an errand it is for our good. The Most High God is not a user, He will always reward no matter how small the task is. The question is this, how do you treat the task He has committed to you? Do you do them at your convenience, do you put all the strength you have into it or just do them rush rush.
Take for instance soul winning, how are you taking the door to share Christ? How about the door to be a blessing to a sister or brother in need or even the church? The door of tithes and offerings, how are you taking those doors? These are doors the Lord has opened for us to get blessed!
The doors of employment in your place of work, that business venture how are you taking those doors? Are you hardworking enough or procrastinating ?
There is a particular door the Lord has opened to everyone living and it is the door of Love. Matthew 22:37 says love your neighbor as yourself. 1 Peter 4; 8 says and above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins”. How are you handling this door talking of the door of love? God has opened the door to us to love our neighbor like ourself . Anything we do that is void of love is just an exercise and it has no reward. 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 points that whatever a man does or achieve outside the perimeter of Love is zero and God counts it as nothing .1 Corinthians 13:1 says if i speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a sounding piece of brass or a clashing cymbals. I pray that the Lord will not count your efforts as nothing in Jesus name.
How are you taking the door to love God? Proverbs 8:17 says I love those who love Me. Are you taking those doors serious? Are you maximizing them?
Anyone who wants the Lord to open doors for him or her must first open the door of their heart to Jesus. Revelations 3:20 says “behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.
The bible said in Romans 3 v 23 that for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6 s 23 says for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The gift was explained in John 3 v 16 , For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. What shall we do to be saved? The bible says in Romans 10vs 9 that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10 v 10 – For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with our mouth that you confess and are saved.
Pray this prayer from your heart today!
Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and rose again on the third day. I confess I am a sinner. I need your love and forgiveness. Come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I receive Your eternal life. Confirm You love by giving me peace, joy and supernatural love for others, Amen.
Welcome to Christ brethren, Please join a bible believing church.
Samuel Oluwatoki
Please forward this newsletter to a friend, family or colleague. Remember Matthew 10 v 32 which say whoever confesses me before me, him I will confess before my father who is heaven.
Sunday, 12 August 2012
God has a sense of humor
Wow! How can one make such a statement?
Friends, God is not a comedian and He does not tell jokes- that’s more like it , but what do you mean by God has a sense of humour then?
Well, might I implore you to suspend your judgments and opinions on my topic just for a second? Will you? Cheers!
Couple of years back, the children of Israel were going to war with a town called Jericho. The ONE WHO HAS NEVER LOST A BATTLE picked interest in the war and advised Joshua to march around Jericho for six days with priests playing trumpet and on the seventh day repeat the exercise seven times and shout; awesome. What! You mean they were asked to march around a city they wanted to attack, playing trumpets? Common, I thought if you going to war you need to be tactical which means plan on strategies to attack. Strategies that include hiding and attacking when they least expect not match around the city playing trumpets, trumpets of all instrument not even a flute.
Ok, doing this once is understandable at least the enemies will have this impression that these guys don’t really mean any harm-look at them entertaining us, but doing that for six days and on the seventh day repeat the exercise seven times and shout? Guess what! They did just that and what happened? The walls of Jericho collapsed. I bet the next time someone says praise the Lord; your HALLELUJAH will be the loudest. Hallelujah collapses the walls of your problem.
Not too long ago, Elijah was advised by the GREAT PROVIDER to go a widow in Zarephath and stay there during famine. Really, who goes to a widow’s house to stay during famine? A widow normally is not very rich; no man to provide and cater for her not to talk of during famine. Let me ask you a question, someone who is struggling on a normal day will pray for recession in it? Capital no.
Anyway Elijah obeyed. When he got to Zarephath he saw the widow gathering sticks to prepare the last meal for herself and her son. Elijah did not know how to go about it because as a man of God you pray for people every time and you understand what it is to be a widow not to talk of coming to stay with one during famine. After he exchanged greetings with her, he requested for a jug of water put it in mind that it has not rained in months. The widow said ok, she turned around to go and fetch him a jug of water. Elijah said in a low voice “can you add small bread please”. I believe if you were in his shoes, you will not tell a widow during famine to fetch you jug of water with bread with a big grin on your face. Will you utter such words with the great enthusiasm? She turned around pretending not to be angry and said the sticks over there are more my last meal. Actually when you came in I was preparing to go and make my last meal for myself and my son
and die, so do you still want the water or not? Ok she didn’t ask if he still wanted the water but asking will not be rude because as a man on God, he should know better- you know I have enough problems as a widow and you are asking me to prepare my last meal for you. To cut the long story short she complied with the man of God and the GREAT PROVIDER multiplied the bread. I hope you are not planning to stop paying your tithe because of recession or half your offerings the next time you go to church.
Recently, a blind man encountered JESUS CHRIST .He was expecting a miracle from him but the next thing he heard was someone spitting on the ground and making mud. I bet, the thought on the blind man’s mind was did I just hear someone spit? I know it can be Jesus, why will he spit on the ground .Wait a minute, is he actually rubbing mud on my eyes? It must be a dream.
Come to think of it , mud don’t have healing properties, even our eyes are built to shut when a foreign object is coming to too close may be spec of sand or something. Spitting on the ground and making mud of it and rubbing it on a blind man’s eyes, you mean Jesus actually rub mud on a blind man’s eye? He must have a great sense of humour. Well guess what, the man got his sight back!!!
We can go on and on, is it Elijah and prophet of Baals? After flooding the altar with water called for fire from heaven to burn the sacrifice or Elisha who threw a stick in a river expecting the axe head that mistakenly fell into water to automatically float .A stick to float an axe head made of iron?
Friends whatever God has asked you to do, just do it because He means every word. It might sound funny, ridiculous, foolish or counter productive .Please just do it and you will reap the reward of obedience. Remember Isaiah 1:19 , If you are willing and obedient , ye shall eat the good of the land.
If you have not giving your life to Christ, it’s not too late. He will forgive all your sins, did I hear ALL? Yes all.
Pray this prayer from your heart today!
Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and rose again on the third day. I confess I am a sinner. I need your love and forgiveness. Come into my heart. Forgive my sins.I receive Your eternal life . Confirm You love me by giving me peace ,joy and supernatural love for others. Amen .
Once you do so join a living church.
NB. Stories are excerpts from the bible (John 9:1-6 ,1 kings 17:7-12,Joshua 6:1-20,1 kings 18:16-40,2 kings 6;1-6)
Shalom
Friends, God is not a comedian and He does not tell jokes- that’s more like it , but what do you mean by God has a sense of humour then?
Well, might I implore you to suspend your judgments and opinions on my topic just for a second? Will you? Cheers!
Couple of years back, the children of Israel were going to war with a town called Jericho. The ONE WHO HAS NEVER LOST A BATTLE picked interest in the war and advised Joshua to march around Jericho for six days with priests playing trumpet and on the seventh day repeat the exercise seven times and shout; awesome. What! You mean they were asked to march around a city they wanted to attack, playing trumpets? Common, I thought if you going to war you need to be tactical which means plan on strategies to attack. Strategies that include hiding and attacking when they least expect not match around the city playing trumpets, trumpets of all instrument not even a flute.
Ok, doing this once is understandable at least the enemies will have this impression that these guys don’t really mean any harm-look at them entertaining us, but doing that for six days and on the seventh day repeat the exercise seven times and shout? Guess what! They did just that and what happened? The walls of Jericho collapsed. I bet the next time someone says praise the Lord; your HALLELUJAH will be the loudest. Hallelujah collapses the walls of your problem.
Not too long ago, Elijah was advised by the GREAT PROVIDER to go a widow in Zarephath and stay there during famine. Really, who goes to a widow’s house to stay during famine? A widow normally is not very rich; no man to provide and cater for her not to talk of during famine. Let me ask you a question, someone who is struggling on a normal day will pray for recession in it? Capital no.
Anyway Elijah obeyed. When he got to Zarephath he saw the widow gathering sticks to prepare the last meal for herself and her son. Elijah did not know how to go about it because as a man of God you pray for people every time and you understand what it is to be a widow not to talk of coming to stay with one during famine. After he exchanged greetings with her, he requested for a jug of water put it in mind that it has not rained in months. The widow said ok, she turned around to go and fetch him a jug of water. Elijah said in a low voice “can you add small bread please”. I believe if you were in his shoes, you will not tell a widow during famine to fetch you jug of water with bread with a big grin on your face. Will you utter such words with the great enthusiasm? She turned around pretending not to be angry and said the sticks over there are more my last meal. Actually when you came in I was preparing to go and make my last meal for myself and my son
and die, so do you still want the water or not? Ok she didn’t ask if he still wanted the water but asking will not be rude because as a man on God, he should know better- you know I have enough problems as a widow and you are asking me to prepare my last meal for you. To cut the long story short she complied with the man of God and the GREAT PROVIDER multiplied the bread. I hope you are not planning to stop paying your tithe because of recession or half your offerings the next time you go to church.
Recently, a blind man encountered JESUS CHRIST .He was expecting a miracle from him but the next thing he heard was someone spitting on the ground and making mud. I bet, the thought on the blind man’s mind was did I just hear someone spit? I know it can be Jesus, why will he spit on the ground .Wait a minute, is he actually rubbing mud on my eyes? It must be a dream.
Come to think of it , mud don’t have healing properties, even our eyes are built to shut when a foreign object is coming to too close may be spec of sand or something. Spitting on the ground and making mud of it and rubbing it on a blind man’s eyes, you mean Jesus actually rub mud on a blind man’s eye? He must have a great sense of humour. Well guess what, the man got his sight back!!!
We can go on and on, is it Elijah and prophet of Baals? After flooding the altar with water called for fire from heaven to burn the sacrifice or Elisha who threw a stick in a river expecting the axe head that mistakenly fell into water to automatically float .A stick to float an axe head made of iron?
Friends whatever God has asked you to do, just do it because He means every word. It might sound funny, ridiculous, foolish or counter productive .Please just do it and you will reap the reward of obedience. Remember Isaiah 1:19 , If you are willing and obedient , ye shall eat the good of the land.
If you have not giving your life to Christ, it’s not too late. He will forgive all your sins, did I hear ALL? Yes all.
Pray this prayer from your heart today!
Dear Jesus, I believe that You died for me and rose again on the third day. I confess I am a sinner. I need your love and forgiveness. Come into my heart. Forgive my sins.I receive Your eternal life . Confirm You love me by giving me peace ,joy and supernatural love for others. Amen .
Once you do so join a living church.
NB. Stories are excerpts from the bible (John 9:1-6 ,1 kings 17:7-12,Joshua 6:1-20,1 kings 18:16-40,2 kings 6;1-6)
Shalom
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