God’s Wide Open Door

When I lived in Tulsa, I held a weekly Life Group in my home. I’ll never forget the night when one of the gals told us that her job was being discontinued and she was very concerned about her future. While we were encouraging and reminding her of God's faithfulness, I remarked “This situation is no surprise to Him. So trust Him that as one door closes, another door will open." At the same moment I was speaking to her about the open door, the front door of my home gently opened with only the sunlight coming in. (See below photo!) We chose to believe that in our conversation about HIM, we heard His voice, and invited HIM into the door of our hearts.....and, indeed, HE came in to confirm that what we were speaking in faith....was true!

Yes, we got goosebumps and were in awe. Some would say "That was just a coincidence. The door wasn't closed tightly when the last lady came in." But, we said what God's Word says, "As your faith is, so be it unto you." In a matter of days, an open door for a new job appeared for this young woman. Yes, she had to do some “knocking” on doors for that new job, but soon the door opened.

Have you ever felt like you were knocking on God’s door and it just seemed nobody’s home? You know He’s in there. You have His blessed assurance that He is there. You continue to pound away at the door – pleading, begging, seeking, knocking, but the door just doesn’t open.

We've all felt that way. Here we are at the Christmas season when we'd love to give to our family and others but there's just so little or nothing at all to be a giver. You may be looking for a job or a better job. You know how thrilling it is for children at Christmas, which makes you desire to conceive and have a baby even more. You may be suffering from a tormenting illness and the thought of Christmas makes you say "humbug" because you so desire to be freed to embrace the joys of this season. Maybe you just want to experience joy again and truly be able to sing "Joy to the World" with fervor. It’s in these times that our loving Father, on the other side of the door, gently whispers to us “Be still and know that I am God. Be still and listen.” All we can see is the closed door, but God is working all things for our good on the other side of the door. He’s repositioning circumstances and people for an answer to our prayers (our knocking). Very soon that door will swing wide open and He will do a quick work. In the meantime, He’s getting things in order for us.

Are your knuckles red from pounding on heaven’s door? Are you discouraged because no matter how hard you pray, all that you see is a door that’s got a deadbolt on it? I have such good news for you! Remember Jesus walking through the walls to the disciples? He doesn’t even need a door to show up for you. Stop and listen. Be still in His presence and let Him assure you that He is working behind the scenes to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!” (Ephesians 3:20)

Be encouraged by Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

"Knock Knock" But Noone's Saying "Who's There?"

Have you ever felt like you were knock, knock, knocking on God’s door and it just seemed nobody’s home? You know He’s in there. You have His blessed assurance that He is there. We continue to pound away at the door – pleading, begging, seeking, knocking, but the door just doesn’t open.

We've all felt that way. We're looking for a better job, maybe we so want to conceive and have a baby, we need healing from a tormenting illness, we need a financial breakthrough, we just want to experience joy again. It’s in these times that our loving Father, on the other side of the door, gently whispers to us “Shhh! Be still and know that I am God. Be still and listen.”

All we can see is the closed door, but God is working all things for our good on the other side of the door. He’s repositioning people and circumstances for an answer to our prayers (our knocking). Very soon that door will swing wide open and He will do a quick work. In the meantime, He’s getting things in order for us.

Here’s how that played out in our lives. We were in a difficult financial season. It seemed that every effort we made for increase…..only sent us further “in the red”. We were doing all the right things: praying, believing, giving, sharing, and caring for others. It looked like we should have been prospering financially on every level. But the more we knocked on the doors (God’s door and business doors), the more we were turned away. Our daughter posted sticky notes and signs all over our house -- on the refrigerator door, mirrors.....everywhere....that said "Expect a miracle". After months of "knocking", a creative idea hit my husband’s mind. He met with a businessman and that one meeting, SUDDENLY changed everything for us. That one conversation literally opened doors to a financial comeback like never before.

God was always on the other side of the door setting things in motion for the doors to open BIG TIME for us. And He did. When the door opened, so many things were set in place and He did a quick work -- quicker than any we could imagine.

Are your knuckles red from pounding on heaven’s door? Are you discouraged because no matter how hard you pray all that you see is a door that’s got a deadbolt on it? I have such good news for you! Remember, Jesus walking through the walls to the disciples? He doesn’t even need a door to show up for you. Stop and listen. Be still in His presence and let Him assure you that He is working behind the scenes to do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine!” (Ephesians 3:20)

Be encouraged by Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Let's Play Hide & Seek

Day 157 of Photo Inspirations -- Let's Play Hide & Seek
I love stopping in to see my little great niece when she has her weekly visit with my mother-in-law, her Great Granny.  On my way home from Texas, yesterday, I stopped in to see her before I made it home   She'll be two this month and, oh my, does she ever provide non-stop entertainment.  I told my sister-in-law that they need to charge for visitors to see her.  She's got quite the personality AND charm -- not to mention that she talks like a 3-year old!  Yesterday, she was entertaining herself, and us, as she played in Mom's water hose -- thus, my photo inspirations for today.

I thought about my last visit to see her and she was playing Hide & Seek with me.  I counted and she hid -- well, not exactly -- before I finished counting, she was coming back around the corner, saying "I'm here!"  Then she had some plastic eggs left over from Easter and she'd hide them from us, but when we'd go looking for them, she'd lead us to them to show us where they were at.  In reality, she really wasn't "hiding" and we didn't really have to "seek" too hard at all.  

On Sunday, I posted about having a "God-consciousness" -- an awareness of Him with us, around us, and in us all the time.  The scripture reference I used was "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13.  After I posted that message, an exclamation point was placed on what I said, as I heard the minister quote this scripture:  "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who SEEK HIM."  Hebrews 11:6

Somewhat like my little niece, God likes playing "NOT HIDING, BUT SEEKING".  He's not "gaming us" -- manipulating us.  He's giving us the clues, the secrets, the keys, the absolute answers to "Where is God when I need Him?"   He's right here.  Right now.  He's exposed Himself to us and He's even leading us to the treasures in secret places.  All He asks in return?  To seek Him with our whole hearts; to trust in Him and believe in Him.  And here's the real deal -- He always plays fair.  He doesn't cheat.  He doesn't hide from us where we can't find Him.  And, like my little niece, He says -- loud and clear....."I'M HERE!"