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.”

And, SUDDENLY……

My word for today is SUDDLENLY: quickly and unexpectedly, immediately, instantly, without warning

Meet Red Gerard. Talk about SUDDENLY!!! On Saturday, 17-year old snowboarder, Red Gerard, from Colorado was sitting in last place heading into his third and final run. He was hoping to just get a good run and 4th place. But when the pressure was on, he delivered. During his run, Gerard's creativity was on full display, as he repeatedly used features of the course that other riders were ignoring. Red scored 87.16 from the judges, putting him in first place. The top competitors failed to exceed Red’s scores. Red received the first gold medal awarded to the U.S. team at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics AND he was the youngest snowboarder to ever win a gold medal and the youngest male athlete to win a Gold Medal since 1928 in a Winter Olympics. SUDDENLY Red's life changed forever.

I remember another SUDDENLY. Small town of Checotah, OK and the small town girl raised on a farm there -- Carrie Underwood, who just decided to try out for American Idol. Out of all those competitors she won the grand prize and SUDDENLY her life changed forever. We still love to follow her because she represents the SUDDENLIES that can happen to any who are willing to pay the price of going for their dreams.

How do we deal with the SUDDENLIES in our lives? SUDDEN illness, SUDDEN financial loss. Sudden wealth. Sudden fame.

Last week I was at a very prayerful night with others, when all of a sudden, I heard a gal who was looking at her phone exclaim “Oh, my God, NO! The stock market has crashed!” SUDDENLY, her world turned upside down, at least for that time being.

Now, let’s consider our God – Who is a God of surprises AND SUDDENLIES. And because He is God – he usually doesn't work the way we want or think. But this one thing I’ve come to know – His SUDDENLIES, for those who are His devoted followers, are filled with His power, His grace, His mercy, His love AND have learned to wait for His perfect timing. God's SUDDENLIES happen with our best interests at heart.

God always operates in a place above what we can think or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). That’s because His thoughts and ways are so much higher above ours (Isaiah 55:8).

Just when we think we're boxed in on every side, God SUDDENLY provides a way of escape. Just when the last penny is spent, God SUDDENLY surprises us with a bonus. Just when we thought we were going down for the last time, God SUDDENLY shows up in a boat or helicopter. The lesson? Three words. DON’T GIVE UP!

Is the road long? Is the night too black? Are you in last place? Don't stop. God is watching. For all you know -- right at this moment -- the check may be in the mail. Opportunity could be knocking at your door -- right now! The SUDDENLIES in our lives can bless us – whether they are overwhelmingly disappointing or overwhelmingly over-abundant blessings. The point is – embrace the SUDDENLIES. They are part of the MASTER Plan of God to get us from Point A to Point Z. Don't quit. For if you do, you may miss the answer you've been waiting for!! Expect surprises. Expect SUDDENLIES!

"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.”