Beyond Closed Doors

Closed doors! Is there anything harder to deal with than a closed door? Well, for the believer, there are many test and many trials; however, nothing seems to overwhelm us like a "closed door." I mean after all, closed doors yields no answers to our questions; they reveal no hints of what lies beyond them; they are just there, blocking and standing between our request and our desired answer.

Have you ever asked God for something or desired something that seemed to never reveal itself, in any shape, form, or fashion? Ever feel like someone has closed the door on your dreams and threw away the key? Well, you are not alone! Many of us have cried ourselves to sleep, exercised our faith until we had no more strength, held on to hope until hope seemed to let go! and did exactly what Donnie McClurkin told us to do when there was nothing left to do, and that is to "stand", ...yet, the doors remained closed!

What is God trying to tell you, while in this season of "closed doors?" ....Is it the closed door that is the problem or is it your inability to do anything about the closed door that annoys you so? (The fact that you are so limited and powerless as you stand before that closed door). What if I told you that you can begin to live beyond those closed doors? or should I at least say, gain a new way to look at those closed doors!

Every single door that has been shut, has been shut, intentionally and strategically, by God. I hear someone asking, "why would  God purposely close doors that I cannot open? (I asked that exact same question!), well, it is because he wants to increase your vision. Give you a new level of seeing! I believe that God is even ministering to me right now, as he says, "You have come too far to still see a closed door, as a closed door!" God wants to increase not only our vision, but our perception, so that we can begin to see "beyond" those closed doors, and to see him, who is able to move freely amidst our greatest obstacles (and yes! that includes doors). He wants us to realize that a door represents restraints and boundries and that he is not bound by neither. God works best when doors are closed (and I mean closed!) ...some of you know exactly what I am talking about!  He gets to reveal himself, when doors are closed! Just ask the disciples, about the day when they sat in a room, behind a "closed/locked door", afraid of what the Jews were going to do to them. As they sat there afraid, Jesus suddenly appeared in the room, having come through that same closed/locked door! Jesus never even touched the door! Why? Because it was swallowed up by his power! What was he revealing to them by doing that? Jesus wanted them to know, and He wants us to know that he is able to become all that we need, in the midst of shut doors. He does not need an open door in order for him to prove himself. 

Listen, He walked through a closed door and called for "peace" in the midst of their fear (John 20:19). That closed door represented a barrier for them, but Jesus wanted them to "see" that he controls barriers...he moves through barriers. He wanted them to know that even though you may see a door separating you from what's on the other side of it, there is nothing that can separate you from what it is that I have for you.  In John 20:26, Jesus walked through that same locked door on a second occasion, commanding peace in the midst of a doubter named Thomas, who although seeing Jesus walk right through that same locked door, still needed proof that he had victory over the impossible!! God wants you to see Him, beyond the door, beyond the impossible!....the door that you see is a necessary distraction, to test your spiritual vision! 

God is asking, "do you see a door or do you see me! He wants to bless you, beyond the closed doors in your life.  Every closed door that you experience is God teaching you to increase your vision! Praise God! He wants you to know, that you will never look at a closed door the same way again! When the Closed doors represent impossibilities, Jesus is saying, Do you see a door or do you see me?" When they represent failure, dead ends, and defeat, Jesus is saying, "Do you see a closed door or do you see me?" 

 It's time to increase your vision! It's time to begin to see God beyond that closed door; keep praying and fasting, beyond that closed door; keep dancing and singing, beyond that closed door; keep pressing your way to church, beyond that closed door, give God praise, beyond that closed door, and worship him with your life, beyond that closed door! And, the next time a closed door threatens to dismantle your hope, you call on the name of Jesus, and ask him to increase your vision, so that you can look beyond that closed door, and experience HE, who knows no impossibilities!! HE, who has started a good work in you; HE who will finish it;  and HE, who is still  revealing himself, beyond closed doors!

Prerequisites Come Before Promises!

           If you were to look inside of Webster's Dictionary, you would find that the word Prerequisite is listed before, the word Promise! I know what you are thinking! "of course it is, due to the spelling" ..right? Well, for the benefit of today's message, I choose to believe that God arranged them this way, for a reason! So, just go along with my theory, for just a moment! A prerequisite is something that is required, prior to obtaining something else. It's something that prepares you to receive something of a greater significance. And it is something that can cause a delay or failure if ignored!

Have you ever had to take a prerequisite before a class? What was the purpose of the prerequisite?....The purpose of it, was to prepare you for something that was ahead! A class that would ultimately be a necessary tool for your receiving your desired degree! ....If you have ever had to complete payment on something prior to receiving it, it was so that you could "lock in" your expectation of receiving whatever you wanted to call your own! Or how about that bank account of yours? What would be the prerequisite for you being able to withdraw money? Well, the prerequisite would have been that you, first! put money in! right? Now, for the flip side! If I never take that prerequisite in school, I cannot expect to advance to gaining the knowledge needed for me to secure that degree....And if, I never send that payment in, I can forget claiming that item as my own...And as for my bank account? Well, no money in!...means, no money out! 

Did you know that some of God's greatest blessings and promises come with a prerequisite? The promises of God are sure, and we can count on them, if He has declared them! Some of God's blessings and promises are "free", meaning, there is nothing that you or I are required to do to obtain them. An example is, God's mercy...or his grace! There is nothing that you or I can do that would keep God from exercising these acts of love....nothing! Nor is there anything that you or I could do that would qualify us for these benefits! They come along with WHO HE IS! ......Now! what about the blessings and promises of God that require something of us? Meaning that, there is something that He wants from us,  prior to his releasing! A prerequisite that has been established by God! Take a moment and think of a scripture or passage, where God has added a prerequisite to his blessings or promises! I can think of a couple, right off;  and one of them pertains to us receiving God's forgiveness for our transgressions! What is the prerequisite for obtaining this act of love from God? ......if you're thinking, "forgiving others", you are right! God has made it clear that unless we forgive others, we can not expect our sins to be forgiven! (A requirement, that should not be overlooked!)....And what about Philippians 4? where we are given the prerequisite for having peace in our lives! How do we obtain peace? By not being anxious AND surrounding our request with thanksgivings, when making them know to God! Prerequisite comes before Promise! Or Deuteronomy 28, where God lists one specific requirement for obtaining an entire wealth of blessings! That requirement? Obedience!We can go on and on with the many things that God has attached prerequisites to, in order for us to experience his POWER! Our God wants to bless us according to his will for our lives, however, we tend to merely "glance" over the prerequisite, while anxiously "seeking" the promise! This is where we "miss" God! Because as you will find out; it is in the prerequisite, where we find our stability; it is in the prerequisite where we gain our required knowledge on how to gain access to His promises, where we can both walk in and live out His promises, so that unbelievers will want to know how they too, can share in his promises!

Prerequisites aren't created to "delay" your promises; they are created to "ensure" your promises! So, whether you ask God or Webster's Dictionary about prerequisites, one thing will always hold true! Prerequisite will always come before Promise!!

A Prayer for today:

 Dear Lord, thank you for reminding us that, there are promises that you have made, that require nothing of us, but are of your grace and mercy; however, let us be mindful of the fact that there are times when you require a prerequisite prior to our  receiving your blessings. Lord, we acknowledge and understand that prerequisites are for our own growth, and will lead us to deeper relationship with you, and we thank you for your wisdom and for your everlasting love, as you have shared with us, the key to obtaining your promises!



HOW'S YOUR HEALTH?

As I spent some time meditating this morning, I did a quick review of my life, and I realized that I had been very lax, in the type of lifestyle that I had led. It didn't really matter, what I ate; really didn't matter if I studied; didn't really matter, whether or not, I exercised; whether or not, I prayed; whether or not my relationship with the Lord was growing or decreasing! I realized that I had slid my way through life, not really being "matter of fact" about anything!! It just, "was, what it was!" (ever heard that saying?!). Well, let me tell you, what happens, when things don't really matter! And when you just allow things to be, ....just what they are!!!! It is the perfect formula for an unhealthy lifestyle! You made it to this point with no major goals, no positive mind set, and no real necessity, to include God into your "comfortable" lifestyle! Oh yes! It was cozzy comfy!! I didn't really do anything that I didn't feel like doing, and I pretty much did, what I wanted to do, regardless of spiritual back lash or the "time-to-time" guilt that would stop by momentarily!
But, let's go back to my conversation with the Lord! Something came out of my mouth that surprised me! I told God, that, I appreciated Him for where He has brought me! I told him, that because of the consequences of my actions, bad decisions, wrong choices, & failures; It brought me to a place of readiness!  It brought me to a place of "healthiness"....."healthiness, in Him!"..... and in my life! 
As we all know, problems have a way of bringing you to your knees; However, allowing God to have His way in your life, isn't always what we opt for, when we get up off of our knees! Just like, with a fad diet, you can find yourself right back, on the wrong side of His will for you! Well, I came to my senses, one day, and I realized that, I was making life, much harder than God had planned for it to be! And that I was the creator of more storms, than the Lord, had EVER, planned to send my way! And that I held on to pain, far longer, than He hoped, that I would! ....Sometimes I wonder! how many tears, were the result of my unhealthy lifestyle? How much pain could have been avoided? .....Had I not, been starving spiritually, would my choices have been different? (when you are hungry, you always select, for the moment, and not for the future!) ...Well,what I have found out was; that God has always been good, and that a healthy lifestyle had been laid out before me the entire time, but I had chosen the unhealthy things in life to sustain me!.....And as the saying goes!.."you are, what you eat"!!!! ......It is absolutely the truth! What you have chosen for your life's nutrition, shows, physically, mentally, and spiritually!!! One day, I made up in my mind that I was going to switch nutrition plans!!!! This was major! Because, this meant, that I was about to work towards transforming my body, transforming my mind, transforming my attitude, and most of all! transforming the most important part of all; and that meant! .............a transformed relationship with the Savior! Once upon a time, I was malnourished! not receiving the nutrients that I needed to be strong and healthy! Nutrients, such as healthier foods, prayer, fasting, and reading the Word of God, which, by the way, gives you, spiritual, Omega-3's (The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), all working to create a healthier you!!! How's your health? ...Are you feeling down? depressed? depleted of all of your energy?....Go to the Father, and ask him for an assessment! He's been waiting for you to make this appointment! And He's ready to give you a full consultation, on how you can be on your way, to a much healthier YOU!!