Friday, September 21, 2007

Opened and Closed Doors

We need to learn to thank the Lord for closed doors just as much as we do for open doors. The reason God closes doors is because He has not prepared anything over there for us.

If he didn't close the wrong door we would never find our way to the right door. Even when we don't realize it, God directs our paths through the closing and opening of doors. When one door closes, it forces us to change our course. Another door closes; it forces us to change our course yet again.

Then finally, we find the open door and walk right into our blessing.

But instead of praising God for the closed door (which kept us out of trouble), we get upset because we "judge by the appearances." And in our own arrogance, or ignorance, we insist that we know what is right.

We have a very present help in the time of need who is always standing guard. Because He walks ahead of us, He can see trouble down the road and HE sets up road blocks and detours accordingly. But through our lack of wisdom we try to tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour signs. Then the minute we get into trouble, we start crying

"Lord how could this happen to me?"

We have got to realize that the closed door was a blessing. Didn't He say that "No good thing will He withhold from them that love Him?"

If you get terminated from your job - don't be down, instead thank God for the new opportunities that will manifest themselves - it might be a better job, or an opportunity to go to school. If that man or woman won't return your call - it might not be them, it might be the Lord
setting up a roadblock (just let it go).

One time a person had a bank he had been doing business with for many years tell him "NO" for a $10,000 loan. The Lord led him to call another bank. That bank approved a $40,000 loan for him at a lower interest rate than his own bank had advertised.

I'm so grateful, for the many times God has closed doors to me, just to open them in the most unexpected places. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way." (Psalms 37:23) The mountain top is glorious, but it is in the Valley that I will grow!

Always Remember God gives you...
Enough Happiness to keep you Sweet
Enough Trials to keep you Strong
Enough Sorrows to keep you Human
Enough Hope to keep you Happy
Enough Failure to keep you Humble
Enough Success to keep you Eager
Enough Friends to give you Comfort
Enough Wealth to meet your Needs
Enough Enthusiasm to make you look forward
Enough Faith to banish depression
Enough Determination to make each day a better day than the last.

Life must be lived forward but can only be understood backwards. Commit to the Lord in whatever you do and your plans will succeed. (Proverbs 16:3)

If you love God share this. He will continue to open and close doors for you.

Forwarded by a friend. Thanks!

Labels: ,


Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Faithfulness of God

Here's today's post from Our Daily Bread.

**************************************

Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God." —Mark 11:22

Some of Jesus' words to His disciples about having faith in God leave me wondering if I can ever exercise that level of trust and confidence in prayer. I can't recall telling a mountain to relocate itself into the ocean and watching it happen.

Hudson Taylor, pioneer missionary to China, said that Jesus' words in Mark 11:22, "Have faith in God," could be translated, "Hold on to the faithfulness of God."

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, former pastor of London's Westminster Chapel, appreciated Taylor's insight and said: "Faith is holding on to the faithfulness of God and, as long as you do that, you cannot go wrong. Faith does not look at the difficulties. . . . Faith does not look at itself or at the person who is exercising it. Faith looks at God . . . . Faith is interested in God only, and it talks about God and it praises God and it extols the virtues of God. The measure of the strength of a man's faith, always, is ultimately the measure of his knowledge of God. . . . He knows God so well that he can rest on the knowledge. And it is the prayers of such a man that are answered."

"Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations" (Ps. 119:89-90). David C. McCasland

Trust in Him, ye saints, forever—
He is faithful, changing never;
Neither force nor guile can sever
Those He loves from Him. —Kelly

Life is not always fair, but God is always faithful.


**************************************

When we talk about faith, hope and love, we oftentimes forget that without "trust", we can never realize these 3. Many times we talked so boldly about loving God, and putting our hopes and faith in Him, but at the back of our minds, we have numerous doubts on the extent of His might. Human as we are, the Lord understands and forgives, simply because of love. This alone should awaken us, that God's faithfulness in us is so huge, all we could ever do is to leave everything up to Him. It is so easy to say, "Thy will be done", but do we really mean it when we say these words? Sometimes we have to ask ourselves, to check the status of our faith each day.... I guess it's a healthy and humble way to keep in touch with God, and at the same time, ourselves.

In times of worry and confusion, I always remind myself -- There's a time for everything. Trust in God and you will never go wrong. The best is yet to come.

May we have that constant communication with Him. May we continue to pray for each other so that we continue, re-gain, or deepen, our trust in the Lord. Have a wonderful Wednesday. God bless everyone!

Labels: , ,


Monday, September 03, 2007

When You Love

You do each deed with all your heart
Moments of waiting don’t matter
You don’t ask for anything in return
You treat each day like no other

You always come up with a surprise
And give it with such loving eyes
You keep each promise that you make
You learn to give more than you take

Little by little, you learn to break
The wall that separates the earth
From your once selfish and skeptical self
That was always proving your worth

You cease to worry about tomorrow
You learn to live by the day
You always pray for the good of the other
And learn to trust in God’s way

Your heart leaps on each hello
And breaks on every goodbye
But deep within, you’ll find good memories –
Real treasures you can forever live by.

Labels: , , , ,