God Opens Doors

Do you wonder about this saying?  This particular sign/door was a birthday gift from my son and daughter in law, who create signs for a living. I was deeply moved by this one as it showed that they knew about my blog title/theme "Closed Doors, Open Windows", based on the quote, "When God closes a door, He opens a window."  The above can also be said, "When God opens a door, no man can shut it!"  

What this tells me is that God is in control of my life...He opens doors for me and no one else is able to keep me from entering it.  It also tells me that when I think all hope is lost, and it appears that there is no other way to go, God opens a "window" of opportunity that comes directly from His hand.

I know from personal experience that God does this for His children. That is how I began writing this blog in the first place...Click HERE for the beginning blog, way back in 2010...,  and then here again when we came to another "closed door" about a year or so later...
And there are so many other examples, too numerous to share here, but in each and every one God was always faithful to open that "window" for us just when we needed it most. There were also many times that God opened doors that no man could shut, even when they may have tried...because God had a plan for our lives and He was the one doing the opening and closing.

So, yes, this little sign speaks volumes to me. There could be no better gift.  We may be approaching such a door again in the near future, and we pray that God will continue to be faithful to open and close the doors that are best for us, no matter what we or others may think! I know He will...He always has, and He does not change!

This particular saying did originate with God, way back in Isaiah 22:22 and then again in the book of Revelation 3:7-8, in God's message to the church in Philadelphia...which was also known as the "church in revival". 

Revelation 3:7-8

7.  "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

These things says He who is holy,

He who is true,

He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens."

8.  "I know your works.

See, I have set before you an open door, 

and no one can shut it;

for you have a little strength,

have kept My word, and have not denied My name."

Has God opened any special doors for you lately, or at other times in your life? Have you experienced the wonder and joy of knowing that what God hath opened, no man can shut?  It's truly a marvelous blessing, isn't it?

Have Faith In God

Have Faith in God

Wow! What a night! I don't know how many of you stayed up late last night (this morning) watching the election results.  I made it until about 1:30 a.m. and just couldn't stay up any longer. Went to bed feeling hopeful, and woke up this morning with a feeling of great comfort...and a calm and peaceful sense of having a "clean house"...   (not my own personal house...but a much larger place...)

But then I was faced with the reality that not everyone felt as elated as I.  To some, the results of this election seemed to bring fear and panic, and a sense of financial instability.  For me, not having any real savings  or stocks and being totally dependent on social security and a very small government pension, has its benefits.  Nothing to lose.  But for those whose livelihood is based on a 401K or other type of retirement savings account, the news from the stock market created a great feeling of insecurity and grave concerns about the future.  Even though the experts remind the world that this is only a temporary setback and will soon recover, for those not having that kind of foresight there is major anxiety.

While contemplating this apparent calamity in the lives of those around us, the chorus to an old hymn kept pressing into my heart:

"Have faith in God,

He's on His throne;

Have faith in God,

He watches o'er His own;

He cannot fail,

He must prevail;

Have faith in God, Have faith in God!"

The last verse of this hymn also seems appropriate at this particular juncture:

"Have faith in God tho' all else fail about you;

Have faith in God, He provides for His own;

He cannot fail tho' all kingdoms shall perish,

He rules, He reigns upon His throne!"

"Have Faith in God", by B.B. McKinney, 1886-1952 , Click HERE to hear it sung by a Youth Choir in Singapore

But perhaps not everyone understands or has confidence in having faith in God. And I would be insensitive to flippantly say that is what one should do when they feel their world is crashing down around them. Faith in God is not something that is learned overnight or easily understood.  It may take years of learning to trust in the One true and living God, learned only through personal trials of loss and God's provision, sorrow and regained peace, heartache and restored joy.  This does not come easily, and I have learned that it only comes when I am willing to surrender my control over the things around me...my finances, my home, family, job, health, world events, wars, elections, friendships, and the list goes on and on.  When I recognize that I never had control over those things anyway, it frees me to rest in the Lord and let Him take charge.

Psalm 33:18-22 speaks comfort to my soul and hopefully to any out there who are struggling today:

"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,

on those who hope in His mercy,

to deliver their soul from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the Lord;

He is our help and our shield.

For our heart shall rejoice in Him,

because we have trusted in His holy name.

Let Your mercy, O Lord,

be upon us,

just as we hope in You."

Our God is not lax in His care of us individually or as a nation.  He is very aware of the outcome of this election and its effect on His children, whether it be good or bad.  He is still on His throne...and He will not forget His promises to us.  So...

"Have Faith in God!"

Psalm 34:8-9 says:

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good;

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

O, fear the Lord, you His saints!

There is no want to those who fear Him."

It is my prayer that as we reflect on the outcome of this election and all that it portends, we will be reassured that our God IS still on the throne, and that He is in control...and that we truly have nothing to fear. Amen!

Letting Go

Yes, I did it! I am still reeling from the euphoria of the realization that I am truly retired from the "working world".  The reality won't fully hit me until next week when I don't have to get up early and jump in the car for the long 45 minute drive to work each day.  As I drove home yesterday I found myself thinking that I would never pass that way again...which is silly, because I am certain I will travel into the city many times in the future...but it will never be with the same purpose or intensity of thought about the day ahead (or the day behind on the way back home). 

I also thought about the young teenage boy that I had been praying for over the past several years Click HERE for that Story and the sequel to it HERE.  I haven't seen him for quite some time at his usual bus stop...perhaps he has now started driving himself to school.  The last time I did see him he still looked like he needed some encouragement and prayers, so I have continued to pray for him each day whether or not he was there.  Now I probably won't remember to do that...and that saddens me...but I deliberately "released" him into God's capable hands as I passed his road.  I should have done that sooner...but I kept thinking that God was depending on ME to be the one to pray. 

In the process of "letting go" of my job and releasing it into the very capable hands of my successor, I have found myself having sleepless nights, thinking of so many little details that I needed to tell her so that she would be able to do her job successfully.  Finally I had to realize that I could not continue to lose sleep over worries of things that were no longer under my control. I am trying very hard (without much success yet) to let go and let GOD direct her as she learns the job and takes ownership of all the responsibilities involved. This woman is very intelligent and competent...exactly who God has chosen for this position...and I must surrender my feelings of ownership and PRIDE. (yes, that is what it is).  Oh, and remember THIS STORY?  and THIS Picture: 

I had said in the above linked post that I would probably leave this picture behind in my office unless I saw that my successor did not appreciate it the way I did...and so I asked her what she thought of it, and she loved it...especially when I told her my little story behind it and its significance to me.  So, that clinched the deal as far as I was concerned as to whether or not she was meant to be there...but again...that was GOD'S deal, NOT MINE!

My son, the sign-maker, said to me yesterday that he was going to create a sign for me that said simply, "LET IT GO".  That is probably not a bad idea. I need to hang it on my mirror, on this computer, over the kitchen sink, and on my bedroom ceiling so I can see it when I lay there awake at night unable to "let it go".   I never realized just how much I thought I had to be in control until this week when I finally handed over the keys to the "kingdom" of my office and walked out that door, never to return in the same capacity again.

So now, as I practice this new act of letting go of what has been my world for the past almost six years, I am asking the Lord, "What next?" But perhaps I ought to be asking Him to forgive me for thinking that I need to be in control of my life and the world around me. That responsibility belongs totally to God.

As Moses prayed to the Lord in Exodus 33:13 ~

"Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way,

that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight...

And God responded in verse 14:

"And He said, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Ahhhhh, REST....YES, LORD....THAT is EXACTLY what I need right now...as well YOU know! Yes, sweet rest...when I LET GO and LET GOD, I will find rest. Where have I heard that before?

"Come to ME, all you who labor and are heavy laden, 

and I will give you REST.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart, 

and you will find REST for your souls.

For My yoke is easy 

and my burden is light."

(Words of Jesus Christ found in the book of Matthew 11:28-30)

I keep saying that I want to provide a place of rest for others who are weary from their burdens and sorrows in life, and that is still my ultimate goal for "retirement", but before I am able to offer this gift to others, I need to learn it for myself. 

So to sum this post up and get to bed for the night, I am going to try harder to "LET IT GO"....AND "LET GOD" take the full control of my mind and heart and life...and allow Him to give me that rest that He so desires to give me.  Then perhaps I will be better prepared for whatever comes next.

I am letting go...and letting God...

Good Night my friends.

Sleep Tight...

Just What Is Faith? UPDATED

UPDATE: This was originally posted back in April of 2010, not long after we had learned that our adult son was diagnosed with cancer.  It has been exactly four years, and he is nearing the end of that journey (if the Doctor is right), but his faith and ours has not wavered. Oh, it has been tested and tried plenty...and we've had to relinquish "control" of his care and future completely to God. But our hope and faith is still based squarely on His divine love for His children. He has not and will not fail. Regardless of the earthly outcome.

That being said, here is where I was four years ago...

April 29, 2010

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Faith...a five letter word...seemingly insignificant, and yet, in reality, it is one of the biggest and most difficult words ever uttered.  Why? I guess because in order to have faith, we have to trust in something or SomeONE greater than ourselves. We have to let go of our preconceived ideas of what WE think is best for our lives and be willing to allow God to direct our paths...even when we can't see where the road is leading us. 

A few years back there was a slogan going around in the religious realm that said, "Let go, and Let GOD!"  and that little saying has come back to "haunt" or "taunt" me many times throughout my life.  For those of you who know me personally, you know that I tend to be a person who likes to be "in control".  Some would say, "controlling", others have accused me of being "bossy"...(some of you may be reading this right now...no need to write any comments at the bottom! LOL)   I tend to be the one who gets everyone up and moving when there is a lull in the conversation or party, or committee meeting, or whatever...goes back to my high school cheerleading days at good old THS!  Perhaps because  of my "natural tendencies" to be a leader and boss, God has had to go to extreme measures at times to teach me humility.  There have been times when my boldness has led to embarrassing moments when I wished I could have crawled under the carpet and slithered out the back door and never returned to face those who had witnessed my shame. 

So what has this got to do with "faith"?  Throughout the years God has been teaching me about faith...oftentimes through decisions and choices that placed us into difficult circumstances, either because we made a bold move without first counting the cost , or because we truly believed it was what God was telling us to do and we were answering the call. Either way, whether it was by our own foolishness (or the appearance of such to the rest of the world), or because we were obeying the "call", I can honestly say that God has NEVER let us down.  Oh, yes, we've squirmed a bit and worried and fretted and doubted God's purpose, and second guessed if we had heard God right or not...but at the end of the day, I can honestly say, God NEVER LET US DOWN.  When we made the decision to let go of our own will, our own "security", our own dreams and schemes and fully trust God, He did NOT let go of us.  He grasped onto us all the tighter and held us closely to His breast, and carried us through the storms of life that raged about us. 

Right now our family is going through another storm, the serious illness of our middle son, Matt.  Matthew is a child of God, and a precious son, husband, brother, and father.  If I could pass on any gift to him right now, it would be the gift of faith.  Actually, I believe God has already filled him with this gift, and he has had to use it many times in his own life.  But probably never as much as now.  He is going through some deep water, but with the eyes of faith he can see the light at the end of this tunnel...and that helps steer him forward to the reward of renewed strength and health. He may need some extra encouragement throughout these next months to keep reaching toward that light...and that's where we come in...you and me and everyone else out there...Your prayers, your words of encouragement and hope bring renewed faith and courage.  Don't ever doubt the value of your offerings.  Whether by prayer, email, facebook, cards, phone calls, whatever way the Lord leads, it brings hope and healing...not just for Matt, but for the many others out there in need of such help...and there are many.  Perhaps even you need that hope and faith from time to time....

Matthew 7: 7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Whom Are YOU Trying to Please?

"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."  Galatians 1:10

I wonder how many of you reading this are in the position of being a supervisor?  If so, do you find it an easy position to perform?  How do you negotiate between your employees and your own supervisor, (if you have one, and most of us do).  I would really like to take a poll of persons in supervisory positions to find out if you ever have feelings of ambivalence, frustration, exasperation, or stress.  If so, is that a sign of weakness...or perhaps a clue that supervision really isn't your gift?  Or is it normal to feel torn when you have to make unpopular decisions or carry out wishes of your own superiors that may cause others to become angry, dissatisfied with their position, or worse yet, dislike you because of the stand you must take?  It's certainly not a pleasant place, but it seems to come with the territory. Being a "boss" is not a good position if you want to please others and be liked by those over whom you have been given authority. Sooner or later you will have to take a stand that will be unpopular, even if it is justified and appropriate.

I found myself saying recently that "I didn't accept this position to win a popularity contest".  I couldn't believe my own ears.  Why? Because my natural inclination is to be a friend to others, to always strive to be pleasant and considerate and kind, yes to "please men" (or women, as the case may be), and to "win friends and influence people"... (who said that? Dale Carnegie, I believe).  It is not in my nature to be the "tough guy" or the enforcer.   However, when people continually take advantage of one's good nature and transgress the "rules", thinking that no one would dare to stand up to them, it's time for action. 

Anyone in a position of authority has the responsibility to enforce whatever rules and policies are in effect for that place of employment.  And likewise, each employee is responsible to obey those policies unless they are in direct conflict with one's relationship with God. Everyone needs to reason within himself/herself that his highest priority is to please God...not man.  If we truly strive to please God in all things, whether we are an employee or an employer, our working relationships should run more smoothly.

Who is going to be in control?  from Michael Belk's Journeys with the Messiah

It still doesn't make it easier to make difficult decisions that affect another's position and livelihood, but then again, I didn't make the rules...they have been handed down by a higher authority for the good of the organization as well as its employees. We each have the choice whether or not to obey and live peaceably, or to disobey and suffer the consequences.

Yeah, I choose to please God rather than men, regardless of the personal outcome.  How about you?

For further thoughts on this subject from a little different perspective, read Romans 13:1-7.

The Lord Is My Strength and My Shield

Psalms 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him."

I love the old hymns of the faith...they often express exactly what I am feeling at the moment. So please bear with me as I share with you another old hymn that I find comforting today:

"Jesus, I am resting, resting

In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

Thou has bid me gaze upon Thee,

And Thy beauty fills my soul;

For, by Thy transforming power,

Thou has made me whole.

Oh, how great Thy loving kindness,

Vaster, broader than the sea!

Oh, how marvelous Thy goodness

Lavished all on me!

Yes, I rest in Thee, Beloved,

Know what wealth of grace is Thine,

Know Thy certainty of promise,

And have made it mine.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,

I behold Thee as Thou art,

And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,

Satisfies my heart;

Satisfies its deepest longings,

Meets, supplies its every need,

Compasseth me round with blessings;

Thine is love indeed!

Ever lift Thy face upon me,

As I work and wait for Thee;

Resting 'neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,

Earth's dark shadows flee.

Brightness of my Father's glory,

Sunshine of my Father's face,

Keep me ever trusting, resting;

Fill me with Thy grace.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,

In the joy of what Thou art;

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart."

"Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting", by Jean S. Pigott, 1845-1882

Thank you all for your prayers for our son Matthew today, as he travels to Boston for his appointment with the medical team at Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  Today he will be learning what level this cancer has supposedly reached in his body, and what the treatment plan will be.  We are praying that God has already gone before him, has prepared the way with Doctors who are knowledgeable, compassionate, and highly skilled.  We are also praying that they will be astounded by what God has already been doing in Matthew...and that they will know beyond a shadow of doubt that God has already touched his body and brought healing.  We are trusting and resting in Jesus today.  Regardless of the outcome of these reports, we will trust our God.  We KNOW that HE is in control, in all things.  Therefore, I can rest in Him today.

Thank you, everyone! 

GOD IS IN CONTROL!

AMEN!

God Is In Control...

II Timothy 1:7  "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Tonight I have heard some disturbing news...news that could strike fear into the heart of any mother or father.  God has blessed us with three wonderful sons.  Each one is uniquely talented and gifted in special ways. As is the case with most parents, we do not love one child more than any other...we love them equally and fervently.  But one of our sons has been especially close to our hearts throughout the years because it seems as though God has set him apart for a unique purpose...to be a witness to us and to those with whom he has come into contact of the miraculous, gracious, amazing power of God to work in mysterious and marvelous ways, His wonders to behold! 

For those who know our son Matthew, you are aware of the story of the miracles that surrounded him and touched his life when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of eighteen. The fact that God not only healed him of one brain tumor, but two within the course of a couple of years remains one of the beautiful mysteries of life that cannot be explained by normal human ideologies.  Matthew is now 37 years old, married, and the proud father of our only grandson, Noah, who is ten years old.  His life has been blessed and we never cease to praise God for how He has intervened on his behalf many times.

Today Matthew had a CT Scan to examine a small lump that appeared on his lower abdomen.  The original thought was that perhaps he had a hernia, but the radiology report revealed that this is an enlarged lymph node, and that he has many more such nodes on his torso.  The doctor has scheduled a biopsy for this Friday to determine the cause of the swelling.  Matthew lives in Maine.  We live in Florida.  That's a long way away for my son to be when such news comes. 

A few years ago, when we were in the midst of another son's trials and tribulations, I learned a little song while leading the music for our church Vacation Bible School.  The name of the song is, "God Is In Control", originally sung by Twila Paris.  It goes something like this:

"God is in Control...we believe that His children will not be forsaken, God is in contol, We will choose to remember and never be shaken. There is no power above or beside Him we know! Oh oh oh, God is in Control!

I have sung that song many times since those days of concern and distress; sometimes with tears streaming down my face, but I had to accept the fact that GOD IS IN CONTROL! Not me! God!

Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you.  I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

I love the emphasis on the words "am" and "will" in that verse.  Almighty God clearly and emphatically states that He is with us, He is our God, He will strengthen us and He will help us. He will uphold us with His righteous right hand.  So no matter what the tests may reveal, no matter what the prognosis may be, we can trust God.  He will not let go...He will carry us with His righteous right hand.  He may even choose to perform another miracle, but either way...we will trust Him.

IT IS ALL ABOUT TRUST~Can you trust the One Who died for YOU? If He was willing to DIE for us, then He is also willing to take care of us in this life.

TRUST!!!!!