Doors

Doors – Does God Open and Close Doors for us?

Opening doors to non-believers

Paul and Barnabas Return to Antioch in Syria
… And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they remained no little time with the disciples. 
Acts 14:27-28 (ESV)

Plans for Travel
I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
1 Corinthians 16:7–9 (ESV)

Further Instructions
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:2–6 (ESV)

To the Church in Philadelphia
“ ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
Revelation 3:8–9 (ESV)

God will close doors too

The Macedonian Call
And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Acts 16:6–10 (ESV)

Seek his plans with all your heart

Trust when He closes a door… His plans are greater than ours…

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV)

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. 
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)

Even our faith is a door

Our Faith is a Door

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 
And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 
“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 
When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 
Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 
But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 
In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 
And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 
And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”
Luke 13:22–30 (ESV)

Depart from me, all you workers of evil, 
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 
The LORD has heard my plea; 
the LORD accepts my prayer. 
All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; 
they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment. 

Psalm 6:8–10 (ESV)

Our Faith is a narrow door…. The ways of the world, the ways of the majority, are not God’s ways.
As we said some weeks ago God’s work through the small, the meek, the weak.
Even Moses did not feel up to the task!

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
Exodus 3:11-12 (ESV)

In God’s Timing

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! 
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Psalm 27:13–14 (ESV)

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. 
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Psalm 25:1–3 (ESV)

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:29–31 (ESV)

We may not like God’s Timing (at the time).

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (ESV)

…but His timing is always best.

So…. What do we do?

Rest in the Goodness of a Good, Good Father…

…whose ways are not our ways… and whose plans are so much greater than our plans…