Open Door

Yesterday morning as I sat in prayer and journaled, I poured my heart out with these words, "Dearest Lord, my Savior, we gave thanks yesterday for all your goodness and faithfulness. (It was Thanksgiving Day.) You are awesome. Glory to you, O Lord. My heart rejoices, my heart rejoices. I love this quiet time alone with you early in the morning. I give you my heart. Make it yours, I pray. Speak to it and lead me in your way and truth so I may have life and bring life to others. You alone are holy and you alone are worthy."

Then I could hear a melody within the silence of my mind with those words, "You alone are holy, You alone are worthy, You alone are good, Almighty God. (That's the refrain). And then the verse, "The heavens are covering all creation, Your graces are reigning from above, With voices we surrender to your mercy, We pray for hearts open to your love."

 As I continued to listen, I heard him whisper in a still small voice, "Heaven and earth are open and rejoice this day."

So I went to my computer and googled this, "Heaven and earth are open" to see what more I could find and understand what he might mean by those words. Isaiah 45: 8 popped up on the screen and was particularly striking, "Drip down, O heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness spring up with it. I, the Lord, have created it." There were those scriptural words, "Let the earth open up..."

I felt strongly that the Lord was saying righteousness is indeed being poured down from above and springing up and salvation is indeed bearing fruit. We may not see this with our physical eyes, but with eyes of faith, we can believe that what the Lord has spoken is true. And I do believe! "Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Then I was led to an article * about "open door" and want to share with you these three P nuggets:

Open Door of Power
We are invited to pass through the door. The door stays open. This door did not shut and will not shut. The door Himself is Jesus. He is the open door.

Open Door of Promise
God always keeps his people and his covenants with his people close to his heart. God keeps his word and does everything He has promised to do.

Open Door of Praise
"Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty. You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, honor and power." Revelation 4:8, 19:1
"I will enter his gates with thanksgiving; And his courts with praise." Psalm 100:4

So, today, remember these three words: power, promise and praise and believe that through Jesus we enter through the open door and will receive our promised inheritance: eternal life, and will praise him with great rejoicing now and forever and ever.

*Sermon by Mike Hullah