Go Through Open Doors

When your church plans trips, activities, or courses, how do you view them?  For a lot of my life I used to see all church-related activities or service as optional.  Unless I felt specifically prompted to go or be involved, I would usually pass.  But as I have continued to mature in the LORD, my views have changed.  I see opportunities to preach or go on mission trips as open doors that I should aim to go through unless God closes the door.  Do you see the difference?  Many people have a consumer approach to offered church activities rather than seeing it as an opportunity to serve.

How would your perspective change if you saw an upcoming mission trip as an open door, swung wide by Jesus Christ Himself for you to enter?  Jesus said in Revelation 3:7, "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..."  It is of great importance to realise what your call is as a Christian, and specifically what Jesus has called you to in the Body of Christ.  We are exhorted to be diligent to make our calling sure (2 Peter 1:10) - not only concerning justification, but sanctification.  Once you are convinced of God's call upon your life, it is an indispensable tool of the Holy Spirit to guide us through open doors we may have never noticed before.

In my own life, it was revealed to me in prayer, the Bible, and confirmed without solicitation by a praying friend that God had called me to be a pastor.  It was not my plan, but God convinced me that I would preach, and I would be sent.  Believing this indeed to be a call upon my life, whenever an opportunity to preach or teach was offered, I viewed it as an open door.  I figured if God had opened a door which lined up with my calling, it was not for me to decide if I liked the look of the door or what potentials laid behind it.  My role was to go through every door He opened, and not to concern myself with doors He shut.  Do you realise that God does not open doors before you unless He intended you to enter them?  Should it be evident to you He has closed a door, there is no need to strain at the handle or wonder if God knows what He is doing.  It is wise to see every opportunity as an open door for you to walk through.  When we seek Christ and examine our motives, we will know the way because Jesus IS the Way.

I encourage you to open your heart and consider the many open doors God has opened to you.  Instead of asking, "Why should I go?" or "Do I feel like going?" or "Can I afford it?" ask, "Has God specifically told me not to walk through this open door?"  Money is never an issue for God, and neither is time.  It very well may be there have been thousands of open doors God has set before us which were veiled because our vision was clouded by self.  We often already have plans, and the open door Jesus bids us enter was not part of that plan.  Are you willing to walk through doors Jesus opens?  Be open to open doors, and boldly walk through them in obedience!