OPEN DOORS

John 6:20-21 NKJV But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

Have you ever been on a journey and someone in the car says, “Are we nearly there yet?”  They’re growing tired of the journey and they want to arrive at where they’re going!😊

Life is a bit like that when we have thoughts and plans of where we want to go but the journey is taking longer than we thought to get there. But this passage reassures our hearts because as long as we have invited Jesus into our boat, as long as we know it’s a journey He’s planned and not just something we’ve decided we want to do, then He will get us there as quickly as is necessary.

God says He will direct our paths, that He will make crooked paths straight, that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. We may not realise it at the time but closed doors we may have had can be just as important and helpful as open doors, and we can thank God for them. 

We all know that God’s timing is never wrong and He has moments of favour all lined up for us to walk into, when everything starts to fall into place, and the grace of God is on it which gives us His confidence to know we’re on the right path.😊

Isaiah 30:21 NLT Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

The Holy Spirit wants you to know this, at the right time God will open the door that’s right for you and He will take you through it quicker than you thought possible, just like the disciples ‘immediately’ arrived at their destination! Be encouraged God is directing your path and it will be blessed. Amen.😊

Photo by Maksim Tarasov on Unsplash

FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS

2 Peter 1:5-7 CEV Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love.

There are instructions with everything and if we do as they say, whether it’s putting a piece of furniture together or cooking a new recipe, we will have the desired result. In the same way the Bible is God’s instruction manual for life and if we’ll follow the Maker’s instructions we will have the good result God wants us to have.😊

For instance, when we follow His instructions for peace which we find in Philippians 4:4-8 then peace will follow but if we’re not prepared to do as He says we sabotage ourselves without realising it.

God never tells us to do something for the fun of it but for our own benefit, and when He says to cast down imaginations (2 Corinthians 10:5), He means for us to stop imagining bad scenarios that steal our peace, that disagree with what God says. When demons come to torment us with the ‘what ifs’ we need to obey God’s instruction and cast them down!

The secret is in putting something different in our minds, to deliberately think of something that lifts our spirit. Maybe you’re upset about a family member and how they’re behaving, so start seeing that person the way you would like them to be. Speak the promises of God over them by faith and ask Him to turn them around and thank Him for a good outcome because the Lord is able to do the impossible.

If your work place is difficult, bring it to the Lord and ask Him to bless it and the people in it so much that the whole atmosphere of the place changes for the better. Speak joy, peace and prosperity into it.😊

And if we’re struggling with depressing, fearful thoughts, bring them to the Prince of Peace and ask Him to make you strong in your spirit to resist those demons and dismiss them. Declare what God says, that you are more than a conqueror, a victor not a victim, that you have the mind of Christ and He is not depressed or afraid!

Let’s follow the Maker’s instructions this week and commit it to Him, believing His promise to surround us with His favour, and rest in His steadfast love for us because it’s all about you and Jesus doing it together.😊 Amen.

Photo: Marion Cervela on Unsplash