"Open Door"

As Christian Way Ministries prepares to relocate to another building on April 1st, 2018 (the day America celebrates the most revolutionary event in all of human history, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ) Revelation 3:7-8 is such a beautiful reminder of how this opportunity presented itself. Now, the Apostle John, the one whom Jesus loved the most was writing down the vision revealed to him regarding the seven churches. The sixth church of Philadelphia is one of the seven churches along with the church of Smyrna who received a good report. John writes in verse 7, "These are the words of him (Jesus) who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open." Interestingly, John prefaces this particular verse by reminding the church at Philadelphia of the One who is responsible for these words that are written to the church; "For in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Meaning this.., Jesus is the Logos, Jesus is the spoken Word, and Jesus is the Holy one who issues the message to the seven churches, that not only is He the Holy and True God who holds the key of David, but He is also the One who opens doors no one can shut and closes doors no one can open! You see, in order for God to open up new doors of opportunity, God has to close old doors of opportunity. Just like how God closed the old door of opportunity at our current location, God opened a new door of opportunity for Christian Way Ministries to advance the kingdom of God in a new location that no one can close. Furthermore, we knew that our new location was an open door God provided for our ministry to walk through because God was the One who closed all the other doors. We knew that we needed certain things to happen in order for us to walk through this open door, and guess what..? God provided for every single one of our needs! We needed three months of free rent, open door! We needed 100 new cushion chairs, open door! We needed building materials to fix up the church, open door! We needed laborers to perform the work, open door! And we needed money to secure the new location, again, open door! God opened all of these doors for our ministry to walk through because of our faith, because of our deeds, and because we kept his word!   

You see, in verse 8, Jesus said to the church of Philadelphia, "I know your deeds." Now, believe it or not, Jesus knows all of your public deeds and Jesus knows all of your secret deeds; "for nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account" according to Hebrews 4:13. So, this is a warning to all those who are reading this today that whatever you do is seen before the eyes of Him whom we must give an account. He sees it all, he knows it all, and his eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth. And the Lord judges your deeds accordingly, which is why it's really important to keep God first in everything you do! You may think nobody is watching you, but there is somebody who sits on the right hand throne of the Father in heaven who judges the heart. 

Hence, the Lord Jesus knew the deeds of the church of Philadelphia and commends them by saying, "See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name." And likewise, the Lord knows the deeds of Christian Way Ministries, which is the reason why he placed before us an open door that no one can shut. So, let our faith, our love, our strength, our perseverance, and our deeds inspire you today that the Lord will open a door in your life no one can shut! All you have to do is "KEEP" his word, don't deny The Name that is above all names, and remember that in order for God to open new doors, he has to close old doors!  

Let us pray,

Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this day that you have made. We thank you for your word that you have preserved for thousands of years so we can have access to it. And we thank you that whoever keeps your word, you will open doors no man can close. You know Lord that we live in a world today that is steadily trying to get us to abandon your word, but as your word says, he who stands firm to the end shall be saved. So, Lord we pray that you will keep us on the narrow road that leads to life, that you will keep us in the Word of your Son Jesus Christ, that you will open and close doors as you see fit, and that we will step out on faith whenever you open those doors, in Jesus name we pray,

Amen!