Christian Message Boards: OPEN DOORS

This is topic OPEN DOORS in forum Bible Topics & Study at Christian Message Boards.

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Posted by WildB (Member # 2917) on :

by Cornelius R. Stam

"I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it" (Rev. 3:8).

This prophecy concerning the church at Philadelphia doubtless looks forward to a future day, but who can deny that it contains a lesson for our day?

When, in our walk through life, God sets before us open doors of opportunity, He clearly intends us to enter them. The only way to avoid entering an open door set before us would be to deliberately sidestep the opportunity. Alas, how prone we are to do this! Indeed, we often pray God for open doors when He has already set them before us and all about us.

Examine the record of Paul's ministry and see how he thanked God for open doors (Acts 14:27;
I Cor. 16:9), grasping such opportunities as God set before him on every hand. He did not pull strings or ask his friends to use their influence to gain more comfortable or better-paying positions. He faithfully entered whatever doors God set before him. His best known requests for prayer for open doors came from Rome, where a prison door had closed behind him. Should not this put us to shame!

May God convict us of the inconsistency of praying for open doors while failing to enter the many open doors He has set before us! May He forgive us for ever being selective about working for Him! May He give us the grace to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves to us, "buying up the time because the days are evil."

Posted by Carol Swenson (Member # 6929) on :

WildB [thumbsup2]

quote:
May He give us the grace to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves to us, "buying up the time because the days are evil."

"How can I evangelize my friends and family without pushing them away?"

At some point, every Christian has had a family member, a friend, co-worker, or acquaintance who is not a Christian. Sharing the gospel with others can be difficult, and it can become even more difficult when it involves someone with whom you have close emotional ties. The Bible tells us that some people will be offended at the gospel (Luke 12:51-53). However, we are commanded to share the gospel, and there is no excuse for not doing so (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15).

So, how can we evangelize our family members, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances? The most important thing we can do is pray for them. Pray that God would change their hearts and open their eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4) to the truth of the gospel. Pray that God would convince them of His love for them and their need for salvation through Jesus Christ (John 3:16). Pray for wisdom as to how you can minister to them (James 1:5). In addition to praying, we must also live godly Christian lives in front of them, so they can see the change God has made in our own lives (1 Peter 3:1-2). As Saint Francis of Assisi once said, “Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.”

Finally, we must be willing and bold in our actual sharing of the gospel. Proclaim the message of salvation through Jesus Christ to your friends and family (Romans 10:9-10). Always be prepared to speak of your faith (1 Peter 3:15), doing so with gentleness and respect. Ultimately, we must leave the salvation of our loved ones up to God. It is God's power and grace that saves people, not our efforts. The best and most we can do is pray for them, witness to them, and live the Christian life in front of them.

http://www.gotquestions.org/evangelize-friends-family.html

Posted by Betty Louise (Member # 7175) on :

Sometimes, with family members we need to pray that God will send someone that they will listen to. I brought up my children in Church, but when my son graduated from High School, he left the Church. He declared that just because I believed in God, did not mean he had to. I talked to I was blue in the face and prayed for him. Finally, I realized that he was not going to listen to me (my son,not God). I prayed that God would send someone to my son that he would listen to. God did and my son is leaving for his second Mission trip this month.
We should always pray for our loved ones and we should look for opportunities to share the Gospel with them, but we must also be prepared to accept that sometimes it will take an outside person to reach them.

But back to Wild's topic. I think sometimes we miss doors not because we don't want to enter the door but because we are so focused on our problems that we do not see the open door.
betty

Posted by Eden (Member # 5728) on :

When someone is "guided by Jesus thru the Holy Spirit" about every step of one's life, then naturally there will appear open doors and closed doors, and the Spirit of God "counsels us as to the best method" to deal with all of the doors.

Like a newborn baby who does not struggle to live his natural life, neither should we Christians "struggle to live the divine life" once we realized that "God has agreed to guide our every step", once we are saved. Being guided by the Spirit of God to and thru all closed and open doors should all feel "very natural to us" by now.

It is therefore not so much of "waiting to perceive open or closed doors" at it is to "go wherever the Spirit counsels to go":

John 3:8
The wind blows where it lists and you hear the sound thereof but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes: so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

love, Eden