Knock And The Door Will Be Opened

And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 

                                                                                  (Luke 11:5-9 KJV)

Who would not answer their door to a friend in need? Sadly, there are many who would not. They may have many reasons. Maybe, they are in bed and don't feel like getting up. Maybe they are in the middle of a game or a television show and don't feel like interrupting it. Maybe they just don't feel like helping their friend because they don't view their relationship as close as the person who is on the otherside of the door knocking. 

My parents taught me to always be there to help anyone in need and it didn't have to be a friend. I recall their door being opened to many strangers. It is what they did. It is what we do for those who may be suffering or in any kind of need.

I had to actually look up the word "importunity" from the scripture this morning in order to be sure that I knew what it meant. Importunity is when someone has to beg for help and gets that help not out of friendship or kindness or love or anything as sweet as that; but, because the person being asked finally gets annoyed enough of the begging that they give in and help the person in need.

The world today is full of fear. There are definitely dangers around us and at times might even knock at our door. Prudence and caution is a good thing when opening the doors to strangers. But; know this, even if Jesus is a stranger to you, you can knock on his door and it will be opened. He will let you into the Kingdom. You do not have to beg or be afraid to ask for his help. He already gave it to you when he suffered and died on the cross to open the door to the Kingdom for you.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Luke 11:9) 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Open The Door!

Bond Falls, Paulding, MI

"Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:" (Jer 32:17 KJV)

I grew up near Bond Falls, a beautiful waterfalls in the Upper Peninsula. I ran around Bond Falls and Agate Falls, which was even closer to my home, often as a child. Every place; everything in the world has a uniqueness; a beauty of it's own. God created every person with their own uniqueness; their own beauty, as well. 

Do we imagine that a God who does that cannot help you in your time of trouble? He can and He will. But, He will not force His help upon you. He is there for you and desires to be with you to be your helper. 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Rev 3:20)

Open the door and let him in for your own sake!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Do You Want To See Jesus?

In the morning, when I rise, give me Jesus!

And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.  (Luke 19:2-6 KJV)

In the morning, when I rise give me Jesus. The words to that song have been running through my head a lot lately. It may be because I have been rising early and sitting on the deck watching the sunrise. The beauty of the sunrise reminds how beautiful and glorious is our Lord. 

Zacchaeus "sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature." Zacchaeus was of little stature not only in physical height; but, in social stature as well. He was a tax collector and had made himself wealthy by cheating his own people. Therefore, he was not a popular fellow. No one in the crowd that day was going to move out of his way so that he could see Jesus so he climbed a tree to get a look from a distance. Jesus knew of his desire to see him and so he arranged to make it up front and personal. He told Zacchaeus: "Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house." 

Do you want to see Jesus? If you want to see Jesus, just climb down from whatever perch that you've chosen to watch Jesus from afar and welcome Him into your life. Let him in! Today, (and every day) Jesus wants to be welcomed into your home, into your life. 

In the Revelation of John, we hear Jesus' invitation to us: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Rev 3:20)

Open the door and let him in... He is there for you.

God's Peace - Pr. J