Top Ten Predictions for 2003
 

In spite of the tragedies of war, terrorism, crime, social inequality, and economic disasters, isn't it good to be assured of these predictions?

10. The Bible Will Still Have The Answers

9. Prayer Will Still Work

8. The Holy Spirit Will Still Move Throughout The World

7. God Will Still Inhabit The Praises Of His People

6. There Will Still Be Incredibly Gifted Preaching

5. The Church Will Grow Faster Than Ever

4. God Will Still Pour Out Blessings On His People

3. There Will Still Be Room At The Cross

2. Jesus Will Still Love You

1. Jesus Will Still Save The Lost

Why Jesus?
 

This is one of the most important questions anyone can ever ask. The answer is easier than you think, and it can change EVERYTHING in your life in a way you have probably never imagined. Millions of people can testify to this truth. Please take a moment to consider an answer to this question.
Forget for the moment everything you ever heard about Jesus Christ. Forget about Him being the Son of God. Forget about Him being your savior and dying for your sins. Forget about Him offering you salvation and eternal life. Forget about Him healing you from your diseases. Forget about him offering you an abundant, happy life, free from worry. For the moment forget all of this.

Many people believe all of the above to be true, but a lot of people cannot relate to them. Perhaps you are one of these people. Maybe your life is so full of worry, pain, suffering, and trials right now that you don't know which way to turn. Maybe you are filled with doubt and anxiety, or tormented with some illness or disease. Maybe you are just looking for answers, for the secret to an abundant, happy, worry-free life.

Well, there is one thing that everyone can relate to no matter who you are, or what culture you live in, or what your current state of life is. Regardless of the trials and troubles you may now be experiencing, regardless of the doubt and anxiety, regardless of the pain and suffering, everyone understands and appreciates the value of friendship.

Almost everyone has had a best friend sometime in their life. The nice thing about them is that they care about you unconditionally. Yet as good as your previous friendships have been they were not perfect. This one is different! You may not know it now, but the best friend you have ever had is already here!

He will not demand anything from you in exchange for his friendship. You don't have to do anything special to communicate with him. There are no prescribed prayers or rituals that you have to go through to talk with him. He will always be there for you, 24 hours a day, whenever you need him. You will have his undivided attention at all times. No matter what you have to tell him, no matter how bad it might be, He will not judge you or condemn you. He will listen patiently to all that is in your heart. He will comfort you in your time of need. He will give you peace in times of trial. He will fill your heart when you are sad. He will forgive anything that you have done. He will heal your spirit when you are troubled.

You don't have to go through life feeling empty. You don't have to constantly worry about everything. You don't have to be unhappy. You don't have to be alone. You don't have to feel unloved. You now have someone who cares about you more than you could ever imagine Remember what was said in the first paragraph about forgetting all those things that Christians believe about Christ? By themselves they don't mean much to most people; however, in the context of the most perfect friendship you will ever have they suddenly take on new meaning.

Imagine a friend who is willing to die for you so that you might live. Imagine a brother who can heal a disease you have. Imagine a friend who will carry all your worries and your fears. Imagine someone who is willing to give you eternal life, just because he loves you. Finally, imagine someone who just happens to have the Creator God of the whole universe as his Father, who can petition this all-powerful being on your behalf anytime you ask. Well, you don't have to imagine it any longer. You have all of this right now!

You don't have to wait for Him to do many of these things for you because He already has. He has already died for you. He has already offered you salvation. He has already offered you eternal life. He is ready and willing to do even more for you, if you will let Him. He wants to carry your burdens. He wants you to give him your worries and your fears. He wants to give you an abundant, happy life. You only have to do one thing. You have to be willing to accept Him and all that He offers you. His gifts are all free, but you have to open your heart and be willing to accept them.

So what do you do now? The Bible tells us that you must repent of your sins, which is a heart-felt sorrow for all that you have done wrong in your entire life. Then ask your savior to come into your heart and forgive you. If you repent, and believe in your heart that He is the Son of God, your savior, accepting His shed blood as a sacrifice for your sins, and then are baptized, you will be saved! It's that simple. Finding a minister who will baptize you is easy. Just ask.

Then the most wonderful journey of your life begins! Yes, you may grow slowly at first, but that's OK. For most people friendships develop slowly. They grow gradually. You may want to consider this suggestion to help you grow closer to Him. Whenever you feel like it, just start talking to Him. No, you don't have to use some special prayer, just talk to Him with plain old conversation, like you would do when talking to a brother. Then let Him talk to you through His Word, the pages of the Bible, especially the four Gospels. Listen to what He has to say to you. Learn about His love for you. Get to know Him in a personal way. He will come to you and He will live in you and be there for you....no matter what! His love will flow through you to others.

Not only can you get to know Him through talking to Him and reading His words, you can also meet Him in Christians in whom He lives. You may want to attend a Christian church where you can meet with others who are also developing relationships with our Lord. Your relationships with like-minded people will help you to grow closer to Him everyday. (If you would like to know if we have a WCG congregation near you just write to us at the address below.)

Your best friend is also YOUR savior! He died for YOU! He is the way for you to have a personal relationship with the incredible God who created you. Your past sins no longer separate you from God once you have accepted his sacrifice. His grace, love, and mercy is sufficient to cover anything you have every done...ANYTHING!

Remember, you don't have to go it alone anymore. You can call upon Him anytime and He will be there for you. No matter what you do, He will always be there for you. That's His promise to you!

Follow Your Dream
 

Mom sent this to me, I copied her bold and coloring. . .

April 28
Follow Your Dream

"And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee." -- (Exodus 3:11-12)

Have you ever had a Holy Spirit inspired dream, a dream of doing something really great for Jesus? A dream of being so prosperous, for instance, that you can finance a nationwide revival? A dream of leading thousands of people to the Lord?

At one time or another, you probably have, but perhaps you backed away from it. Maybe you thought, "Oh my, I couldn't do that. Satan's kept me defeated for so long I have a poor self-image."

If so, I have some good news for you. If you'll believe God, even a poor self-image won't keep you from success. Look in the book of Exodus and you'll see a man who proved that. His name was Moses.

Moses didn't have a very good self-image. He'd made a terrible mistake early in his career. It was a mistake that drove him into the wilderness and kept him there for 40 years herding somebody else's sheep.

He'd once dreamed of being a deliverer of God's people, but no more. As far as he was concerned, he was finished...a failure...a flop!

But God didn't think so. In fact, when God came to Moses in that wilderness, He didn't ask for Moses' credentials. He didn't mention his shady history. He just told him to go see Pharaoh and tell him to let God's people go.

Moses, however, was still wrestling with his poor self-image. "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?" he stammered.

You know what God said in response? He just said, "Certainly, I will be with thee."

You see, it didn't matter who Moses was. What mattered was that the living God was with him. The same thing is true for you today. You don't need a history of successes behind you to answer God's call. You don't need a string of spiritual credentials. All you need is the presence of the Lord.

Think about that when the devil tells you you're a failure, when he says you'll never be able to do what God has put in your heart to do. Put him in his place. Tell him it doesn't matter who you are because the living God is with you.

Then dare to follow your dream!

Exodus 3:1-14

Never go to war where there are no spoils. Choose your battles wisely and make sure that what you fight for is worth the price you pay.

Have you ever met someone who seemed to thrive on conflict? They are always picking on others, arguing, disagreeing, trying to get something started. They fight just for the sport of it, not because they passionately believe in a particular cause or want the gold trophy. These folks usually make poor decisions and others learn to ignore them and not take them seriously. We learn that they are really in a battle with themselves. But as we've seen, self-confidence does not come from merely putting everyone else flat on the mat just to show how strong you are. Self-confidence, including confidence in our ability to make good decisions, comes from within, from wisdom, faith, and awareness. Fighting a battle without anything at stake is a mute point, as futile as chasing the wind or trying to pour salt on a bird's tail feathers."

T. D. Jakes

Prize Fight Part 2
 

Subject: Prize Fights (2 of 5) Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2003 10:58:35 -0400

"No, part of the art of making winning decisions is knowing when to fight and what you're fighting for. I recall a situation with one of my children's teachers in elementary school. When my son came home with a long face, I asked him what was wrong. He revealed that he felt his teacher had been too hard on him that day. She had forced him to read in front of his class even though he was embarrassed and shy. I immediately reacted like any father would: the proud papa who wants to defend his little cub. My son encouraged me to talk to him teacher and tell her to leave him alone. He wanted me to tell her that he shouldn't have to read in front of everyone if he didn't want to. I told him that I would like to wait another day or two and then talk to his teacher. During that interval, I considered what was at stake. I could take on his teacher and defend my little angle, which was how I had reacted inside. But I asked myself, What would I gain by doing this? It not only seemed that I might not have anything to win in this battle, I clearly might lose the respect of his teacher. On the other hand, if I cooled off a day or two and then talked to her calmly, maybe I could understand the motive in her handling of my son. Maybe this battle was not a battle at all. As I came to find out from his teacher later, all the children were required to read in front of the class--my son just happened to go first. As she lifted the benefits of practicing oral literacy, I more than agreed with her approach. We even worked together so that my son could practice reading aloud more at home, a decision he didn't like at first but one that was ultimately for his good."

T. D. Jakes

Your Vision by Jewel Diamond Taylor
 

Thought for Today:

YOUR VISION

What is your vision for your life? (That is where you want to be, do and have.)

How will your vision become real? (Your goals are your steps you take to make your vision a reality.)

Why do you want your vision to be a reality? (This is your motivation.)

When do you want your vision to be achieved? (This is your time table.)

What obstacles are you facing now? (These become your life lessons. They reveal your character, values, determination, faith and ability to
cope.)

Who do you spend a lot of time with? Who are your mentors, models and circle of family and friends? They have an influence on you. Is it helpful or hurtful?

I had countless dead end jobs and obstacles on the way to my living my vision of being a full time professional PAID motivational speaker and author. Many times I felt frustrated, lost, tired, impatient and financially stressed. I worked at so many temp jobs (shipping Dannon yogurt, telephone company, finance companies, hair care company, receptionist, home decorating sales secretary, car sales secretary, etc.) I did not allow temporary circumstances on the way to my dreams define or discourage me. I kept the main thing, the MAIN thing. I kept my vision clear. I cut out pictures and made treasure maps. I studied. I prayed. I spoke for free to learn the industry. I networked to make contacts. I took baby steps. I down sized my lifestyle and accepted delayed gratification. I fell down many times and got back up. I grew emotionally and spiritually. Many people around me did not see what I saw or believed what I believed. It was my dream. It was my life and it was my responsibility to work on it consistently. There will be many times you may feel like..."This is not where I'm supposed to be!" An Oliver Wendell Holmes quote confirms a success principle that kept me on my path. I pray that it encourages you today. He stated,..."The greatest thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving."

Keep moving. Keep growing. Keep believing and never give up!--by Jewel Diamond Taylor


"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Proverbs 29:18 NIV

His Calm Within The Storm
 

His Calm Within The Storm

In the message "Patiently Trust His Timing" we considered Abraham and Sarah as they waited for God's promise through the birth of Isaac. Waiting for God's direction and blessing can be a great test of our faith, but waiting on God for our rescue can be an even greater challenge.

There are three great storms detailed in the New Testament. The first occurred when Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee with His disciples. Jesus was asleep when the storm began, and the disciples became afraid and woke Him: "Lord save us! We're going to drown!" (Matthew 8:25). Jesus rebuked the disciples for their fear and proceeded to calm the storm; "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" (Matthew 8:26).

The second storm occurred immediately after the miraculous feeding of over five thousand people. This time, Jesus sent the disciples across the sea by themselves; and when the storm rose up, Jesus went out to them - walking on the water. As Jesus again calmed the storm, He spoke the same message against fear; "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid"
(Matthew 14:27).

The last storm occurred about thirty years after Jesus was crucified. Paul had proclaimed the gospel through much of the Roman empire and was being transported by boat to stand trial in Rome. A storm arose which blew the ship terribly off course. The ship was battered and tossed for several days: "We finally gave up all hope of being saved" (Acts 27:20).

It must have been difficult to trust God's timing as the storm continued through the many long days and sleepless nights. But as hope was fading away, God sent an angel to Paul with a familiar message.

Acts 27:23-24 "Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me and said, 'Do not be afraid.'"

There may be times when our ability to trust is severely tested. But our faith in God - in His ability to hold us secure - must be independent of the force of the wind. Though the winds may blow, we remain in His hands and must not fear; "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, but even if He does not..." (Daniel 3:17-18).

Most storms last longer than we prefer. But our Heavenly Father is leading us to the place where we can have peace, contentment, and even joy, whether the sun is shining or the storm is raging. He is calling us to be free of fear; calling us to trust Him more and experience His calm within the storm.

The Quilt

As I faced my MAKER at the last judgment, I knelt before
the LORD along with all the other souls. Before each of us
laid our lives, like the squares of a quilt in many piles. An
angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares
of cloth off the pile. I noticed how ragged and empty each
of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes.

Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had
been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced
with in everyday life.

I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest
holes of all. I glanced around me, nobody else had such
squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other
tapestries were filled with rich color and bright hues of
worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was
disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of
cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed,
held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose,
each in turn, hold up their tapestries. So filled their lives
had been. My angel looked upon me and nodded for me
to rise. My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't
had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and
laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and
death, and false accusations that took from me my world as
I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled
with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the
strength to pick up and begin again.

I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been help up to ridicule, which I
endured painfully, each time offering it up to the FATHER
in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath
judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me. And
now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and
I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted
combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled
gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared
at me with wide eyes, then I looked upon the tapestry
before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an
image - the face of JESUS. Then our LORD stood
before me, with warmth and love in HIS eyes.

He said, "Every time you gave over your life to ME, it
became MY life, MY hardships, and MY struggles.
Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside
and let ME shine through, until there was more of ME
then there was of you."

May all your quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing
Jesus to shine through.

My most moving quote!!!
 

When you have discovered that your people have done everything....what it it that you can't do????

There are no impossibilities just levels difficulties!!!!

Give what it takes...and take what's given!!!!

Psalm 23
(For the Work Place)

The Lord is my real Boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray before I speak and
To do all things without murmuring and complaining.
He reminds me that He is my
Source and not my job.
He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions
That I might honor Him in everything I do.
Even though I face absurd amounts
Of e-mails, system crashes, unrealistic deadlines,
Budget cutbacks, gossiping
Co-workers, discriminating supervisors, and an aging
Body that doesn’t cooperate every morning,
I will not stop -- for He is with me!
His presence, His peace, and His power will see me through.
He raises me up, even when they
Fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own,
Even when the company
Threatens to let me go.
His faithfulness and love are better
Than my bonus check.
His retirement plan beats every
401K there is!
When it's all said and done, I'll be
Working for Him a whole lot
Longer and for that,
I bless His Name

FORGIVE AND BE HEALED
By Deborah D. Delbridge

Not long ago, a woman approached me and asked me to pray for her because she had heart disease. As I began to intercede, I sensed the Spirit of God telling me that the healing of her physical heart was tied to the healing of her emotional heart. He showed me issues and hurts from her past that He wanted to heal. He also revealed to me that she was carrying unforgiveness that was blocking the healing He wanted to accomplish.

After I finished praying for her, we talked. She recounted a major tragedy in her life that had happened several years ago. She knew exactly who it was she was holding in unforgiveness but had never made the connection between the spiritual and the natural. She did not realize that her own health was linked to her ability to release those who had hurt her.

Roots of unforgiveness are so common in the church that we often simply overlook them, but we need to be aware that our physical and emotional healing is often linked to forgiveness toward others and forgiveness toward ourselves.

Throughout Scripture, we see a connection between healing and forgiveness. In fact, the two seem to go hand in hand. Second Chronicles 7:14 says, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (NKJV). Psalm 103:2-3 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases."

When Jesus healed the paralytic man, instead of saying, "Be healed," He said, "'Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you'" (Matt. 9:2)-but the effect was the same. The man picked up his mat and walked home (see v. 7).

Healing and forgiveness are related. When Jesus died on the cross, His blood was shed for our forgiveness, and His body was broken for our restoration and healing. If we hold unforgiveness against another person, we refuse to extend to that person one of the benefits Jesus died to give us-and, according to Scripture, put ourselves in a position of losing the benefit as well.

That's why our Lord commanded us: "'And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses'" (Mark 11:25-26).

Notice that Jesus wasn't offering us a suggestion. He gave us a mandate with a serious repercussion for disobedience: If we don't forgive, we will not be forgiven.

Unforgiveness blocks our communication with God and can block the healing of our body and emotions. So why not opt for divine health instead? Take your unforgiveness to the cross and exchange it for the grace and mercy of God. Release those who have hurt you and, at the same time, set yourself free from the bondage of the enemy. Open the door to healing today!


Adapted from "Diseases of the Soul" by Deborah D. Delbridge, copyright 2003. Published by Creation House Press. This book will take you to the hidden-most places of your heart and help you identify, confront and ferret out internal iniquities that you may not know are there. If you're ready for total freedom in Christ, order your copy by clicking here: http://cbw.strang.com/c.cgi?ProdID=9762&Source=SWSPON

PRAYER POWER
Week of May 5, 2003

Ask the Lord for grace to forgive those who have hurt you, release them into His hands, and pray blessings on them. Thank God for mothers and especially mothers in the church who have taught and nurtured others. Continue to pray for the world situation, asking God for righteous leaders and open doors for the gospel. Pray for those in authority over us, and for the protection of our borders, our leaders, our military and our families. I Tim.2: 1-8

Is Your Hut Burning?
Author Unknown

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small,
uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he
scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of
driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few
possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home
to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The
worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and
anger.

"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a
ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his
rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But
we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the
midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground,
it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.

For all the negative things we have to say to
ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.

You say: It's impossible
God says: All thing are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: I'm too tired
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-20)

You say: Nobody really loves me
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

You say: I can't go on
God says: My grace is sufficient (IICor.12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: I can't figure things out
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: I can't do it
God says: You can do all things (Phil 4:13)

You say: I'm not able
God says: I am able (IICor.9:8)

You say : It's not worth it
God says: It will be worth it (Romans 8:28)

You say: I can't forgive myself
God says: I forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: I can't manage
God says: I will supply all your needs (Phil 4:19)

You say: I'm afraid
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Tim. 1:7)

You say: I'm always worried and frustrated
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: I don't have enough faith
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

You say: I'm not smart enough
God says: I give you wisdom (I Cor 1:30)

You say: I feel all alone
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Heb.13:5)

Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it:

Your words, your dreams, and your thoughts have power to create conditions in your life.

What you speak about, you can bring about. If you keep saying you can't stand your job, you might lose your job.

If you keep saying you can't stand your body, your body can become sick.

If you keep saying you can't stand your car, your car could be stolen or just stop operating.

If you keep saying you're always broke, guess what? You'll always be broke.

If you keep saying you can't trust a man or trust a woman, you will always find someone in your life to hurt and betray you.

If you keep saying you can't find a job, you will remain unemployed.

If you keep saying you can't find someone to love you or believe in you, your very thoughts will attract more experiences to confirm your beliefs.

Turn your thoughts and conversations around to be more positive and power packed with faith, hope, love and action.

Don't be afraid to believe that you can have what you want and deserve.

Watch your "Thoughts," they become words. Watch your "Words," they become actions. Watch your "Actions," they become habits. Watch your "Habits," they become character. Watch your "Character," for it becomes your "Destiny."

GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY!

Author Unknown

A Fragile Victory
 

A Fragile Victory

In the message "The Lord is God - Follow Him" we saw how Elijah was used to demonstrate God's power and call the people of Israel back to a life of worship. Elijah witnessed the miraculous and unequaled power of God as he prayed during his confrontation with the 450 prophets of Baal; "The fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench" (1 Kings 18:38).

After this unquestioned answer to prayer, Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and prayed for rain - there had not been rain in the land for three years. Once again, Elijah witnessed the miraculous hand of God; "The sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose and a heavy rain came" (1 Kings 18:45).

Within a few days of these great spiritual victories, Queen Jezebel vowed to have Elijah killed. As soon as Elijah heard of the Queen's threat, he became afraid and ran for his life into the desert.

1 Kings 19:4
"He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. 'I have had enough, Lord,' he said. 'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.'"

Elijah was a man who spoke directly with God and clearly witnessed His awesome power; yet, he fell into great despair when faced with adversity.

What caused Elijah to become so fragile? Had he already forgotten God's power? Had victory caused him to take his eyes off God and begin to rely on his own strength? Or was he just worn out from being on the front line of ministry? Whatever the cause, in his moment of greatest victory, Elijah became the most vulnerable to attack and failure; "I have had enough Lord."

When life is a struggle, we must pray and "trust in the Lord with all our heart" (Proverbs 3:5). When life is running smooth, we must pray harder and trust even more. But when we experience victory and dance on top of the mountain - when we begin to feel strong and "self" assured - we must pray as if our very life depended on it and lean on the Lord as never before. Our moments of greatest vulnerability come when we beginto think we no longer require God's help.

Let's keep our eyes on Jesus and continue to renew our strength through prayer and the study of His Word; "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). As His promises are fulfilled in our lives, let's prepare for a sustained and constant walk of faith. Let's examine our continual need to abide in His presence and guard against a fragile victory.

Closed Doors
 

We need to learn to praise the Lord as much for a closed door as we do an open door. The reason God closes doors is because He has not prepared anything over there for us. If he didn't close the wrong door, we would never find the right door.

God directs our path through the closing and opening of doors. Once a door closes, it forces you to change your course. Another door closes, it forces you to change your course again. Then, finally, you find the open door and you walk right into your blessing.

The Lord directs our paths through the opening and closing of doors, but instead of praising him for the closed door (which keeps us out of trouble); we get upset because we "judge by the appearances." You have an ever-present help in the time of trouble that is always standing guard. Because He walks ahead of you, He can spot trouble down the road and set up a roadblock or detour accordingly. But through our lack of wisdom, we try to tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour sign. Then the minute we get into trouble, we start crying, "Lord, how could You have done this to me?"

We have got to realize that the closed door can be a blessing. Didn't He say that no good thing would He withhold from them that love Him?

If you get terminated from your job, praise God for the new opportunities that will manifest themselves: it might be another job, it might be school.

If that man or woman won't return your call, it might not be them, it might be the Lord setting up a roadblock (just let it go). One time, a person had a bank they had been in business with for many years tell them "No!" to a $10,000 loan. The Lord put in their spirit to call another bank. That bank gave them $40,000 at a lower interest rate than the first bank was offering.

We can sometimes trap ourselves in doubt and discouragement through judging by appearances. Be grateful for the many times our Father has closed doors to us just to open them in the most unexpected places. The Lord won't always say in spoken words: "Go to the left, now to the right" ...sometimes He will just close the doors that are wrong for you. God Bless You Always!

-- Author Unknown