The Open Door

John R. Houk

© November 5, 2011

Truth is an open door to the blessings of God. Responding to life’s challenges with a “but” begins to close the door limiting the conduit of blessings in Christ from the Father to usward who believe in the death, burial and Resurrection of Christ. If the heart becomes hardened the door closes all the way. For clarity’s sake one should know God is not the one closing the door of blessings toward a hardened heart. Rather it is the person who feeds their mind with data that is contrary toward walking the Life of God that closes that door to blessings.

Scriptures:

Jesus is the Door:

7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me[a] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10: 7-10 NKJV)

Having the mind of Christ: Garbage in – Garbage out. God-kind-of-Life in – God-kind-of-Life out:

22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6: 22-23 NKJV)

33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. 34 Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart[a] brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12: 33-37 NKJV)

Knock on the Door in Faith and it Will Open

9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (Luke 11: 9-10 NKJV)

JRH 11/5/11