deliverance

God’s Open Door

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

 

1554975554024_image.jpgIn the ancient Macedonian city of Philippi, Paul and Silas found themselves at the epicenter of an earthquake that changed not only their own his lives; but the future of Christianity in the West. Previous to their travel there; Paul had a dream of a Macedonian man calling for help and so had obediently left a successful work  of planting churches throughout Asia minor, Cyprus and Syria. But not long after going to Macedonia, Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten and thrown into prison.

If you are anything like me, you might have started moaning or at best patiently enduring the pain and humiliation of that day. Should I have been in Paul’s place I could have complained saying; “God: You called me here and this is the thanks I get!” But no! …In fact Paul and Silas were singing hymns at midnight when suddenly an earthquake shook the prison so hard that the doors swung open and their chains fell to the ground. Often we pray for an open door and in my mind that is most definitely an open door!

If that had happened to me while chained in a dungeon I am pretty sure that I along with most of you would have been half-way home before slowing down long enough to catch our breath. But the funniest thing about that night is that the open door let the jailer in; not the prisoner out!

So no matter the problem or situation we find ourselves in today may this remind us that God’s doors are more about entrances than exits. God is working not so much to get us out of things as He is bringing others to us so that we can point them to Him and together go out through His open door!

He Is Knocking – Part 1

/ pastorpete51

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.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. Revelation 3:19-20 KJV

This verse wasn’t written just for folks who had gold stars on their Sunday school papers. In fact this is the church who Jesus just got done telling that he was ready to spit them out because they were like lukewarm water! But at the end of His rebuke  Jesus reminds me of my Dad telling me He only was spanking me because he loved me. Here is the first of two messages of hope for those of us who have been lovingly spanked.

The wonderful news is that He is standing right outside  our door not only today but every day. Whether we have been as pure as the Virgin Mary or as sinful as the woman caught in the act of adultery; Jesus stands outside waiting for our response to His knock. Why not fling open the door every morning and invite Him in? How does that work? Let’s imagine being inside the door of a home in the days of the apostles.

First Jesus says that if we will open the door He will come in and sit down with us at our table.  In that time the first thing to do for a guest would be to kiss Him on the cheek in greeting. My father from the old school Italian tradition often kissed me like that and as a teenager it was way more than I wanted! His kiss told me that He was delighted to call me his son and that anything I needed he was prepared to give. My father was always more generous with me than I deserved.

Next a guest upon entering the home would be provided a basin of  water and a servant who came to wash his feet. Our humble repentance  of  everything  displeasing to him is both our loving duty and our privilege. Once we open the door He willingly comes in and allows us to wash His feet which are clean then remember that He has chosen to wash our feet that are dirty. Last the host put a few drops of olive oil on his palms to wipe the guest’s hair clean from the  dust of the road. The oil that we can give Him at the doorway  is our joyful and grateful praise that He has  come. He is at every one of our doorways this morning knocking. The sooner we run to fling open the door. The sooner the Lord will come in.  Why wait even one more moment?1546260575853_image.jpg

 

Moshia Our Deliverer

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears Psalm 34:4

God knows and He hears is our Immanuel, but He is also something more, He is “Moshia” Our Deliverer. Jesus not only goes with us through our problems, He is able to deliver, which can be translated as Save or Heal as well.

Imagine you have a high fever and a terrible cough. You go to your family doctor whom you trust and who has taken care of you for years. He takes x-rays, listens to your chest and takes your blood pressure. Then he clears his throat and says, “Well you definitely have a severe case of pneumonia. If it isn’t treated this week you could die, but the bad news is I have no antibiotics left to give you In fact there has been such a run on anti-biotics this year that the entire supply is depleted and you will just have to go home to die! I wish I could help. I would like to help but I can’t!”

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You might laugh and say, “That never happens!” There is always someone who can help!” But as certain as we are in small problems that we do understand, we also need to believe that no matter what we face; Jesus is “Moshia” He is our deliverer. He not only knows our problem. He not only cares about our problem. Jesus holds the waves and wind of our storms under his command. Jesus is king over every King. Jesus is the forgiver of every sin. Jesus is the healer of every disease (whether we pick up our prescription here or in heaven)! Jesus knows about not just some of our problems, not just some of our hurts and not just some of our fears. Jesus knows them all. Jesus is “Moshia” who delivers us from ALL our fears!