Open The Door!

God speaks to me in the most amazing ways.  I am always impressed with his eccentric and meaningful tactics.

While in the midst of the message in church yesterday, a loud and unmistakable voice came from the church foyer, heard well above the Pastor and his message.

"Open the door! 

"Open the dooor!

"Open the doooooor!"

No, it was not the Lord Almighty Himself, but our little boy Sam, who had escaped from Kids' Church and was wanting to be with his Daddy.   We let him in, and all was well, complete with many giggles from our friends in the church.

Although the voice did not boom from heaven, it resonated throughout the very core of my soul, from the very tips of my hair to the bottom of my feet.  God was speaking through my son, directly to me, giving me a message to share with whoever will listen.

HE IS CALLING US NOW, WITH EVER INCREASING URGENCY IN HIS VOICE.  THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO SIT AND LISTEN AND THEN IGNORE.  THIS IS THE TIME TO ACT.  LET HIM IN, SO THAT YOU TOO CAN BE WITH YOUR FATHER FOREVER. 

His voice is not commanding, but urgent, insistent, and full of love.  God will not command you to give your life to him.  He gave you free will, so you would make a choice to love him, and to be with him for life eternal.  Just as Adam and Eve had a choice all those years ago, we are all making a choice with our daily lives.  Do we choose to love God and walk his way, or do we turn our back's and pretend not to hear? 

This is not a warning.  I don't need to warn you.  We all know what happens when life here ceases to go on, our bodies die.  Are you willing to take the gamble with your eternal life, that that is where it ends?  This is a message, not just for those who do not yet know him, but those who sit in church week after week pretending to be Christians, the reality being that they never talk to God outside of the church building.  I am not being harsh and judgemental, but truthful.  We are called to be light, we can not be light if we do not spend time with the Light Himself. 

Too much is happening in the world each day for people not to think about their mortality in some fashion.  So much turmoil and perplexity, disease and natural disaster have this affect on our very human minds. And all the while Jesus is calling:

"Open the door! Let me is so I can show you what love is."

"Open the dooor! Let me in so I can give you life that doesn't end."

"Open the dooooor! Let me in so you can know what life is all about."

The doors to our hearts remain closed to God, until we choose to open them. 

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.(Rev 3:20)

Have Peace and Joy

In trying times it can seem almost impossible to have peace and joy.  God's word tells us that there is only one way to have peace and joy, even in the hard times.

For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat and drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God...(Romans 14:17-18)

Knowing God is not about what we eat, drink, wear, drive or where we live.  It is all about resting in his hands and letting him guide you, and when you do, his perfect peace and joy will fill your soul.  You cannot buy his peace, you cannot fake his joy, it is like nothing on this earth.  Many people try to attain joy by filling their lives with activities and keeping busy. Many try to attain peace chasing religion, health and rest.  Ultimately though, there is only one place you will find both of these, and it is by knowing God, through your new life in Jesus Christ.
Knowing Jesus is not a religion, in fact if you have ever read the bible you will find that Jesus hated religion with a passion.  What he did desire, is that he could bring people to know God and restore the relationship that was broken way back in the Garden of Eden.  He did that by dying on the cross for our sins so God could accept us once again.  God is just, he will not put up with sin.  When Jesus died, he took all of our sin to the grave with him, past, present and future.  He didn't stay there though.  He is alive and mighty!

In the times that are coming, it will be harder and harder to find peace and joy, if you don't know Jesus.  Spending time with him is what makes me free, lightens my heart, floods me with peace and makes me overflow with joy.

When was the last time that your heart and soul flooded over with joy?

Avoiding the Truth

And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don't panic.  Yes these things must take place, but the end won't follow immediately.  Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.  But this is only the beginning of birth pains, with more to come.  (Matthew 24:6-8)

I have had many people comment of late on the state of the world and the disasters that seem to be coming upon it.  There is a noticeable increase in the intensity with the chaos unfolding in various parts of the world.  Often when I remark that this is all to be expected, or that it is no surprise, I get an odd look from the other person.
'Ah, global warming they say, nodding their head.
'I say 'Ah no, Jesus has said this will all happen.  He said it  2000 years ago when he walked on the earth.'
I sometimes lose them there.  However of late I have noticed that there is also a great level of anxiety, fear and concern.  Before you leave this blog now, shaking your head in disbelief, I ask you to go and read Matthew 24 in a bible yourself.  While you are at it, also read Revelation Chapter 6.  It will only take 10 minutes.  It may give you the answer you have been looking for.

God is not a man, he doesn't lie.  When he promises something it always happens.  You can go back through the Old Testament of the bible and read the hundreds of promises God made to Israel in that time.  Not one of them was unfulfilled.  There are hundreds of promises in the Old Testament about Jesus coming to Earth to save his people.  Every single one was fulfilled when he came and died on the cross.  And now in the New Testament Jesus has given us many new promises, some of which have already come to pass, and some which are still to come. 

Our future is written.  Jesus is coming back to save all who know him. God is love, but he is also just.  He has given us a way to escape death, to have life eternal and yet many do no choose life.   He will not contend with unbelief for ever.

You know he has been knocking on your heart.  How long will you wait?
'Oh I will give him my life tomorrow', near the end, when I am really sure, so then my family don't think I am nuts and my friends still want to hang around.'
I know the voices, I've been there.  When I gave my life to God at age 16, it was not easy in the beginning, but now I would not give it up for anything. I have his love inside of me, spilling out to touch those around me.  I have his peace that remains, even in the darkest of situations.  And I know he will never let me go.

I will not avoid telling the truth.  I will not be silent when God has shown me how his heart aches for those who are still lost.  This is not about 'doom and gloom' but love and life.  God wants me to tell you that he misses you, that the time is growing short, all of these things that are happening to the Earth are going to increase.  You don't need to be anxious if you know Jesus.  The people in Christchurch did not have another day to make their promise.  The people in Japan didn't have another day to give God their life.  You don't know the plan that God has mapped out for you, so let him lead you.  God has given me such a love for all of you who read this blog.  My heart breaks for those of you who do not yet know Jesus.  He waits for you.

If you would like to know more about knowing Jesus and giving your life to him please visit http://www.samsheart.com.au/ and click on the HOPE button on the sidebar.  Send me an email if you would like to know more or if you would like me to pray with you.