Doors

Acts 12
He (Peter) knocked at the door in the gate, and a servant girl named
Rhoda came to open it. When she recognized Peter's voice, she was so
overjoyed that, instead of opening the door, she ran back inside and
told everyone, "Peter is standing at the door!" "You're out of your
mind!" they said. When she insisted, they decided,"It must be his
angel." Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking. When they finally
opened the door and saw him, they were amazed.   
Acts 12:13-16  NLT


LET IT GLOW

In verse 1, we read about Herod, grandson of Herod the Great, and nephew
of Herod who beheaded John the Baptist. He killed James, the brother of John.
James was the first of the apostles to be martyred. Why did this happen to
James? He was part of Jesus' inner circle, one of His three choosen, special
friends.
Yet God answered no to prayers for James. Sometimes His answer is yes, no,
or wait. Can I accept God's will when He answers no? Do I trust in the
sovereignty of God? Do I believe that He knows best and I don't?

Henry Blackaby says,"The purpose of prayer is not to conform God to our
will but to adjust our will to God. We must learn to trust God so that if He
says no, we accept that His will is best."

Killing James pleased the Jews, who wanted to stop the spread of Christianity.
So Herod imprisoned Peter, but it was the Jewish Passover time, which
meant Peter would be tried after Easter. Peter was in chains, between two
soldiers, and a guard was at the prison door. An angel came and delivered
Peter from the prison, setting him free.
Jesus wants to set us free from the chains of sin that keep us bound. Do we
pray for it?


LET IT GROW

I live in an old house, which is probably 70 years old. It is the one in which I
grew up as a child. There is a door between the kitchen and laundry room.
This door will not stay closed, during the summer, without a doorstop in front
of it. However, during the winter, it will stay closed on its own, without the
doorstop. Maybe it's the humidity which causes this, I don't know. This
procedure could upset me if I let it. I have to put down a basket of laundry in
order to close the door and prop the doorstop in front of it, every time. So I
repeat the task because I don't want to air condition the laundry room.

Have you ever thought about doors? There are several kinds of doors-barn
doors, gate doors, house doors, closet doors, church doors. They are all made
differently and have a different function. They can keep something in or
something out. Doors can be locked or kept open. They can be an enterance
or an exit.

Doors-Webster's Dictionary describes a door as  any means of access,
entrance, or exit.

What happened in the above scripture is amazing to me. Peter is freed by an
angel from prison and goes to Mary's house, who is John Mark's mother. The
church is having a prayer meeting for Peter.
When I read this story, I tell Rhoda, "Just open the door and let Peter inside."
But she never does. It's not like a stranger is knocking in the middle of the
night. No, she recognized Peter's voice. Rhoda, a servant girl, got excited, so
excited that Peter was at the door, that she runs inside and tells everyone the
good news. Perhaps she had been in the prayer meeting, too. At any rate, she
knew God had answered their prayers.

How did the brethren respond? Did they run and open the door for Peter,
greeting him with excitement? No, they thought Rhoda was out of her mind.
Where's their faith? Why are they doubting that God performed a miracle while
answering their prayers? Lest I be too judgemental, I'm guilty of the same thing.
Is my faith so weak that I'm surprised when God answers my prayers?

Meanwhile, Peter kept knocking. Thank goodness he didn't leave, but persisted.
(I wonder what he was thinking, standing there knocking.) The people were
amazed when they finally opened the door and saw Peter. Am I amazed
whenever God opens doors for me as a result of answered prayers?

In John 10:9, Jesus says,"I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be
saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and might things,
which thou knowest not.    Jeremiah 33:3

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 3:20


LET IT GO

Open the door of my heart and let Jesus come inside to be Lord of it.

Keep praying and having faith.

Accept God's answers, even if they are "no or wait."

Thank Him for the "yes"  answers.