At the lighthouse we’ve been going over the seven churches mentioned in Revelation 3.  Tonight we went over John’s letter to the church in Philadelphia (not where the 76ers play!).  Here’s what stuck out to me:

I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

-Rev. 3:8

First off, God knows everything we do.  That should instill a little bit of fear, like maybe we should correct how we’re living, but it should also comfort us to know that He knows what we’re going through.

I had a coworker come up to me the other day, and asked if I’d pray about his situation.  He’s kinda known as a player who’s not remorseful for his ways, and I asked him if he’d prayed about it.  He replied, “Well, I’m not anywhere near as good a person, plus I want to make sure God hears it.”  This is SO backwards.  I told him that I’m not any better than him, and that we’re all sinners.  I just said I’m a sinner who’s made peace with what I am.  I told him that God always hears him if he prays and that whatever his situation, God knows about it in the first place.  There are no secrets with God.  As nice as that all sounds when I post it here, I REALLY doubt he’ll be changing his ways.  Oh well, all in God’s timing.

Secondly, “See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”  That’s awesome to know that the door of salvation Jesus opened for us isn’t one that can ever swing closed.  He’s not saying, “I put the doorstop in, so you should be good.”  He’s saying, “I’ve taken the door clean off the hinges so there can never be anything blocking you from eternal life with me.”  That’s amazing.

Thirdly, someone brought up that just as Jesus opens some doors, some are shut and are meant to stay that way.  So many times people think they’re headed down the right path, just to find a shut and locked door.  We shouldn’t beat our heads against it until it opens, we should find our way back to His open doors.

Finally, “I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”  Isn’t it great to know that if we stay the course and don’t deny Him He’s going to give us the strength to carry on?  Reliance on Him is the first thing we should all be focusing on this New Years.