Standing Before God’s Open Door - Part 1

Welcome to the intensified Catholic child Stanley for Wednesday, October 6. Are you investing the one like you've been given and things that really matter to God. Here's part one and standing before God's open-door. This is the most exciting time in human history to be alive and serving the Lord, think about the also unparalleled door of opportunity that stands before us to make an impact on the entire world for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I cannot be more excited every single believer should be excited about the possibilities of becoming involved in the most thing in all the world. That's what I will talk about this message entitled, standing before God's open-door what do we find what do we see, what do we feel standing before God's open-door first written chapter 16 little background what's happening. Paul has just finished describing the resurrection of Jesus Christ and its impact and not only that, but also what will happen to us in our bodies and we die we are resurrected that in the 16th chapter. He begins with telling us some of his plans.

It comes down to verse eight and he says, speaking of where he has been writing this epistle from he says but I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost for a wide door for ineffective surveys has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

A wide door of effective services.

Open debate and there are many adversaries that Paul uses this whole idea of door as a figure of speech for opportunity. For example, he says something similar that in second Corinthians chapter 2 verse 12 he talks about how the Lord is open the door for him and Truax as and then in Colossians that for chapter. The verses that he talks about asking the Colossians to pray for him for an open door for the truth and so when we think about that and think about the fact that that's what an opportunity is it's an open door, an opportunity is a favorable time in your life and mind to either participate in something or to accomplish and achieve something you not know that opportunities are not static. They don't just stay there.

They come and they go. In fact, every single day of our life.

You and I wake up every morning to new opportunities opportunities in our spiritual growth opportunities and avocation opportunities in our relationship. Every day is filled with opportunities that whether we take advantage of them and not is up to us.

So when I think about what is implied in the very idea of an opportunity and certainly when I think about it from God's people and what is implied is the fact that the God has a plan that is if God is provided an opportunity that means that God has planned something.

The second thing that is implied is this that God has already gone on before because he is the one who opens the doors of opportunity for us.

The third thing it says to me, the implication is that God is interested in accomplishing something in our life all through our life, and the fourth thing is this, that whatever door opportunity opens. It means that he's already committed to enabling you and me to walk through that door and achieve whatever God has in mind that all that leads me to think in terms of what the apostle Paul said here and the awesome opportunity stands before us because if you notice what he said. He said there is a wide door for ineffective surveys that is open to me and there are, as he says many adversaries, someone to think about this whole idea and it will be a rather easy for you to listen to this message and say well that's out yonder applies to someone else about your talk about church no every single one of us has a responsibility because God opens doors for each of us individually, that each one of us has a responsibility because you see, God has a plan. A personal plan for every individual that plan involves opportunities for us to grow spiritually.

Opportunities for their families and friends, avocation and finances. Whatever it might be there always opportunities there. God is at work in your life in my life. And so when I think about this whole issue of opportunities are likely to think about it this way and that is the open-door that stands before us that "stands before us today. The most awesome door in the history of humanity, the most awesome door in the history of the church and why would I say that simply this, because it is unparalleled door of opportunity for the church. How do I say that why because the most important thing going on in the history of humanity. Today the most important thing in the mind of God.

The most important thing that he intends for us to be on our is God's redemptive plan. That's the most important thing in the mind of God is nothing more important in the mind of God than the redemption of mankind is the most important thing, and therefore, because it's the most important thing. Certainly he intends for every single one of us to be involved in. When you trusted Jesus Christ as your personal savior you became involved in God's redemptive plan because you became a part of the body of Christ, a member of the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. A part of the kingdom of God and what is the work of the kingdom. The work of the kingdom. The work of the church is. He said as you go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all the things that I commanded you. And he says will all be with you all the way. Even that in this age that is the mandate and the mission of the church. The mission of the church is not to be a social organization, though there is some social functions that go along. It is not simply to be some organization denomination. Though there are organizations or denominations. It is a body of people who are committed to the Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of doing the most important thing in the history of humanity, the most important thing in the mind of God is the redemption of mankind. God is establishing and building his kingdom and is building his kingdom, not with organizations he's building his kingdom of people. People like you and me, so that the most important thing that's happening is God's redemptive plan and because you not trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior. And because we want to see that happen to other people. We are involved in the most important work in all the world so when I think about this door of opportunity that Paul speaks of here in Corinthians is the same one he was referring to is an awesome door of opportunity because that opportunity is the opportunity to involve people in the kingdom of God.

That is to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ read about that life is transformed their whole future and the whole destiny is changed. That's what God is up to. And that's the thing in God's mind, that's the most important thing going on in the history of humanity. No matter what you watch on television. No matter how things change, no matter what new invention of new discovery new event. What projections there may be the most important thing going on today tomorrow and until Jesus comes is the redemption of mankind. The salvation of man and the bringing man to the truth of who God is and what he's about in this world and also door of opportunity we have never had such a door of opportunity opened. It was the second thing I want you notice, as Paul uses this term as a figure of speech is also a bill of obligation that is we have an obligation, not just the standard for that though we have an obligation to walk through it.

I think about what Paul said in Romans chapter 1 turn there for a moment.

Romans chapter 1 he begins this whole epistle by talking about who Jesus is and his understanding of him when he says in verse four that he was declared to be the son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for his namesake, then, is what he says looking at his culture, looking his background, seeing what that culture had contributed to him and how got a work in his life. He says in verse 14. I am he says.

Therefore, on the obligation, both the Greeks and the barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. So, for my part I may get to preach the gospel to you who also are in Rome. Then he says here I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, he says, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes that the Jew first and also the Greek. He had this awesome sense of burden and sense of obligation. Why because the gospel had reached him. His life had been transformed his whole destiny had been change. He felt this obligation. So when I think about the awesome door that is before us the wonderful opportunity this in the church of Jesus Christ has never has, never in its history ever had the possibility and the potential and the open door of opportunity to impact the entire world no matter where they are on the face of this globe.

We have never had the opportunity we have at this particular time we have an awesome obligation to listen carefully when I think about this obligation and I think about what the Scripture says in a particular song that we can look at in just a moment. This obligation is intensified in my mind when I read this passage so I want you to go back if you will to Psalm 78 and I was looking at the verses here and if you are a parent or if you are a grandparent or if you ever intend to be one I want you listen very, very carefully to this particular passage of Scripture because, as I think what the Scripture says concerning our obligation and I think about that what Paul felt in his own life and how God was working in his life and what motivated him.

His love for the Lord Jesus Christ, the lost condition of mankind and the fact that God had commanded him, commanded him to preach the gospel. I think about what God is commanded each of us to do all of us on the personal obligation to share the truth that transforms men's lives and brings them out of darkness, listen, you can live in the brightness of this nation with physical life and the sunshine that God gives is in the walking in darkness every single day unless you know Jesus Christ as your personal savior. So when I look at what God says you look at the 78 song list begin the first verse he says listen Omar people to my instruction. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in the parable, I will other dark sayings of old which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us that listen carefully. This passage we will not conceal them. That is, these truths from our children but we will tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and his strength and his wondrous works that he is done for he established the testimony in Jacob, and upon the law. In this role, which he commanded our fathers that they should teach to their children that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children that they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments and not be like their fathers stubborn and rebellious generation a generation that did not prepare. It's hard and whose spirit was not faithful to God telling you to think about something every single society is only one generation from total paganism because it each generation does not propagate the true if each generation does not instruct their children and their children's children if they are not taught the truth, it will only take one generation for nation to become totally opaque is that lack of that teaching and instruction that has caused us to be where we are at this time in history in the life of our own nation. We see this integration morally everywhere we see the effects in leadership, we see the effects in every aspect of our society. Though there may be tremendous evidences of progress in so many ways Mullally we are declining Mullally. It is very evident what's going on.

Why there was a time, for example, in villages and cities all across this nation that children were carried to send this to their parents. The compass on the skillet. There was a Bible on the table in the home they instructed their children. They took the Old Testament commands as well as the New Testament commands as an authoritative word from the living God to instruct their children the ways of God. And so what happened they got busy parents began to be busy. They began to be affluent. They sent them to schools they sent him to a nurse risk and so what happens to remember growing up. They're not going to Sunday school because their parents did not go they do not go to Bible study because their parents do not go they go to public schools and public colleges. They have nothing, almost nothing, absolutely about God, Jesus Christ, or his work, no sense of conviction about sin but a very demoralizing kind of do what you please. When you please.

As you please. Criticism of the church criticism of God. Criticism of the things of God. And so what are we doing we are raising up that generation that God has warned us that it we do not instruct our children and our grandchildren. The ways of God. We will become a pagan nation, as we become Apple and what are we done. We have accepted as a lifestyle we've accepted as a way of life, sin, disobedience and rebellion toward God, and God says those yet to be born not to be instructed in the ways of God. That is not an option that is a divine obligation of every single parent who is alive to teach their children the fruit of God is that the generation become might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children.

We teach our children.

They teach their children. They teach their children.

That's the way the gospel of Jesus Christ is been propagated down through the centuries one telling one parents telling the children. Children tell their children that grandchildren the great-great-grandchildren. That's the way the gospel of Jesus Christ is penetrated as assigned. But now we become too busy that we become so affluent now we don't have time to instruct their children that we don't have time to talk to our grandchildren that we don't have time to spend time with actually opening the word of God where we let the preacher do that. Listen, there is no preaching, no pass in the world who can take this in the place of a father and a mother, a granddad or grandmom who can teach their children the ways of God first by their life. Second, by instruction.

Thirdly, by simply saying them is what God has done in my life giving illustrations of God's work in your life. You cannot give that responsibility to someone else.

We have a divine obligation and not read that passage of Scripture. The intensity of what is said here that is what is God doing he's hammering away to them. You are responsible, listen, you are responsible for the next generation.

You're responsible for what they know what they hear their instruction. You rinse responsible that they understand the truth of the gospel in the ask a question as a parent when is the last time I've ever have you ever sat now with your children said I will explain you what it means to be a believer in Jesus Christ. I want to explain you what it means to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior. I can tell you my friend. Most church members send their children to someone else if they even know consistently. All will say to them what you know you need to listen to your teacher. You needless in the past. I want to set you dad. You cannot on the God give that responsibility to someone else. This passage is an intense command of God to remind us that the generations to come are our responsibility when it comes to instructing them in the ways of God.

You cannot pass that on. And I say to you, if you're so busy in your work in your play in your reparation in your relationships that you do not take time to instruct your children in the simple things of God, you are sinning against God you living disobedient to God and you cannot give that responsibility to anyone else missing. How many times have you heard me refer to my grandfather. What did he do listen in just one week. He instructed me he gave me simple truth. He illustrated out of his life. He taught me some Scripture. He said some things to me that listen as awesomely affected my life. He took the time leading up to one week of his life. These he gave me that entire week just to listen to me and just to talk to me didn't pay all was it wisely invested. You better believe it was extremely wisely invested. I will be indebted to him for the rest of my life and all eternity. He sent the bird direction. In the course of my life. He took the time to spend time to me to tell me is what God has done in my life and I say to you that we're responsible. I look at that passage of Scripture, and he says the generations that are to come. What happens while we where we are because of failure to instruct their children parents before us and listen to what he says in this passage, he says this is the problem, look at this. He says beginning in verse nine he uses AVM as examples, the sons of Ephraim were arches equipped with those yet they turned back in the day of battle.

They did not keep the comfort of God, and refused to walk in his law, they forgot his deeds and his miracles that he had shown them and having forgotten.

What did they do, they forgot to tell their children and what we have we have a generation of adults today, a generation of adults listen to become so busy, we have forgotten the main business that main business is the redemption of mankind, the main business listen is the redemption of our children and our grandchildren that they in turn may be able to be a part of the witness of God to their friends who live in non-Christian homes every once in a while some of this is you Christians trying to convert everybody if I had the privilege of the power to convert every single person the face of this earth to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I would not dissipate. One moment life, because it is the only truth that transforms a man's life for eternity and fits him for heaven and for simple life in this time. Surely I will surely I would do we make any apology for trying to get the gospel to every part of the world, absolutely not what because it's life transforming. And because we have seen the results of people walked in darkness and hopelessness and helplessness.

And when they hear the truth of the gospel that God is in this it is unconditional loving father who will forgive their sin, big in the cross of Jesus Christ when they understand that they receive Jesus Christ with great joy and thanksgiving that you had told them yes we are committed to telling them to every single person on the face of this earth.

Thank you for listing to standing before God's open door if you'd like to know more about Charles Stanley, intense ministries in tax that OIG is not is a presentation of intense ministry in Atlanta, Georgia