Doorman

P 3401 Be a happy doorman.

/ DVH

“If the Spirit is the source of our life, we must also allow the Spirit to direct every aspect of our lives. So may we never be arrogant, or look down on another, for each of us is an original. We must forsake all jealousy that diminishes the value of others.” Galatians 5:25-26 TPT. Taking the lowest seat without calling attention to what you’ve done can only be accomplished in Holy Spirit’s stealth mode. It may not happen  easily. It takes self-control and courage, to decide to be quiet, especially when someone has just provoked you, or they’ve said something that you feel is blatantly untrue. 

However, we can shoot ourselves in the foot and lose track of the Holy Spirit’s point, if we choose to defend ourselves and blast away!  By the way, an angry belligerent person probably needs some space … give them some. You can’t persuade someone like that to stop being angry. Remember, “a soft answer turns away wrath.” Proverbs 15:1. The Holy Spirit whispers scriptures like these to me when I am under pressure. Pay attention to what He says and He will help you too. Instead, say something sweet to poor old grumpy – they probably got out of the wrong side of the bed. Don’t be guided by how you feel in the moment.

When you go to see someone who quite obviously doesn’t like you, or maybe they don’t value the Lord’s truth – make sure you go with the Holy Spirit, under His orders. Don’t go into the lion’s den without the Holy Spirit! He knows the way to shut that lion’s mouth, without punching it in the face and irritating it further. He can turn a lion into a giant, friendly pussy-cat.

We can only truly hear the Lord and watch Him order our steps when we are prepared to do whatever He says – the way He says to do it. Many people want to hear the Holy Spirit, but a lot of the time they pick and choose whether they will obey Him or not. Maybe they have a lot of ‘buts’ or doubts. Choosing to obey when it doesn’t suit us, is beautifully illustrated by what happened to Jonah.

It did not suit that prophet to see the people of Ninevah saved. But God told this man to do something for Him. Let’s remember that Jonah was the Lord’s servant – like we are – we cannot pick and choose when it comes to obedience … Not unless you wanna end up in the belly of a big fish for a long weekend, anyway!! Thinking we can’t do it, does not mean it is OK to say no! 

Sometimes in order to escape we say unscriptural things like: ’God understands…He knows I am shy.’ Moses tried that tack remember? It didn’t work for him either. The fact remains, when God says; “Jump!”… We need to say: “How high?”  But what if it is not God speaking, and I do it? I could look like a goose! YES! …  … you probably will. And even that is good for us. Because we are told to humble ourselves before the Lord.

“But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even raise his eyes toward heaven, but was striking his chest [in humility and repentance], saying, ‘God, be merciful and gracious to me, the [especially wicked] sinner [that I am]!” Luke 18:13. Jesus liked this guy. He used him as an example of humility. “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” V14. 

Sometimes when we hear stuff like that, we immediately think about someone else we know who could do with taking down a peg or nine. The thing is we can’t afford to read God’s book for someone else. This is not a proxy book – the bible is a personal instruction book. Because we truly want to follow Jesus then we need to do what He would do. Jesus was never arrogant about the things He knew. He’s God. Almighty God is His DAD … He had a lot He could go on about! 

Meantime our task is to hear what God says, then DO. Obedience is a fantastic key. It is right up there with being saved and forgiving others. But we can’t learn to love others if we are holding a demand list against them! So let’s leave jealousy, suspicion, and unforgiveness behind us. Keep a short list of aughts against any. Actually… take your little list out into the garden and burn it.  Those things are a rock we can sometimes tie about our ankles that will drown us. Automatically forgive, then deal with your anger and pray about how to make things right again. 

Paul said this, and I love it …  “Follow my example, AS I follow the example of Christ.” So if someone you are following is not following Jesus … then stop following them! Duh! Love them, forgive them, but don’t do what they do and don’t look down on them either. Next time it could be your turn to be the empty-headed numpty. We all need direction, correction, humility, and an appreciation for others in this world. Let’s learn to be content with that. If we want to keep the oil of the Spirit flowing in our lives, then we must learn to follow His instructions. HE WROTE IT DOWN. 

Lastly, listen to this wise Psalmist who knew what was important and what wasn’t: …“For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand [anywhere else]; I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell [at ease] in the tents of wickedness.” Psalm 84:10. Great place to say goodbye. 👋

P 3100 I’m a door-man.

/ DVH

Have you ever longed for a ministry gift? Well, here’s one, it’s pretty neglected, and sadly there aren’t many people jumping into this pool! “And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to Himself, and given US the ministry of reconciling others to God. In other words, it was through the Anointed One that God was shepherding the world, not even keeping records of their transgressions, and He has entrusted to us the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation to God. We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Turn back to God and be reconciled to Him.”” 2 Corinthians 5:18-20.

The Lord trusts us to represent Him with a loving attitude toward everyone we meet every day. So whenever I meet someone – I always figure HE sent them! I don’t much like to wallop others over the head with the bible, it is not at all friendly! Instead I treat other people like they are special, because HE loves them. Like Ruth with Naomi, I’m going wherever Jesus goes. And His people are my people, despite denominational boundaries! I like the bible suggestion … ‘if they are thirsty, give them a drink … if they are hungry, feed them.’ That’s a great system. 

So. I listen, then I do what He tells me to do. This means I don’t give every street person I meet a couple of sandwiches, I wait for the Lord. Then He says: “Give this one some food.” The Holy Spirit has been known to speak very loudly to me if I become distracted, and gone off somewhere irrelevant inside my mind. My dear hubby has had to run down the street after someone to finish what I was supposed to do! Meanwhile street people don’t have a lot to do with their time so we often give them spirit food as well. A book, or a gospel. 

Our main objective is to tell other people God is not mad at them. That’s what reconciliation means! This is something that we have in common with everyone else in this world. We all need to be reconciled to God – but most people-who-don’t-know-Him-yet – don’t know how. Just because someone told me about Jesus and what He did for me — and I said ‘yes please!’ That doesn’t make me special – it just makes me HIS. I’m not much of a fancy-schmancy person. so when I speak to someone else I like to use ordinary words because my aim is to be understood, not just show off my personal knowledge. Nothing will close a door to someone’s heart faster than if we think we are better than the people we meet. Judgment of any kind is deadly!

Meanwhile, we aren’t the door – we are simply the doorman! HE IS THE DOOR. All we do is we open the door for anyone who wants to know more about Him. It’s a heart thing – we open our heart to their hearts so He can speak to them. It is a great relief to me that I don’t have to be the door, because the pressure to perform would probably nag at me, and I’d focus on all the wrong things. As it is, I daily struggle with saying things in a simple way that will facilitate the hearer’s understanding.

I am all about action – I think believing and doing nothing is just like chasing the wind. I’ve met a few windy-gassy people in my life, all talk, lots of hot air, and no action. That’s when I decided that I’d rather be like Jesus Who always ushers in LIFE. I just listen to what He wants and then I obey Him. Over the years I’ve watched the Lord open up someone’s heart right in front of me. It just blows my mind every single time. To speak to someone else, on His behalf, when they are extremely vulnerable is a huge privilege. The Holy Spirit speaks to me through the bible most of the time. He very kindly brings verses to my mind.. 

I’m getting older, and a bit forgetful, and sometimes I forget what I am going to say next. Meanwhile, if someone interrupts my train of thought then …I’d better wave goodbye to that thought because it’s gone! But in spite of my age, my knowledge of the bible is always there. That is a wonder! I have no idea how it can possibly happen, but the bible feels just like my blood running about, unseen, inside me. 

It is squarely fixed in my heart, and even when my head is in a muddle, I can still speak from my heart! I didn’t even set out to memorise every word, I think I was too lazy to do that. I just read and reread His book daily, heaps and heaps of times over the years, and quite a bit of it sunk in! And then the precious Holy Spirit utterly  blows my mind — He hands me exactly what I need … just like someone would hand me a cup of tea! A verse pops into my head and away ‘we’ go.

Meanwhile, I figure if Almighty God Himself doesn’t hold our transgressions against us, then I have no right at all to choose to hold a grudge – no matter what my reason says to me. So my default position is to put down my own defensiveness, and head back toward love asap. Especially when I get grumpy or disappointed with my circumstances, or someone else. There are days when that can take me a while. But Jesus’ blood covered everyone’s sin, not just mine.

It’s simply my job to open His door so He can introduce Himself to others, and they can walk in and get to know Him. Day by day, I deliberately count on the fact that Jesus knows how to reach every one of them. I’d rather be  a doorman in His house, than do anything else. (Psalm 86:10) Bye 👋