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
1. God is outside your life because you have not
received Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord.
That at that time ye were without Christ, BEING
ALIENS from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no
hope, and without God in the world:
Ephesians 2:12
2. God is outside your life because of your ignorance
about Him. If you knew how great and loving God
was you would be on your knees begging that He
should come into your life.
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through THE IGNORANCE that
is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
Ephesians 4:18
3. God is outside the lives of many people because they
have gone far away from Him through their sinful
ways.
For, lo, THEY THAT ARE FAR FROM THEE SHALL
PERISH: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring
from thee.
Psalms 73:27
THE LORD IS FAR FROM THE WICKED: but he heareth
the prayer of the righteous.
Proverbs 15:29
4. Jesus is knocking at the door. Open the door and
receive Christ because He wants to bring healing
into your life. Jesus went to Jairus’ house and brought
healing to his daughter.
5. Jesus is knocking at the door of your house. Open the
door and receive Christ because he wants to deliver
you from your sins with which you are heavy laden.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
6. Many people do not receive Jesus Christ because the
wrong person (the devil) is inside their hearts and
lives. This is the day you must break away from your
bondage to the devil. Break away from disobedience to
God.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses
and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the
course of this world, according to the prince of the power
of the air, THE SPIRIT THAT NOW WORKETH IN THE
CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE:
Ephesians 2:1-2
Margaret
I once heard this story about a lady called Margaret. During
the Second World War, many young Germans were forced to
join the army to fight for their country. There was a young lady
called Margaret who had just gotten married to a handsome
young soldier. Unfortunately, shortly after their marriage he had
to leave for the battlefield. In great sadness he wept over his new
bride Margaret, and kissed her a hundred times. He said “Byebye” to her and left for the war.
He dearly wanted to come back to his beautiful bride Margaret.
Unfortunately, he was sent to the front lines and was captured
almost immediately by the Russian army. He thus became a
Russian prisoner of war and was sent to work in the camps. In
the prison, he prayed constantly that he would be released so
that he could go back to his beautiful bride, Margaret. Being a
prisoner of war was a terrible experience. He suffered very much
and was subjected to the hard labour of a prisoner of war. Every
day, when he got up, he would think of Margaret! In every step
he made during the day, carrying rocks and boulders from place
to place; in the cold and in the heat, he thought of only one thing– Margaret!
The years went by and Germany lost the war. The prisoners
were excited because they hoped to be released alive. One day the
commander of the prison camp came up with a list of prisoners
who were to be released. This young soldier was excited because
he thought he would be released. Unfortunately, when the names
were read out, his name was not on the list. His hopes were
dashed! He was greatly disappointed and his heart sank. He had
lost the chance to see Margaret.
But the very next week, another list of prisoners to be released
was read out by the commander of the prison and this young
soldier’s name was on the list. What a day of rejoicing that was!
He could think of only one thing – Margaret! “I am going to
see Margaret!” He packed his few belongings and took a train
to Germany to see his beloved Margaret! Through every step of
that long journey he thought of only one thing – Margaret!
When he finally arrived in his town he was shocked to find
that almost every building had been bombed and the town that
he once knew was now basically a pile of rubble. He walked
down the streets and came to the road where he had lived with
Margaret.
To his amazement, their house was one of the few still
standing. His heart began to pound as he walked up to the door.
The moment of truth had come. He knocked on the door and
waited in silence, wondering if anybody lived in that house.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps, which he recognized. “These are
the footsteps of Margaret,” he thought.
Suddenly the door opened and there she was; more beautiful
than the noonday sun, even more splendid than she had looked
on her wedding day! The young soldier lifted up his hands and
screamed, “Margaret, I am back!”
Then something terrible happened. Margaret slammed the
door and locked it. The young soldier was shocked. He began
knocking and banging on the door, “Margaret, Margaret, I am
your husband. Open the door! Margaret, Margaret, I am your
husband. Open the door!”
But she did not open the door. He could not believe what
was happening. Why was Margaret not opening the door? This
young man who had looked forward to seeing his beautiful bride
was now in a state of shock. He stood outside the door knocking
and calling for Margaret but she simply did not open the door.
Do You Want to Know Why?
Do you want to know why Margaret did not open the door?
I will tell you why. It is the same reason why the church is not
opening the door of its heart to Jesus. There was somebody
else in the house! That is why Margaret did not open the door!
Another man had come to live in the house whilst Margaret’s
husband was away at war. Something and someone else was in
there and the rightful owner was now on the outside begging to
come in.
Jesus is equally standing at the door of the heart of the church
today, asking to be let in to take His rightful place. Unfortunately,
other things are in there and that is why Jesus is on the outside.
The spirit of disobedience is in the heart of disobedient children.
The love for the world has filled the heart of the church and
Jesus is outside knocking and asking to be let in.
Money, wealth, and the deceitfulness of them all, have
possessed the pulpit and the pew alike. No wonder Jesus is
asking to be let back into His wealthy, “last-days” church! Satan
has crept in and occupied the chair that he has no right to.
If Jesus occupies our hearts, we will be filled with the
knowledge of His will and be in love with Him and not with
the world. It is sad that our hearts have gone after earthly and
worldly things. It is indeed pathetic that mammon has been
welcomed into the church and has replaced Christ. We are richer
than we have ever been but if Christ is outside then our riches will
become a snare to us. “But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request;
but sent leanness into their soul.” (Psalm 106:14-15).