Tag Archives: open

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Open Doors | Bible Gleanings | June 1-2, 2024

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Open doors for gospel proclamation are all around us—we just have to walk through them. Our day-to-day lives are like long corridors with doors flung wide-open that we often pass by (1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor. 2:12). And as much as we should pray for such opportunities to present themselves, it is equally important to pray for the courage and strength to seize them. The same apostle who said, “Pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ” (Col. 4:3), also said, “[Pray] that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). But be warned: be careful what you pray for—you might just receive it!

The Lord has answered this prayer in my life many times, but one occasion stands out. I was out of town for a ministry training, and I stopped in the local Waffle House to have some breakfast for dinner. And I overheard one of the other servers talking about “being spiritual” and watching witchcraft videos on TikTok. Initially, I didn’t give it a second thought. I went about my business, finished my meal, and left a gospel tract with the tip for my waitress. The Lord had opened a door for the gospel, but I passed it by.

I went to my car and saw the waiter in my side mirror as he scrolled on his phone. I felt compelled to go back in and have a gospel conversation. “I don’t want to start an argument,” I wrestled internally. “It will probably seem offensive anyway.” Then I remembered that this is a man for whom Christ died, who will face Him on the day of judgment, and I can tell him how to be forgiven and redeemed. And then it hit me: I had been praying for open doors and boldness to walk through them—and God put the answer to my prayer right in front of me.

Thus, I went back inside and said, “Hey there, I couldn’t help but overhear you talking about witchcraft,” I remarked. And a short gospel conversation ensued, but he was not offended at all. He was very courteous, thankful, and open-minded. And now, I am praying that the Lord will open the door of his heart so that he can believe the gospel (Acts 16:14). 

What open doors has God placed in your life? It could be a conversation with a coworker, a moment of vulnerability with a friend, or even a chance meeting with a Waffle House waiter. Will you step through those open doors with gospel courage?

Brandon is the pastor of Bandana Baptist Church in Bandana, Kentucky, where he lives with his wife, Dakota, and their three dogs, Susie, Aries, and Dot. Brandon and Dakota are also foster parents through Sunrise Children’s Services of Kentucky. Brandon is also a published author and a religious columnist for the Advance Yeoman newspaper in Ballard County, Kentucky. He is also a devotional contributor for Kentucky Today, a news publication of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. His columns are also featured in the Times-Argus newspaper of Central City, Kentucky, West Kentucky News of western Kentucky, and the online blog, Reforming the Heart.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Open and Closed Doors | Bible Gleanings – July 30-31, 2022

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The Lord God is the mighty doorkeeper who opens doors that cannot be closed. He is “the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut” (Revelation 3:7a). The golden key that unlocks every door is in His sovereign hands. Thus, every situation you face, every event you experience, and every opportunity you seize is a God-opened door through which you enter and access His sovereign will for your life. And behind those doors may be blessings or burdens, but God opens them both as part of His plan to work all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

The Lord God is also the master locksmith who locks doors that no one can get through. Revelation 3:7 says that He “shuts and no one opens.” Because of His divine providence, there are some doors you will never pass through. Some opportunities will never be yours because God has closed the door. Some circumstances will never befall or bless you because God has sealed the door shut. 

There are some doors you probably wish you could walk through. Your life might even seem like a long corridor of nothing but closed doors at every turn. You may earnestly desire a better job, a healthier body, a happier marriage, a normal life, a bigger church, or even an answer to prayer. But, the immovable bar of God’s sovereignty may be blocking the door for the time being. And you may knock until your knuckles are bruised, kick until your feet are sore, or rattle the handle until your hands are weak, but you’ll never pass through a door God has bolted shut. 

In the mystery of His providence, God often closes doors because He has already opened many others for you. When the Lord locks a door, it is because He has a better one waiting for you to pass through. Many others are sealed shut because you do not truly need what lies behind them. And while God may shut a thousand doors before He opens one, you can rest assured that His will is always good, His timing is always right, and His grace is always sufficient (Ecclesiastes 3:1; Isaiah 40:31; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Put your faith in Him, and He will lead you through opened doors and guide you away from the ones that are closed: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).