In his autobiography, Just as I Am, Billy Graham tells about a conversation he had with John F. Kennedy shortly after his election:
“On the way back to the Kennedy house, the president-elect stopped the car and turned to me. ‘Do you believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?’ he asked.
‘I most certainly do.’ ‘Well, does my church believe it?’
‘They have it in their creeds.’ ‘They don’t preach it,’ he said. ‘They don’t tell us much about it. I’d like to know what you think.’
I explained what the Bible said about Christ coming the first time, dying on the Cross, rising from the dead, and then promising that he would come back again. ‘Only then,’ I said, ‘are we going to have permanent world peace.’ ‘Very interesting,’ he said, looking away. ‘We’ll have to talk more about that someday.’ And he drove on.”
Several years later, the two met again, at the 1963 National Prayer Breakfast.
“I had the flu,” Graham remembers. “After I gave my short talk, and he gave his, we walked out of the hotel to his car together, as was always our custom. At the curb, he turned to me.
‘Billy, could you ride back to the White House with me? I’d like to see you for a minute.’
‘Mr. President, I’ve got a fever,’ I protested. ‘Not only am I weak, but I don’t want to give you this thing. Couldn’t we wait and talk some other time?’
It was a cold, snowy day, and I was freezing as I stood there without my overcoat.
‘Of course,’ he said graciously.”
But the two would never meet again. Later that year, Kennedy was shot dead. Graham comments, “His hesitation at the car door, and his request, haunt me still. What was on his mind? Should I have gone with him? It was an irrecoverable moment.”
Just as I Am, Billy Graham
Bill Graham for a moment had a door of opportunity that he didn’t enter; he could have affected the destiny of a nation and most certainly the destiny of J F Kennedy.
This is not to say God did not complete His work in J F Kennedy or continue His work in the USA, because God can and will use someone else if we miss the door of opportunity.
God didn’t beat Billy Graham up for missing that door of opportunity. God, as you know continued to use him, because doors of destiny are ‘like buses’ another one will come long.
Sadly for many people life is a bit like being on the “never ending bus journey.” They are being driven along by the peer pressure of family and friends, expecting them to conform to the life style they are growing up in. Children of druggies or alcoholics are expected to become like their parents, children of wife beaters are expected to become victims and abusers. It is expected that children from certain schools, streets and estates will invariably make nothing of their lives.
When we come to Jesus we have an opportunity to stop the bus, get off and live a God centred, Holy Spirit filled life that makes a difference to our world.
God help you and your world if all you want to do is stay on the bus and get to heaven.
Remember the song;
I’m comin’ home I’ve done my time
Now I’ve got to know what is and isn’t mine
If you received my letter tellin’ you I’d soon be free
Then you’ll know just what to do if you still want me
If you still want me.
Woah tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
It’s been three long years, do ya still want me
If I don’t see a ribbon round the ole oak tree
I’ll stay on the bus, forget about us
Put the blame on me
If I don’t see a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree
Well it’s not a yellow ribbon round the tree, it the crimson blood of Jesus that makes you free.
Gideon said: “My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.” Nathaniel said; “can anything good come from Nazareth.” ( Judges 6:15 John 1:46) These comments were fuelled by historical and cultural expectations, often negative and critical. We don’t have to believe historical, cultural or social expectations because we can expect something greater, something better from our God. Psalm 5:3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
Doors of Destiny
Paul said “a great door for effective work has opened to me” (1Cor 16:9) and he also said “the Lord had opened a door for me” (2Cor 2:12)
1 Doors of Destiny are positioned in our life by the Lord, they are decisive moments or opportunities that if taken will change our lives. The door of salvation, of course, changed your eternal destiny. Jesus says; “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Rev 3:20 When we opened the door of our life to Jesus, Jesus began to shape us and stir us for the many Doors of Destiny ahead. When Jesus comes in and “Eats” or fellowships with us, he is getting us ready for all that is ahead.
2 Doors of Destiny open up to us a world that allows us to do what we have been designed to do. What you have being desiring and dreaming of in your heart is behind that door. Behind the door of your destiny you become the ‘round peg in the round hole.’
3 Doors of Destiny don’t always open up to us a world of delightful things. Consider Noah and his family on the Ark. 40 days and 40 nights who cleaned all the poo? (Gen 6-7) However, we can be sure if it is God’s Door of Destiny it will lead to progress and prosperity.
Right Doors and Wrong Doors
Recognizing Doors of Destiny is vital to doing what you have been designed to do. There are definitely right doors and wrong doors.
David took the wrong door when he looked, lusted after and lay with another man’s wife. 2Sam11-12
Moses took the wrong door when he killed an Egyptian. Exo 2:13-15
Paul clearly took the wrong door by going to Macedonia.
2 Cor 2 12Now when I went to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ and found that the Lord had opened a door for me, 13I still had no peace of mind, because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I said good-by to them and went on to Macedonia.
2Cor 7 5For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.
1 Right doors are recognised by your Destiny Indicators kicking in. If what is behind the door is: The desire of you heart? What you dream of? Does the door lead you to help others deal with the disasters you have dealt with? Does it make you buzz with excitement? Does it Honour God? Then it could be the door of your Destiny. Some times people say; “God will get you to do what you don’t want to do” WHY? Why on earth would God ask you to do what you hate doing? If you hate doing some thing you are the wrong person for the job and it’s not your destiny. However, don’t use that as an excuse not to do what God has commanded us to do such as evangelise or love your enemy, it’s most likely the Devil who wants you to hate doing what God wants you to do.
2 We can recognise wrong doors if they are a distraction. If you think “All I have to do is Dream, Dream, and Dream, then you’ll stay on the bus! Destiny doors lead some where to do some thing that will change you and change others.
Wrong side of the Wrong door
If you find yourself on the wrong side of the wrong door;
1 Get back on the right side of that wrong door.
2 Turn it into a place of strength and clarification of the destiny God has put in you. Find Comfort in Conflict if you can’t just walk out of the job, relationship, look to God to who comforts the downcast. (2Cor 2:6)
3 Knock on another door. God will open another door. (Matt 7:7) Life is not finished because you have made a mistake because God has not finished with you yet. Few of our biblical examples never made mistakes, God never wrote them off. God picked them up again and used them often to do what they were meant to do in the first place. Consider the story of the potter and the clay, (Jer 18) the Prodigal Son, (Luke 15) Peter before and after Pentecost, John Mark who kept running away. (Acts 15:36-38)
Automatic Doors,
The Lord opens doors so we must learn not to force what God has not endorsed. That is what Paul did when he wanted to go and find Titus.
‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. Rev 3:8
With automatic doors there is a point of opening & shutting and when you stand on that point the door hovers between opening and closing, the slightest move forward and the door opens the slightest move back and the door closes. Many Christians live on the point of the door of their destiny hovering between opening and closing, but actually going no where.
People hesitate or procrastinate because of what they leave behind or the uncertainty of what is ahead. (Isa 43:17-19 Phil 3:12-14)
We are on a Journey of faith that requires risk and trust. Our journey of faith with many doors of destiny is with a God who wants only the best for us.
When God opens a door enter.
