Will It Be Door Number 1, 2 Or 3?

Will it be Door Number 1, 2 or 3?

By Pastor Jim May

Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

A once popular game show on TV was called “Let’s make a Deal” hosted by Monty Hall. The show began on December 30, 1963 and continued on through until 1977. From that time on there were reruns, reruns and more reruns. In many places around the world it is still being shown, nearly 45 years after its debut. It seems that the whole world just loves to “Make a Deal”.

Not only do we like to make deals, but we are also drawn by the suspense of wondering just what our “Big Deal” might be. Though the crowds may scream and yell, and everyone has their own opinion as to which door to choose, no one really knows which way to go.

What’s behind door number 1? Is it a new car? What’s behind door number 2? It is a dream home? And I really wonder if I should pick door number 3? Perhaps that door has the thing I want most – a dream vacation, a new home, a new car and lots of cash in the bank. All of the doors had a prize behind them, or should I say a “surprise”, but only one door made you a winner in this game of choices & decisions.

Sometimes the other choices were often useless prizes like a goat, or a 1-year subscription to a seldom-read magazine, or a year’s supply of sauerkraut, or something like that.

The suspense was always great and it would continue to build into an impatient frenzy when the door was chosen, and Monty Hall would go on and on with what was behind the doors you didn’t choose. Then the time came to open the door you have chosen and reveal your prize. After all, it really didn’t matter to you what was behind the other doors, only the one you chose. Was it the right door? Did you make a wise choice? Or would you kick yourself for the rest of your life because of the choice you made when you had the chance?

Every day that we live there are those who continue to play “Let’s make a Deal” with their eternal soul at stake. We are all faced with choices constantly. In fact, one popular saying today is, “So many choices, so little time.” But choose we must, and what we choose will have an impact on our lives, either for good or for evil.

Everyone of us have voices that are shouting to us all the time, maybe not audible, where others can hear them with natural ears, but voices that shout from the realm of the Spirit.

Have you ever seen the cartoons where there is a little guy in a red suit and pitchfork on one shoulder giving his advice in one ear, while an angel sat on the other shoulder doing the same thing in the other ear? It’s amazing just how close that scenario is to reality. On one side we hear the world, shouting to come and partake of its pleasures of sin for a season, and the devil, ever tempting us to surrender to the desires of the flesh. On the other is the convicting voice of the Holy Ghost as He speaks to us to leave the world alone and to deny the flesh for the sake of all that is holy, pure and righteous. That’s the first choice we have to make – which voice will we listen to? Which voice will we decide to base our life upon? Believe me friend, that’s a big choice!

But that is only the beginning round of life’s “Let make a Deal”. The deals get tougher to decide and the consequences get greater as we go along life’s path to its eternal end.

Folks, there are some doors in front of you right now. You might not be able to see them with your natural eyes, but if you will only open your eyes to the realm of the Spirit you will see them. There they are, closed, so you can’t see what’s on the other side, and now the time has come to make your choice.

Satan shouts, “Pick number 3”! (He immediately draws your attention past Door number One for a reason, and we will get back to Door number One in a moment.) The door that appears before you isn’t like a normal door with a number on it. Actually it’s a wide gate with a wide path beyond that seems to lead to something that you have always wanted. The devil knows what you like. He knows how to push your buttons to get you to do his bidding.