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Revelation 3:8 See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name……. 20 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 that person, and they with me.

Several times this year, I’ve had NorthWood members come up to me and give me words and verses God had lain on their heart to share with me to encourage and challenge me.  The over-riding word has been “door.”  It’s the idea that God wants to use me as a door that people can go through to connect to others with people that normally aren’t connected. 

More recently, when I meet Muslims, but more so, even Arabs when I introduce myself – they will smile and then tell me my name means door.  A couple of Middle-Eastern Muslims have even said “May God use you as a door to connect us.”  When you get prophetic words from Christians and non-Christians and they’re saying the same thing – that’s just wild and I take notice. 

In the early days of NorthWood there was a chance I had to leave our church to do something else that would be seen as much “bigger.”  But God spoke powerfully to me and told me I should stay – that it’s not about me being the “missionary” or doing something but the whole church doing that.  I knew what God said but my big question was how?  How do I do something I’ve never seen?  How do I change the mindset of my own church members – let alone the church in the west?  That day I had to fly somewhere and as I left DFW airport we happened to pass over our church – and screaming in my ears (figuratively from the Holy Spirit) was the words “Behold I have set before you an open door that no man can shut.” (KJV)  That was a profound day – it was the day I said I’m here for the long haul.  God has done far, far more than I ever expected.

I used to think the greatest thing that God could do with me was to use me to connect churches and believers – I’ve learned his plans are far bigger than ours and he doesn’t just want to connect us “religiously” but to connect us globally, civically, humanly, socially – and so much more.  I never dreamed in a million years I’d be working globally with the leaders, people, movements, and issues that I’m involved in.

Soooo, I arrive in Doha, Qatar, last week, and someone tells me again what my name means.  I go to the “suk” which is their ancient market – and am trying to look at stuff when I walk into a jewelry shop and the man is taking someone’s name in English and converting it to Arabic.  I asked him if he knew what Bob was in Arabic – door, he said.  I asked him could he do that for me, make my name in Arabic in the word door.  He said sure.  I’m creative – so I said, “What if you make a small pendant like an ancient door, and put Rev. 3:20 on it and above that put door, could you do that?  Of course he said.  So, I go to get it, and I’m expecting a small pendant – NOT.  It’s bling.. A pure silver pendant with pure silver thick necklace chain for a hip hop artist!  It has REV misspelled – RVE.  It’s SO BIG you can see the hinges on the door, etc.  Furthermore, it looks just like a door outside his shop!  It ain’t ancient!  It’ll be a good sermon illustration – maybe Mark Driscoll would like to wear it with one of those thick watches!  Whatup, Mark?

I wanted to wear it whenever I’m with Muslims but I don’t know if it’s a good idea as big as it is.  But the idea is right!  If ever there was a time for us to open doors – that time is now.  If ever there was a time to connect with people and share the love of Jesus and serve in his name that time is now.  People in the world are running down alleys lost and confused and needing help – and they can’t find open doors.  May we be those open doors to them.  If anything – I’m convinced most Christians have their doors barricaded.  I’m going to be writing about open doors for us around the world from what I saw in Doha the next few days. 

God has set before you an open door – so that people can get to Jesus and they can open the door of their hearts.  May all of our lives be a door with a bright red flashing NEON sign that says OPEN.