Open House

Imagine yourself in the most incredible house you've ever seen. In this house, there are so many rooms and every room has something wonderful to offer. Today, we will experience the ultimate Open House. In this house there are valuable treasures waiting just for you!

The first room we visit is the room of guidance. So many of us wander around seeking direction of what we should do in certain circumstances. This incredible room offers us a guide for making decisions in the toughest of times. Psalm 32:8 "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you." Proverbs 3:5-6 "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." There are so many ways we look for answers to navigate through this life - God has instructions just waiting for you in His word. Trust me, you won't always get an immediate answer. You get the answer by consistently having a personal relationship with Him. As you invest in this relationship and seek to know Him intimately, you eventually choose to please Him and what His word says. Then before you know it - you are standing in the room of God's guidance.

The second room in the house is the room of wisdom. I'm not talking about being highly educated or being one of those people in which learning comes easy. I'm speaking of something of far greater value than either of these. This room offers the gift of lifetime wisdom. Some of the smartest people in this world, make the worse decisions. If there is anything the Bible teaches us about God, it is that He is all-wise. Job 12:13 “With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding” Romans 11:33 "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!" God’s wisdom is vastly superior to human wisdom: Isaiah 55: 8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts”. It is God who is the source of wisdom: Proverbs 2:6 "For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding. James 1:5 "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." In the words of J.I. Packer “Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it. Wisdom is, in fact, the practical side of moral goodness. As such, it is found in its fullness only in God. He alone is naturally and entirely and invariable wise.” This room is busting with the gift of wisdom and God has His hand stretched out to give it to you, but you must enter this blessed room to receive it.

I'm loving this house! In the third room, we find something we all seek in the storms of life...peace. Turmoil lives in the hearts and minds of many of us. As we open the door to this room, we peek inside to find an inner sense of contentment and quietness, regardless of life’s circumstances. It is steadfast confidence in our ever-faithful, immutable heavenly Father. It is the presence of joy in the midst of unhappiness. True peace does not merely dull our pain. A person who has genuine, Godly peace can endure an avalanche of hardship and difficulty and still enjoy an inner peace that surpasses all human understanding. Why? Because it does not come from pleasant circumstances, nice events, or good things others may do for us. Instead, it is based on the fact that the Spirit of our holy, omnipotent, and never- changing God lives within us.(Charles Stanley) Isaiah 26:3 " “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You.” Philippians 4:6-9 ""Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me -- put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."

As we make our way down the hall, we enter the room of love. Who doesn't hunger for true love? In the words of the famous novelist Nicholas Sparks (wrote the infamous movie, "The Notebook), "“Loving someone and having them love you back is the most precious thing in the world.” We all want love. Waiting in this room is Paul (a disciple of Christ). He shares with us of a love we can't comprehend, "For I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't, and life can't. The angels won't, and all the powers of hell itself cannot keep Gods' love away. Our fears for today, or worries about tomorrow or where we are -- high above the sky, or in the deepest ocean -- nothing will ever be able to separate us from the love of God demonstrated by our Lord Jesus Christ when He died for us." The love that God has for you is far beyond our human comprehension. Jesus prayed, "My prayer for all of them (the disciples and believers of all ages - yes that means you and me) is that they will be of one heart and mind, just as you and I are, Father...I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one -- so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me." Think of it! God loves you as much as He loves His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus. What a staggering, overwhelming truth to comprehend! Such love is beyond our ability to grasp with our minds, but it is not beyond our ability to experience with our hearts.

We saved the best room for last! Our final room you get to visit at this Open House is the room of eternal life. It is difficult for us to conceive the concept of eternity. I once heard this analogy: If each grain of sand on every beach in the whole world represented 1 million years, you would not have even put a dent in eternity. Our eternity--where we will spend it--is decided by whether or not we accept the gift of salvation offered by Jesus. If we do, then we are privileged to spend eternity forever in the presence of God in Heaven. If you have never put your hope and trust in Jesus Christ, don't wait another moment! You are not guaranteed another opportunity. All you have to do to begin your walk with the Lord is say a simple prayer like this one: Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and I ask you to forgive me of my sins. Please cleanse my heart of all that is not pleasing to you. Please show me how to live for you. Thank you for forgiving me and thank you for the promise of eternal life. Amen. God's word tells us in John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life". Also, in Ephesians 2:8 we find, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast." Romans 10:9-10 "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved." If you said this prayer and truly believe it, you can be confident that you will spend eternity with Jesus. Start today...study God's Word,seek His will and be prepared to be blessed!