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(Click refresh or reload for current message) Thursday,
September 15, 2022
![]() "Open
Doors, Closed Doors"
This week I visited with a longtime friend who is being considered for a church staff position. He is excited about the opportunity and earnestly praying that a door of opportunity may open for him. However he also realizes he is not the only candidate and is thus submitting his desire to God's will in the matter. Like most of us he has had the experience of closed doors (an expression for an opportunity not opening up) and was musing with me about Joseph. He was one of the two disciples being considered by the early church to replace Judas, who had betrayed the Lord and had been stricken from the Twelve. In the end Joseph was not selected and that particular door for him was closed. ![]() The Biblical concept of open
doors comes from verses such as 1 Corinthians 16:8 where
Paul wrote "a wide door for effective work has opened to
me" and Colossians 4:3, "At the same time, pray
also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word,
to declare the mystery of Christ".
But today we'd like to know
whatever happened to Joseph, perhaps asking a question few
have given any thought to. This Joseph was also called
Barsabbas and Justus, a man who appears only in the first
chapter of Acts and then disappears from the Bible record.
The only information we have about this particular Joseph is
that he was a disciple who had been with the Lord from the
beginning of His ministry and witnessed His resurrection.
These are pretty astounding credentials.
He, along with Matthias,
was being considered for a very important ministry role.
Actually, the opportunity of a lifetime. The disciples had
an opening to fill among the Twelve and he and Matthias were
up for it. Here's the Scripture reference, "So they
proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as
Justus) and Matthias". After an earnest prayer and a
selection procedure Matthias was chosen.
What happened to Joseph? Did he get bitter or resentful? Was he envious of Matthias? Did he question the fairness of the selection process? Did he stew, "Life just isn't fair". Or did he go on, like millions have since his time on earth, to faithfully serve God the remainder of his life in relative obscurity? We really expect this to be the case. After all when one door closes another opens if our hearts are willing and Joseph seemed to have a willing heart. We believe there are a lot of people like Joseph. Really, each of us can relate in one way or another. We've all had disappointments haven't we? That job offer that fell through, the personal rejection that still stings, the election or promotion that went to the "other guy". How we handle it is what really matters. Sometimes it is made clear to us why a door didn't open, though not always immediately, but more often over time. At times more training or skills were needed for a particular job situation. There are those circumstances where God was protecting us from a potential danger we ourselves could not see at the time. We've found that God closed the doors we had hoped to walk through on more than one occasion to provide a much better opportunity that was not available at the time. The above examples and many more turn into life lessons that can't be learned just by reading a book or taking a written examination. ![]() Be
encouraged today, (Hebrews 3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne Weber
![]() Note:
Truth be told we never hear any more
about Matthias either!
Today's
Suggested Music and Supplemental
Resources
"He Will Carry You"
Video
Brian Free and Assurance
![]()
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![]() ![]() Stephen & Brooksyne Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version. Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity." © Copyright 2022 Stephen C. & Brooksyne Weber - All Rights Reserved Daily Encouragement Net - 495 Kraybill Church Road - Mount Joy, PA 17552 USA |