4 Is The Door

I have been thinking of writing this post for some time now. Today’s MyDailyBible app “Verse of The Day” and verses from the devotional reading said, “Do it”.

“4 Is The Door”

For some strange reason as I considered writing about “God’s Doors” and His warning me about opening the wrong door, a phrase that I thought I’d heard before on a few occasions could not found anywhere in Google or Youtube searches. It was “4 Is The Door” and the closest thing I could assume related to “4 Being the Door” was Revelation 4:1 and Genesis 4:7.

Yesterday I finally got around to writing about “4 Is The Door” but as what happens at times, my initial focus of the writing takes a back seat to what seems to be more important thoughts. I often ask God to lead by His Holy Spirit to inspire me for things to write in this blog. I don’t seek to be recognized as a writer. I DO seek to give Glory, Honor and Praise to my Dear Heavenly Father for the multitude of Lovingkindnesss and Tender Mercies He pours out upon my life. I am constantly looking for God’s Hand in things that occur in my life. That is where the subject and thoughts of “4 Is The Door” was supposed to go and now will.

If you haven’t followed my blog maybe you aren’t aware that I was laid off of my job of 8 years on July 2^nd, almost a month ago. Just two days before in my post titled, “For Christ’s Sake Pt2” I mentioned how that job came to me without me looking for it.

 I took it and have been working there for the last 8 years. I didn’t even pray for a new job but one found me in a depressed oil field, imagine that.

As some of yesterday’s scriptures about “Doors” state, I believe God opened the door of that job to me and God ordained or allowed it to close. NOTHING happens that God is not aware of, even down to the very hairs that fall from my head.

There is something about the job I lost on July 2^nd that only those in my life were aware of and is a huge reason for this “4 Is The Door” post. I was keep by God’s Hand on that job only 17 days shy of making a 4 year anniversary.

4 years ago on Sunday July 19^th I gave up that job in what I thought to be an act of obedience to the leading of God’s Holy Spirit. For some months I saw things at work were not being done in an ethical and safe way. After attempts to bring those issues to the local supervisors didn’t get anywhere I brought it to our corporate office’s attention. I sent about 6 different emails that addressed each issue in detail. I sent each of those emails to “everyone” from the CEO to the people I was bringing my accusations against, everything was done in the open. Just before  I sent off those emails I was already resigned to the fact that I no longer had a job there. I even called my direct supervisor and told him, “it’s been good working for you but after what I’m about to do, I don’t believe I have a job here anymore”. The last email said something like this, “If you read all the emails I have sent, you realize none of these issues directly affected me personally. Some of the men that are being affected can’t speak up because they need their job more than I do. Years ago I prayed Psalm 51 and asked God to change my heart and He did. It’s for that reason I can’t keep my mouth shut and watch these men that I have grown to respect and care about endure this, maybe become injured or worst just to “keep my job”.

Very early that Monday morning after our corporate office opened I received a call telling me to talk to no one and that I was being put on paid administrative leave. I was told an investigation would be conducted about the issues I addressed. Later that week I was told I had to attend a meeting at our local office and that there I would be told what decision would be made concerning my employment or not. The meeting was 8 days after sending the emails, on Monday July 27^th 2015 which was the “10th of Av” on the Hebrew calendar that year. Since the 9th of Av fell on a Sabbath, it was pushed ahead and observed one day ahead.

That Monday morning as I woke from sleep my first conscious thought was this scripture, I will never forget it,

Joshua 1:9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

So I had the peace of God that passes all understanding as I prepared and went to the meeting of what the faith of my employment would be. I guess it’s evident I kept my job there 17 days shy of 4 years, until the day the new owner took over. Before sending off those emails I told my Dad, a retired pastor, exactly what I was about to do. In concern of me losing my job he said, “are you sure you want to do that”? My answer was, “sometimes it’s going to cost you something to serve God”. It was really in my heart that I should lay down my job for the benefit of others that couldn’t afford to have a voice. I’m by no means wealthy in the way the world looks at wealth but I am very rich in seeing God’s Almighty Hand upon my life. God is and will always be my source of all I need. He Is A Good Good Father to those that attempt to walk in covenant with Him as His child.

I KNOW God ordained or allowed me to stay at that job the extra 4 years and will open a door to me that is relevant for this time of my life. My main concern is not getting ahead of God and pushing my own door open. Yesterday’s post is about not listening to God’s direction and the price we pay when we don’t.

Last Wednesday night Bishop Drew preached about “Mystery of Afflictions” and why we see even “good people suffer” things. One of his points was that in wars a phrase is used that can be applied to why sometimes even those desiring to walk a life pleasing to Father God suffer, it’s “Collateral Damage”. That’s when noncombatants in a war are wounded or killed that were never the intended target. The effects of sin and Satan’s war against Father God’s battlefield is His children. Either my lost of job was for that reason or I was served a very cold dish of revenge. I hope not for their sake and “For Christ’s Sake”.

I don’t think losing my job had anything to do with my job performance. The vice ceo that came to tell me I would not be carried over to the new company also said this, “I see you will be getting a nice “job evaluation performance bonus”. I asked him how much cause I didn’t know. When he told me I said wow it’s the biggest I ever got. It was right at double the largest bonus I ever got from them. When I told my supervisor about it he said that for my  evaluation he put that I would do “above and beyond what was required of me”. That was good to hear but there as a scripture I like concerning that more.

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love lovingkindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?

The numbers 4 and 17 that I have mentioned in this post a few times now are significant bible numbers.

The Number 4 is VERY Related to”Moed –  Appointed Times” Think of all the times 40 days, 40 years and even 400 years that describe periods of trials and testing.

1. One the 4^th Day,  God created the sun, the moon, and all the stars (Genesis 1:14 – 19). Their purpose was not only to give off light, but also to divide the day from the night on earth, thus becoming a basic demarcation of time. Doors are a “demarcation” of leaving and entering.
2. The 4th of the Ten Commandments is to remember and keep God’s holy Sabbath day (Exodus 20:9 – 11) A very important “Moed to keep”
3. At the cross Roman soldiers divided Jesus’ clothes into 4 parts (one for each soldier – John 19:23).
4. In the Garden of Eden “A River” parted into 4 other rivers. These rivers were the Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel and the Euphrates (Genesis 2:10 – 14).
5. 4 is the number of times rainbows are referenced in scripture (Genesis 9, Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 4:3, 10:1).
6. In Ezekiel 1:10, he sees 4 living creatures transporting a throne with 4 sides and 4 Each of the living creatures, likely Cherubim, has 4 faces (the face of a man, lion, ox and eagle) and 4 wings (1:6). In Ezekiel 7:2 he proclaims to Israel that an end is coming upon ‘the 4 corners of the land. In chapter 14 the prophet is told by the Eternal to ask Israel’s unrepentant elders to repent or else 4 sore judgments will come upon Jerusalem, the sword, famine, wild beasts and pestilence (14:21).
7. There are 4 Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry, each emphasizing a unique aspect of his sacrifice and ministry.

• Matthew’s focus is on Christ being the son of David and a King.
• Mark highlights the suffering servant aspect of his ministry.
• John proclaims Jesus is the One and Only begotten Son of God.
• Luke showcases him as the Perfect Man.

The Number 17 Symbolizes “Overcoming the Enemy” and “Complete Victory.”

1. God overcame the sins of rebellious humans when he began to flood the earth through rain on the 17th of the 2^nd Hebrew month (Genesis 7:11).
2. Noah’s Ark rested on Mt. Ararat on the 17^th day of the 7^th month (Genesis 8:4).
3. On the 17^th of Nisan, Jesus Christ gained a “Complete Victory” over death and the grave when God resurrected Him. Passover ALWAYS begins on Nisan 14, (Exodus 12:18).
4. In the book of 1 Corinthians the 13th chapter, the 17th mention of the word ‘love’ comes when the apostle Paul states that it is the greatest gift of all (1 Corinthians 13:13).
5. The Beast with 7 heads + 10 horns = 17, will war against those who have faith in Jesus and keep the commandments, thus achieving a victory (though short-lived) against God’s people (Revelation 13:1 – 8).
6. The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), occurs in the 7th Hebrew month on the 10th day, is the binding of Satan (see Revelation 20). Thus, 10 plus 7 equals the number 17, which testifies to Christ’s Perfect Overcoming of Satan.
7. Rehoboam, son of Solomon and the 1st king of Judah after the united kingdom split in 930 B.C., reigned for 17 years.
8. The book of James has material from 17 Old Testament books. The book of 1 Corinthians has 17 direct quotations from the Old Testament.
9. In Romans 8:35 the apostle Paul asks “What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” He asks if 7 things could separate us, which are tribulation, persecution, distress, nakedness, famine, the sword or any other danger. Paul then tells us 10 things that CANNOT get between our God and us, which are life, death, principalities, powers, angels, things present or to come, depth, height or anything created. Thus we have 7 + 10 = 17, representing a Christian’s perfect and eternal standing with God through Christ.
10. The 5 Tragic Events on the 17^th of Tammuz. 1. Moses broke the stone tablets of the law when he saw Israel worshipping the golden calf. 2. The siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians caused the daily sacrifices to end. 3. They ran out of animal. In 70 AD, the Romans stopped the daily sacrifice. 4. Apostamos burned the holy Torah. 5. The walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans, in 69 CE, after a lengthy siege. (3 weeks later, after the Jews put up a valiant struggle, the Romans destroyed the 2nd Holy Temple on the 9th of Av.

On those 5 tragic events and many others in Israel’s history there were many people who did their best to walk in covenant with their God and follow the words of Micah 6:8 who still became “Collateral Damage”. Theirs and our true reward and home is not here on earth.

Hebrews 11:8-10  By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

I Do Too!!!