The Doctrine of the Open Door. Part 11

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The Tree of Life
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Week ending 111410
The Doctrine of The Open Door. Part 11.
The importance of Divine Timing.

Timing is one of the most vital and important factors in the execution of the spiritual life. In reference to our subject, Divine Timing refers to the best time to go through the open doors that God provides. Under divine timing, the believer responds to the doors that God reveals that are opened before them in order to achieve the desired effects or the divine purpose with maximum results.

For the Church-age believer, timing is a matter of adjusting to and synchronizing with the pre-designed plan of God and going forward to fulfill your personal sense of destiny. Therefore, the divine timing concerning the open doors which God reveals challenges us and leads us into radical changes from the moment we believe in Jesus Christ.

For example, we must learn the PPOG and thereafter we must utilize the provisions, such as the PSD's, and the invisible assets pertaining to that plan from God. So, the question arises: What is the difference between divine timing concerning the open doors from God and bad timing concerning human viewpoint and the doors of deception. In God’s plan for your life, bad timing is a matter of being out of fellowship, falling apart when under pressure, being out of the will of God, having the wrong priorities, making the wrong decisions, and all of this is because of ignorance or rejection of the word of God. Above all, bad timing is lost opportunity under the equal privilege and equal opportunity of God’s plan.

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. (EPH 5:15-16)

This means to purchase by means of the power of the Spirit and the power of the word of God each and every opportunity you can because the days are filled with evil. By evil we mean the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world. However, the greatest form of evil is religion where legalism and apostasy control individuals. Under the divine timing of God concerning the open doors that God provides, the mature believer makes the most of divine timing.

So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, (EPH 5:17-18)

Any indifference, apathy, rejection, or antagonism toward Bible doctrine causes the believer to be out of sync with the PPOG and not able to recognize the divine timing of God especially concerning the open doors He provides. You cannot synchronize with God’s plan, will, and purpose for your life in a state of ignorance of the mystery doctrine of the Church-age. So, God is perfect; therefore, only God’s timing is perfect. Any other timing in history has problems connected with it.

When it comes to the open doors that God leads and guides us to and through, divine timing is a problem for many individuals. One of the main problems is not understanding the right time to go through the doors of opportunity with the divine timing of God as your guide and instructor. This is when impatience is the order of the day. This is why the writer of the book of Hebrews wrote in HEB 10:35-36, Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

In living the spiritual life the open doors that God provides under divine timing is a matter of doing the will of God rather than doing your own will. This means having an organized life, having your priorities straight before God and man.

Now, the principle of the timing of God as a part of the doctrine of the open doors is found in a very popular passage in Ecc 3. Under the divine timing of God concerning the open doors that God provides, we begin with the fact that God always opens up a door for those who have PVTD. There are promises in the word of God where God distinctly and dogmatically opens up doors of communication.

As the apostle Paul says in COL 4:3, Pray at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; Divine timing concerning the doctrine of the open doors is found in such passages as TIT 2:11-12, For the grace of God that brings salvation [the promise of the open door of salvation, JOH 10:9], has appeared to all men [the promise of the open door of salvation, JOH 10:9],

In TIT 2:12, this open door of divine timing instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and spiritually in the present age,

You must have the time to grow in grace and knowledge so that the open door that instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and spiritually in the present age, does not turn into a form of godliness and legalism.

In JOH 1:9, we are told that under the  perfect timing of God, He opens up the door of God-consciousness for every member of the human race, for Jesus Christ was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man, This means that every man is enlightened from within his conscience by TLJC and that anyone can know God if they truly desire to according to the word of God. The concept of man seeking God and God providing the open door in His time is found in passages like JER 29:13, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart [right lobe-brain].”

Or in JOH 7:17, “If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the doctrine  whether it is of God.”

So, only the believer who puts doctrine first everyday in his life and sets aside time everyday for that doctrine, can find happiness in being organized under the divine timing of God and the open doors that God provides.

Ecc 3 teaches that everything in life is a matter of divine timing and God’s open doors.

First of all, let’s note that God has assigned to you a number of days to live on this earth according to PSA 90:12; 31:15. We are not given years to live or months to live but according to the Bible, days to live! PSA 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom.”

God has also given us an assignment which is a certain amount of time to do certain things in our life. When done under the timing of God and the open doors that God provides, this assignment is designed to glorify God in the angelic conflict.

In ECC 3:1-8, the timing of God concerning the open doors that He provides are found even in the so-called little things.

For who has despised the day of small things? (ZEC 4:10)

The Divine timing of God concerning the doctrine of the open door has to do with what you do on a day by day basis when God opens the door of divine timing for prayer, for study, for work, for pleasure, etc. Your attitude and fellowship with God is revealed by how you respond to the open doors that God provides for you to glorify Him, learn His word, serve Him, and enjoy His blessings pertaining to life and godliness or the execution of the spiritual life.

Grace and peace be multiplied to you by means of epignosis knowledge or metabolized doctrine of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to our natural life and the spiritual life, by means of epignosis knowledge or metabolized doctrine of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2PE 1:2-3)

The open doors pertaining to everything in life is revealed by timing of God concerning the things that we are about to look at in Ecc 3. While you will probably experience most of these you will enjoy none of these without doctrines such as the doctrine of the open door or the doctrine of divine timing, which gives you capacity to enjoy these things.

Let’s listen to the wise man Solomon.

ECC 3:1, There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven‑‑

When we operate under His time schedule for our lives, which is divine timing, and go through the doors He opens up for us, then we are ready to fulfill our very own destiny in the midst of the angelic conflict. One of the most fascinating subjects in life is this “time”! It’s amazing that we all have the same amount of it, whether we are a child in school or the president of the United States! Think of how much importance we attached to it. Throughout the day we hear things like: What time is it? What time does the meeting start? What time do you want me there? I don't have time? How much time will it take? Don’t waste your time on that! It’s time for us to go! Sometimes you might hear between two people, it’s time we had a long talk? In sports we hear, How much time left in the game? Or, Time out!

Time!

God’s open doors provide every one of you a certain amount of time that you might use it for His glory. The only time we possess to honor God in this life is the number of days He provides for us by means of the open doors of divine timing. James reminds us how frail our life really is in JAM 4:14, Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.

In ECC 3:1, Solomon, although he is trying to find out the meaning of life and why he is here, has become involved with fatalism but in doing so has discovered some truth about the open doors God provides for the believer in His time. Fatalism is a submissive mental attitude resulting from acceptance of the doctrine that everything that happens is pre-determined and inevitable. In a way, fatalism is right if one takes into account the sovereign will of God and the free will of man co-existing by means of the divine decree or the divine order. Fatalism says that all events are predetermined in advance for all time and human beings are powerless to change them. This is true in time only in the sense that, in eternity past God took into account man’s free will decisions and permitted them and willed for them to exist as a part of His plan.

ECC 3:1, There is an appointed time for everything [open doors provided by God]. And there is a time for every event under heaven [a reference to divine timing].

One of the most important statements concerning the open doors provided by God and the divine timing made available to us all is that The greatest purpose for one's life is to spend it for something that will outlast it!

MAT 6:19-20, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;”

God’s timing is perfect and if you are in fellowship with Him, you will discover the open doors set before you. Some of these doors are opened on Heaven's side, most of them are on our side in human history. For example, in ECC 3:2, A time to give birth and a time to die;

Divine timing is perfect and therefore since soul life is the monopoly of God and God is perfect and you were born at the perfect time according to divine timing and sent through the open door of life. God’s timing is perfect and you will die when God determines under divine timing and sent through the open door of eternity. Because of the infinite and eternal wisdom of God, He cannot be wrong in determining the time, manner, or place of our death. We will depart just exactly where, when, and how He determines.

Regardless of the circumstances and events that surround your birth, God gave you life at that moment, so that was the right time for you to be born. You did not choose your parents; God did! You did not choose your birthday; God did! Your volition wasn’t involved at all! God created soul life and imputed it to your soul at your birth, and that was the right time for you to be born! So, if you have any complaints about your parents or your birth, your timing is off.

Solomon writes in ECC 3:2, A time to give birth, and a time to die; [next he says there's] a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

Under the divine timing of God concerning the open doors that God provides, He will provide the time you need to plant and the open doors you need to go through. The Hebrew word for plant is nata which means to plant, to work, to invest. God has allotted or assigned to you a profession, a business, or a job and also the time to put into that job, a time to begin and a time to end, a time to start and a time to quit! A time to engage in your job and a time to retire from it.

Planting and plowing describe an agricultural economy at the time that Solomon wrote this. In our day it would be there is a right time to invest and there is a right time to reap from that investment. There is always a right time in business, in the stock market, to buy property, to get into your own business, etc. So, in effect, this verse says that whatever you do in life by way of making a living, there's a right time and a wrong time.

If you discover divine timing, them God will provide the open doors to go through. So you were born at the right time and you will die at the right time because those are God’s decisions. Once you’re alive, you must make decisions in life. Knowing when to plant and when to plow is a matter of understanding the soil, the weather and what crops you're trying to produce. It’s a matter of knowledge and in PRO 24:5b a man of knowledge increases power. So in effect, this is saying that divine timing in life is a matter of knowing what you want to do, what business you want to be involved in, what you want to do to make money to sustain yourself. If you fulfill principles of doctrine such as PSA 37:4, Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Then God is able to reveal to you the open doors to go through.

ECC 3:2, A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

Uproot is the Hebrew verb aqar which means to root up; to destroy, to exterminate. Before you can replant after your crop grows you must destroy the old to make room for the new. Under the divine timing of God, He provides the open doors which fulfill this principle. Such as the provision of the open doors which leads us to the JOH 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease.

The divine timing behind the open doors that cause JOH 12:24 to become a reality, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

Under the divine timing of God we have the open doors that God provides that lead us and guide us to MAT 16:24, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” These are all open doors of opportunity given to us as a part of divine timing that reveals to us in

ECC 3:3, A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up.

Divine timing provides for us the open doors concerning when it's time to harag to kill the enemy in battle or to execute the criminal. The verb to heal is rapha which means to heal; to bind up wounds, to restore life; to save life; to mend or repair, or to reconcile. Divine timing reveals the open doors concerning the time to restore relationships and to heal and reconcile us to others. A time to tear down is the Hebrew word paratz which means to demolish, or to break away. Under divine timing God leads us and guides us to and through the open doors He sets before us regarding the a time to tear down, and a time to build up.

There’s a time when we must have things in our life completely removed, and God provides for us the open doors to separate. There’s a time when we need to break away from others. Then there’s a time to build up. The Hebrew banah is used for construction of something wonderful, something great, it can also mean to repair something. It could refer to a friendship, a relationship, a family matter etc.

ECC 3:4, A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. 

Under divine timing, God leads us and guides us to and through the open doors concerning the time for weeping and the time for laughter, a time to mourn, and a time to dance. In other words, God has allotted a certain amount of time in your life for laughing and dancing and weeping and mourning. Pastors especially need to understand this. Many pastors spend all of their time trying to set people straight rather than just teaching the word of God and letting God do it! There’s a time to laugh even when you're behind the pulpit! A good sense of humor behind the pulpit is a healthy thing.

If you discover the principle of divine timing, God will set before you open doors for you to enjoy laughter and dance and open doors for you to have inner peace and tranquility while you are weeping and while you are mourning.

ECC 3:5, A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones;

You must remember that stones were used as weapons in the ancient world. Throwing stones can mean a lot of things such as to fight for your country or if in law enforcement, practice capital punishment! However, to throw stones can also mean to pick up stones and to clear the land for construction or building. To gather is the Hebrew verb kanac which means to collect materials for building; to collect stones for construction, or to clear a field for plowing, or to prepare the military with weaponry.

So this passage teaches that there are destructive and constructive times in the believer's life. In other words, God has allotted a certain amount of time for us to be destructive and constructive and has provided the open doors to do so.

ECC 3:5, A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.

The phrase a time to embrace is the Qal infinitive construct of the Hebrew verb chabaq which refers to the love affair and sex with your mate. In other words, there’s a time for sex! God has given certain times for this and HEB 13:4-5 teaches with doctrine in the soul, and personal love and a R.M.A., it can make sex a fantastic experience of unselfishness! Then there’s a time to shun embracing.To shun is the Qal infinitive construct of the Hebrew verb rachaq which means to be far away from embracing meaning that there are times we should not even think about the opposite sex so we can concentrate on what we are doing. In other words, there is a right time to be together and there's a wrong time to be together. That’s why sometimes God closes the doors that He also opens.

In ECC 3:6, there’s another aspect of divine timing and the provisions of the open doors from God. This is going to be a surprise to some of you because you can’t stand the thought of ever losing or giving up anything! Not only that, but there are some people who never think about winning anything!

ECC 3:6, A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away. 

A time to search means to depend upon the divine timing of God to guide and direct us to the open doors to go to and through concerning the time to seek after, and the time when you should just give up because you must get on with your life. Next, a time to keep, and a time to throw away. 

The phrase to keep means to guard, to protect, and a time to throw away to cast away things you thought were important before. What has happened is that your scale of values have changed. God allows us the time to change our foolish values for the Godly ones!

ECC 3:7, A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together;

A time to tear apart refers to the fact that it is inevitable that under certain circumstances as a believer growing in grace, you will have to forget about some friends who are not compatible with your norms and standards any longer and who become a distraction. This verse is teaching that there is a time to rip apart from these relationships. You may tell someone that you don't want to see them anymore and they don't get the message so you finally have to tear them apart with words. You may even have to hurt the feelings of other people if they force you in a position to tell them the absolute truth! There is a time to do so and a time not to! If you disagree, well read Mat 23 and see if there’s a time to rip apart with words! Those of you who think that love is never saying anything unkind to people, you're mistaken, that’s not love, that’s hypocrisy! There's a time to level with someone and tell someone off and to make it clear even if it may sound like you’re ripping them to shreds. Then there’s a time to pick up all the pieces and sew them back up.

ECC 3:7  A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together;

Under divine timing God leads us and guides us to and through the open doors He sets before us that lead us to the open doors of restoring our relationship with others.

ECC 3:7, A time to be silent, and a time to speak. 

A time to keep silent means under the timing of God and the open doors that God provides, He reveals to us when to be still; to hold our peace; to keep silent; or to be quiet. There’s a time to speak, when you can open your mouth and say something that’s wonderful, edifying, helpful, and comforting. Knowing when to do these things requires the utmost in wisdom and wisdom requires doctrine, especially the doctrine of The Timing of God and the doctrine of the open doors concerning those things. Again God’s timing is the key.

ECC 3:8, A time to love, and a time to hate;

A time to love means to give our total attention and concentration to the object of our love, a time to hate means to despise that which is anti-God; anti-establishment, or to hate human viewpoint, acts of injustice, prejudice ought to be hated. A time to hate also refers to hating that which is antagonistic to God's will, plan and purpose, and Bible doctrine. It refers to hating legalism but not the legalists. Hating gossip and maligning but not the person who does so. You should hate hypocrisy but not the hypocrite. You should hate lying but not the liar.

So, there's a time to love and a time to hate. The problem is most people don’t know when to do either. And there’s a time for war. A time for war means under the divine timing of God, He leads us and guides us to and through the open doors of the time to fight, to battle, to stand up for what is right and the time for peace, shalom, meaning the time for rest, peace and prosperity.

From all of these principles of timing you can see immediately, if you confuse the time table, you’re in trouble. You're disoriented to life through not understanding divine timing and the doctrine of the open door.

ECC 3:10, I have seen or researched the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

The word appropriate is japheh which means meaningful or beautiful, and there is nothing more beautiful of meaningful for the believer then to understanding the Doctrine of Divine Timing along with the doctrine of the Open Doors that God provides.

ECC 3:11...He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

These two doctrines you heard this morning, he doctrine of divine timing pertaining to the doctrine of the open door are a part of the eternal things and the desires God has placed in the heart of man.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?  Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him   be the glory forever. Amen. (ROM 11:33-36)