Saturday

Wonder Why A Closed Door?

Trust in the Lord with all your Heart...

We need to learn to praise the Lord as much for a closed door as we do an open door. The reason God closes doors is because He has not prepared anything over there for us. If he didn't close the wrong door, we would never find the right door.God directs our path through the closing and opening of doors. Once a door closes, it forces you to change your course. Another door closes, it forces you to change your course again. Then, finally, you find the open door and you walk right into your blessing.The Lord directs our paths through the opening and closing of doors, but instead of praising him for the closed door (which keeps us out of trouble); we get upset because we "judge by the appearances. "You have an ever-present help in the time of trouble that is always standing guard. Because He walks ahead of you, He can spot trouble down the road and set up a roadblock or detour accordingly. But through our lack of wisdom, we try to tear down the roadblocks or push aside the detour sign. Then the minute we get into trouble, we start crying, "Lord, how could You have done this to me?"We have got to realize that the closed door can be a blessing. Didn't He say that no good thing would He withhold from them that love Him?If you get terminated from your job, praise God for the new opportunities that will manifest themselves: it might be another job, it might be school.If that man or woman won't return your call, it might not be them, it might be the Lord setting up a roadblock (just let it go).One time, a person had a bank they had been in business with for many years tell them "No!" to a $10,000 loan. The Lord put in their spirit to call another bank. That bank gave them $40,000 at a lower interest rate than the first bank was offering.We can sometimes trap ourselves in doubt and discouragement through judging by appearances. Be grateful for the many times our Father has closed doors to us just to open them in the most unexpected places.The Lord won't always say in spoken words: "Go to the left, now to the right" ...sometimes He will just close the doors that are wrong for you.God Bless You Always!Author Unknown

...and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3: 5,6

http://www.trustiam.com

Tuesday

God Gave Us Guardian Angels...


Guardian Angels: Seek Them In Times Of Stress And Danger
By Michael H. Brown

Today (October 2) we celebrate the feast of the guardian angels and in times such as this it's important to know that they're there, they are all around, they wait for us to call on them. When it's the will of God, when it's done in the right way -- with enough prayer -- we can even ask them to do our bidding, to go on missions. Angels guard us. They can be sent to guard members of our families. They give us information. Many good thoughts originate from them, as do many of our uncanny intuitions. When something suddenly "comes" to us, when we just "know" something that turns out to be true, it's often their subtle whispering.

They inform us and guide us as they informed Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary. And they minister. When you're down or ill, when you really need something, when you're trying to discern, ask for their intercession. As we know, they even ministered to Jesus. They wait for our requests, and they're only too glad to help. Surround yourselves with them. Ask them to go before you and prepare the way. Ask their intercession in difficult circumstances. Ask them to speak to the angels guarding people you may be having problems with. If you have sorrow ask them to remove the sorrow and if you have fear ask them to remove the fear. They protect, and they radiate. I believe that when we see a "glow" around someone, it's often because they have been enveloped by an angel. It's angels who orchestrate many supernatural gifts and when we're under attack our angels can chase off dark spirits.

Call on them. Pray for them to come. Ask their intercession! Last week we repeated an account of a series of dreams in which an angel who called himself Michael and two others seemed to be ministering to me. It was in a dream, which is how they often communicate. I believe there have been other times they have dramatically intervened, as they intervene in all our lives, often without our realizing it. At times the intercession is dramatic. On September 19, 1988, I was working upstairs in my parents' home when I felt an unusual prompting to go downstairs. I always took a noon nap upstairs but I kept getting this prompting (take your nap downstairs!) . I finally did, and good thing: a fire erupted upstairs that would have probably suffocated me if I had been sleeping up there.

The more we call on angels, the more they're there. The more we pray the more we empower them. Of course, we do this all in the Name of Christ, and with the help of Our Blessed Mother -- who is Queen of Angels! They even help in what seem like "little" things. In 1994 we moved to a new house and I had to do something I had never done: plant a lawn. I didn't even know how to run a lawn mower. But with the help of my father-in-law, I went about this daunting task and at one point, when I absentmindedly left the sprinkler on so long it should have washed everything away, "someone" shut off the hose even though I was the only one home.

At the time, I was writing a book about angels!

And when the grass came up, I was astonished by how lush it was. I couldn't believe the reaction to it. It had come up perfectly, and at one point a stranger passed on the street, stopped, and smiled a smile I can still see.

Scanning the lawn, he said, "This must be because you're a Catholic author."

We had just moved into the neighborhood. I don't think I had even told the neighbors yet what I did for a living. But somehow this man knew. I never got his name. He just stopped and pointedly admired the lawn and one of us joked that I had used "Miracle-Gro. "

Actually I think it was "angel-gro." The man left for the other end of the subdivision, but in the years that followed I never saw him again...

Let us never forget to call upon our Guardian Angel...
In the morning before I start my day, I ask my angel to go before me and prepare the day and to be with my children.


Psalm 103:20
Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.