Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.

Our reading titled God's Open Doors was written by Patricia Raban.

At my new school near a large city, the guidance counselor took one look at me and placed me in the lowest performing English composition class.

I'd arrived from my inner-city school with outstanding test scores, excellent grades, and even a principal's award for my writing.

The door to the best writing class in my new school

was closed to me, however,

when the counselor decided I wasn't right or ready.

The church in ancient Philadelphia

would have understood such arbitrary setbacks.

A small and humble church, its city had suffered

earthquakes in recent years that left lasting damage. Additionally, they faced satanic opposition.

Such a disregarded church had little strength, yet, as the risen Christ noted in Revelation

Chapter 3, You have kept my word and have not denied my name.

Therefore, God placed before them an open door that no one can shut. Indeed, what he opens no one can shut,

and what he shuts, no one can open.

That's true for our ministry efforts.

Some doors don't open.

With my writing for God, however,

he has indeed opened doors, allowing it to reach a global audience, regardless of one counselor's closed attitudes.

Closed doors won't hinder you either.

I am the door, Jesus said in John, Chapter 10, verse 9. Let's enter the doors he opens and follow him.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from Revelation chapter 3, verses 7 through 11.

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