Stirring the Waters

“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Revelation 3: 8)

Last week I was blessed to observe my Aunt Leslie’s baptism at Newton Springs Baptist Church (my home church). What an incredible worship experience of worship and praise. My aunt came to faith in Christ about 10 days earlier when my brother had an opportunity to share his story and then walk my aunt through the gospel message of personal salvation in Jesus Christ. Last Wednesday that little country church was filled with family and friends visibly seeing the outward evidence of an inward transformation. Man it was mega-awesome!

I was reminded on the drive home from Kentucky just how significant that little church has been – and still is – to the Kingdom. The impact of Newton Springs’ ministry is felt every time I have the privilege to stand and declare the precious Gospel message. You see, Newton Springs Baptist Church, led by Pastor Eddie Harpole, is not simply a small building on a hill in the country. The church is a group of people with great faith in a BIG GOD. That’s why I am so thrilled to hear all that God is doing there.Those who believe in a big God are those who do great things for God. He delights in taking ordinary people and doing extraordinary things through them. Is there an ambition in your heart to know God and do something great for Him? Every Christian should want his or her life to count for eternity. The key is to possess a high view of God.

The size of our God determines the impact of our lives. Churches with a big God conduct extraordinary ministry. That’s the lesson of the church in Philadelphia. They ministered in one of the smallest of the seven cities, and yet the believers there had the greatest opportunity for ministry before them. Why? Because they had the biggest God. Possess great faith in a Big God! You never know what doors God may open…

One Sunday as they drove home from church, a little girl turned to her mother and said, "Mommy, there’s something about the preacher’s message this morning that I don’t understand." The mother said, "Oh? What is it?" The little girl replied, "Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. He said God is so big that He could hold the world in His hand. Is that true?" The mother replied, "Yes, that’s true, honey." "But Mommy, he also said that God comes to live inside of us when we believe in Jesus as our Savior. Is that true, too?" Again, the mother assured the little girl that what the pastor had said was true. With a puzzled look on her face the little girl then asked, "If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?"

The church at Philadelphia was faithful to God with what they had. And God opened doors for them which led to greater ministry opportunities. God is opening doors of greater ministry at Newton Springs Baptist Church – not because of their location or their size – but because of their faithfulness!

I Cor. 16: 9 “For a wide door for effective service was opened to me…”

II Cor. 2: 12 “Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and a door was opened for me in the Lord.”

Col. 4: 3 “Praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ.”

Blessed!

Derek