Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

June 15, 2018

by Pastor Hawtree

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO OPEN A DOOR OF UTTERANCE

Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

I first notice the need to incorporate others to pray. Paul was encouraging the church to pray for God to open doors. Now Paul was not asking them to pray that he would get a better paying job with fantastic benefits. Paul did not even ask them to pray that he would get out of jail, where he was at the time. Paul asked them to go to God on his behalf, for God to open doors and opportunities where Paul could communicate the gospel of Christ. Paul believed that doors could be opened by God in supernatural ways. Paul believed opportunities could be created through supernatural means. He just needed others to be burdened enough to help him pray for it.

Recently, I had an opportunity to witness something amazing. I was able to go and observe a miraculous open door, a God-given opportunity. It took place at Paris Island, SC. There at the Marine training base, for the past six years, God has opened a door for Evangelist Tim Lee to preach to thousands of Marine recruits. These are young men and women, from all over our country, that have enlisted to train to become Marines. Dr. Lee will go about every ninety days, four times a year. Each time he will speak to anywhere from 2,500-4500 Marines. The response to Dr. Lee’s strong salvation message is not only well received, but 1000-1500 marines give their hearts to Christ at each of these events. As I was able to watch first hand in this outreach, it was hard for me to wrap my head around it. I finally made it to Paris Island, surrounded by our finest military, and I stood and cried for two hours as I watched the power of God fall, and hundreds upon hundreds of Marines weeping, broken, and running to the front to be saved. I witnessed a miracle. Not just a miracle of salvation, but the miracle of “a door of utterance”. You see, many Godly Christians had been praying for years that somehow God would save, and disciple, and use our military men and women. They faithfully were praying that God “would open unto us a door of utterance”. That somehow, someone would have the chance to make the Gospel “manifest”. God opened that door uniquely, in unlikely manners, through unexpected people for Dr. Tim Lee to do just that. And God, knowing Dr. Lee would be able and willing, has kept that door open.

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE TO OPEN A DOOR OF UTTERANCE. I have seen it first-hand. To have that kind of opportunity to give the Gospel, in a country that is trying to squelch Christianity, God’s Word, and the name of Christ. May each of us today spend some time to beg God to continue to open miraculous “doors of utterance”. He is Able!