Open Door Ministries Blog

You Want To See God's Glory?

The story we’ve shared, was first told over two thousand years ago and has almost been carried to the ends of the earth. Some of us struggle to believe whether this is a sweet story that adds meaning to our Christmas season or whether this baby actually was Jesus, the Messiah sent to redeem a fallen world.

That struggle is really understandable; he didn’t make a grand and godly entrance-instead he came to a borrowed stable. He seldom interacted with kings, priests and well to do-instead he was most often found with the poor and common. There never was a grand parade like Prince Ali’s in Disney’s Aladdin; only a donkey colt and a few palm branches. He didn’t have a secret service detail, personal chef and grand palace; instead He was surrounded by fishermen, He cooked their breakfast and fed thousands but had no roof over His head. And while He may be exactly what we need; He may not be anything like we want.

Why? Well we have to roll the clock back an additional four thousand years or so, to the beginning of time. When God created this vast universe, uniquely designed to support life that ‘was made in His very own image’…and He said, ‘it is good’. And it was good, very good; so good that daily, God walked right beside Adam and Eve and they talked intimately. At least until the day man made a willful decision to disobey the one simple restriction God had put on him; God had said eat freely of Life; stay away from evil…I don’t even want you to know what evil is. Man didn’t listen; the world God had created was changed forever and our minds have been clouded by things God never intended to even be there.

On an episode of the Cosby Show; Dr Huckstable tells Theo ‘I brought you into this world; I can take you out and make another one’. Why didn’t God do just that? Can God exist without man; yes. Does God want to exist without man; apparently not. Therein was the dilemma for God; His justice could not overlook the sin; His love could not overlook the man.

When we started today’s service, I read a passage from Isaiah 8 ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given….’. Just two chapters before that, there’s another commonly quoted passages: Isaiah 6:3 ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty; the whole earth is full of (not his holiness, but)…the whole earth is full of His glory.’

His glory represents his unbelievable beauty, all His power and energy, His righteousness, holiness, goodness and love. It’s really not my job or any staff minister’s job to tell you how to think or even believe; our job is to create an atmosphere where you can experience God’s fullness and take your next step on that journey from your head to your heart….but if I could unzip your minds and literally pour in one piece of truth…it would be for each of us to grasp that we are ‘created in His image; that the fullness of God’s glory was meant to be experienced in and through us; it’s not holiness God is filling the world with, but his glory….Christ in you, the hope of glory; that when people look at us, HIS PLAN was for them to see His unbelievable beauty, all His power and energy, His righteousness, holiness, goodness and love…

You want to see God’s glory; I can show you God’s glory? There’s a small envelope under your seat, take it out and as the lights come up…take a look, God’s image, the possibility of His beauty, all His power and energy, His righteousness, Holiness, goodness and love filling a portion of the earth wherever you are and go….it’s why Genesis was the forward to Isaiah, Isaiah was the introduction to Matthew and Matthew is the prequel to Revelation.

It’s more than a sweet story that adds meaning to our Holiday season, it’s the essence of our very existence, what we are created to be…and the Babe in Bethlehem is a step on the journey from your head to your heart….as His Glory Appears.

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We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

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The Geese

On a snowy Christmas Eve, a young wife and her children wrapped themselves snuggly in their winter coats and prepared to attend the candlelight service at their small, country church. One final, pleading attempt was made for her husband to join them but was met with the frigid answer: ‘That story is nonsense, why would God lower himself to come to Earth as a man; it’s ridiculous!’.

Awhile later, the winds grew stronger and the snow became a blizzard, so he settled himself in his most comfortable chair before the crackling fire. Within a few moments, he was started by a loud thump, followed by another; something was hitting his picture window. But because of the blinding snowstorm, he could see little more than the ledge of the window.

When the storm let up a bit, he ventured out and spotted a flock of geese in his field. Apparently lost in the snowstorm on their southward trek, they flew blindly and aimlessly in low circles, stranded without food or shelter in temperatures far too cold. Though tough in his opinions, the man was yet compassionate toward the geese and wanted to help. His barn would offer shelter from the storm so he opened the doors then watched and waited, hoping they’d notice and go inside. But instead the geese only fluttered and continued as before, completely unaware of what the barn could mean to them. All of his attempts to get their attention only scared them; even the breadcrumb trail he made did not catch their attention and his attempt to shoo them in, scattered them in many directions. Nothing he did could draw them into the barn.

Frustrated, he exclaimed; ‘Why don’t they trust me, why won’t they follow me, I’m offering the only thing that will save them from the storm. If only I were a goose, then I could save them.’ Then he had an idea; he went into the barn and got one of his own geese. Carefully, he circled the flock with the goose in his arms, then let it go. His goose returned immediately to the warmth of the barn, followed, one by one, the entire flock.

Feeling the warmth of his success, he was suddenly struck by his own words….’if only I were a goose, I could save them…. Why would God lower Himself, to come to earth as a man? Ridiculous?’… Or does it make perfect sense?

Deana

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Missed Sunday's Christmas Service?

Missed Sunday's "His Glory Appears"? Watch the entire service online!

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Dance Off

Considering the "disturbing discovery"that was made about the men on our staff, we thought it was only fair to show you that the woman are in on it too. During the weekend we conducted a dance off to see which "crew" had the hottest moves....

 Tell us who gets your vote?

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

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Santa's Dance Crew

This morning I made a frightening discovery.  Some of our staff members are not being honest about what they really do for a living!  I feel there is nothing more I can do but expose them for what they REALLY are... Santa's Dance Crew!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

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All Things are Possible.

Came across this and thought is was so powerful that I wanted to share with you guys. Check it out and may it encourage you as it did me. 

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (New International Version) 

9) But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10) That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

The following is a quote from A.W Tozer...

"Ten thousand enemies cannot stop a Christian, cannot even slow him down, if he meets them in a complete attitude of trust in God. They will become to him like the atmosphere that resist the airplane, but which because the plane's designer knew how to take advantage of that resistance, actually lifts the plane aloft and holds it there for a journey of 2,000 miles. What would have been an enemy to the plane becomes a helpful servant to aid it on it's way" 

What an awesome thought. May we always remember that "All things are possible"!!

Aaron

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Coming In and Going Out

This past Sunday's service at Open Door had to have made one of our top ten favorites. We were able to take in new members, to add to our church family, but also send out one of our very own Jody Paramore and his family to ministry. 

Jody and his family have been with us for several years, the majority of which he has served on our praise team and his wife in our 0-3 nursery. They have a been a huge help and blessing in the teams they have been on, always faithful and devoted to the cause and purpose of the ministry. 

Now it's time for us to be faithful and devoted to the promise and calling God has spoken. Jody has been offered a position at his home church to lead the youth as well as the praise and worship at Salem United Methodist Church. 

Words can't begin to express how proud we are to see what God is doing in Jody and Stephanie's lives and how excited we are to see them step into ministry during this next chapter of their lives. 

Jody, Stephanie, Chloe, Luke, and Ethan, please know that you will be incredibly missed but that our prayers, thoughts, blessing, and excitement are with you as you go.

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Big Trouble

There were two brothers, 8 & 10 years old; extremely mischievous. If there was any trouble in the neighborhood, you could be sure these two had a hand in it. Their parents were at wits end trying to control them so they asked the parish priest for his assistance. He agreed to talk with the boys, but asked to see the younger boy first and alone. 

The priest sat the boy down across from him at a huge and impressive desk. For five minutes they just sat and stared at each other. Finally, the priest pointed his index finger at the boy and asked. ‘Where is God?’

The little guy looked under the desk, the corners of the room, all around but said nothing. A second time, a little louder, the priest pointed at the boy and asked, ‘Where is God?’ Again the boy looked all around but said nothing. 

A third time, even louder and firmer, the priest leaned across the desk and put his finger almost on the boy’s nose and asked, ‘Where is God?’ The boy panicked and ran all the way home. Finding his older brother, he dragged him upstairs and into the closet, where they usually plotted their mischief. Breathlessly, he said, ‘We’re in BIG trouble.’ 

'What do you mean, BIG trouble?’ asked his brother. His little brother replied, 

‘God is missing, and they think we did it!’ 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Merry Christmahanukwanzaka...if God is missing, we really are in BIG trouble!

Deana

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Cool Kicks...

Over the past few years Open Door has begun to develop a close relationship with some of the school social workers in Pitt County. 

Our heart has been to do whatever we can to help our the kids of our county and to also make the jobs of our social works easier by offering help when needed. 

When we received a phone call a few weeks ago from one of the social workers we jumped at the opportunity to help out. 

A few of the girls on the A.G Cox basketball team needed help getting this season's uniforms and shoes. THAT'S RIGHT UP OUR ALLEY!

By the incredible giving of our people we were able to make sure the girls had everything they need to have a winning season. 

God often opens doors for us to lend helping hands and as we go through the rest of this holiday season we encourage you to help out when and where you can and share how the experience impacted you.

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