Small to Be a Big Blessing

Steeped in the Word

August 13, 2025 – 08/13/2025

8 – New Beginnings    

13 – Rebellion

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech. Proverb 8:13 NLT

Small to Be a Big Blessing\n

Paul got smaller the longer he walked with the Lord. You can clearly see it in his writings. When he wrote his letter to the Galatians\u2014\n

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)\u2026 Galatians 1:1\n

Just a year or so later, when he writes to the Corinthians, Paul doesn\u2019t put so much stock in his title or credentials. His perception of himself had changed dramatically.\n

\u201cFor I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:9\n

And about five years after that, in 64 A.D., he doesn\u2019t even call himself an apostle. In fact, Paul sees himself as \u201cleast among the saints.\u201d\n

\u201cTo me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ\u201d Ephesians 3:8.\n

Three years later, at the end of his life and sitting in a Roman dungeon, Paul wrote to Timothy, the young pastor of the biggest church in the world at the time. In this letter, Paul called himself \u201cthe chief of sinners\u201d because he counted his sins so grievous. Praise the Lord that Jesus counted them as forgiven!\n

How did Paul deal with all the conflict, persecution, and outright hell he endured as an apostle and martyr of the early church? He got small. Prison does that. With nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no one to lord over, inmates are forced to get small. Paul was.\n

He knew it wasn\u2019t about him, but about Jesus. This knowledge gave Paul the ability to \u201cfinish his course\u201d as written in 2 Timothy 4:7. What about you? Do you want to finish your course well? Can you become a prisoner of God\u2019s mercy and grace so Jesus can become large in the eyes of non-believers?","hover":"\nWhich Wolf Do You Feed?\n

Jesus-driven thinking helps and heals. This is what the Bible has to say on the subject: For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. \u2013 Romans 8:6\n

The Cherokee nation knew it, too. Check out this spot-on tribal tale:\n

An old Cherokee chief was teaching his grandson about life. He told the boy, \u201cA terrible fight is going on inside me. It is a fight between two wolves. One wolf is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and self-doubt.\"\n

The old man continued: \u201cThe other wolf is good. He is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.\u201d He then told the boy, \u201cThis same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person, too.\u201d\n

The grandson thought about it for a minute, then asked his grandfather, \u201cWhich wolf will win?\u201d The wise old chief replied, \u201cThe one you feed.\u201d\n

What wolf have you been feeding? Just know the wolf of evil thoughts will eventually devour you, and likely others as well. Thoughts become actions, and there is always collateral damage.\n

That\u2019s not you! You can control your thought life and ensure the evil wolf starves to death."}},"slug":"et_pb_blurb"}">Small to Be a Big Blessing

Paul got smaller the longer he walked with the Lord. You can clearly see it in his writings. When he wrote his letter to the Galatians—

Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)… Galatians 1:1

Just a year or so later, when he writes to the Corinthians, Paul doesn’t put so much stock in his title or credentials. His perception of himself had changed dramatically.

“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Corinthians 15:9

And about five years after that, in 64 A.D., he doesn’t even call himself an apostle. In fact, Paul sees himself as “least among the saints.”

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” Ephesians 3:8.

Three years later, at the end of his life and sitting in a Roman dungeon, Paul wrote to Timothy, the young pastor of the biggest church in the world at the time. In this letter, Paul called himself “the chief of sinners” because he counted his sins so grievous. Praise the Lord that Jesus counted them as forgiven!

How did Paul deal with all the conflict, persecution, and outright hell he endured as an apostle and martyr of the early church? He got small. Prison does that. With nothing to do, nowhere to go, and no one to lord over, inmates are forced to get small. Paul was.

He knew it wasn’t about him, but about Jesus. This knowledge gave Paul the ability to “finish his course” as written in 2 Timothy 4:7. What about you? Do you want to finish your course well? Can you become a prisoner of God’s mercy and grace so Jesus can become large in the eyes of non-believers?

Grounded in FaithDeclare!

My life was a mess before I gave it to Jesus. He has redeemed it and restored me. I am so grateful that He uses me to partner with Him and advance His Kingdom. I know there is nothing in me that has merited that favor. It is only His great love that has made it possible. The more I focus on Jesus and magnify Him, the smaller I become, and the more He shines through me into the world that desperately needs Him.

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When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. Matthew 6:6 NLT

Monthly Prayer PointsPrayer Day For OpenDoor Church | 8/22 

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The post Small to Be a Big Blessing first appeared on Troy Brewer Ministries.

The post Small to Be a Big Blessing appeared first on Troy Brewer Ministries.