“Thus did the people of Israel. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so they camped by their standards, and so they set out, each one in his clan, according to his fathers’ house.” Numbers 2:35 (ESV) When Moses set out to deliver the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage, he discovered the challenge of moving a large mass of people through the wilderness. The assignment was overwhelming and the task was too large for him to pull off on his own. God commissioned Moses and God equipped Moses to fulfill the assignment. The people of Israel were in the second month in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt. God instructed Moses to take a census of the people and to arrange them by clans based on the twelve tribes of Israel. The process was thorough and meticulous. God gave detailed instructions to Moses for the task. We see demonstrated in the Old Testament and we learn in the New Testament, that God values order. “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Cor 14:33 ESV). God has infused His creation with order. The enemy attempts to bring disorder by inserting sin into the equation. Sin corrupts order in relationships, in families, in government, and in churches. Disorder brings confusion, inefficiency, and ineffectiveness. Disorder does not reflect the nature and character of God. Bring honor to God by ordering your life. Take time to assess the current condition of your life, your routine, and your priorities. Is your life out of order? Is your life out of balance? Make intentional adjustments in your life to come into alignment with God’s purposes and plan. What do you need to stop doing? What do you need to start doing? What do you need to continue doing? Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Author: Stephen Trammell
“‘You shall not make idols for yourselves or erect an image or pillar, and you shall not set up a figured stone in your land to bow down to it, for I am the Lord your God.’” Leviticus 26:1 (ESV) What is an idol? Whatever you value more than God is an idol. We are made to worship. There is a tendency to bypass worshiping our Creator and choose instead to worship creation. God’s uniqueness requires unique devotion. The desire to fashion God in our own image produces a distorted view of God and confuses our created purpose. Moses was instructed to engage in conflict resolution as a result of Israel’s rebellion: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” (Exodus 32:7-8 ESV). Avoid idolatry! Remove those things you love more than God. God demands and deserves your loyalty. You demonstrate loyalty through Lordship. Who occupies the throne of your life? Be attentive to those things that are seeking to be enthroned in your life. Don’t allow anything to usurp your affection and your devotion. Keep your focus on Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. If you have drifted, return to your first love and make Jesus your top priority. Practice moment-by-moment surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Allow Jesus to be the Lord of every area of your life. Give Him full access to your thoughts, your desires, your fears, and your future. Pray, “Lord, I’m Yours! Use me!” Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.’” Leviticus 23:3 (ESV) God instructed Moses to speak to the people of Israel about the appointed feasts that were to be proclaimed as holy convocations. The appointed feasts included: the Sabbath, the Passover, the Feast of First Fruits, the Feast of Weeks, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Booths. These holy convocations were intentional ways to express devotion, thanksgiving, gratitude, and worship unto the Lord. The Sabbath is the seventh day, which is Saturday. As Christians, we gather for corporate worship on Sunday of each week in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross on a Friday and rose from the dead on Sunday. We come together on the first day of the week to worship God with our fellow believers. How do we practice the Sabbath now that we operate under the new covenant of grace? God established the Sabbath and modeled Sabbath rest. “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:11 ESV). Practice a weekly Sabbath by setting aside one day each week to allow God to put you back together. Rest. Reflect. Refrain from producing and racing toward a deadline. Un-string your bow and cultivate a day of personal renewal. Choose a day each week to get off of the race track and pull onto pit road in order to make a pit stop. Allow God to restore you and to refill your tank. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.’” Leviticus 19:9-10 (ESV) We are by nature self-absorbed, self-centered, and self-focused. When anything happens around us our first question is: How will this affect me? In many ways, we act as though the earth really does rotate around us. The reality of our fallen nature pops up from time to time like a ground hog trying to catch a glimpse of daylight. Jesus acknowledges the presence of our self-love. We truly love ourselves. As one of my colleagues would often say, “Sometimes you just have to be good to yourself!” We have no problem being good to ourselves do we? We value comfort. We value pleasure. We value looking good and feeling good and sleeping good. As we begin viewing others from God’s perspective, we will begin to value others the way God values them. The resulting choice will be to love others as we love ourselves. In other words, we will begin to treat others the way we want to be treated. We will love others with the same kind of love that we desire to receive. “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James 2:8 (NIV) James identifies that we are doing right when we love others as we love ourselves. Longing to do right is not enough. Putting our faith in action by loving others brings honor to God. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.” Leviticus 16:8-10 (ESV) In the Old Testament sacrificial system, the high priest would enter the holy of holies once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer sacrifices for the sins of his family and for all the people. One goat would be chosen to be sacrificed for the Lord and one goat would become the scapegoat (Lev. 16:10). The blood from the goat sacrificed as a sin offering would be sprinkled throughout the altar, sanctuary, and tent of meeting to remove defilement of the past year. The high priest would then place his hands on the head of the scapegoat and symbolically transfer the sins of the people to it. The scapegoat, also known as the goat of removal, would be led away from the people into the desert to picture the removal of sins. Jesus bore our sins on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus took our punishment for sin to satisfy God’s justice. In His mercy, Christ was sacrificed to remove our sins. Our sin debt has been paid in full and our salvation purchased through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus became our scapegoat to take away our sins. Have you confessed your sins? Have your received God’s provision for the forgiveness of your sins? Spend some time thanking Jesus for the removal of your sins. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, lest they die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.’” Leviticus 15:31 (ESV) Sin is an intruder. Sin disrupts fellowship with God, sin erodes peace with God, and sin inhibits the will of God. God is holy, righteous, and pure. We are selfish, sinful, and separated from God until we have a life changing experiencing by placing our trust in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Once we come to faith in Jesus Christ, we are to embrace a lifestyle of moral purity and be set apart unto the Lord’s work. In Christ, our life is reoriented to the will of God and to the ways of God. “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” Psalm 24:3-4 (ESV) “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 (ESV) God instructed Moses and Aaron to prevent defiling the tabernacle in their midst. God gave them specific instructions related to how to deal with uncleanness within the camp. God values purity and order. He required that His people abide by the rules and regulations He established in order to enjoy His abiding presence. God gave detailed instructions on how to deal with leprosy, mildew, and intimate marital relations. Cleanliness, purification, and holiness are features that God demands. Is there anything in your life that disrupts your fellowship with God? Confess known sin and embrace a lifestyle of moral purity that reflects the purity of Christ. Separate yourself from sin. Live a life that brings honor to God. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Distinguish the Sacred
“And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, ‘Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.’” Leviticus 10:8-11 (ESV) You are made to worship. God has placed within you the desire to worship. If you are not careful and attentive, you can drift into worshiping creation rather than worshiping the Creator. You determine the focus of your worship. It is vital that you not only worship God, but that you worship God His way. “Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.” Leviticus 10:1-2 (ESV) Aaron’s sons made a decision to forfeit worshiping God His way. Instead, they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and God removed them from their priestly service by instant death. As you read this encounter, it appears to be abrupt and extreme. God is demonstrating the value He places on His holiness and the way we worship. God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us distinguish between that which is holy and common, between the clean and unclean. Guard against becoming too casual in your worship of the One true living God. Revere God and esteem God as you worship Him privately and corporately. Affirm the holiness of God. He alone is worthy! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Be Holy
“‘For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.’” Leviticus 11:45 (ESV) Is it possible to stay clean while living in a dirty world? Every possibility for contaminating our lives is available to us. Sin is rampant. We face trials from without and temptation from within. The cultural current is moving in the opposite direction of the Christ honoring flow. We must make a conscious and continuous decision to walk in purity. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” 2 Cor 7:1 (ESV) “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 1 Tim 4:12 (ESV) Purify yourself and perfect holiness. Purify your heart and set an example for the believers in purity. In Christ, you are positionally pure. In Christ, you are a new creation. Live out practically what you are presently and positionally in Christ. The only way to reign in this life is to allow Christ to reign in your life. Staying clean while living in a dirty world is only possible in the strength Christ provides. Jesus has already set the example. Jesus has demonstrated the life of purity in a sin-polluted culture. Jesus lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death so that you can walk in victory. Embrace moral purity by yielding to the Lordship of Christ. Make Jesus the Lord of your life. God called you to live a holy life. Now give Jesus His rightful place in your life and allow Him to live His life through you. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Bring Your Offerings
“This is the law of the burnt offering, of the grain offering, of the sin offering, of the guilt offering, of the ordination offering, and of the peace offering, which the Lord commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, on the day that he commanded the people of Israel to bring their offerings to the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai.” Leviticus 7:37-38 (ESV) God values relationships. Having a right relationship with God and having a right relationship with others is your personal responsibility. God has provided the way for you to be right with Him. Placing your faith in the complete work of Jesus on the cross justifies you before God and places you in right standing. God forgives you of your sin, adopts you into His family, and seals you by the Holy Spirit. Now that you are positionally right with God, you maintain the relationship by knowing God’s will and doing God’s will. You choose to practice instant obedience, confess sin, and continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth. Maintaining a right relationship with God includes having a right relationship with others. Love others, serve others, and forgive others. Share the gift of eternal life with others so that they can have a personal love relationship with Jesus. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV) God gave Moses further instructions to develop the sacrificial system so that the people of Israel could have a right relationship with God and with others. They were to participate in the process by bringing their offerings to the tent of meeting. God was very specific about how to deal with sin and how to be made right with Him. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt, when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it in front of the tent of meeting.’” Leviticus 4:13-14 (ESV) As you read the first four chapters of Leviticus, you detect the theme of sin and sacrifice. God is holy, righteous, and pure. God does not tolerate sin. In His grace, God established the sacrificial system to be implemented by Moses and the priesthood. The system featured specific laws pertaining to specific measures to be taken for specific sins. As you can see, God takes sin seriously. In order for the people of Israel to enjoy the benefits of their covenant relationship with God, they had to obey the laws established within the sacrificial system. Sin separated them from God. Sin inhibited their fellowship with God and misrepresented His nature and His character. God provided atonement for both sins of omission and sins of commission. When a person failed to do what God commanded or when a person did something God commanded them not to do, that person sinned. When that sin became known to the person, he would then be required to bring a burnt offering for sins of commission (Lev. 1:3-4) or a sin offering for sins of omission to the entrance of the tent of meeting. The priest would then carry out the process for atonement. Take a moment to consider your life before our holy God. Ask the Lord to search your heart and to reveal unconfessed sin in your life. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Moving with God
“Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys.” Exodus 40:36-38 (ESV) God would guide the Israelites by the visible manifestation of the cloud during the day and fire by night. When the cloud lifted and shifted, the Israelites moved. The Tabernacle was constructed in a way that emphasized ease of mobility. This enabled the Israelites to move when God moved. As God’s workmanship, where did Moses learn that kind of sensitivity to God’s movement? Did he learn it in the palace during his first forty years on the earth or perhaps during the second forty years of his life as a shepherd in the desert? The burning bush experience obviously made an abiding difference in his sensitivity to God’s Presence. God is always at work. Are you sensitive to His activity? You can experience God’s Presence moment by moment as you commune with Him through prayer and feed on His Word. You can experience God’s Presence as you maintain a posture of expectation and anticipation. You always find what you are looking for. If you are looking for the activity of God, you will find it. Be sensitive to God’s activity. Be responsive to His invitation to join Him in His activity. Keep your “yes” on the altar to be available for God’s use. Move with God and abide in His perfect will. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. Five cubits was its length, and five cubits its breadth. It was square, and three cubits was its height. He made horns for it on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze.” Exodus 38:1-2 (ESV) When you think about relationships, there are different levels of intimacy. Some relationships are emotionally distant and surfaced whereas some relationships have the capacity to be more consistent and feature an element of closeness. Then there are those relationships where the interaction is meaningful, transparent, and magnetic. The Encarta Dictionary defines the word intimacy as a close personal relationship; a detailed knowledge resulting from a close or long association. One of my favorite definitions of intimacy is: “in to me you see.” God desires intimacy with you. In the Old Testament, the portrait of intimacy was the formation and utilization of the Tabernacle. God made a way for His people to experience intimacy with Him through a religious relationship. As you enter the Tabernacle, the first item you encounter is the altar of burnt offering. The New Testament equivalent is the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for your sin. As you pray through the Tabernacle, spend some time at the “altar of burnt offering” to praise God for His ultimate love gift and for Jesus being willing to pay the penalty for your sin. You determine the level of intimacy with God. As you draw near to God, He will draw near to you (James 4:8). God took the initiative to provide the way for you to enjoy an intimate love relationship with Him through faith in Jesus. What are you doing with the relationship God has made available to you? Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Collaboration
“All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.” Exodus 35:29 (ESV) God instructed Moses on the specific design of the features of the Tabernacle. As Moses spoke to the people of Israel, God moved their heart to respond with a demonstration of generosity. All the men and women whose heart moved them brought various items to contribute to the construction of the Tabernacle including the furnishings. The people were mobilized to bring their assets as a freewill offering to the Lord. Every person was valuable and every gift added value to the project. “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.” 1 Cor 12:4-6 (ESV) God has graced you with gifts to honor Him and to benefit others. What will you do with what God has given you? How will you unleash generosity to invest in the work of the Lord? We do better together and God desires that we work together to accomplish His master plan. There is power in collaboration. When we link hands and arms with fellow believers, we are igniting a bond that honors God and is expressed through serving others. We can come together to model the generous love of God by making personal sacrifices to fulfill His will. Everybody is somebody in the family of God. God has saved and equipped every child of God to be on mission with God in order to continue the ministry of Jesus. What do you need to stop doing? What do you need to start doing? What do you need to continue doing? Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it.’” Exodus 30:1-3 (ESV) Invest a few moments of time in taking inventory of your life. What are you offering up to God? How are you allocating your time and your energy? Are you living to bring glory to God in all things? The Table of the Bread of the Presence, the Golden Lampstand, and Altar of Burning Incense were located in the Holy Place of the Tabernacle. As you come to this feature in praying through the Tabernacle, begin to worship God and to intercede for others. Present specific requests to God and pray with passion for those God places on your heart. “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!” Ps. 142:2 (ESV) “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Heb. 13:15 (ESV) As you pray, your prayers rise like burning incense. As you live out your faith in Christ, your life becomes an aroma pleasing to God. As you offer your body to God for His glory, you are expressing worship to God. Obedience to God demonstrates your passion to please Him and to honor Him with your life and your lips. Does your conversation honor God? Does your conduct move God’s heart? Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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The Lord Our God
“‘I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.’” Exodus 29:45-46 (ESV) Moses received specific instructions related to how God would commune with His people. God established the sacrificial system to provide atonement for the sins of the people. God ordained the priesthood so that Aaron and his sons could serve at the tent of meeting. Every detail of the Tabernacle and the ongoing service within the sacrificial system was articulated by God to Moses. Why would the Creator of the universe go to such lengths to make a way for His creation to encounter Him personally? God took the initiative to enable His people to worship Him. God affirmed His desire to dwell among them and to be their God. He would remind them of His redemptive act of bringing them out of Egypt that He might dwell among them and be the Lord their God. God’s love compels Him to initiate relationship. God created us so that we can know Him personally and intimately. Sin is the barrier that separates lost people from our holy God. There is nothing they can do on their own to remove the barrier. God took the initiative to close the gap between sin and righteousness. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Cor 5:21 (ESV) Jesus makes it possible for us to know the Lord our God. Jesus was the only acceptable sacrifice for our sin. Jesus took on the full wrath of God for our sin, paid our sin debt in full, and removed our sin. What are you doing with the privilege of being forgiven? Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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The Tabernacle
“‘And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst. Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.’” Exodus 25:8-9 (ESV) God revealed to Moses the architectural dimensions, interior design, and precise function of the Tabernacle. Picture over two million Jews encamped in an area that would take about twelve square miles. If you lived on the outskirts of the encampment, then you would have to walk nearly six miles to bring your sacrifice to the Tabernacle. From the distance, you would be able to view God’s glory cloud descending from the sky down into the Most Holy Place. The Tabernacle was mobile. It was designed in such a way that when God’s glory moved, the Tabernacle could be moved to accommodate God’s presence. Did you know that you are “the walking Tabernacle” of God’s presence? “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Cor 6:19-20 ESV). God demonstrated in the Old Testament through the Tabernacle that His desire is to dwell with His people. As His Tabernacle, God has chosen to dwell in you permanently. He indwells you by the Holy Spirit. You are His priceless treasure. What kind of Tabernacle are you being for His presence to dwell? Have you allowed Him to move into every area of your life? Have you given Him full control of your life, your desires, your ambitions, and your fears? Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.” Exodus 24:17-18 (ESV) God deepens relationship with His people by establishing a blood covenant. The covenant relationship is marked by the signature traits of loyalty, devotion, and obedience. God initiates the love relationship and permeates the relationship with His glory. Moses received an invitation from the Lord. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.’” Exodus 24:12 (ESV). Moses encountered God on the mountain forty days and forty nights. He received the law and detailed instructions to bring to the people. God articulates His covenant community rules in the context of relationship. Can you imagine what Moses experienced with God during those forty days and forty nights? God values intimacy and He paves the way for us to know Him intimately. God has provided the means necessary for us to come into a covenant relationship with Him. The ultimate display of His unconditional love is found in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. God was willing to build an eternal relationship with us by allowing Jesus to become the only acceptable sacrifice for our sin. God demonstrated His love for us by sacrificing His Son for our sin. Jesus paid the debt He did not owe so that we could know the depth of God’s redeeming love. In Christ, we are in a covenant relationship with God on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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God Delivers
“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” Exodus 20:2 (ESV) Moses spent forty years in the palace, forty years in the desert, and then forty years as the deliverer of the children of Israel. God was strategically developing Moses for the special assignment of leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Before delivering The Ten Commandments, God reminded them of His provision of bringing them out of the land of slavery. God graciously got them out of Egypt, now He was getting Egypt out of them. God is a God of Relationship. He initiated the love relationship we enjoy with Him. God chose to become like us so that we could become like Him. God took the initiative to develop us in Christ, as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to Him. Being adopted into His forever family did not come into fruition because of our human effort, but as a result of God’s redemptive activity. If you ever question your value in God’s eyes, just look to the cross. God took the initiative to build the ultimate love bridge to you so that you could have harmony with Him and enjoy eternal life. When did you respond to God’s offer of salvation? When did you become a follower of Jesus Christ and a recipient of God’s unconditional love? God has delivered you from your sin and brought you into the land of Promise. Now take the initiative to share the gift of eternal life with others. Shine His light and share His love so that others can have the personal and eternal relationship you enjoy with Jesus. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone.’” Exodus 18:17-18 (ESV) Do you have margin in your life? Margin is the space between your load and your limit. God has designed you to handle a certain amount of His work during your brief stay on this planet called earth. God has given you all the time you need to accomplish His plan. Moses reached a breaking point due to being overextended and overwhelmed. The masses of people each wanted a piece of him. They wanted his time, his attention, and his decision making prowess. Though serving as judge over Israel, Moses failed to exercise proper judgment over his own life. God came to the rescue by bringing Jethro into Moses’ life. Jethro lovingly spoke into Moses’ life to declare, “What you are doing is not good.” Moses couldn’t see the unhealthy path that he was on. Jethro saw it clearly and succinctly. Jethro was willing to help Moses’ restructure his life. What is overwhelming you right now? Has your load exceeded your limit? What are you giving your life to that is outside of God’s will? Step back and evaluate your current reality. You may want to ask someone you know and love and trust to help you examine your life. Allow that person to give you feedback on what they see going on in your world. Their perspective could help you see what you are not seeing. God uses other people to help us walk in obedience to His will. Pray and ask God to bring a Jethro into your life. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Following God’s Lead
“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.” Exodus 13:21-22 (ESV) God makes His Presence known. For the children of Israel, God revealed His Presence through the glory cloud. God would guide the Israelites by the visible manifestation of the cloud during the day and the pillar of fire by night. When the cloud lifted and shifted, the Israelites moved. The people of Israel followed God’s lead and crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. God removed the threat of the Egyptian army by causing the water to cascade down upon them. “Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:31 ESV). As God’s workmanship, where did Moses learn that kind of sensitivity to God’s movement? Did he learn it in the palace during his first forty years on the earth or perhaps during the second forty years of his life as a shepherd in the desert? The burning bush experience obviously made an abiding difference in his sensitivity to God’s Presence. God is always at work. Are you sensitive to His activity? You can experience God’s Presence moment by moment as you commune with Him through prayer and feed on His Word. You can experience God’s Presence as you maintain a posture of expectation and anticipation. Recognition of God’s activity is proportionate to your sensitivity. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“All the people of Israel did just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.” Exodus 12:50-51 (ESV) God keeps His word. He is the ultimate promise keeper. What God starts, He finishes! God was faithful to provide for Moses and the children of Israel throughout the process of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. After sending the nine plagues upon Egypt, the tenth plague was the turning point for Pharaoh and for the people of Israel. God instructed Moses to have the people of Israel sacrifice a lamb for each family and to take some of the blood and put it on the doorposts and lintel of the houses in which they ate the lamb. “‘The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.’” Exodus 12:13 (ESV) The grace of God was evidenced as the He did not allow the destroyer to enter the houses of those who obeyed His command. Instead, God chose to passover their houses. The passover is a clear indication that God blesses obedience. God brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Do not bypass the grace of God as evidenced by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. If you have not turned from your sin and turned to Jesus alone for salvation, your first step of obedience is to make that decision right now. Don’t delay! Trust in Jesus alone for salvation. Place your faith in the completed work of Christ on the cross. He shed His blood for the removal of your sins. Trust and obey and He will show you the way! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Dealing with Delays
“‘But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.’” Exodus 7:3-5 (ESV) After God announced that He would elevate Moses in the eyes of Pharaoh, the troubling reality of deliverance delays set in. God confirmed that He would continue to harden Pharaoh’s heart and that in spite of multiply signs and wonders, Pharaoh would not listen to Moses. That would de-motivate the chosen deliverer of Israel and generate a significant level of frustration. Can you relate to how Moses must have felt? Can you identify a time in your life when you experienced a delay that made no sense? You may have wondered why God would allow such a delay. Moses combated a host of delays embedded in the miraculous plagues of Egypt initiated by God. Each time, Pharaoh would soften up for a moment and announce the release of those enslaved by Egypt, and then quickly go back on his word. Moses had to ride the tumultuous waves of inconsistency. God has a divine purpose behind every delay in life. Though our view is limited and our understanding is somewhat finite, God has an infinite purpose behind each delay you face in this life. God is sovereign. He rules and He reigns, even when your circumstances do not line up with your understanding. Nothing will thwart God’s will and nothing will prevent the purposes of God from being fulfilled. Rest in His sovereignty. God is working out His plan in the midst of the delays you experience. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Feeling Inadequate
“But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.’” Exodus 4:10-12 (ESV) Have you ever felt inadequate? It is an overwhelming feeling. Anxiety intensifies when you feel that your assignment is beyond your ability. Moses felt that way. He had received an assignment from God to deliver the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Moses was to confront the Pharaoh and to forge a path of deliverance for those enslaved by Egypt. Moses began to read off his list of excuses for God to consider. Moses was trying to get God caught up on the deficits that he had been living with all of his life. In others words, Moses was not quick on his feet and he felt inadequate to be God’s choice for the task. God is so patient. He gently reminded Moses of who the Creator is. Who gives man the ability to speak, to hear, and to think? Who makes it possible for humanity to know and to do and to be? God graciously affirmed Moses by saying, “Go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” God is your sufficiency. He will never ask you to do anything that He does not equip you for. Will you trust God to provide for your role in His story? God will be your sufficiency. God will compensate for your inadequacy. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’” Exodus 3:11 (ESV) Who am I? Why am I here? These two basic questions are innate in every human being. We long to know who we are and we strive to discover why we are placed on this planet called earth. Our security is proportionate to our understanding of our identity. God allowed Moses to experience forty years in the palace and then forty years in the desert. God wanted Moses to learn some things about his personal identity through a desert experience that he could not learn in the palace. God was preparing Moses for the purpose of delivering the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage. The burning bush encounter was a life changing experience for Moses. The encounter enabled Moses to come to know God in a personal way. God revealed His holiness to Moses and then unveiled His plan for Moses to embrace. As you can imagine, Moses could not visualize himself as the deliverer of the children of Israel. They had been slaves for over 400 years. Moses began making excuses and tried to deny his usefulness to God. Moses began to focus on what he lacked and missed the reality of God’s ability to do the extraordinary through ordinary people. Have you ever doubted your usefulness to God? Have you ever tried to convince God that you are not fit for His plan? God is not impressed with our abilities or our inabilities. God is not limited by our limitations. Are you willing to yield to God’s control and allow Him to have His way in your life? God is willing to take you through a desert experience to prepare you for His assignment. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Forgiveness and Memory
“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.’” Genesis 50:15 (ESV) Forgiveness is tested by memory. Only God has the capacity to forgive and forget. We have the capacity to forgive, but we struggle with forgetting what happened to us. Inevitably, something will trigger the memory of the pain of our past. Remember, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and Joseph experienced quite a ride before becoming second in command in Egypt. Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers. He had forgiven them in private before God, then he went public with his forgiveness and even provided for the needs of his family. Their father, Jacob, dies and it triggers the pain of the past. Joseph has already forgiven his brothers for their mistreatment, but they now fear retribution as a result of Jacob’s death. Forgiveness has an Encore. After you have forgiven the one who offended you, wounded you, neglected you, or betrayed you, something may come along and trigger the memory of the pain in your past. Though you do not have the capacity to forgive and forget, by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, though you remember, you can choose to forgive. “‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:20-21 (ESV) Joseph demonstrated a depth of spiritual maturity and embraced God’s perspective on his current reality. Instead of billowing in bitterness, Joseph addressed the encore of forgiveness by reassuring his brothers and being gracious to their children. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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God, Jacob, and Joseph
“And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob.’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.’” Genesis 46:2-4 (ESV) Jacob had endured hardship, grief, and anxiety. He lived for years with the darkness of Joseph’s death looming over him, when in fact, Joseph was alive. After God promoted Joseph to second in command over Egypt, and after Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and forgave them, Jacob and his family came to meet Joseph. Jacob had another encounter with God whereby God spoke to him in visions of the night. God affirmed Jacob with His abiding Presence and comforted Jacob with the assurance of protection and provision. God promised to make Jacob into a great nation and to allow Joseph’s hand to close his eyes. “Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen. And they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied greatly. And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years. So the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were 147 years.” Genesis 47:27-28 (ESV) God keeps His word. You can entrust every detail of your life to God’s care. He created you so that you can enjoy an ongoing love relationship with Him. God includes you in His redemptive story and invites you to join Him in His activity. Your faith will be refined as you trust God and obey His directives. God will accomplish His purposes and plan through you as you yield to Him. Respond to God with the words of Jacob, “Here I am.” Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Process Before Event
“So Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come near to me, please.’ And they came near. And he said, ‘I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.’” Genesis 45:4-5 (ESV) Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. The process includes the pain caused by the offense or neglect or wound. Often, the pain grows into bitterness rooted in unforgiveness. God begins to alert you to the presence of unforgiveness inside of you which produces conviction. Responding to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you choose to extend forgiveness in private through prayer to the one who offended you. God enables you to release the unforgiveness you have harbored in your heart. Once you have received God’s forgiveness for your unforgiveness and you have extended forgiveness in private through prayer, then you prepare to go public on your private forgiveness. This moves into the event of forgiveness. After you have spent time with God in prayer, you transition into communicating your forgiveness to the offender. Joseph experienced the process of forgiveness which prepared him for the event of forgiveness. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers whom had sold him into slavery, he deliberately extended forgiveness to them. It was apparent that Joseph had forgiven them privately in prayer as he communed with God each day. Private forgiveness enabled Joseph to go public on his forgiveness by saying, “Come close to me.” When you extend forgiveness to others, it splashes Living Water on them and releases and refreshes you. Remember that forgiveness is immediate, once you go public, but trust takes time. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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God’s Instrument
“Joseph answered Pharaoh, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.’” Genesis 41:16 (ESV) God uses human instrumentality in His redemptive process. God chooses to involve us in His master plan. Life is not about our story that we invite God into. Life is about God’s story that He invites us into. How will you respond to God’s invitation? Joseph had been forgotten by the chief cupbearer and the baker, but not forgotten by God. The Lord was with Joseph when he was in the palace and when he was in prison. As God would have it, the Pharaoh had a vivid dream that no one could interpret, including the chief cupbearer. God then prompted the chief cupbearer to remember Joseph and to let the Pharaoh know how Joseph had previously interpreted both his dream and the baker’s dream. That opened the door for Pharaoh to invite Joseph to seek to interpret his dream. “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you.’” Genesis 41:39-40 (ESV) Make yourself available for God’s use. Place your “yes” on the altar and be willing to join God in His activity. Practice instant obedience and maintain your integrity. God will promote you in His timing. Nothing escapes His attention. Be faithful to do what God has called you to do and be willing to get out of your comfort zone in order to be used by God for His glory. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Unveiling Unforgiveness
“Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” Genesis 37:28 (ESV) If anyone ever had reason to be infused with the bile of bitterness, it would have to be Joseph. His brothers were void of mercy and full of hatred and jealousy to the point of selling Joseph into slavery. The brothers even deceived their father, Jacob, by tearing Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipping it in blood to portray the possibility of Joseph being devoured by a ferocious animal. We would call this a genuinely dysfunctional family. The truth is that every family is dysfunctional at some level. Every family has allowed the sewage of unforgiveness to seep into their home for a season and perhaps for a reason. Unforgiveness can quickly become toxic, acidic, corrosive, and radioactive. Many families have been destroyed by the venom of unforgiveness. Salvation is an event, followed by a process. The event of your conversion took place at the moment you confessed your sin and trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you were adopted into God’s family, and you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that moment, you have been involved in the process of growing spiritually. You have been working out what God has worked in. The process continues until you go to Heaven! Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. God does a work in you to give you understanding about the unforgiveness resident within you. How will you respond to unfair treatment? Will you become bitter or better? Unveil unforgiveness and extend forgiveness to bring honor to God. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Reward of Reconciliation
“And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” Genesis 35:29 (ESV) Isaac was greatly blessed by God and was enabled to finish strong. His sons, Jacob and Esau, experienced a tumultuous sibling rivalry that produced immense family turmoil. Their upbringing was filled with deception, selfishness, and inequality. They embodied dysfunction and inflamed disunity. The grace of God was clearly evidenced when Jacob and Esau reconciled after years of separation and seething bitterness and resentment. Jacob prepared generously for the day he faced Esau. Jacob feared Esau’s retribution, but received restoration instead. “But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept” (Genesis 33:4 ESV). Their reunion reflected the grace of God which sustained them through major transitions throughout their lives. Esau and Jacob united to bury their father, Isaac. They came together to honor their father and to bring honor to God. Isaac was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Isaac finished strong. Reconciliation has a tremendous reward. When you choose to restore ruptured relationships, you bring honor to God and you demonstrate obedience to His Word. Reconciliation is a gracious response to God’s redeeming work in your life that compels you to make things right with others. You cannot be right with God without being in a right relationship with others. You cannot be in a right relationship with others unless you are right with God. Is there anyone with whom you need to initiate reconciliation? Do your part to make things right. Experience the power of God as you build a bridge of reconciliation. The peace of God will flow into your life as you practice instant obedience. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell