“When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’ The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’” John 11:43-44 (ESV) Are you living the […]
Author: Stephen Trammell
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Loving Others
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (ESV) The “Love Chapter” has been […]
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I’m Not Ashamed
“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26 (ESV) Believer’s baptism by immersion is a public proclamation of your faith in Jesus. Jesus identified with […]
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Affirmation In Baptism
“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:21-22 (ESV) Jesus […]
“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.’” Luke 3:21-22 (ESV) Did […]
“Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened.” Luke 3:21 (ESV) Jesus was baptized, too? Why was it necessary for Jesus to be baptized? I thought He was sinless. What would Jesus need to repent of? The Bible affirms His sinlessness. “For […]
“When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went […]
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Clarifying Your Identity
“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ they asked.” Luke 4:22 (ESV) Jesus shared from Isaiah 61:1-2 in the hearing of those in the synagogue and identified Himself as the fulfillment of that prophecy. The people spoke well of Him. Amazed […]
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Placing Value on Participation
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read.” Luke 4:16 (ESV) You make room for what you value. When you value participating in the ministry of your local church, you will make room in […]
“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.“ Psalm 40:3 (ESV) What is your life song? Has God put a new song in your mouth? As children of God, we have the life transforming message […]
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Worthy of Trust
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses,but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7 (ESV) This verse became dear to my heart when I was pastoring my seminary church in 1992. My wife, Tonya, and I went through the Experiencing God study along with our deacons and their wives. […]
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The Haven of Humility
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV) The highway of happiness is paved with humility. Happiness and humility go together. Jesus modeled a life of humility by submitting to the Father’s agenda and by living to benefit others. In humility, Jesus sacrificed His life on the […]
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Take Pride for a Ride
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3 (ESV) Delays, detours, and distractions are common in this life. Sin, sickness, and sorrow permeate the landscape of our humanity. Is it possible to find happiness while living in a fallen world? The keys to happiness are found in the […]
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.‘” James 4:6 (ESV) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s forgiveness, salvation, reconciliation, favor, blessing, and heaven. But God demonstrates His love by gracing us with that which […]
“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“ James 4:7 (ESV) Rebellion against God is rooted in pride. Submission to God is rooted in humility. Rebellion brings harm and punishment. Submission brings relief and reward. Knowing that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, the child […]
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Measuring Your Motives
“You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.“ James 4:2-3 (ESV) Have you ever been the recipient of a […]
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Exposing Selfishness
“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?“ James 4:1 (ESV) Have you ever been in a fight? Have you ever quarreled with someone and sought to get your way at any cost? Can you imagine that kind of behavior among believers? […]
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Engaging in Ministry
“And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces.” Luke 9:17 (ESV) God wants to use you to meet needs. In order to meet needs, you must be sensitive to the needs of others. Living a life of “other-centeredness” is essential to joining God […]
“And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’” Mark 1:17 (ESV) Jesus invites us into a relationship that is progressive. We move from just believing that Jesus is God’s Son and the Savior of the world to following Him as Lord. We follow Jesus in order to […]
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Infused with Power
“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33 (ESV) How is resurrection power evidenced in your life? The apostles demonstrated resurrection power as they testified of the bodily resurrection of the Lord. They combated immense opposition to […]
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Passionate Commitment
“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And […]
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) God established the home for our benefit and for His glory. God’s blueprint for the home includes order. God expects the husband and father to be the spiritual leader of the home. […]
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Creating Space for 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) Do you have room in your life for rest? Of course not! You have too much to do and work is calling […]
“‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’” Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV) Allow God’s agenda to become your agenda. Before you were born, God existed. God is eternal. That means that God has always been and God will always be. […]
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Fragmented and Frustrated
“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care […]
“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) You are structured for the results you are getting. How’s life? Are you stressed […]
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Making Your Home an Oasis
“My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.” Isaiah 32:18 (ESV) Do you dread going home or do you look forward to it each day? Is your home a war zone or an oasis? Does your home drain the life out of you or impart life to you? […]
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Removing Saul’s Armor
“Then Saul clothed David with his armor. He put a helmet of bronze on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail.” 1 Samuel 17:38 (ESV) As you can imagine, King Saul had the latest in warfare technology. His armor was the best of the best and fit for a king. Yet, Saul […]
“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17 (ESV) What would God have you do today? Did you know that God has a “to-do” list for you for today? God wants you to be saved! God wants you to grow spiritually! God wants […]
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Releasing the Past
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV) Don’t allow your past to prevent you from doing […]