Author: Stephen Trammell

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Deuteronomy Moses Obedience

No Other God

“Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40  Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:39-40 (ESV) As I am writing this devotional, my team and I are about to board our plane to return to America after spending a week serving the people of East Asia. If you have ever had the opportunity to fly on a commercial jet, you will recall the unique perspective you gain by looking through the widow of the plane down to the earth below. You begin to realize how small you are and how big the earth is. Your daily pressures and the basic anxieties of life are suspended for the duration of your flight. You don’t have to board a plane and ascend to an altitude of 37,000 feet in order to gain a new perspective on life. Simply acknowledge and take to heart that the Lord is God. He is God of heaven and He is God of earth. He created the entire universe and He created you. There is no other God. He is the One true living God who rules and reigns. All other gods are simply gods. We serve the God of all creation. One way to demonstrate your acknowledgement of God is by obeying His commands. God reveals Himself to you so that can know Him personally and intimately. God reveals His Word to you so that you can obey Him immediately and consistently. Your obedience to God’s Word is a true mark of spiritual maturity and an indication of your new identity in Christ. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 71:  Deuteronomy 3-4) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Deuteronomy God's Faithfulness Moses

Trace Your Tracks

“These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan in the wilderness, in the Arabah opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab.” Deuteronomy 1:1 (ESV) Moses presents a series of strong sermons to a wandering people. Impressing God’s Word on their hearts, Moses preaches the Law to the people of Israel. Moses reiterates the covenant community expectations as prescribed by God and reminds the people of Israel of God’s faithfulness. In the New Testament account of Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin, we find a bold reference to the disobedience of the people of Israel. “Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him’” (Acts 7:39-40  ESV). Waves of obedience were followed by waves of disobedience. In Deuteronomy, Moses traces the tracks of the wilderness wanderings and the inconsistency of the people of Israel. As Moses speaks forth the series of messages to the people, strong themes of obedience, disobedience, brokenness, and repentance arise. Through the ebb and flow of the people of Israel’s response to God’s activity, God remained faithful. Trace your tracks. Where have you been and where are you going? Has God been true to His Word? Can you trace the faithfulness of God throughout your life? God invites you into His story. You are His masterpiece and His instrument of reconciling the world to Himself through Christ. Will you rest in God’s faithfulness and trust in God’s abundant provision? Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 70:  Deuteronomy 1-2) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Mercy Numbers Refuge

Finding Refuge

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11  then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. 12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.’” Numbers 35:9-12 (ESV) God featured His mercy and grace as He established the cities of refuge for the person who accidentally killed another person. God was providing protection from the avenger. When you consider the large number of people Moses was leading and when you consider the challenges of mobilizing around two-million people, the probability of conflict is rather high. Doing life together as a covenant community generated some major challenges and opportunities. The cities of refuge were strategically placed and graciously established. God was demonstrating His nature and character through His tangible redemptive activity. Moses was charged with carrying out the plan of God and ensuring the protection of the person who accidentally killed another. As followers of Jesus Christ, we look to God as our refuge and strength. He is the Creator of life and He is the sustainer of life. We look to Him because He is our faithful Shepherd and our consistent provider. As God’s children adopted into His family, we have privilege of casting all of our cares on Him and receiving mercy and grace to help us daily as we serve Him. Are you in need of refuge? Instead of running from God, choose to run to God. God already knows your condition and He already has everything you need to live the abundant life He has for you in Christ. Find refuge in Him! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 69:  Numbers 35-36) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Journey Moses Numbers

Journal Your Journey

“These are the stages of the people of Israel, when they went out of the land of Egypt by their companies under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2 Moses wrote down their starting places, stage by stage, by command of the Lord, and these are their stages according to their starting places.” Numbers 33:1-2 (ESV) What if you begin to journal your journey with God? Whether you have been walking with God for a few months, a few years, or several decades, consider journaling your journey with God. There are two components to include. Write down the major spiritual markers in your life such as your conversion, baptism, and other major decisions the Lord guided you to make. Describe some of the moments in your walk with God when you encountered His Presence in a special way. Another component to journaling your journey with God is the daily discipline of writing about the overflow of your time alone with God. For example, as you have your daily quiet time, write down a verse from your Bible that God used to speak to you that particular morning. Make some general observations about that verse and then write down a specific application that you sense God wants you to incorporate into your life. You may choose to even write down your prayer. This daily discipline will help you focus and it will give you a permanent record of your journey with God. Moses wrote down the specific stages of the journey he was on with the people of Israel. He specifically identified their starting places. The consistent theme was, “They set out from…” Moses was intentional about recording their journey with God and we are benefiting now from what Moses wrote down then. Others may one day benefit from what you write down. Without question, others will benefit from your intentional discipline of walking with God and journaling your journey with God. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 68:  Numbers 33-34) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Commitment Numbers Obedience

Yes Lord

“And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben answered, ‘What the Lord has said to your servants, we will do. 32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.’” Numbers 32:31-32 (ESV) When you surrender to the Lordship of Christ, you are placing His agenda before your own. Lordship is a decision of stewardship. Stewardship is caring for what God has entrusted to you. Your devotion and commitment to Christ is demonstrated through the way you steward what God has entrusted to your care. Surrendering your life to the Lordship of Christ places Him in charge of your life and your decisions. The people of Gad and the people of Reuben were willing to submit to what the Lord had said. They acknowledged that they were servants and their lives were marked by instant obedience. They were willing to do what the Lord said. Obedience to the Lord was not only valued, but also demonstrated by their actions. “‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.’” Matt 7:24-25 (ESV) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (ESV) Start demonstrating the Lordship of Christ by being a hearing of God’s Word. Consistently read and feed on God’s Word. Grow in your understanding of the Bible. Move into becoming a doer of God’s Word by putting God’s Word into practice. Apply God’s Word by practicing instant obedience. Live your life by perpetually saying, “Yes, Lord!” Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 67:  Numbers 31-32) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Character Integrity Numbers

Keep Your Word

“Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel, saying, “This is what the Lord has commanded. 2  If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Numbers 30:1-2 (ESV) How refreshing to spend time with a person of integrity! The guard comes down and pretense evaporates because you are in the presence of someone who keeps his or her word. You can count on them. You can trust them because they are trustworthy. You can rely on them because they are reliable. You can depend on them because they are dependable. Moses spoke to the heads of the tribes of the people of Israel to affirm the value of a vow. Moses reminded them of the utter importance and vitality of keeping their word. Their conversation was to be consistently supported by their conduct. Their beliefs were to be authenticated by their behavior. Do you keep your word? Are you a person of integrity? Does your conversation line up with your conduct? Take personal inventory of your life to assess the health of your integrity. “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” 1 Sam 16:7 (ESV) Invite God to search your heart and to unveil anything in your heart that does not bring Him honor. Ask God to reveal any fraction of compromise or deception resident in your life. Be a person of integrity. Keep your word! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 66:  Numbers 28-30) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Moses Numbers Transition

Prepare for Transitions

“So the Lord said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey.’” Numbers 27:18-20 (ESV) Transitions are constant in this life. From the cradle to the grave, you experience countless transitions. Some of the transitions are more pronounced than others. Every transition is an opportunity to experience God’s grace and to obey God’s voice. Moses had just received the difficult news of those who would die in the wilderness and not see the Promised Land. The list was long and included Moses. God had judged Moses for previously striking the rock with his staff twice instead of speaking to the rock in order to produce the flow of water for the people of Israel. These are the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin. Moses and the people of Israel failed to uphold God as holy at the waters before their eyes (Num 27:14). Moses faced another major transition. It was now time to commission Joshua to succeed him as leader of the people of Israel. Moses was preparing for his own death and for the succession of his leadership. Are you currently facing a transition? How are you responding to this particular season of your life? What do you sense God is up to? God will always develop your character to match His assignment. Be sensitive to God’s activity and be open to God’s leadership. You may be prompted to go in a new direction or you may be prompted to renew your commitment to your current assignment. God will give you the grace to match every transition you face. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 65:  Numbers 26-27) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Judgment Numbers Zeal

The Real Zeal

“When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand 8 and went after the man of Israel into the chamber and pierced both of them, the man of Israel and the woman through her belly. Thus the plague on the people of Israel was stopped. 9 Nevertheless, those who died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.” Numbers 25:7-9 (ESV) Instead of influencing the culture, the people of Israel were influenced by the culture. Instead of being a thermostat and setting the environment, the people of Israel became like a thermometer and reflected the environment. They drifted into Baal worship and forfeited their loyalty and devotion to the Lord their God. Aaron’s grandson, Phinehas, took the initiative to end the descent into pagan worship by piercing the Israelite and the Midianite woman he brought to his family in the sight of Moses and the congregation of the people of Israel. In response to this courageous move by Phinehas, God stopped the plague on the people of Israel. This was a dark day for the people of Israel in that twenty-four thousand had died by the plague. God credited Phinehas with turning back His wrath on the people of Israel. God affirmed Phinehas for being jealous with God’s jealousy among the people of Israel. What is the life lesson from such a traumatic encounter? Value what God values! Place the same value on people that God does. Place the same value on God’s will and God’s way that God does. Be zealous for the things of God and be diligent to be an irresistible influence for the Lord. Don’t allow the culture to shape you. Choose to shape culture by valuing what God values. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 64:  Numbers 23-25) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Moses Numbers Salvation

Look to the Healer

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” Numbers 21:8-9 (ESV) Have you ever seen the medical profession logo that features a snake wrapped around a pole? That image serves as the icon for the medical arena. You can trace the origin of that image to the instruction God gave Moses. The people of Israel spoke against God and Moses in their frustration generated by their wandering in the wilderness. They longed to return to Egypt where they had served as slaves. God judged them for their grumbling by sending fiery serpents among the people to bite them. Many of the people died. The survivors came to Moses to plead for intercession and intervention. Moses prayed for the people. God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent and to set it on a pole. God gave further instructions that anyone bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live. God’s grace was clearly evident by His response to their willful disobedience. Jesus made reference to this experience during his conversation with Nicodemus. “‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life’” (John 3:14-15 ESV). Just as the people of Israel were healed by looking to the bronze serpent lifted up on the pole, so all believers today can be delivered from the sickness of sin by looking to the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has been lifted up on the cross to bring forth our ultimate healing! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 63:  Numbers 21-22) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Disobedience Moses Numbers

God’s Way

“Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them, 7 and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 8  ‘Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.’” Numbers 20:6-8 (ESV) God’s way is always the best way. When you are contemplating a direction you should take or a decision you should make, remember that God has a specific plan for you. God’s will is to be done God’s way. Moses and Aaron learned a painful lesson about doing God’s work God’s way. Instead of speaking to the rock to provide water for the people of Israel, Moses struck the rock with his staff twice. Water came out abundantly and the congregation and the livestock drank. Everything appeared to go as planned until God spoke. “And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them’” (Num 20:12 ESV). Disobedience brings discipline. “Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness” (Heb 12:9-10 ESV). God’s way is always the best way. God blesses obedience. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 62:  Numbers 18-20) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Discernment God's Will Numbers

Discern God’s Will

“On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff.” Numbers 17:8-9 (ESV) God reveals His will. Even when you are not clear about a direction you should take, God will bring you into the decision making process to reveal His plan. God created you and God has a specific plan for your life. Will you pursue Him daily and trust Him completely? Will you obey what God shows you? Moses obeyed God’s directive by securing the staffs of the twelve chiefs of Israel. Moses wrote their name on their staff and wrote Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. The morning after Moses placed the twelve staffs in the tent of meeting, he retrieved each staff and noticed that Aaron’s staff had sprouted. Through this very interesting process, God revealed His will. Perhaps you are going through a season of life in which you would love for God to reveal His will to you in a tangible way. You would be willing to secure a staff or any item that God would use to indicate His will. The reality is that God reveals His will through His Word. Are you reading your Bible? Are you spending time in prayer and spending time diligently seeking God’s will? As you obey what God has already revealed to you, He will illuminate the path He wants you to take. As you obey, God will show you the way. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 61:  Numbers 16-17) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Caleb Devotion Numbers

Follow Fully

“‘But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 22  none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23  shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.’” Numbers 14:21-24 (ESV) Tension mounted as the people of Israel grumbled against God and against Moses. God declared that none of those who despised God would see the land flowing with milk and honey. That would have been devastating news after all those years of wandering in the wilderness. God demonstrated that He does not bless disobedience. Refreshingly, God affirmed His servant, Caleb. God affirmed that Caleb had a different spirit and that Caleb followed God fully. As a result, God promised to bring Caleb and His descendants into the land he had explored with Joshua. The Promised Land was Caleb’s inheritance. Would God identify you as a fully devoted follower of Christ? Would your devotion to the Lord set you apart as a person with a different spirit? Take some time to take personal inventory of your life and your commitment to the Lord. Measure your motives and calculate your commitment to God’s Word and to God’s will. Are you fully devoted to the Lord? In order to exhibit a different spirit, you must allow the Holy Spirit to have full control of your life. Yield to His prompting and allow Him to empower you to follow Jesus fully! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 60:  Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Caleb Faith Numbers

Focus on Giants or God

“But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’ 31  Then the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.’” Numbers 13:30-31 (ESV) Are you facing something beyond your reach? Have you been agonizing over anything lately? Your situation may be relational, familial, financial, or physical. Whatever you view as your greatest obstacle just might be the greatest opportunity for God to reveal His glory. After twelve of the Israelites returned from spying out the land of Canaan, they returned with a mixed report. Ten of the twelve indicated that the land was filled with giants and could not be conquered. Yet, Joshua and Caleb had a much different report. Instead of focusing on the giants, they focused on God and His ability to bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey. Are you listening to the voices of doubt and fear or to the voice of God? God knows where you are and the specifics of what you are facing. Remember, nothing is hidden from God. Nothing catches God by surprise. Our limited perspective does not limit God. God has a plan for you that factors in your circumstances. God will remove the obstacle or He will help you overcome the obstacle. God will eliminate the giant before you or elevate your faith to persevere in light of the giant you face. Take possession of the land God is giving you. Will you focus on the giant or focus on God? Will you view your circumstances from your perspective or from God’s perspective? If God has allowed this situation, He will use it for your good and His glory. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 59: Numbers 11-13) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Movement Numbers Tabernacle

Moving with God

“Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. “ Numbers 9:22 (ESV) The tabernacle was constructed in such as way as to maximize flexibility and mobility. Instead of constructing a permanent structure, God instructed Moses to construct a mobile tabernacle. The tent of meeting was fashioned for ease of mobility. Why was this an important feature? God wanted the people of Israel to be able to worship Him and to move with Him. A permanent structure would not suffice. Whenever the glory cloud lifted, the people would set out based on the orderly procedure Moses had established for taking down the tabernacle and transporting it to the next location. This process enabled them to move with God. When God moved, the people had the capability to move with God. Are you flexible, teachable, and stretchable? Are you available for God to expand you and to invite you into His story? Choose to make yourself available for God’s use. Live in ready-mode to join God in His activity and to move with God. It may mean a physical relocation or it may mean a change of attitude about your usefulness to God. God wants to reveal Himself to you and to do a new work in your life so that He can do a new work through your life. Position yourself in such as way as to be able to move with God. Practice His Presence and join God in His activity. Be sensitive to what God is doing around you and be ready to be used of God to touch the lives of those in your sphere of influence. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 58:  Numbers 8-10) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Voice Moses Numbers

Hearing God’s Voice

“And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.” Numbers 7:89 (ESV) After twelve days of consecrating the tabernacle by the chiefs of Israel, Moses entered the tent of meeting. This was a divine moment in that Moses chose to draw near to God. In this holy encounter, God spoke to Moses from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony. The Creator of the universe communicated with Moses. God spoke! As you read chapter seven of Numbers, you will detect the immense preparation that went into consecrating the tabernacle. Each of the twelve chiefs of Israel participated in the process of consecration. Each of the twelve chiefs invested personally and sacrificially in the process. Moses waited patiently as the tabernacle was being prepared for the divine encounter of God’s Presence. Compare the twelve days of preparation to how most people in our modern context approach God. So often, people in our society approach God as though He was just another individual we pass along the way. Even in our Christianity, we can become so casual with God that we lose sight of His holiness, His sovereignty, and His majesty. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb 4:16 (ESV) Our confidence in approaching God is not based on our arrogance or our sufficiency. We have the privilege of approaching God because of the matchless grace He dispensed through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 57: Numbers 7) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Blessing Favor Numbers

Be Blessed

“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 “The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.’” Numbers 6:23-26 (ESV) God has blessed you to be a blessing. Your words have the power to build others up or to tear them down. Your words can inspire or discourage. Your words can motivate or devastate. Speak words that bless those whom God places in your path. Be a blessing to others by blessing others. Aaron and his sons were instructed to bless the people of Israel. They were to deliver a word of blessing from the Lord. God imparts life and God inspires hope and bestows blessings upon His people. God affirmed His blessing, His protection, His favor, and His grace upon His people. God projected His affirmation of His enabling and His abiding peace. Think about what you need to be on mission with God. Consider the resources necessary to do God’s work God’s way in this fallen world. You cannot live the Christian life in your own strength. God never intended for you to fulfill His plan in your own power. Receive God’s blessing. Receive God’s supernatural enabling to fulfill His mission on the earth. May the Lord bless you. May the Lord keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you. May the Lord be gracious to you in your time of need. May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His sustaining peace. You are not on your own. You are not operating in isolation. God is blessing you so that you can be a blessing. You are blessed to bless! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 56:  Numbers 5-6) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Focus Numbers Priorities

Focus Your Life

“The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 2  ‘The people of Israel shall camp each by his own standard, with the banners of their fathers’ houses. They shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side.’” Numbers 2:1-2 (ESV) What is your preoccupation? What do you think about most? What consumes a majority of your energy and attention? Your answers to these questions will help unveil your focus. One healthy discipline is to intentionally assess the trajectory of your life. You need to know where you are heading and what you are giving your life to. God gave specific instructions related to the massive encampment of the twelve tribes of Israel. God wanted the people to camp facing the tent of meeting. Making His presence known within the center of the camp via the tent of meeting, God wanted the people of Israel to focus their attention and their lives on Him. “I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.” Psalm 119:15 (ESV) “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2 (NIV) Are you living the Christ-centered life? Is your life oriented around God’s agenda? Regain your focus and ask God to restore your spiritual sight to be able to see what God wants you to do and where God wants you to go. Obey what God reveals to you. Maintain an unyielding devotion to bring pleasure to the Lord by continuing His ministry on the earth. Make an eternal difference by focusing your life today. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 55:  Numbers 3-4) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Moses Numbers Order

Order Your Life

“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? Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 54:  Numbers 1-2) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Idolatry Leviticus Worship

Avoid Idolatry

“‘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. 8 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!” Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 53:  Leviticus 26-27) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Leviticus Selflessness Servitude

Go the Extra Mile

“‘If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a sojourner, and he shall live with you.’” Leviticus 25:35 (ESV) Are you compelled to go the extra mile for others even when it hurts? Do you have that kind of heart for people? Going the extra mile to portray the love of Christ may invade your plans or even delay your personal agenda. “‘And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles’” Matt 5:41 (ESV). Consider the impact you can make by simply living to add value to others. Ready to go the extra mile? The Roman law in Jesus’ day gave a soldier the right to force a civilian to carry his equipment for a mile. It did not matter if the civilian had other plans or was going in the opposite direction. By law, the civilian had to carry the heavy load for a mile if selected by the soldier. That was the law as well as the clear expectation. Jesus illuminated the path for the believer to go beyond the expectation and to be willing to go the extra mile. Can you imagine the expression on the face of a Roman soldier when the mile was almost complete and the civilian announced that he would be glad to carry the equipment another mile? That makes me wonder how many Roman soldiers will be in heaven because of the civilians who portrayed the servitude of Christ by going the extra mile. I can picture a soldier asking the believer what would motivate him to go the extra mile. The believer would then share how Jesus had transformed his life personally and transformed his perception of others. Be willing to go the extra mile for a stranger or a close relative this week! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 52:  Leviticus 24-25) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Leviticus Rest Sabbath

Practice the Sabbath

“‘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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 51:  Leviticus 22-23) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Leviticus Love Others

Love Others

“‘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. 10 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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 50: Leviticus 19-21) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Atonement Leviticus Scapegoat

Scapegoat

“And Aaron shall cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. 9 And Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the Lord and use it as a sin offering, 10 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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 49: Leviticus 16-18) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Holiness Leviticus Purity

Separate Yourself

“‘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? 4  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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 48: Leviticus 14-15) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Discipline Holiness Leviticus

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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 47: Leviticus 11-13) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Discernment Holiness Leviticus

Distinguish the Sacred

“And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, 9  ‘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. 10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 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. 2 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! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 46: Leviticus 8-10) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Generosity Leviticus Responsibility

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, 38 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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 45: Leviticus 5-7) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Leviticus Sacrifice Sin

Sin and Sacrifice

“‘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, 14  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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 44: Leviticus 1-4) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Availability God's Presence Tabernacle

Moving with God

“Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out. 37 But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out till the day that it was taken up. 38 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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 43:  Exodus 39-40) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Altar of Burnt Offering Intimacy Tabernacle

Intimacy with God

“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. 2 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? Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 42:  Exodus 36-38) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell