Author: Stephen Trammell

Categories
Devil Opposition Self-control

Stand Firm

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) The Devil beneath you is another obstacle to abundant life. Satan’s mission is to disrupt and to dismantle God’s agenda. As a result, the enemy seeks to attack that which is closest to God’s heart, namely, God’s children. Whenever you are under attack, remember that as a child of God you are a threat to Satan. When you choose to walk in the way of Jesus, you show up on Satan’s radar. “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” 2 Cor 11:14 (NIV) “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Eph 6:12 (NIV) The life God has for you will be opposed. Satan does not want you to experience the abundant life God has for you. Some of Satan’s tools are: discouragement, disillusionment, distractions, depression, doubt, and drifting. The Enemy’s goal is to get you to drift from God’s best. Often, the Devil will sprinkle allurements along the way to try to get you to take a short cut or to bypass your allegiance to Christ. Be alert! Be aware! Stand firm! You are a soldier in the Lord’s army! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Enemies Grace Love

Love Your Enemies

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matt 5:43-45 (NIV) In the language of the New Testament, there are four words translated into English with our word love. The Bible uses brotherly love, familial love, erotic love, and unconditional love. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus uses the word for love meaning unconditional love. He speaks of the love that acts with nothing expected in return. This kind of love chooses to bless and benefit others regardless of their worthiness. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 (NIV) “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8 (NIV) When you love your neighbor as yourself and when you choose to love your enemies, you are loving others as God has loved you. The unconditional love you extend to others is simply the reciprocated love you have received from God. Loving your enemies does not come naturally. Without question, to love your enemies is a supernatural work of God in your life. God wants you to become a conduit of His unconditional love. Think about the people in your life currently. Do you have any enemies? Are there individuals in your life who have become indifferent toward you or hostile in their treatment of you? Allow God’s love to flow through you to bless and benefit others, including your enemies. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Word Heart Receptivity

Be Receptive

“’But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’” Matt 13:23 (NIV) Have you noticed how you can read the Bible during a given season that you are in and then read the same passage of Scripture at another season of life and get something radically different from the very same passage? It has so much to do with your level of receptivity. I have noticed in my own life that when I am going through a season of brokenness, God’s Word captures my heart at a different level. When I am longing for God’s comfort, the Book of Psalms comes alive for me. When I am in need of direction and insight for a decision I need to make, Proverbs just delivers with clarity. If I am simply wanting to become more like Christ in how I treat others, reading the Gospels develops in me a new perspective on viewing others through the eyes of Christ. The condition of your heart directly affects the level of revelation that takes root in your life. When your heart resembles the hard path, the thorny ground, or the rocky ground, your level of receptivity to God’s Word diminishes exponentially. Here’s the good news: your heart can resemble good soil. Your heart can be tender and receptive to God’s Word and yield a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown. Your intake of God’s Word can be beneficial, productive, and life changing if the condition of your heart is right. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Abiding Relationship Jesus Legalism

Beyond the External

“Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.’” Luke 13:14 (NIV) Legalism bypasses relationship. Instead of operating out of an abiding relationship with Christ, it is possible to embrace an external religion. You can gravitate toward measuring your level of spiritual maturity with the standard of outward appearance. You can be so steeped in legalism that you totally neglect the internal component that God values. Jesus had miraculously healed a woman crippled by an evil spirit for eighteen years. She immediately exhibited a straight posture and praised God. This woman had been set free. However, the synagogue ruler was indignant because Jesus healed on the Sabbath. The synagogue ruler was so steeped in legalism that he missed the wonderful life-changing work of the Lord of the Sabbath. “The Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?’” Luke 13:15-16 (NIV) Have you allowed legalism to rob your love relationship with Christ? God looks at your heart and wants you to operate your life from the abiding relationship that He has established for you in Christ. Walk in the freedom of God’s grace and seek to grow in the daily expression of your faith. Let others see Jesus in you. Be a conduit of grace just as God has lavished His grace on you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Jesus Legalism Rejection

Legalism and Rejection

“He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.” Mark 8:31 (NIV) Rejection hurts. Have you been there? When you don’t feel that you measure up to a standard that has been established or an expectation that has been articulated, rejection seeps in. You begin to experience pain, discontentment, and insecurity.  During those times when you are misunderstood rejection begins to shadow your vision and stifle your optimism. Jesus lived in the midst of steep legalism in His day. The elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law sought to shackle others by their self imposed rules and regulations. They promoted religion by works which embodied excessive “do’s and don’ts” that totally bypassed intimacy with our Heavenly Father. The suffering of Jesus included rejection. He was not accepted by those who claimed to be religious. Rejection was perpetual during His three and a half year public ministry. His being rejected ultimately led to His being crucified. When you compare your current bouts with rejection to that of Jesus, it seems as though your encounters with rejection are light. Yet, they are real and they are painful. Rejection hits us hard and tends to knock the wind out of us. What kind of rejection are you currently facing? How long has the rejection lingered? There is good news on the way that will give you a whole new perspective on how to respond to rejection. Spend some time sharing your hurt with Jesus in prayer. Let Him hear you express your pain as you call out His Name. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Children Prayer Salvation

Pray for Your Children

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) God has made it possible for everyone to come to repentance. The redemptive work of Christ on the cross is sufficient to save everyone who responds by faith to God’s offer of salvation. Jesus paid our sin debt in full. Jesus has taken the full wrath of God for our sin. The gift of eternal life is available to all and beneficial for everyone who repents of his or her sin and confesses Christ. My wife and I prayed for our children’s salvation before they were born. Once they were born, we asked God to reveal Himself to them in His perfect timing and to enable us to live out our faith before them. When our daughter was ready to receive the gift of eternal life, we knelt down in our den together as she prayed to God and invited Jesus to become her Lord and Savior. A few years later, our son made it known to us that he was ready to surrender his life to Christ and become a follower of Jesus. We knelt down together in our family room and he trusted Christ as his Savior and Lord. What a blessing to have both of our children’s names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! We continue to pray for our children specifically for their purity and their spiritual maturity. We want them to continue to be fully devoted followers of Christ and to live lives of moral purity. We have also been praying for their future mate’s salvation, purity, and spiritual maturity. If you do not have children, consider praying for your niece or nephew. You may want to begin praying for the children of someone you work with or go to church with. Pray for their salvation, their purity, and their spiritual maturity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Prayer Pursuing God Seek

Seek and Find God

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13 (NIV) One of the highest privileges of life is that of seeking God. When you contemplate the vast canyon between God’s bigness and our smallness, God’s holiness and our sinfulness, humility becomes our reality. The fact that God, the Creator of the entire universe, would even desire that we seek Him is beyond comprehension. Yet, God chose to create us so that we may know Him personally and intimately. When you read the Bible from cover to cover, you will discover the story of God reconciling us to Himself so that we could have the capacity to seek Him and find Him. God does not force us to seek Him. God enables us to respond to His love. God gives us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 (NIV) “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What are you doing with the highest privilege you have been given? Are you neglecting your love relationship with God? Have you drifted from your first love? Renew your commitment to seek the Lord. Renew your passion to seek the Lord with all your heart. Earnestly seek the Lord while He may be found. He is worth the pursuit! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Faithfulness God's Provision Spiritual Markers

Review Spiritual Markers

“’So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’” Josh 24:13 (NIV) The children of Israel drifted from God’s best and slipped into immorality. Joshua called them back into alignment with God’s will and God’s way. Joshua reviewed the spiritual markers that God had established for them. God gave Abraham many descendants and later raised up Moses and Aaron to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. God enabled them to cross the Red Sea on dry ground and to defeat the Amorites. God turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing and delivered them out of his hand. God enabled them to miraculously cross the Jordan. Joshua reminded the children of Israel of the faithfulness of God. The spiritual markers served as reminders of God’s provision. The blessings of God were clearly evident in each of the spiritual markers. Review your spiritual markers. Identify the times in your life when God made Himself known to you in a special way. You may have a spiritual marker that was formed in the midst of adversity where God reminded you of His protection over you. You may have a spiritual marker that was established as a result of God revealing His unconditional love to you through your saving relationship with Jesus. Spiritual markers are vital for the Christian life. As you review your spiritual markers, you will gain a sense of stability. Your faith is strengthened as you review the activity of God in your life. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Purity Self-control Sin

Preserve Your Purity

“If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” Matt 5:29-30 (NIV) Jesus uses a hyperbole to illustrate that we are to deal drastically with sin. There is no proper place for sin to reside within the child of God. Sin and purity cannot coexist. A Christian cannot walk in the Spirit and walk in the flesh simultaneously. The righteous life Jesus calls us to requires eliminating sin from our thoughts, conversation, and actions. Embracing a life of moral purity demands confessing sin instantly and overcoming temptation consistently. “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires.” Romans 6:12 (NIV) “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Romans 13:14 (NIV) Preserving a lifestyle of moral purity includes dealing drastically with sin and being intentional about staying close and clean. Maintaining daily intimacy with Jesus through prayer and Bible reading fortifies your faith. Drawing near to the Lord enables you to be conscious of His presence throughout each moment of each day. Yield to His Lordship and allow Jesus to take full control of every area of your life. If there is a certain area of your life that Satan seeks to attack, then submit that to God and resist the devil. Put on the full armor of God and make no provision to gratify the flesh. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Life Priorities Stewardship

Take Hold of Life

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Tim 6:18-19 (NIV) There are more verses in the Bible about money than about heaven and hell combined. There are more than 2,350 verses related to the issue of stewardship. God is the owner and we are the managers. God entrusts us with the task of being good stewards of His resources. Order your life to honor God and benefit others. Do good. Be rich in good deeds. Be generous. Be willing to share with others. The activity of living to benefit others produces treasure for yourself in heaven. God rewards your faithfulness in His kingdom economy. If you want to take hold of life that is truly life, then order your life around God’s priorities. Your submission to the Lordship of Christ will be reflected in your stewardship of God’s resources. Lordship and stewardship are inseparable. If Jesus is Lord of your life then His Lordship will be evident in your allocation of resources. The world’s philosophy to money management is to earn it so that you can spend it. The average American spends $1.20 for every $1.00 he or she earns. God’s way is that you earn it, tithe it (eternal), save it (future), repay it (past), and spend it. Give God the firstfruits of your income. To tithe your income is to give 10% of your gross income (before taxes) to the Lord through the ministry of His local church. Give proportionately, consistently, and cheerfully. Assess your current financial reality. What do you earn? What do you owe? Where does your money go? Order your life to honor God and to benefit others. Take hold of the life that is truly life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Provision Hope Stewardship

Honor God

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Tim 6:17 (NIV) Would you consider yourself rich? That question is rather ambiguous unless you have a clear point of reference. If I asked you if you were rich compared to Bill Gates, you may instantly respond with “absolutely not!” So let’s expand our point of reference to the 6.78 billion people presently on the earth. I want to share a quote with you from a book I have read recently that God has used in my life. The book is entitled, Radical, by David Platt. “We are an affluent people living in an impoverished world. If we make only ten thousand dollars a year, we are wealthier than 84 percent of the world, and if we make fifty thousand dollars a year, we are wealthier than 99 percent of the world.” Now let me ask you the question, “Are you rich?” You are rich! You are blessed! In his letter to Timothy, Paul reminds us to not be arrogant and to not put our hope in wealth. Our faith is not to be in our possessions, our position, or our portfolio. Instead, we are to put our hope in God. If you are going to anchor your faith to anything, it will be futile unless you anchor your faith in the Most High God! God provides us with everything we need to live in the center of His will and to fulfill His purposes in our generation. Align your time, energy, and resources to honor God. Is God first in your life? Is your love relationship with Him your top priority? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Provision Money Stewardship

Before or After Taxes?

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.’” Mark 12:17 (NIV) What belongs to God? Everything! God is the Creator and the owner of the entire universe and everything on the earth. As His children, we are simply managers of God’s resources. God expects us to fulfill our civil duty as citizens and pay taxes. God also expects us to fulfill our duty as kingdom citizens and bring the tithe to His storehouse. “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the LORD Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.’” Mal 3:10 (NIV) My wife and I have had the joy of practicing biblical stewardship together as a married couple for almost twenty years. God has proven faithful to His Word! I have often been asked, “Are you supposed to tithe on your income before or after taxes?” A similar question I have been asked on several occasions is, “Do you tithe on your gross income or net income?” Both of these questions are valid. My personal conviction, based on my study of God’s Word, is that your tithe is to be based on your income before taxes are withheld. You tithe on your gross income. The biblical stewardship principles my wife and I have faithfully embraced include: giving proportionately (at least 10% of our income before taxes are withheld), giving consistently, and giving cheerfully. God is faithful. You can trust Him with your life, your future, and your income. God can make 90% of your income, with 10% given to Him, go farther than 100% of your income. God blesses obedience! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Devotion Passion Zeal

Spiritual Fervor

“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11 (NIV) What are you passionate about? What are you giving your time, energy, and resources to? What gets the best of you? Your answer unveils your zeal. God placed zeal in you. Your passion is an expression of your spiritual DNA. God gives you the ability to be passionate in this life. However, it is possible to misdirect the passion God gives you. Your passion can be diverted to areas that are unhealthy or unfruitful. You can channel your passion to outlets that dishonor God or even to good things that rob God’s best for you. God’s Word teaches us to keep our spiritual fervor. Our passion in action should be vertical in nature. We are to be passionate for God. Our zeal for God and His Kingdom should never experience a deficit. As we nurture our passion for God, we are to keep our passion channeled in the paths that God provides. Are you passionate about the things of God? Does your life give evidence to the passion God desires from you? Take some time to assess your current reality. See if your passion is misdirected. Examine your life to the level of identifying the source of your passion and the expression of your passion in action. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Depression Elijah Zeal

Rhythm of Life

“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’”1 Kings 19:3-4 (NIV) What kind of life am I living? As you assess your current reality, you will find that life has a rhythm. You will experience a season of highs and a season of lows and a season of in-betweens. Life will be marked by mountain top experiences, valley experiences, and uneventful plateaus. Life has a certain rhythm that requires our faith to be anchored to the Rock, Jesus Christ. Elijah had a mountain top experience on Mount Carmel and the power of God fell in a mighty demonstration. This would be considered a major spiritual marker in Elijah’s life as well as  a major spiritual victory over the prophets of Baal and the prophets of Asherah. Yet, Elijah descends into major depression following this mountaintop experience to the point of wanting God to take his life. Now that’s pretty low! God came to Elijah’s rescue and provided him with rest, refreshment, revelation, and relationship. That’s the rhythm of life. Our life today is similar in that we will experience major spiritual victories as well as some personal defeats that knock the wind out of us. The question becomes: What kind of life am I living? In the midst of the realities of life on a broken planet in a fallen world, am I living the life God has for me? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Provision Obedience Stewardship

Life Is Fragile

“Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” Psalm 39:4-5 (NIV) When you compare your life to that of a breath, it makes life seem to be so insignificant. Yet, the psalmist is not measuring the value of life. God has already established the value of life. The psalmist is asking God to give him a glimpse of how fragile life is and how temporal life is. How would you respond if God let you know that you only had thirty days to live? What would change about your current lifestyle? What adjustments would you make in order to live like you were dying in thirty days? If your remaining time on earth became a specific number of days that was clearly communicated to you, perhaps you would rearrange your current priorities. Maybe the way you allocate your time and energy would demonstrate radical adjustments once you found out that you only had thirty days to live. The number of your remaining days would directly impact how you would spend each moment. Our tendency is to take life for granted. We so often feel invincible and act as though we are guaranteed several decades of life on earth. God has a way of reminding us how fleeting life is. Are you ready to die? Are you ready to live? Have you made reservations for eternity in heaven? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Blessing Irresistible influence Jesus

Blessed to Bless

“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Matt 5:42 (NIV) As you study the life of Jesus, you will quickly discover that Jesus oriented His life around being a blessing. His entire earthly ministry was centered around benefiting others. Jesus willingly left the glory of heaven in order to come the earth to live a sinless life and die a sacrificial death to provide for our salvation. Jesus exemplified generosity, humility, and flexibility. We live in a needy world. Sickness, stress, financial instability, and strained relationships decorate the landscape of life. The reality of living in a fallen world is marked by dependence upon others to help meet practical needs. We need each other. The world needs us. Are we willing to portray the life of Christ in our current context? Will others see Jesus in us? In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus described the kingdom-focused life as the life willing to give to others. Selfishness has no real estate in the Christian life. Every child of God is to employ the servitude of Christ by being selfless. Living to bless, to benefit, and to add value to others becomes the byproduct of a life yielded to the Lordship of Christ. The fruit of being blessed by God is unleashing your life to be a blessing to others. You are blessed by God to be a blessing. You are graced by God to be gracious. You are loved by God to be loving. You are forgiven by God to be forgiving. As you submit to the Lordship of Christ, you become a conduit of His blessing to enrich the lives of others. Orient your life to honor God and to be a blessing to others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Grace Irresistible influence Jesus

Go the Extra Mile

“If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matt 5:41 (NIV) 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? Instead of seeing the soldier as an obstacle, what if the follower of Christ viewed the soldier as an opportunity to display the love and grace of God? 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. Do you have that kind of heart for people? Are you compelled to go the extra mile for others even when it hurts? Going the extra mile to portray the love of Christ may invade your plans or even delay your personal agenda. Consider the impact you can make by simply living to add value to others. Ready to go the extra mile? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Discipleship Evangelism Obedience

Tag! You’re It!

“He appointed twelve–designating them apostles–that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach.” Mark 3:14 (NIV) Can you imagine the honor of being chosen by Jesus to serve as one of His twelve apostles? You would have a starting position on the varsity team that Jesus coached. You would have access to His life behind the scenes in the locker room and on the practice field. You would want to spend all your time in His shadow and under His personal touch ministry. To be like Him, you would want to watch His every move and to capture every word He articulated. It would be so refreshing to be that connected to the Son of God. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you have that kind of connection with the Son of God. At the moment of your conversion experience, you were adopted into God’s family and placed on the winning team. You have the privilege of drawing near to the Lord and learning how to enjoy His presence. God did not save you so that you could stay in the huddle. God rescued you from eternal damnation and placed you into His forever family and filled you with His Holy Spirit so that you could continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth. You have been chosen by God to be sent out to portray His love and to proclaim the saving news of Jesus. You have been armed with the cure to the cancer of sin. Every single person who places their faith in Jesus alone for salvation will be saved and adopted into the family of God. You are chosen by God to build that relational bridge to those who are lost. Tag! You’re it! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Clarity God's Will Prayer

Start with Prayer

“One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.” Luke 6:12 (NIV) Major decisions require major clarity. Jesus was about to make a major decision that would change the course of human history. Of all the disciples showing interest in following Jesus, it was now time for Jesus to choose twelve of them and designate them as apostles. Instead of glancing out and randomly securing twelve of them, Jesus found a place of solitude on a mountainside to have unhurried time alone with God in prayer. Jesus spent the entire night praying to God. His number one priority was not building a team, but rather receiving clarity from God through prayer. Jesus oriented His life around knowing and doing God’s will. Are you in the center of God’s will? It is so easy to hastily jump into life and be cascaded with the wave of busyness. We fill our lives with excessive activities and consuming commitments having never paused long enough to hear from God. Our natural proclivity is to launch into activity. We often feel as though motion is a mark of progress. The problem is that you may be moving in the wrong direction. You may be on the wrong path. How do you receive clarity from God? First, recognize that God loves you and has a specific plan for your life. You were made by God and for His glory. God invites you into His story. Secondly, God wants to reveal His plan to you. As Henry Blackaby says, “God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purpose, and His ways.” Thirdly, spend unhurried time alone with God in prayer to seek His face and to learn to recognize His voice. Then, simply obey what God shows you along the way. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith God's Power Stewardship

God Is Able

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Eph 3:20-21 (NIV) What kind of impact will you make with the time, energy, and resources God has given you? How much is God able to do through a life totally yielded to Him? There’s room for you to do something great for God. He wants to do more than you could ever ask or imagine. God’s plan for your life is much larger than what you can accomplish on your own. In order to make an eternal impact with your life, you will need to move into the realm of faith. Begin operating your life on the basis of what God can do. How much is God able to do? “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.” Dan 3:17 (NIV) “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21 (NIV) The level of your faith will determine the level of your impact in God’s kingdom. Faith is the currency of heaven. Earnestly seek the Lord and ask Him to increase your faith and to enable you to put your faith into action. Are you ready for God to do more than you have experienced up to this point? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Discipline Mind of Christ Thought-life

Take Every Thought Captive

“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Cor 10:5 (NIV) What’s going on in your mind? How’s your thought-life? What have you been thinking about lately? God has given you the ability to think, reason, and make decisions. God has given you the ability to know and understand. You have the wonderful ability to contemplate, consider, and calculate. You are blessed with the capacity to ponder, prepare, and to produce. How are you harnessing the potential God has placed within you? “Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.” Psalms 26:2-3 (NIV) “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (NIV) Is your mind at peace? Write down the specific items that are bothering you. Think through the issues that are pressing up against you. Now place those items before the Lord in prayer. Give each issue to the Lord. Release them! Now receive the Lord’s provision of grace to be single-minded. Focus your thoughts on Jesus and His Lordship. Allow Him to be your source of strength and your anchor of stability. De-clutter your mind by unloading the hurtful thoughts and the anxious thoughts that perplex you. Write them down! Speak them aloud! Release them to the Lord! Replace those toxic thoughts with healthy reminders of who you are in Christ. You belong to God. You are His treasure and His masterpiece (Eph. 2:10). You have everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). You are more than a conqueror (Rm. 8:37). You are complete in Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Evangelism Obedience On Mission

Mountain of Motivation

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Matt 17:1-2 (NIV) If only life was a perpetual mountaintop experience. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be on a constant spiritual high and never come down? Peter, James, and John had a once in a lifetime experience with Jesus on the top of a mountain. Jesus was transfigured before them. Peter wanted to build three shelters in order to stay on the mountaintop and live in the radiance of Jesus’ glory. Jesus used the experience to teach Peter, James, and John the necessity to come down the mountain to meet the needs of people in the valley. In other words, God surprises us with mountaintop experiences to reveal His glory so that we can go into the world to reveal God’s glory to others. Consider the terrain of your spiritual journey. Can you recall the mountaintop experiences you have had with God? Did God reveal His glory to you in those moments so that you would stay in the moment? No! God gave you those special glimpses into His nature and character so that you could go into the valley of life to connect with people in desperate need of God’s salvation. God moments can be difficult to transfer to others. Often, the God moments are for you to be encouraged and strengthened personally. The experience should motivate you to go into the world to declare the message of reconciliation to a world alienated from God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Provision Humility Prayer

Pursue God

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chron 7:14 (NIV) What moves the heart of God? Have you ever thought about that? Consider the portrait of God’s family living in harmony with each other and with Him. Picture God’s people embracing the posture of humility, employing the privilege of prayer, enjoying a daily pursuit of His presence, and eliminating the indulgence of sin. Now that would be considered revival. God is the ultimate Promise Keeper. God promises to bless obedience. God’s definition of success is not the accumulation of possessions but the application of obedience. If we will humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our sinful ways, God promises to hear our prayers, forgive our sin, and heal our land. What is keeping you from obeying what you know? Are you willing to move the heart of God through a consistent lifestyle of obedience? God does not expect you to live the Christian life in your own strength. God has empowered you with His abiding Holy Spirit to enable you to live the life He has for you. Do you have unconfessed sin in your life? Sin grieves the Holy Spirit. Sin hinders your fellowship with God and impedes the fruit of the Spirit. Confess your sin and receive God’s forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9). Start running from sin and choose to run to Jesus. Do not think about how to gratify the cravings of the sinful nature (Rm 13:14). God will hear your prayer, forgive your sin, and heal your land. Claim God’s promises and walk in victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Intercession Ministry Prayer

The Power of Intercession

“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.” James 5:15 (NIV) Did you know that even godly people who have a vibrant faith in God can go through seasons of adversity? Often these difficult seasons can strengthen your faith and also cause you to become weary. As you fight the good fight of the faith (1 Tim. 6:12), you may experience spiritual exhaustion. Battle fatigue is a potential reality for the follower of Christ. James wrote to believers who had experienced severe persecution. Their faith had been tested and many of them had become emotionally depleted and spiritually exhausted. In some cases, their spiritual weakness caused them to be unable to call on God. We need each other. God does not expect you to live the Christian life on your own. God wants you to live out your faith as you connect with your spiritual family. God adopted you into His family. Allow other believers who are spiritually strong to come alongside to help you through seasons of spiritual lethargy and warfare. The spiritually strong will offer their prayer in faith, fully trusting that God is able to do what He says (Rom. 4:21), and you will be restored. God will raise you up from a condition of spiritual weakness to a state of spiritual strength and stability. Will you invite a spiritually mature follower of Christ to offer a prayer in faith on your behalf? Don’t walk alone through the seasons of adversity. Allow your spiritual family to intercede for you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Intercession Ministry Prayer

Calling for Prayer Support

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:14 (NIV) The Christian life is not a solo flight. God never intended for us to live out our faith in isolation. As followers of Christ, we have Jesus at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us (Rm. 8:34) and we have the Holy Spirit interceding for us with groans that words cannot express (Rm 8:26-27). God has also given us fellow believers who can stand in the gap for us in prayer. The Apostle Paul asked for the believers in the church at Ephesus to pray that he would fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel (Eph. 6:19). Paul asked the church at Colosse to pray that God would open a door for his message so that he could proclaim the mystery of Christ (Col. 4:3). Paul asked the church at Thessalonica to pray for he and his ministry partners that the message of the Lord would spread rapidly and be honored and that they would be delivered from evil and wicked men (2 Thes. 3:1-2). James affirms the need for outside prayer support for our lives. If you are experiencing spiritual weakness or even a physical illness, ask a spiritual leader to pray for you. If you are walking through a challenging situation or combating a difficult season, ask a spiritual leader to pray for you. Surround yourself with prayer warriors who will do warfare praying on your behalf. Don’t be afraid to ask for prayer support. God has placed people within your sphere of influence who can stand in the gap for you in prayer. Do you have someone praying you through? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Adversity God's Provision Prayer

He Can Hear You Now

“Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.” James 5:13 (NIV) Independence is valued in our society. Being strong and self-sufficient tend to be the marks of success by the world’s standards. However, God’s economy has a much different value system. It’s not about personal strength, but reliance upon God’s strength. Self-sufficiency is replaced with dependency upon God and His provision. Success in God’s economy is marked by instant obedience and alignment with God’s plan. Part of God’s plan includes our relational connection to God through an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. The love relationship that God has made available to us in Christ is nurtured by our daily communion with God in prayer. The prayer connection flows from God to us and from us to God. God invites us into an intimate prayer connection that radiates from His heart of love and our response of awe and wonder. Imagine being able to share your heart as well as your heartaches with the God of the universe. We have that amazing privilege to bring everything to God in prayer. In Christ, we have been given access to the Creator of the universe. Are you in trouble? Are you experiencing challenging circumstances or strained relationships? Don’t delay! Take your burdens to the Lord in prayer. Empty the contents of your heart before the loving and faithful God that you have come to know by experience. God has provided you with the ultimate communication instrument called prayer. Just pray! Begin to articulate to God whatever is perplexing you and whatever is bothering you. God can handle your hurt. God can make the fog lift. Be still and know that He is God (Ps. 46:10).  God’s line is never busy and yes, He can hear you now! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Generosity Grace Irresistible influence

Unlocking Generosity

“And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.” Matt 5:40 (NIV) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Grace Jesus Revenge

Redefining Retaliation

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt 5:38-39 (NIV) The religious leaders Jesus confronted during His earthly ministry had perverted the Mosaic Law. They inflamed the law of retaliation, known as the lex talionis, for their personal benefit. The law was intended to control excess and to ensure that the punishment would not exceed the offense (Ex. 21:22-25; Lev. 24:19-20). It was intended to prevent people from employing personal revenge. The religious leaders leveraged the law as a minimum. You would be expected to retaliate by punishing your offender at the same level of their offense to start with and then add to that revenge. Jesus inverted their perversion by portraying the law of retaliation as a maximum. Revenge and retaliation would not be the proper response for the follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus presented the life-giving response of choosing to see the evil person as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. When someone strikes you on the cheek physically or through verbal assault, the fully yielded follower of Christ is to not retaliate based on his natural proclivity. Turning the other cheek becomes the choice whereby you respond to the offense in the power of the Holy Spirit rather than reacting in the flesh. Instead of striking back by executing personal revenge, the believer is to respond with the grace and mercy of Christ. You cannot redefine retaliation without operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. Your natural response will be to unleash revenge. Jesus ushers in a new response that blesses your offender and brings honor to God! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Church Community Spiritual Growth

God’s Team

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47 (NIV) God’s team is made up of those who have been saved by His grace. God’s team members wear the Jesus jersey and play for His glory. His team is characterized by unity, community, selflessness, generosity, compassion, loyalty, fellowship, gladness, sincerity, evangelism, and growth. Doing church first involves being the church. Our doing flows out of our being. It is possible to become so busy doing church that you bypass the relational aspect of being the church. God has called us, the church, to an abiding relationship with Christ. “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Eph 2:19-20 (NIV) As a member of God’s household, you are called to abide in Christ. Your perpetual connection to Christ and His resources will result in bearing fruit. However, don’t focus on bearing fruit. Focus on abiding. As you abide in Christ, fruit will be born. Apart from Christ, you can do nothing. His is your Source and He is your Life! As you abide in Christ, you will instantly add more value to the team, the Body of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Christ Community Devotion

Fully Devoted

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41 (NIV) Wow! On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were adopted into God’s family. Three thousand were delivered from the clutches of hell and placed on the path that leads to heaven. Three thousand were saved by God and for God. They became followers of Jesus Christ and were added to His Body, the church. An eternal transaction took place! What’s next? Now that the three thousand are in Christ, how are they to function as a community of Christ-followers? What will be different about their conversation and their conduct? Do they go back to business as usual or do they embrace a new way of living? “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” Acts 2:42-43 (NIV) Notice how their lifestyle radically changed. On this side of their salvation, the three thousand along with the other 120 believers start doing life together. They begin to operate as a community of believers. They are walking together in unity. Their priorities have shifted and their time allocation reflects the heart of God. Take a moment to examine your life in light of Acts 2:42-43. Are you devoted to the reading, study, hearing, and application of God’s Word? Are you in fellowship with a group of believers you can do life with? Are you consistently embracing the privilege of prayer? Are you in awe of the redemptive activity of God? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell