“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 (NIV) In the Seventeenth Century, a monk named, Brother Lawrence, worked in the kitchen of the Carmelite Monastery in Paris, France. He is remembered for his daily intimacy with God in the midst of menial tasks within the confines of the monastery. Brother Lawrence learned to practice the presence of God. In one of his letters he wrote, “I turn the cake that is frying on the pan for love of him, and that done, if there is nothing else to call me, I prostrate myself in worship before him, who has given me grace to work; afterwards I rise happier than a king. It is enough for me to pick up but a straw from the ground for the love of God.” Whether you are occupying the kitchen of grief or delighting at the table of abundance, God is with you. His abiding presence will sustain you and comfort you as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death. God will shepherd you through the adversity and bring you to the place of peace. You will never walk alone. God is with you. While you were sleeping, God was working. Will you choose to practice the presence of God today? Regardless of your physical location or your emotional reality, you can practice God’s presence throughout the day by acknowledging His perpetual love, faithfulness, and grace. Elevate your awareness of God’s abiding presence by praying without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Enjoy uninterrupted communion with God. Where you go this day, God is with you. Whatever comes your way, God is with you. Practice God’s presence and feast on His continuous provision of comfort and assurance. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Author: Stephen Trammell
“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV) The Shepherd will restore your soul. Living in a fallen world can erode your enthusiasm and erase your energy. The constant friction of the world, the flesh, and the devil can drain your reserves. There are times in your weekly schedule when your greatest need becomes a pit stop whereby God renews your mind and recharges your strength. God will provide you with opportunities to disconnect from the demands of life in order to replenish your soul in the green pastures of His abiding presence. He will lead you beside quiet waters to allow you to catch your breath and to enable your soul to catch up to your body. Slow down and allow God to put you back together. Your loving Shepherd will guide you in paths of righteousness to bring glory to His name. God’s path is always the best option. You must choose to walk in unbroken fellowship with the Lord and to be sensitive to His prompting. Give the Lord your undivided attention. Seek Him first each morning and align your life with His agenda. God’s restoration may come at the expense of your unrealistic pace. Allow God to interrupt the flow of your routine and to help you make necessary adjustments to give Him room to work. Busyness is one of Satan’s most effective tools to keep you from focusing your energy on that which brings God the most glory. Weariness is a symptom of a life that is out of order. Learn to say “no” to good things so that you can say, “yes” to the best that God has for you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Finding Your Shepherd
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Psalm 23:1 (NIV) God never intended for you to walk through adversity alone. Maybe you have heard someone say that God will never put more on you than you can handle. That’s not true. God will not put more on you than you can handle with His help. When you come to know Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, you find the Shepherd and Overseer of your soul (1 Pt. 2:25). The Christian life is not a solo flight. God does not launch you into the world and expect you to live the Christian life on your own. God provides refuge when you need to retreat, strength when you need to endure, and help when you need relief. Your Heavenly Father knows exactly what you need and the exact moment you need it. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever–the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 (NIV) God gives you His Holy Spirit at the moment of your conversion. You are inhabited by the Counselor who is the Spirit of truth. You are the walking tabernacle of God’s Presence. Your body is His temple. The Holy Spirit is your Comforter. Are you in need of help? Are you hurting, lonely, or discouraged? Share your heart with God in prayer and anticipate His response. No need to count sheep, just talk to your Shepherd. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’” Mark 9:7 (NIV) Peter, James, and John had a mountaintop experience with Jesus on Mt. Transfiguration. They were privileged to hear the voice of God affirming His Son and our Savior, Jesus. God’s direct word to them was an imperative for them to listen to Jesus. Listening is equivalent to obeying. Thus, to listen to Jesus is to obey Him. Are you listening? We have the ability to engage in selective listening. We hear what we want to hear. We choose to tune in or to tune out. God is a God who speaks. He has revealed Himself to us through His Son and through Scripture. To know Jesus is to know God. To grow in your knowledge of Jesus is to grow in your understanding of His Word. Revelation demands a response. God expects instant obedience. “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.” 1 John 2:3 (NIV) “‘Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” Psalms 46:10 (NIV) How do you know if you are really listening to God? Is your life marked by obedience to God’s Word? Obedience to God’s Word is a clear indicator of your level of listening to God. Is your life too noisy to hear from God? Is your schedule too busy to hear from God? The men and women who have been greatly used of God have ensured unhurried time alone with God each day. They intentionally carved out time to be still and simply listen for God’s voice. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess 1:3 (NIV) What prompted Jesus to leave the glory of Heaven in order to come to earth and be mistreated, misunderstood, and crucified? Why would Jesus leave an environment where He was worshipped and come to earth to be rejected by His creation? There’s one word to answer both questions: Love! The same sacrificial love Jesus exhibited on the cross is the kind of love that Paul affirmed in the believers in Thessalonica. This unconditional love prompted their labor in the Lord. Jesus demonstrated this labor of love on the cross between two thieves. One thief repented of his sin and received the forgiveness Jesus provided. Jesus announced to him that he would be with Him in paradise (Luke 23:43). The other thief ridiculed and rejected Jesus. However, Jesus loved both thieves unconditionally. What motivates you in your service to the Lord? Why do you do what you do? Allow the love of Jesus to be operative in your life. Find a need and meet it. Seek to demonstrate the love of Jesus through random acts of kindness. Remember the love Jesus has shown you and allow that reality to unleash unconditional love toward others. Do what Jesus did by loving the way Jesus loved. Continue the ministry of Jesus by loving people unconditionally and leading them to experience the love of Jesus eternally. You can make an everlasting impact on a person’s life by sharing the love story of God’s redemptive plan. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess 1:3 (NIV) You cannot work for your salvation. Once you experience salvation, you will want to work. The faith operative in your life will motivate you to do the work of God. Your faith will want to be expressed by your good deeds. Paul prayed for the church of Thessalonica and praised God for their work produced by faith. They gave evidence to genuine saving faith as they engaged in good deeds to bless others. Their work did not save them, but their salvation caused them to work consistently putting feet to their faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Heb 11:6 (NIV) “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.” James 2:26 (NIV) God wants your good deeds to be produced by faith. As you grow in your daily love relationship with the Lord, you will have a heightened sensitivity to the activity of God. Each time you join God in His activity, you will be giving outward evidence of your inward faith in Christ. Being on mission with God requires a faith that works. Does your faith work? Is there fruit resulting from your faith? Deepen your faith by obeying what God says. Obedience is an indicator of genuine faith. As you obey, your good deeds will be fueled by faith. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Heb 11:8 (NIV) Is it possible to obey God and not know where you are going? God told Abraham to leave and go to a place that God would show him and Abraham went (Gen. 12:1-4). Even though he didn’t know where he was going, by faith Abraham obeyed God. He was willing to take God at His word and launch into the unknown and the unfamiliar. Sometimes God will unveil the details of your journey and at other times God will simply ask you to step out and trust Him with the details. You may not be able to see very far into the future God has for you. But, you can trust God every step of the way. Will you obey what God has already revealed to you? Obey and go based on what you know, then God will show you what’s next. Live from faith to faith. Walking with God is like walking down a trail in the woods at night with a flashlight. You can only see a few feet in front of you, but as you move forward the light illuminates a portion of the path that was not visible to you. As you walk with God, He illuminates the path He wants you to take. God will not mislead you. Walk closely to Him and listen for the echo of His whisper. Spend time in His Word and in prayer. Seek godly counsel from a person who walks in the Spirit and who cares about you and your future. God will speak through His word, through circumstances, and through other believers as you seek His next step for your life. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’ So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” Gal 3:8-9 (NIV) The gospel begins with God. God is the Creator of life and the initiator of reconciliation. The grace of God has been poured out on us. God is the lover who persistently and consistently seeks to restore those who have fallen. God’s love is unconditional and His mercy is unleashed to redeem us. God chose to announce the gospel in advance to Abraham. God enabled Abraham to become a conduit of the blessing God has for all nations. Abraham was blessed by God to be a blessing to all people groups. As a man of faith, Abraham believed God. God blesses you with salvation so that you can be a blessing to all nations. God redeemed you so that you can join Him in bringing redemption to all people groups on our planet. God’s abundant love and forgiveness is available to all. Will you be a conduit of God’s blessing? You can pray. You can give. You can go. You can radiate God’s love through your conversation and your conduct. You can join God in His redemptive activity by seizing every opportunity God gives you to make Jesus known. Begin viewing people through the lens of the gospel. As a recipient of the gospel blessing, commit to share your salvation story with others. Let the light of God’s love shine through your life. Be willing to go wherever God wants you to go. Be willing to do whatever God wants you to do. Place your “yes” on the altar and say, “Lord, I’m yours!” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Then the word of the LORD came to him: ‘This man will not be your heir, but a son coming from your own body will be your heir.’ He took him outside and said, ‘Look up at the heavens and count the stars–if indeed you can count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your offspring be.’” Gen 15:4-5 (NIV) Sometimes life can be foggy. You try to make sense out of what you don’t know and out of what you can’t see. You look back to review where you have been and identify the spiritual markers in your past. Being confident of God’s faithfulness, you look into the fog knowing that God is up to something. Abraham was in one of those foggy seasons where his current reality just didn’t make sense. He was past age and Sarah was barren, yet God promised to make Abraham into a great nation. In God’s perfect timing, the fog began to lift as He took Abraham outside to look up at the heavens and count the stars. Then God promised that Abraham’s offspring would be a numerous as the stars. As you walk with God, you will go through seasons of uncertainty and seasons of silence. When that happens, recapture that last thing God said to you and obey Him. Walk in the light God gives you until He shows you the next step He has for you. In God’s perfect timing, the fog will lift and you will be able to see clearly. Trust God to build the bridges that He wants you to cross and to open the doors that He wants you to walk through. Don’t be so preoccupied with the destination that you bypass the beauty of experiencing God in the journey. Discover the joy of the journey. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The LORD had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.’” Gen 12:1 (NIV) What is keeping you from obeying God? Do you fear the unknown? Are you uncomfortable making a move without having more information? Maybe God has chosen to limit His revelation to match your obedience. Once you obey what He has already said, then He will show you the next step. “So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.” Gen 12:4 (NIV) Abram took God at His word! He simply obeyed God. God told Abram to leave and go to a land that He would show him. Guess what? Abram left, as the Lord told him. He obeyed. You can never go wrong obeying God. His way is always the best way. Even when it doesn’t make sense or seem remotely logical, God’s way is the right way. If you are confused about your next step, just obey what He has already said. Start there! Identify what you are wrestling with right now? What is keeping you from taking the next step? Place that fear or frustration before the Lord in prayer and see how He helps you take the next step. You can trust God with your present circumstances and your future hopes and dreams. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” Rev 21:3-4 (NIV) You are not a robot. God created you with the capacity to accept His plan or to reject His plan. He made you to be relational. You can respond to God’s offer of restoration or you can choose to go your own way. God grants the freedom to accept Him or reject Him. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He comforts and convicts. He guides and He provides. However, God will allow you the freedom to choose a selfish path or a selfless path. He will alert you when you are taking a path that is not His best for you. Yet, God will allow you to maneuver in the direction of your choice. The prodigal son made a poor decision when he selfishly requested his share of the estate so that he could carelessly spend it. Yet, God allowed him to get to the pigpen level of living. It was there that the prodigal son came to his senses and made the life-giving decision to get up and go back to his father (Luke 15:17-20). Restoration awaits! How will you respond to God’s offer? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Nurture a Creative Soul
“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.” 3 John 1:2 (NIV) How’s the condition of your soul? Are you at peace? Are you living a life of balance? In order to nurture a creative soul, you have to provide space in your schedule and you have to provide pause in your pace. The Christian life is not a sprint; it is a marathon. To finish strong you must consistently nurture a creative soul. Create margin in your life. You need space to allow God to put you back together. Margin is the space between your load and your limit. Designate time in your schedule to participate in life-giving activities that replenish your soul. If you like reading, then allocate time for reading. If you enjoy walking outdoors, then carve out time for that life-giving experience. You must find what makes you come alive. You must insert those activities into your schedule that enable you to get your fire back and your passion rekindled. “Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalms 62:5 (NIV) “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” Psalms 94:19 (NIV) Sometimes the most spiritual activity you can employ is rest. When you rest, you allow your soul to catch up with your body. Strategically insert a pause in your pace. Stop periodically to be still before the Lord and allow Him to restore your soul and to restore the joy of His salvation. Assess your current reality to identify where you are overextended and overcommitted. If you are feeling overwhelmed and burnout in life, then something is out of order. Take the initiative to nurture a creative soul. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Nurture Physical Health
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” 1 Cor 6:19-20 (NIV) You are the walking tabernacle of the Presence of God. God has chosen to take up residence in your body by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Everywhere you go, the Holy Spirit goes with you because He is living inside of you. Your body is His temple. As the temple of the Holy Spirit, how should you live? Your lifestyle should be consistent with the Person living inside of you. You are to embrace a lifestyle of holiness, righteousness, and godliness. As the temple of the Holy Spirit, you should also nurture physical health. Take care of your physical body. Eat properly, exercise regularly, and rest thoroughly. When it comes to eating properly, there are so many options and opportunities to satisfy your appetite in an unhealthy manner. It takes discipline to make wise choices when it comes to deciding what kind of food to eat. God has designed the human body to respond to physical exertion. When you exercise regularly, your body is strengthened and your energy level elevates. Honoring God with your body includes executing an intentional plan for physical fitness. God created your body to move. As you move, you benefit your physical health. You also nurture physical health through resting thoroughly. It is possible to sleep and not rest. Your body needs a daily pit stop. You honor God with your body as you allow time for your body to rest, recharge, and rejuvenate. God replenishes your mind, your emotions, and your muscles as you rest. What adjustments do you need to make to nurture physical health? Pray and ask God to empower you on this journey of honoring Him with your body. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Phil 2:3-4 (NIV) Have you ever written a mission statement for your own life? Let me share a few personal mission statements I have seen. I exist to love God and to love others. I exist to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. I exist to leave the world a better place than I found it. I exist to take as many people with me to heaven as possible. God re-created you in Christ to reorient your life from selfish ambition to selfless ambition. Instead of living to benefit yourself, God empowers you to live to benefit others. When pride seeps in, your ability to serve others erodes. In humility, you consider others better than yourself. In humility, you esteem others above yourself. Are you looking to the interests of others? Have you considered how you can invest in others? God has blessed you in Christ to be a blessing to others. You have been planted right where you are by God so that you can bloom for His glory and for the benefit of those in your sphere of influence. In humility, serve them. In humility, love them the way Jesus loves you. What if you adopted the following mission statement? I exist to bring glory to God by living to benefit others. How would that impact your relationships? How would that affect your attitude about waking up each day? You would be living on purpose and on mission with God. You would begin to see your home, your neighborhood, your campus, your place of employment, and your sphere of influence as your mission field. Start today! Bring glory to God by living to benefit others! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Eph 5:1-2 (NIV) Did you know that you will multiply what you model? Now that is convicting! That means that it truly does matter how you live your life. It truly matters how you conduct your daily living. Your beliefs and your behavior both matter to God and impact others. So how do you live a life of love? Imitate God! Maybe you have heard parents remark that they want you to do as they say and not as they do. Of course, you would define that behavior as hypocrisy. God wants us to live in such a way that we encourage others to do as we say and as we do. We are to strive to live in such a way that the way we live lines up with what we say. What kind of love does God want you to model? God wants you to model sincere love. God wants you to set an example for others to follow. In other words, be a model to follow. Model the kind of life that draws others to Christ. Live the kind of life that models the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. What are you multiplying? You know the answer: whatever you are modeling. Model what you want to multiply. May your children and those in your sphere of influence become fully devoted followers of Christ as a result of the sincere faith and love that you are modeling before them! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Make Room for Marriage
“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Eph 5:33 (NIV) Being selfish requires no effort. Selfishness comes naturally to us. If we aren’t careful, we will operate our lives on the assumption that life revolves around us. Being self-centered and self-absorbed is the antithesis of marriage. In the marriage relationship, the husband and wife must release selfishness and embrace selflessness. The husband is to love his wife as he loves himself. The wife is to respect her husband. In his book, Love and Respect, Dr. Emerson Eggerichs identifies what he calls the Crazy Cycle: “When a husband feels disrespected, he has a natural tendency to react in ways that feel unloving to his wife. When a wife feels unloved, she has a natural tendency to react in ways that feel disrespectful to her husband.” Our culture is not marriage-friendly. The pace of life and the demands on our time can strain a marriage relationship. As a partner, you have to make room for marriage. You have to conscientiously and intentionally make room for the one you love. In order to have a healthy, vibrant, and growing marriage, you have to create space for the relationship. It takes time to nurture a meaningful relationship with your spouse. Busyness is the prominent enemy to intimacy. We divert our energy to parenting, to our career, to recreation, and to other things to the neglect of our marriage relationship. It is so easy to neglect the sacred union God calls us to with our spouse. We can give our best to others and give our spouse the crumbs. That’s a recipe for an unhealthy marriage. Remember, you will make room for what you value! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9 (NIV) If you have become a child of God through faith in Jesus alone, then you are a priest before God. Your new identity in Christ has given you direct access to God. You do not need to go through a human mediator. The priesthood of every believer is the reality for those adopted into God’s forever family. As a priest before God, start your day with God. Make it your daily spiritual discipline to start your day with the One who saved you. Do as Jesus did during His earthly ministry. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”(Mark 1:35 NIV). Carve out time to start your day with your Creator. No one knows you as intimately as God does. No one loves you as intensely as God does. You are His treasure. Start your day with God by feeding on His Word, communing with Him in prayer, and receiving His daily provision. Guard your daily intimacy with the Lord. You will have to strive to protect this most important daily spiritual discipline. Many other things will tug at your time, energy, and attention. What needs to change in your daily routine in order to start your day with God? Have you found a place to have your time alone with God without interruption? Prepare for this daily spiritual discipline. Develop a plan for reading through the Bible. Try to read at least one chapter from the Bible each morning. If you choose to read four chapters each day, you will read through the entire Bible in one year. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Be Tender
“Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.” 2 Kings 22:18-19 (NIV) Be tender. At the age of twenty-six, Josiah encountered the reading of the Book of the Law. Though he was a king, Josiah allowed the Word of the Lord to impact his life. Instead of seeking to get God’s Word to conform to his life, Josiah conformed his life to the Word of God. “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.” Matthew 13:23 (NIV) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” II Tim 3:16-17 (NIV) Do you read the Bible? When you read the Bible, are you allowing God’s Word to take root in your life? Are you tender towards God and sensitive to what He speaks into your life? Jesus wants us to move from being hearers of the Word only, to being doers of the Word. Is your heart responsive to God’s Word? How do you respond? Have you allowed God’s Word to affect you emotionally and intellectually? Strive to have a consistent daily intake of God’s Word. A healthy daily discipline is to read four chapters of the Bible each day. In one year, you will have read through the entire Bible. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Be Thirsty
“In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.” 2 Chron 34:3 (NIV) Be thirsty. What caused Josiah, at the age of sixteen, to begin to seek God? When you look at his family tree, you find that both his father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh, did evil in the eyes of the Lord. It is obvious that Josiah did not receive his spiritual heritage from them. When you look into the life of his great-grandfather, Hezekiah, you find a much different portrait. “Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.” 2 Chron 29:1-2 (NIV) I wonder if Josiah was influenced by the godly life that his great-grandfather, Hezekiah, lived. Another possibility is that Josiah began to seek God when he became a daddy, at the age of sixteen, to Jehoahaz. For me personally, when I became a daddy my understanding of God’s love and my pursuit of God intensified. There’s something about seeing your own flesh and blood and embracing the awesome responsibility of parenthood that draws you to God. You recognize your dependency upon God. Regardless of your age or life stage, assess your level of thirst for God? Are you passionately seeking God daily and allowing Him to have full access to your mind, emotions, and will? Is there anything or anyone you desire more than you desire God? I have discovered in my walk with God, whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Make Jesus your top priority. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Let Jesus quench your thirst! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Be Teachable
“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.” 2 Chron 34:1-2 (NIV) Be Teachable. Can you imagine an eight-year-old child becoming the President of the United States of America? That’s hard to fathom. Yet, in the sovereignty of God, Josiah became the king of Judah when he was the tender age of eight. God enabled Josiah to reign for thirty-one years. How does an eight-year-old rule his kingdom? He doesn’t by himself. Josiah surrounds himself with people who can help. He willingly brings people around him who can do what he can’t and who can exercise gifts that he may not personally have. Josiah becomes an effective king by being teachable. Josiah allows others to speak into his life. You need four people in your life to help you reach your God-given potential. You need a “Paul” who will mentor you. You need a “Timothy” to invest your life in. You need a “Barnabas” to encourage you and to bring out the best in you. And you need a “Nathan” to speak the truth in love to you. Are you teachable? Do you allow God to stretch you and mold you and grow you? Are you willing to allow others to get close enough to you in order to learn from them? Ask God to bring a Paul, a Timothy, a Barnabas, and a Nathan into your life. Be willing to be a Paul, to be a Timothy, to be a Barnabas, and to be a Nathan in someone’s life. Seek to add value to others as you allow the life of Christ to be expressed through you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their fathers.” 2 Chron 34:33 (NIV) Be tenacious. God used Josiah to bring forth a reformation in Israel. Here are a few of the reformation verbs found in II Kings 22-23 and II Chronicles 34-35: removed, burned, did away with, took, ground it to powder, scattered, tore, desecrated, pulled down, smashed, cut down, covered, defiled, slaughtered, got rid of, purged, cut to pieces, broke to pieces, tore down, and crushed. Josiah was willing to tenaciously follow God’s lead and remove all the detestable idols. Like his great-grandfather, Hezekiah, Josiah cleansed the nation of idolatry, repaired the temple, restored the worship, and celebrated a great nationwide Passover. Josiah tenaciously renewed the Covenant and reformed the culture. What is keeping you from reaching your God-given potential? What are you giving your life to? Where does your life give evidence of tenaciously following God’s lead? God placed you right where you are so that you could be an irresistible influence for God’s glory. God allowed you to wake up this morning so that you could spread the aroma of Christ through your conversation and your conduct. God did not call you to reflect the environment, but to set the environment. God did not save you so that you would embrace the way of the world. God saved you so that you would tenaciously follow the way of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Intentional Love
“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.” Mark 15:11 (NIV) Have you ever encountered injustice? Have you ever been treated unfairly? I think we have all been there. It hurts! The scars serve as a constant reminder. In our verse today, we find a word that compels us to contemplate. It is the soothing word, “instead.” Let me take this punishment instead of you. Allow me to receive this penalty instead of you. Jesus will be flogged and crucified instead of Barabbas. The innocent man dies in his place. The guilty man goes free. Jesus receives what he doesn’t deserve while Barabbas receives what he doesn’t deserve. Jesus receives death! Barabbas receives life! Is that justice? Should the guilty go free? God’s intentional love was clearly displayed. God took the initiative to come to our rescue. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”(Rm. 5:8 NIV). Christ died instead of us! Yes, while we were still sinners! How can you demonstrate that kind of love? Who in your sphere of influence needs to know what “instead” looks like? Forgive instead of holding a grudge. Show acceptance instead of forging a gap. Offer help instead of ignoring the need. Appreciate Jesus instead of taking Him for granted. It’s your move! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Finding That One Thing
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14 (NIV) Life is full of distractions. There are so many tugs on our lives coming from various directions. We daily combat the gravitational pull of the flesh, the world, and the devil. Countless opportunities to disobey God await our attention. Living the Christian life in a fallen world requires us to live on purpose and with intentionality. Paul consolidated his energy to focus on one thing. He disciplined his life to release the past and to embrace the future God had for him. For Paul, his past was relegated to oblivion. He purposefully let go of the past and invested his life in the future God had ordained for him. You have to decide how you will live each day. Being engulfed with past failures and past successes can keep you from seizing the life God has for you. Focus on this one thing: release the past and embrace the future God has in front of you. God will empower you to do this one thing. God will enable you to concentrate on His agenda. Tenacity, focus, and persistence are necessary to release the past and to march into your destiny. God saved you and filled you with His Holy Spirit so that you can live for His global glory. God wants you to experience His daily provision and to encounter His abiding Presence. What is keeping you from letting go of your past? What is keeping you from walking in the forgiveness God has extended to you? Be forgiven and take possession of the land God is giving you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” Phil 3:12 (NIV) Do you know where you are spiritually? Have you identified your current reality? Paul knew where he was and where he was not. He understood that he was still in the process of becoming more like Christ. Paul had not arrived and was not ready to declare perfection. One mark of maturity is recognizing your personal spiritual status. Being able to identify the reality of your spiritually is an important aspect of becoming like Christ. You are in the process of becoming who you are in Christ. You are still in motion. You have not crossed the finish line. At the moment of your salvation, you received the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9). You were adopted into God’s forever family. You were justified (Rom. 5:1). Now you are on the path of sanctification. You are in the maturation marathon. Moment-by-moment as you recognize your current reality and your dependency upon the Holy Spirit, you have the opportunity for the character of Christ to be formed in you. You participate with God in working out what He has worked in (Php. 2:12). Assess your current reality. Are you becoming more like Christ each day? Are you on a path to spiritual maturity? Is the character of Christ being formed in you? God does not want you to be spiritually stagnant or lethargic. God does not want you to settle for mediocrity or to be at ease in Zion (Amos 6:1). Reject passivity and take responsibility for your spiritual maturity. Employ daily spiritual disciplines, engage in weekly small group Bible study, and experience weekly corporate worship with others believers. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Unrelenting Pursuit
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Phil 3:10-11 (NIV) What makes you come alive? What are you passionate about? What gets your focus, attention, and energy? Paul was clear about the pursuit of his life. God had radically transformed his life on the road to Damascus and called him to a life of dangerous surrender. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul gave insight to his unrelenting pursuit of knowing Christ. His passion was to know Christ more. Paul desired to take his love relationship with Christ to a deeper level. He wanted to personally know the power of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in Christ’s sufferings. Paul was not satisfied with religion and routine. He passionately desired the real, authentic, and vibrant love relationship with Christ that no other relationship could offer. Assess your pursuit. Are there fragments of apathy and lethargy? Have you been distracted by worldliness or worry? Living in a fallen world can dilute your passion for the things of God. Recognize those things in your life that have stifled your spiritual appetite. Remove those things that have usurped your hunger and thirst for God. You determine the level of your pursuit of knowing Jesus more. Be unrelenting in your pursuit of a vibrant and growing love relationship with Christ. Emulate Paul’s passion to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Return to your first love. Guard your heart and passionately pursue Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Psalms 78:72 (NIV) Does the tongue in your mouth line up with the tongue in your shoe? Is your talk in alignment with your walk? If so, that’s integrity! Honesty and truthfulness are garments that every child of God should feature. To be a person of integrity is to be honest about who you are and truthful in your conversation and your conduct. Perhaps you know of people who are loaded with talent, but lack integrity. In many cases, their talent took them farther than their character could sustain them. We have watched countless talented men and women fall into grave immorality due to the lack of integrity. In God’s economy, talent and skill are insufficient without integrity. God wants us to use the gifts and abilities He has blessed us with through the avenue of integrity. The level of our integrity determines the veracity of our testimony. Purity, honesty, and authenticity are vital components for the person God uses. Sincere integrity is crucial for being on mission with God in a corrupt world. King David was not perfect. He made some poor choices and leveraged his position to indulge his sinful appetite. Yet, in brokenness and humility, he confessed his sin and received God’s forgiveness. David shepherded the people with integrity. He led the people with skillful hands. God’s grace was more than sufficient for the race. David learned to depend upon God and to trust in His daily provision. If God can make someone like King David into a man after God’s own heart, then there’s hope for us. We can walk in integrity through our daily dependence upon God. Without His ample supply of grace, we have no chance of living a life of integrity. God does not expect us to live the Christian life in our own strength. Let’s surrender completely to the Lord’s control and allow Him to live His life of integrity through us. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Spirit-filled Faith
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Heb 11:6 (NIV) This is your fresh start. You have a clean canvas for God to apply the paint of His plan for you this year. Let go of last year and latch onto this new year of untapped potential. God has doors for you to walk through, bridges for you to cross, and experiences for you to embrace. Faith is the key that unlocks God’s plan for your life. Without faith, you cannot please God. Make His smile your goal as you exhibit Spirit-filled faith. The great adventure of the life God has for you is right in front of you. Do you believe that God exists? Do you have a personal relationship with God through Christ? Then you have the faith that unleashes God’s power and the faith that illuminates the path God has for you. Earnestly seek the Lord. Passionately pursue Him daily through your Spirit-filled faith. You can look in the rear view mirror of life to trace God’s faithfulness in your past. Revisit the spiritual markers that remind you of God’s abundant provision. Recall all that God has done to bring you this far. Celebrate each victory! Now look to the future through the eyes of faith to see where God wants you to join Him in His activity. Leave room for mystery. God wants you to walk with Him daily and to trust Him completely. God may take you places you have never been. Stay close and clean. Keep your love relationship with the Lord your top priority. Enlarge your Spirit-filled faith through daily intimacy with God. Draw near to Him each day and enjoy His abiding Presence. Seize God’s invitation to join Him in His activity. God loves you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Brokenness
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” Psalms 51:16-17 (NIV) On the final day of the year, let’s explore what moves the heart of God. You have had 365 days to allow God to use you for His glory. You have experienced the ups and downs of living in a fallen world. Each day was filled with challenges and opportunities. Each day presented you with decisions to make and answers to seek. The year may have tested your faith and strengthened your resolve. What did you learn about moving the heart of God? In the 51st Psalm, David clarifies how God desires for His children to respond to Him. Sacrifice and burnt offerings are insufficient. External religion will not move the heart of God. God delights in His children exhibiting genuine brokenness. When we come before God broken over our sin and desperate for His approval, we move His heart. God desires that we seek Him in humility and brokenness. We do not impress God with our external righteousness and religion. God examines the heart to test our motives. God is moved when we acknowledge our dependency upon Him. Have you been broken before the Lord lately? Have you had a contrite heart? David poured out his soul in anguish before God over the sin in his own life. Personal responsibility for our personal sin will be evidenced by our personal brokenness before the Lord. God’s compassion will be unleashed as you pour out your soul before Him in prayer. Pray that God will keep you broken before Him as you live in this fallen world. We need Him every minute of every hour of every day. Confess all known sin and allow God to prepare you for this New Year. Release the past and embrace the future God has for you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil 2:3 (NIV) How do you view yourself? Your answer to that question provides insight into your understanding of humility. As Rick Warren says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” It is possible to have an inflated view of yourself. Paul addressed this concept by writing, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3 NIV). To use sober judgment is to view yourself accurately. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. In humility, embrace your dependency upon God and your new identity in Christ. How do you view others? When you examine the life of Jesus, you will notice that His life was about others. Jesus honored God by serving others. Jesus did not neglect Himself, but He put the needs of others before His own. He lived to benefit others. Jesus valued people and loved them unconditionally. His atoning work on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of the value He placed on others. Exhibit down-to-earth humility by embracing a proper view of yourself in light of what God says about you. Display a lifestyle of placing the same value on others that Jesus does. Begin to view others through the lens of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus has established your value and the value of others through His redeeming love. In humility, reciprocate that same value and that same love to those God brings into your path. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” Philem 1:6 (NIV) God uses the person who embodies a deep craving for the lost. It is possible to live your life each day and become so consumed with your own life that you totally bypass the reality of lost people. You can become so fixated on meeting your own needs that you overlook the glaring reality that lost people go to hell. Only those who have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ will go to heaven. Hell is real and the path leading there is broad. Heaven is real and the path that leads there is very narrow. As a child of God, you know the way for a person to get to heaven and have eternal life. You know that Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). Now that you know Jesus personally, be active in sharing your faith with others. You may be the only Jesus others see. You may be their only hope. Don’t conceal what God has done for you by providing you with the gift of eternal life by His grace and through faith in Jesus. Reveal the Good News of Jesus to the world beginning with the next person God brings into your path. Be sensitive to opportunities that God presents you with today. Seize the moment to make Jesus known. Actively share your faith so that those who know you, but don’t know Christ, will come to know Christ because they know you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell