Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Author: Stephen Trammell
Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Levels of Intimacy
“Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze.” Ex. 27:1-2 (NIV) When you think about relationships, there are different levels of intimacy. Some relationships are emotionally distant and surfaced whereas some relationships have the capacity to be more consistent and feature an element of closeness. Then there are those relationships where the interaction is meaningful, transparent, and magnetic. The Encarta Dictionary defines the word intimacy as a close personal relationship; a detailed knowledge resulting from a close or long association. One of my favorite definitions of intimacy is: “in to me you see.” God desires intimacy with you. In the Old Testament, the portrait of intimacy was the formation and utilization of the Tabernacle. God made a way for His people to experience intimacy with Him through a religious relationship. As you enter the Tabernacle, the first item you encounter is the altar of burnt offering. The New Testament equivalent is the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for your sin. As you pray through the Tabernacle, spend some time at the “altar of burnt offering” to praise God for His ultimate love gift and for Jesus being willing to pay the penalty for your sin. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Seeking God
“I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalms 119:10-11 (NIV) What guides your decision making process? What is your moral compass? How do you know if your decisions line up with God’s will? As you seek the Lord with all your heart, He will make His will known to you. God is a God of revelation. His desire is for you to know Him personally and to obey Him instantly. Passionately pursue God’s agenda. Focus your life on accomplishing His will. Practice moment-by-moment surrender to His Lordship and respond to His prompting. God has given you His Word. As you read and feed on the Bible, God will unveil His will. You will discover what God loves and what God hates. You will begin to discern what God has for you to join Him in. God invites you to join Him in His activity so that you can experience His love and benefit His kingdom. Choose to meditate upon God’s Word. Read through a few chapters of the Bible and slow down on the verses that speak into your life. Ask God to illuminate His Word as you read. Meditate on what you sense God is saying to you and then apply that truth in practical living. Obey what God shows you. Seek the Lord with all your heart and demonstrate obedience as you hide God’s Word in your heart. Internalize God’s Word so that you can live a life of instant obedience. Hide God’s Word in your heart and embrace a lifestyle of moral purity. God’s way is always the best way! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Having a Song to Sing
“The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Psalms 118:14 (NIV) When you contemplate the depth of God’s love demonstrated in your salvation, it will create in you a song to sing. When you think about what God has saved you from, it will produce in you a song to sing. God has saved you from hell and for heaven. God has saved you from your sin and for His righteousness. God has saved you from darkness and for the kingdom of light. The Lord is your salvation. The Lord is your song. Draw strength from Him in your moment of despair. Cling to the Lord and employ His strength for the journey of life. Whenever you are navigating troubled waters, rely on His strength. Whenever your faith is being tested, remember that He is your strength. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1 (NIV) “I lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalms 121:1-2 (NIV) Present your needs before the Lord in prayer. Consider writing down the specific burdens you are bearing. As you pray over each item, begin to claim the promises of God in these verses above. Claim the Lord’s strength over every situation. Affirm God’s ever-present help in your time of trouble. Remember that God can handle every situation that comes your way. He is the Maker of heaven and earth. There’s nothing beyond the scope of God’s power. There’s nothing beyond the reach of God’s Hand. You can know His strength, even in your weakest moment. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Refuge for Your Soul
“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” Psalms 57:1 (NIV) Where do you turn when you need refuge? The world offers many choices. You can lose yourself in the stream of entertainment. You can anesthetize your pain with busyness. You can dive into your work and allow your energy to be consumed by that pursuit. Another option is to embrace worldliness and allow the current of the culture to take you places you haven’t been. The only choice that delivers on the promise is the choice to turn to God. When you call out to God, the response is that of mercy. God does not give us what we, in our sin, truly deserve. God lavishes us with His love and provides us with His peace. His mercy is evidenced as your soul takes refuge in Him. What disaster has come your way? Take refuge in the shadow of His wings. Whenever you go through a season of uncertainty, take refuge in God. When the path is unclear, take refuge in your merciful God. As you wait for the answer to your prayers, take refuge in the God who hears and responds. The enemy will not thwart God’s will. Nothing will separate you from the love of God. As you take refuge in the Lord, thank Him for being merciful in your past, your present, and your future. Give God glory for His consistent measure of comfort during your seasons of desperation. Rely upon God’s provision to see you through. God will make a way when there seems to be no way. He is the waymaker! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Solved Mystery
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Col 1:27 (NIV) Is He in you? Do you have Christ living in you? God has unveiled the mystery. You can have Christ in you, the hope of glory. You were alienated from God without Christ and without hope. God chose to make Himself known to you so that you could have union with Christ. By His grace, God has made you fit for habitation by the Spirit of Christ. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2 (NIV) “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.” Romans 8:9-10 (NIV) In Christ, you are dead to sin, but alive to righteousness. You have been justified through faith. In Christ, you have peace with God. Rejoice in the reality of Christ residing in you. The hope of glory is living in you. What if your friends and acquaintances had Christ in them? What if those in your workplace or on your campus had Christ in them? Can you imagine the entire population of every continent having Christ in them? Let’s be intentional about helping others have the opportunity to experience Christ in them, the hope of glory. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Perpetual Intercession
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) Prayer is our privilege and responsibility of engaging in sacred communication with the Creator of the universe. The completed work on the cross has given us access. We can share our heart with God through prayer and deepen our love relationship with Him. Prayer is the avenue through which we maintain a vibrant connection with the One who created us and redeemed us. Doing life in the rugged terrain of a fallen world often emphasizes our weaknesses and our human frailty. We are susceptible to fear, despair, and apathy. In those times of weakness, the Holy Spirit helps us. The Person of the Holy Spirit lives in us and knows us intimately. He engages in the ministery of intercessory prayer on our behalf. Have you ever been in a season in which you did not know what to pray? Perhaps you would say that you are in that season now. Be assured that the Holy Spirit living in you is interceding for you in alignment with God’s will. Your name and your circumstances are being brought before the Creator of the universe. The Holy Spirit is your constant Companion. He will comfort you. He will guide you. Even when you don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit takes your burdens to the Lord through intercession. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Releasing Anxiety
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV) Is it hard for you to admit when you are anxious about something? Does your pride keep you from acknowledging your anxious thoughts? That’s why humility is a vital component to receiving God’s comfort. When you humble yourself, you take the initiative to present yourself before God in a proper attitude. In humility, you recognize your dependency upon God. Living in a fallen world generates anxiety. The uncertainty of the economy fosters an environment of anxiety. The presence of competing agendas creates tension which gives birth to worry. “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matt 6:34 (NIV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil 4:6 (NIV) Choose to bring your burdens to the Lord. What are you worrying about? What consumes your thoughts? What is keeping you up at night? Bring every apprehension to the Lord because He cares for you. Receive His compassion and enjoy His comfort. As you humble yourself before the Lord, He will lift you up. Take off the spirit of heaviness and put on the garment of praise (Is. 61:3). Release every anxious thought and renew your mind with God’s Word (Rom. 12:2). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Pacing Yourself through Prayer
“I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.” Psalms 143:6 (NIV) One of my mentors, Dr. Adrian Rogers, who is now in heaven, taught me how to PACE myself for each new day. Using the acrostic PACE, I lift my hands each morning and pray, “Lord, I PRAISE You! I accept Your ACCEPTANCE of me! I surrender to Your CONTROL! I EXPECT great things to happen today!” When you pray, your physical posture can intensify your focus. When you spread out your hands toward heaven, you are demonstrating through your physical posture an attitude of total surrender. You are expressing your dependence upon God and upon His daily provision. You are acknowledging His abundance and your desperation. Does your soul thirst for God? Have you ever gone through a dry season spiritually? Jesus is the Bread of Life and He provides Living Water for your soul. Jesus is your Shepherd and He restores your soul (Ps. 23:3). As you put your trust in God, He will show you the way you should go (Ps. 143:8). “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” Psalms 42:1 (NIV) “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” John 4:13-14 (NIV) Commit to PACE yourself each day. Consider lifting your hands toward heaven as you praise God, as you accept His acceptance of you, as you surrender to His control, and as you expect great things to happen today. God loves you and God is for you! Express your love to Him. PACE yourself through prayer! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints.” Psalms 52:8-9 (NIV) Are you flourishing in this life? Are you connected to the source of life and peace? The abundant Christian life is lived from the inside out. You start with your inner life, the private world of your love relationship with the Lord. You are the house of God. You are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Are you nurturing the life of Christ in you? You flourish in the house of God when you trust in God’s unfailing love. God’s love is not conditioned by your response. God’s love is not extended to you based on your performance. There is nothing you can do to cause God to love you any more and there is nothing you can do to cause God to love you any less. God’s love for you is unfailing and unchanging. You flourish in the house of God when you praise God for what He has done. Gratitude is the attitude of the child of God. Being grateful for the activity of God in your life is demonstrated through your vertical recognition of God’s faithfulness. Begin praising God now for His wonderful acts of compassion and tenderness. When you hope in His name, you flourish in the house of God. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” (Psalms 20:7 NIV). Be careful where you land your trust. Anchor your faith to the Master of the sea. Fasten your faith to the Rock of Ages! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” Prov 18:22 (NIV) Have you ever thought about participating in your children’s future by praying for their future spouse? Even if your children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren are young, you can invest in their future by praying for their future spouse. Just as you pray for your children, your grandchildren, or great grandchildren, you can pray for their future spouse. What specifically would you pray for? Commit to pray for their salvation. Pray that their future spouse would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Ask God to reveal His love to them and to bring them to the place of recognizing their need for salvation. Ask God to bring godly people into their path to help point them to Christ. You can also pray for their spiritual maturity. Ask God to give them vibrant godly examples to follow. Ask God to steer them to environments that are Christ exalting. Praying for your children’s future spouse is a tangible way for you to participate in your children’s future. Think about the value of looking into the eyes of your children’s future spouse and being able to say to them, “I’ve been praying for you since you were a child.” Can you imagine the impact that will have on their lives? Your prayer life is important, not only to your own future, but also to your children’s future. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Eph 1:17 (NIV) What is your desire for your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren? What is your desire for those you love so deeply? You want them to receive the gift of eternal life and be saved. You want them to grow spiritually and reach their God given potential. You desire for them to develop spiritual muscles that will demonstrate Christ-likeness. What are you currently praying on their behalf? If your prayers were transcribed, what would the content of your intercession be? Pray for your children’s spiritual maturity. Pray for their spiritual sensitivity. Ask God to give them an appetite for His Word. Ask God to elevate their thirst for His righteousness. “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” 1 Peter 2:2-3 (NIV) “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV) Are you living up to the prayers you pray for your children, your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren? Practice daily spiritual disciplines that will help you grow spiritually. As you pray for others to experience spiritual maturity, demonstrate that same pursuit by allocating your time wisely. Invest in growing spiritually. Let others see Jesus in you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“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) Enjoying sacred communication with the Creator of the universe is one of your highest privileges. Praying to God for your children is one of your greatest investments in their future. Pray for their salvation. As you pray for your children’s salvation, be sure to join God in His redemptive activity. Your witness matters to your children. They are watching you. Let them see the evidence of the salvation you have in Christ. Let them observe the fruit of the Spirit exhibited through your life. As you pray for your children’s salvation, seek to live out the life of peace and abundance provided to you in Christ. God does not want anyone to perish. However, everyone has to respond to God’s offer of salvation by placing his or her faith in the completed work of Christ on the cross. The atoning work of Jesus on the cross is applied to those who turn from their sin and trust in Jesus alone for salvation. Your children have the freedom to choose Christ or to reject Christ. Pray for them to receive the gift of eternal life. You can impact your children’s forever through the avenue of prayer. Commit to pray for your children’s salvation. Commit to pray that they will come to see their need for the Savior. Pray for their heart to be tender toward God and sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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God’s Initiative
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:19-20 (NIV) God was pleased! His unconditional love prompted His pursuit of rescuing us from our depravity. Having all His fullness dwell in Jesus brought God pleasure. God built the ultimate love bridge by becoming like us in Christ. The incarnation is a declaration of the fantastic love of God that transcends our understanding and benefits our forever. Through Christ, God reconciled us. In our sin, we were separated and alienated from Holy God. Only the depth of God’s love could bridge the gulf of our indifference. We were hopeless, helpless, and hell bound. But God acted in history to revolutionize our eternal destiny. God decided what to do for us long before we could do anything with God or for God! How did God accomplish the reconciliation and restoration of fallen humanity? God provided the ultimate sacrifice to remove our utter sin. Jesus made peace with God on our behalf through shedding His blood on the cross. Jesus did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. We were not qualified to pay the penalty of our own sin. We were not fit to receive the full wrath of God for sin. The iniquity of us all was laid on Jesus (Is. 53:6). Have you responded to the pleasure of God in Christ? Have you received the wonderful gift of eternal life, which God was pleased to provide to you in Christ? God became like you in Christ, so that you could become like Him in Christ. What is your current reality? You have been reconciled by God and for God. Now invest your life in sharing the message of reconciliation and extending the ministry of reconciliation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.” Col 1:17-18 (NIV) Jesus is supreme! He is eternal and supernal. Jesus is the glue that holds everything together. Without Him, life would not exist. Jesus is also the head of the church. He gave birth to the church and He has empowered the church to represent Him on the earth. In everything, Jesus reigns supreme. No one else can satisfy the longings of your heart. No one else can deliver you from the clutches of the enemy. No one else can rescue you from eternal damnation and place you on the path that leads to heaven and eternal life. Jesus is more than enough. He is sufficient to meet all of your needs. Jesus is more than capable to equip you to continue His ministry upon the earth. God did not create you to live out the Christian life on your own strength. You need God’s power to accomplish God’s mission. Will you allow Jesus to reign supreme in your life? Will you give Him both prominence and priority in your life? Jesus designed you to operate at your best when He is first in your life. Remove whatever occupies the throne of your life and allow Jesus to be enthroned in His rightful place. Surrender to His leadership and to His Lordship. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” Col 1:16 (NIV) God made you. You were His idea. Before God formed you in the womb, He knew you (Jer. 1:5). You are not an accident. God designed you and there is not another person just like you. Why did God create you? Why are you here? You were created by God and for God. You were made for God’s pleasure. His redeeming love was demonstrated through the sacrifice of His one and only Son, Jesus. In Christ, you are God’s workmanship. You are God’s masterpiece. All things were created by Christ and for Christ. As a Christian, you have the privilege of entrusting your life to Him. He knows what is best for you because He designed you. You were fashioned for His glory. Regardless of what you endure throughout the seasons of life, you can anchor your life to the fact that God loves you and will accomplish His purposes through you. Your present circumstances will not stifle the activity of God. Christ will be formed in you in the midst of your challenges. Obstacles become opportunities for Christ to reveal His love and to extend His comfort. Are you having trouble going to sleep at night due to the situation you face? Don’t count sheep, just talk to the Shepherd. Turn to the Shepherd and Overseer of your soul (1 Pt. 2:25). Christ is still the Great Physician. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Seeing God
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Col 1:15 (NIV) God has set eternity in your heart (Ecc. 3:11). As a result, there is a longing for humanity to discover their true identity. There is a compulsion to find God. God has revealed Himself through nature (Rm. 1:20) and ultimately through Jesus. God chose to robe Himself in flesh and dwell among us (John 1:14). Over the centuries, individuals have sought to make God in their own image. Tangible and visible gods have been fashioned to help humanity make sense out of the invisible God. God is spirit (John 4:24). Philip had a longing to see God so he asked Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus replied to Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 4:24). Jesus is the exact representation of God. If you want to know what God is like, just look at Jesus. As you study the life of Christ and seek to emulate Him, you will discover what God is like. God has made Himself known through Jesus. When you receive the gift of eternal life and allow Jesus to become the Lord of your life, you begin to discover the heart of God. His nature and character become evident because He chooses to live inside of you in the Person of the Holy Spirit. You become the walking tabernacle of the Presence of God. You have Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). Have you seen God? Walk with Jesus and you will see God. Read and feed on God’s Word daily. Become a person of prayer and seek the Lord through the discipline and devotion of unbroken fellowship with Christ. God will reveal His glory to you as you walk in daily intimacy. Don’t settle for casual Christianity. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Fellowship with Jesus
“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Cor 1:9 (NIV) God formed you for fellowship. In the language of the New Testament, the word fellowship means communion, communication, partnership, or intimacy. Just as God called you into salvation, He also calls you into fellowship with Jesus. You are invited to enjoy unbroken fellowship with the Lord. God’s invitation is rooted in His faithfulness. God is faithful. He is true to His word. You come to know His companionship through an abiding relationship with Christ. Your fellowship with the Lord is enhanced as you enjoy His companionship and embrace His joint partnership in the gospel. “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3 (NIV) Fellowship with the King of Kings is realized through the avenue of prayer. As a child of God, you have the privilege of enjoying sacred communication with the Creator of the universe. As you pray, your fellowship with Jesus becomes more intimate. Sharing your heart with the Lord in prayer and responding to His voice are vital components to continual fellowship. Are you enjoying unbroken fellowship with the Lord? Have you created space in your life for the most important relationship initiated by God? You have to make room for fellowship with the Lord. Spend time communing with the Lord in prayer each day. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Entrusted to His Care
“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Cor 1:8 (NIV) What do you base your eternal security on? Are you placing your confidence in your own ability to finish strong? The same grace that saved you is the same grace that will keep you strong to the end. Jesus sacrificed His life to deliver you out of the kingdom of darkness and to place you in the kingdom of light. Your eternal security is not based on your performance, but rather on the grace of Jesus operative in your life. Once you are in Christ, you are secure for eternity. Your eternal security does not give you a license to sin. Don’t presume upon the grace of God. When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you received the imputed righteousness of Christ. Your standing before God became that of being blameless. When God sees you, He sees you through the atoning work of Christ applied to your life. God views your life based on the shed blood of Jesus. You are now a saint because of your position in Christ. Jesus will keep you strong to the end. Join Him in that journey of holiness and purity. Participate with Christ by keeping yourself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27). In Christ, you are entrusted to His care. The caregiver of your soul is the Lord Jesus Christ. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 4:30). Your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev. 21:27). Now walk in the security you have in Christ. Live a life pleasing to God and help others come to know the security they can have in Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Enriched and Equipped
“For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge–because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” 1 Cor 1:5-7 (NIV) Once you are in Christ, the realities of your eternal relationship come to fruition. In Christ, you are enriched in every way. Your life is no longer your own. You become God’s possession and God’s masterpiece. He enriches you in every way so that you can know Him personally and make Him known relationally. When you speak on God’s behalf, He enriches your speech. When you are pursuing the knowledge of God, He enriches you with knowledge reserved for His children. Another reality of your eternal relationship is that in Christ, you are equipped with spiritual gifts. At the moment of your conversion, you were filled with the Holy Spirit and you received the impartation of spiritual gifts as determined by God (1 Cor. 12:11). God has placed you in the Body of Christ to fulfill His purpose and mission and you exercise the spiritual gifts He equipped you with. Are you operating in the enrichment and equipping provided by God? God saved you so that you can invest your life in serving Him and leading others into a growing relationship with Christ. You have been enriched in every way. You have been equipped with spiritual gifts. God has given you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Cor 1:4 (NIV) Paul was writing from Ephesus on his third missionary journey a personal letter to the church at Corinth. He acknowledged God’s call on them to be holy along with the other believers who were calling on the name of the Lord. Paul gave evidence to the content of his prayer life for the church at Corinth through the theme of grace. God’s grace had been clearly given to the church at Corinth. Paul had spent eighteen months there teaching them the Word of God (Acts 18:11). The grace Paul identified in them was the same grace that had rescued Paul from the path of being a persecutor of the church. Paul had a life-changing encounter with God’s grace. Now he is giving thanks to God for the grace they have in Christ Jesus. When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you encountered the grace of God firsthand. God gave you what you did not deserve. Because of your sin, you deserved alienation, separation, and eternal damnation. However, God graced you with His abiding peace and lavished you with His unconditional love. If you ever doubt God’s grace, just look into the rearview mirror of your life and recall the portraits of grace God has painted throughout the terrain of your past. In Christ Jesus, you have been given grace. God has blessed you with a new identity in Christ. You are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). You have been saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). You are God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10). God’s grace has been poured out on you abundantly (1 Ti. 1:14). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Rescued and Redeemed
“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Col 1:13-14 (NIV) Desperate situations call for desperate measures. The extreme nature of our sin and rebellion demanded the extreme nature of complete atonement for our sin. Jesus was willing to endure the scorn and shame of the cross to pay the penalty of our sin in full. Because of His obedience to death on the cross, we are the recipients of God’s rescue package known as redemption. Jesus came to our rescue. He lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death, and rose victorious over the grave. As Isaiah prophesied, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5 NIV). Jesus rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of light. In Jesus, we have redemption. In Jesus, we have the forgiveness of sins. Being rescued from sin and eternal separation from God places us on the path that leads to life. What a joy to live the rescued life! Now that you have been rescued from darkness, you have a life-changing message to share with others. What Jesus has done for you, He can do for others. What Jesus is doing in you, He can do in others. How will they know unless you are willing to share your rescue experience with them? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” Col 1:10-12 (NIV) Are you living for the audience of one? God wants you to live a life worthy of the Lord. Consider all that Jesus did to purchase your salvation and to provide for your abiding peace. Think about what Jesus did to take care of your forever. You are saved for all eternity. Heaven is your home! As you live to please God, He desires for you to bear fruit, grow in your knowledge of Him, be strengthened by His might, and perpetually and joyfully give thanks to Him. God has qualified you to participate in the inheritance of the saints. You are blessed and highly favored of the Lord. You are fruitful, you are growing, you are strengthened, and you are joyful in the Lord. As a child of the living God, you have been lavished with His unconditional love. Make pleasing God the passion of your life. As you trust God daily to provide the strength for Christian living, you will bring pleasure to Him. God loves you and wants you to please Him in every way. Be conscious of His abiding presence. Be alert to opportunities to bear fruit, as you stay connected to Christ. Allow the life of Christ to be evidenced through your life as you do what Jesus did to love God and to serve others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Asking God
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Col 1:9 (NIV) One of the most profound prayers you can pray for others is for them to know God and to do His will. Knowing and doing God’s will is the purpose of life. God has provided the way in Jesus for us to know God personally and to obey His will completely. The knowledge of God’s will comes through spiritual wisdom and understanding. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14 NIV). Spiritual discernment comes from the Spirit of God living inside of you. At the moment of conversion, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. He lives in you to teach you and to remind you of the things Jesus did and said (John 14:26). Pray that others might be saturated with the knowledge of God’s will. When you pray for others, ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. As they come to know God’s will they will have the opportunity to choose to obey God’s will. You will be involved in the process through the avenue of intercessory prayer. What a wise investment of your time! You can impact the lives of others through praying specifically for them to know and to do God’s will. Are you in the center of God’s will? Have you asked God to fill you with the knowledge of His will? Are you willing to ask God for spiritual wisdom and understanding to know His will? Bring honor to God by obeying His will. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints.” Col 1:3-4 (NIV) What are people hearing about you? Do they hear about your obsession with hobbies? Do they hear about your addiction to technology? Are they hearing about your misplaced priorities? What if they were hearing about your faith and love? Paul and Timothy were thankful to God in prayer for the church at Colosse because of their visible faith in Christ Jesus and their love for other believers. The church was bearing the fruit of being connected to Christ. Their love relationship with Jesus was producing in them a deep abiding love for other believers. The vertical faith they had in Christ was being demonstrated through a horizontal love for fellow believers. Their faith was expressed through active love for others. Take inventory of your faith and love. How’s your faith in Christ? Are you growing in your faith relationship with Christ? Think about your connection to Christ and assess your devotion to His agenda. Are you loving others the way Christ has loved you? Are you serving others the way Christ has served you? You can’t go horizontal with love until you have gone vertical with faith. Your relationship with Christ will determine your relationship with others. You cannot give what you do not possess. Until you are connected to Christ through an abiding relationship, you will not be able to express His love to others. Make certain of your connection to Christ. Guard your daily intimacy with the Lord. Nurture your relationship with Jesus. Stay connected! Stay close and clean! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Still Living By Faith
“All these people were still living by faith when they died.” Heb 11:13 (NIV) It’s not how you start; it’s how you finish. Commit to finish well. When you study the Hall of Faith found in Hebrews chapter eleven, you will discover great men and women who chose to finish well. They were still living by faith when they died. What are you giving your life to? Have you determined the focus of your life? Living by faith involves allowing Christ to live His life through you. Living by faith includes surrendering your life to God’s agenda. Yielding to the Lordship of Christ moment by moment validates the reality of living by faith. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NIV) “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 1:13 (NIV) Determine to cross the finish line of this life living by faith. Don’t let anything or anyone deter you from living a life pleasing to God. Grow in your love relationship with the Lord so that your daily walk will give evidence to a life of faith. Trusting God with the details of your life requires activating your faith. Will you submit to God’s authority? Will you obey God’s Word and embrace His way? Finish well by demonstrating a life of instant obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Taking God at His Word
“By faith Abraham, even though he was past age–and Sarah herself was barren–was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.” Heb 11:11 (NIV) Is the level of your faith determined by the intensity and severity of your circumstances or by the One in whom you are placing your faith? Abraham and Sarah’s situation was desperate and seemingly impossible. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was ninety years old and barren. Don’t miss the blessing behind “even though.” Even though Abraham was past age and Sarah was barren, God enabled them to become parents because Abraham considered God faithful. God had already made the promise of blessing Abraham with offspring (Gen. 12:2-3). Abraham believed God! “And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.” Heb 11:12 (NIV) “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.” Psalms 55:22 (NIV) Instead of focusing on your circumstances, focus on the faithfulness of God. You can bring your burdens to the Lord with openness and transparency. You can bear your soul before the Lord as you navigate the terrain of a fallen world. God formed you and fashioned you for His glory. Your circumstances will not derail the purposes of God from being fulfilled in your life. Trust God to demonstrate His faithfulness to you. Be sensitive to God’s activity today in the midst of your circumstances. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell