“From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Eph 4:16 (NIV) God rewards your service both here and in the hereafter. There are immediate rewards for serving God and there are eternal rewards for serving God. In […]
Author: Stephen Trammell
“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph 2:10 (NIV) Salvation is a gift, not a reward. You cannot perform enough good works to earn salvation. You receive the gift of eternal life by the grace of God through faith […]
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Gal 6:7 (NIV) The law of the harvest originates with God. As Creator of the universe, God has established the system upon which life exists and operates. You reap what you sow. God has made that a reality. There’s no need […]
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Real Deal
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession–to the praise of his glory.” Eph […]
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Usefulness
“He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” Eph 4:28 (NIV) You may have disengaged from this verse since you immediately recognized that you are not a thief. You are not stealing. You, […]
“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV) In his book, Finishing Strong, Steve Farrar reminds us, “You’ve got an enemy who hates your guts and will do anything to keep you from finishing strong.” The enemy we combat is […]
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Weigh the Benefit
“What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!” Romans 6:21 (NIV) Sin never delivers what it promises. Sin promises pleasure, but produces pain. Sin promises escape, but produces entrapment. Sin promises freedom, but produces bondage. When you look into the rear view […]
“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of […]
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Gifted To Serve (4)
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 (NIV) You are unique. God has formed you and fashioned you for His glory. […]
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Gifted To Serve (3)
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Cor 12:7 (NIV) God gifts you to serve others. The spiritual gifts you receive at salvation give evidence to the reality of the Holy Spirit dwelling in you. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. […]
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Gifted To Serve (2)
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” 1 Cor 12:4-6 (NIV) The Trinity is working for your productivity within the body. You will notice that […]
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Gifted To Serve (1)
“Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.” 1 Cor 12:1 (NIV) What’s in your toolbox? You need tools to do life and to meet needs. Repairs around the house require certain tools. Whenever you are in need of a pair of pliers, it seems that a screwdriver just won’t […]
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It’s Your Serve (7)
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Gal 5:13 (NIV) You are free! You have the freedom to serve and the freedom to choose not to serve. The freedom is yours to turn inward and become self-focused […]
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It’s Your Serve (6)
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25 (NIV) What motivates […]
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It’s Your Serve (5)
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (NIV) God has called you to serve. You were rescued by God and reconciled to God in order to serve God by serving to benefit others. Your life purpose on the earth is to be Jesus beginning […]
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It’s Your Serve (4)
“When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to […]
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It’s Your Serve (3)
“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:36-37 (NIV) We are introduced to Barnabas in the flow of the movement of God known as the Jerusalem church. There were no […]
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It’s Your Serve (2)
Consumerism dominates our cultural landscape. We easily slide into a “what have you done for me lately” mindset. In the natural, being served by others has instant appeal. We crave being served. Scratch my back and then I will let you scratch my back again. In God’s kingdom economy, the focus shifts from selfishness to […]
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It’s Your Serve (1)
The situation looked bleak as the disciples tried to figure out a way to feed the five thousand men. When you add in the women and children, the need to feed triples in number. Philip quickly responded to Jesus that it would take more than eight months’ wages to provide each person with a bite. […]
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God Works
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) While you were sleeping, God was working. He does not sleep. God is always at work. His work is continuous and consistent. Whatever you are facing today, […]
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Living as Clay
“But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands…” Jer 18:4 (NIV) Whenever you purchase an item that has an “as is” tag on it, you accept the fact that it may be flawed. In other words, the item may not be perfect. The beauty of salvation is that God […]
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Selective Memory
“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.” Psalms 51:3 (NIV) How’s your memory? Can you remember your favorite vacation from your childhood? Can you remember learning how to swim or braving the high diving board for the first time? Do you remember the day you got your driver’s license? There’s […]
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Facing Transition
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Psalms 46:1-3 (NIV) Are you currently facing any of life’s transitions? […]
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Unfailing Love
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.” Psalms 51:1 (NIV) David came to the point of desperation after committing the sins of adultery and murder. God used the prophet Nathan to confront David. Nathan used a parable to personalize David’s sin and […]
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Compelling Love
“If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” 1 John 3:17 (NIV) When you pull up to a traffic signal and notice a man holding a cardboard sign saying, “Need food! Please help!” What kind of thoughts […]
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Life Instead
“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 […]
“He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:2 (NIV) Without pruning, there is no productivity. God wants us to be fruitful. In order for us to bear fruit that remains, God initiates the […]
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 (NIV) Are you ready to leave? Hit the pause button for just a moment and take a close look at your life. What have you done with the life God has given you? What have you […]
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Departure (5)
“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Heb 2:1 (NIV) Departure readiness includes making sure that you are saved and being conscientious about how you live each day. Every moment matters in God’s economy. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to be […]
“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God.” 1 Peter 4:1-2 (NIV) What […]