Author: Stephen Trammell

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Church Family Stewardship

Space Invaders (7)

“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb 10:25 (NIV) Excessive church activities can become a space invader. You have probably heard people say that they were in church every time the church doors were open. That sounds really spiritual at first. However, it is possible to be at church too much. Be careful not to equate spiritual activity with spiritual maturity. Having an abundance of church activities does not ensure personal spiritual growth. You can get spread too thin saying “yes” to too many church functions. The writer of Hebrews is affirming the value of doing life together with other believers in community. You have the privilege of encouraging each other in the faith as you meet together to study God’s Word and to build meaningful relationships. God wants you to be in fellowship with other believers at the level of meeting regularly to develop your relationship with God and with each other. How can you keep from overloading your calendar with church activities? Learn to say “yes” to the right things. For example, you should be connected to three environments on a weekly basis. You need to be involved in a Christ exalting corporate worship environment, a small group Bible study where you can experience authentic community, and an area of service where you can exercise your spiritual gifts. Focus on those three environments and you will not only simplify your life, but also experience a new measure of spiritual growth. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Children Family Parenting Stewardship

Space Invaders (6)

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Prov 22:6 (NIV) Child-centered parenting is not in alignment with God’s economy. God values order. Where there is order, there is fruitfulness. God established the home for our benefit and for His glory. God’s blueprint for the home includes order. God expects the husband and father to be the spiritual leader of the home. During my upbringing, my parents divorced and as a result, my mother became the spiritual leader of our home. The spiritual leader of the home is responsible to set the spiritual temperature for the home. Thus, the spiritual leader of the home is to be the spiritual thermostat for the home. When our children are elevated to the place of setting the environment for the home, something is out of order. When parenting becomes child-centered, in that everything centers around the wants and wishes of the child, something is out of order. Excessive extra-curricular activities for our children can become space invaders. When our lives and our schedules resemble a perpetual rat race, then something is out of order. We can overload and overwhelm our home by being overextended and overcommitted to too many activities. Instead of pushing our children to be involved in a myriad of activities, what if we had them choose one or two. Would that simplify your famly life? Would your schedule have more space or margin to do life? Who is making the tough choices in your home to keep your family in alignment with God’s economy? Who is guarding the priorities and the order ordained by God for your home? The decisions you make to create space for doing life together as a family will serve as a tangible model for your children to emulate when they become parents one day. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Family Jesus Salvation Seeker Stewardship Trust Understanding

Space Invaders (5)

“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Ex 20:11 (NIV) Work can become a space invader. Do you have room in your life for rest? Of course not! You have too much to do and work is calling your name. “I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!” Work is demanding your time, energy, and attention. Work is biblical isn’t it? Doesn’t God expect you to work? Isn’t work God’s idea? Consider the reality that the Creator of the universe established a divine guideline for both work and rest. God was not tired after the six days of creation activity. God chose to model the value of working and resting. God established a pattern for us in order to keep life in balance and to do life God’s way. God knows what we need better than we know ourselves. He is the Creator and we are His creation. God is infinite and we are finite. God is all-knowing and we are limited in our understanding. God sees the whole picture while we see only a peep as through a key hole. When your work becomes a space invader, your life is out of balance. God does not want your work to rule your life and to dominate your energy allocation. God wants you to set aside a day each week to cease creating, forming, fashioning, meeting deadlines, and pushing yourself through the performance trap. You need a day to allow God to put you back together. That’s why God created the Sabbath day. You need a Sabbath. You need a day to allow God to re-create you. You need to transition off of the race track down pit road and allow God to change your spiritual tires, remove the debris from your spiritual windshield, and to refuel your spiritual tank. You need a weekly pit stop! Don’t allow work to invade your Sabbath. Don’t allow work to invade your family time. Ouch! That can be a challenge. God wants you to work when you are at work and be fully present when you are at home. God wants you to guard a day each week for His restorative work in you. Create space for God to put you back together! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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David Family Fasting Stewardship Technology

Space Invaders (4)

“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head.” 1 Sam 17:38 (NIV) Technology can become a space invader. As you can imagine, King Saul had the latest in warfare technology. His armor was the best of the best and fit for a king. Yet, Saul tried to shroud the shepherd boy, David, with this state of the art technology and it just didn’t fit. The armor that was to enhance David’s ability to combat and defeat Goliath actually became a major hindrance. “David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. ‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off.” 1 Sam 17:39 (NIV) “Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.” 1 Sam 17:40 (NIV) Technology has a way of enhancing our lives doesn’t it? We have more technology at our fingertips than at any other time in history. We are in the fast lane when it comes to our technology. Yet, it seems that over the years we have not really had technology; technology has had us. Instead of technology enhancing our lives, it has the potential of hindering us from the living the life God has given us. Maybe we need to find ourselves once again. Maybe it’s time to go back to the One who Created us and ask Him to show us our five smooth stones and sling. God created us to fulfill His agenda in His power with the technology of His choosing. Could it be that we have replaced our dependency upon God with an obsessive dependency upon technology. Instead of allowing technology to help us fulfill the Great Commission in our generation, maybe we have become distracted by the technology to the point of losing our focus and sacrificing our passion. What if God called us to a technology fast? Can we really make it without email, cell phones, text messaging, and the internet? Will we stop breathing? Can life continue if we aren’t connected to our technology? We always equate a spiritual fast with giving up food for a season. What if we sought to realign our lives with God’s agenda through a disciplined technology fast? It is possible that we may create more space for doing life God’s way… Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Family God's Agenda God's Will Stewardship

Space Invaders (3)

“‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’” Jer 1:5 (NIV) Allow God’s agenda to become your agenda. Before you were born, God existed. God is eternal. That means that God has always been and God will always be. God was never born and God will never die. Yet, you have a beginning. You have a birth date! Nine months before your birth date, you were conceived. Thus, you have a date of conception. To know the heart of God for you, we must travel even further back into time. Before God formed you, He knew you. Wow! That means that you were not an accident. You were created by God for a divine purpose. Before you were born, God set you apart. The concept in the language of the Old Testament is that of being sanctified. Before you were born, God had in mind exactly what He wanted you to become and God had in mind exactly when He wanted to introduce you to life on planet earth. God orchestrated all of this before you were born. Before you were born, God set you apart to participate in His kingdom activity. God loves you and has a purpose for your life. God’s purpose for your life is for you to experience His redemptive love personally and then for you to join Him in expressing His redemptive love locally and globally. You have a massive mission to fulfill on this planet during the time God gives you. Don’t waste it! Don’t allow space invaders to rob you of your divine destiny! Don’t allow anything to steal your passion for God and your passion to be on mission with God! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Busyness Family Stewardship

Space Invaders (2)

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’” Luke 10:38-40 (NIV) Busyness is one of Satan’s most effective tools to fragment the life of a believer. We have places to go, things to do, and people to see. The activity never ends and the deadlines never cease. We are never finished! There are always more hills to conquer and mountains to climb. The opportunities to get swept up by the current of activity are endless. Busyness abounds! It is possible to get so busy doing life and fulfilling expectations that you bypass meaningful communication with people. You can become so task oriented that you neglect the relationships that God sprinkles along your path. The most vital relationship that gets hindered by the culprit of busyness is our love relationship with Jesus. Martha was exercising her gift of hospitality to benefit Jesus within her home. However, she got lost in her busyness and missed the opportunity to simply abide at Jesus’ feet. Martha thought the most important activity was extending hospitality. Yet, Jesus brought clarity to the confusion by affirming that Mary had chosen what was better (Luke 10:42). Let me share one of my favorite quotes from one of my mentors, Dr. Johnny Hunt: “If you will give the Redeemer your time, the Redeemer will redeem your time.” What if we replaced busyness with abiding in Christ. Sometimes the most spiritual activity we can embrace is sitting at the feet of Jesus! But, it’s hard to sit at His feet when you are sprinting… Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Family Margins Stewardship

Space Invaders (1)

“Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.’” Ex 18:17-18 (NIV) You are structured for the results you are getting. How’s life? Are you stressed out? Are you overextended, over-scheduled, or overwhelmed? Are you getting enough rest at night? Are you still tired the next day? Do you feel that you have too many plates spinning? As you assess your current reality, what is God showing you about your life? The truth is that you are simply getting the results that your life is currently structured for. The way you have chosen to live and the way you have chosen to allocate your time has determined your current reality. Moses slipped right into a harmful lifestyle because his life was structured for results he was getting. The way he was doing life and the way he was fulfilling his role as leader of the nation of Israel produced the results he was getting. Jethro was willing to get involved! Moses was willing to allow Jethro into his life at a proximity for objectivity. Moses was also willing to allow Jethro to speak into his life. Jethro spoke these words to Moses with clarity, “What you are doing is not good.” Let’s begin there. As you take a close look at your life, what do you sense a “Jethro” in your life would say about your current reality? Would that person acknowledge that what you are doing is not good? Be still before the Lord for a few moments and ask God to help you uncover your current reality. You may even want to ask God to show you a Jethro that you can invite into close proximity to express objectively concerning your current reality. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Conflict Resolution Family God's Will Home

Family Spats (7)

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18 (NIV) Do you dread going home or do you look forward to it each day? Is your home a war zone or an oasis? Does your home drain the life out of you or impart life to you? Is your home characterized by conflict, tension, and chaos or meaningful communication, refreshment, and peace. What’s your home like? God desires that our home be a peaceful dwelling place. Don’t you just love that word, peaceful? It is so soothing and so inviting. God’s portrait for our home includes security. Our home is to be a place of refuge and safety from the venom of our fallen world. Our home is to be an undisturbed place of rest. That opens a whole new level of living. How far off is your home compared to the home God desires for you? The environment in which you call home is so much more than brick, stucco, and paint. Home is all about relationships and how we interact with each other and how we treat each other. Home is all about how we do life together as a family. Make personal spiritual growth a priority. Model what you want to multiply in your home. Mobilize your family to radiate God’s love beyond your home. My prayer is that your home will become a holy place where Jesus is honored and spiritual maturity is nurtured so that the population of heaven will be increased and the population of hell decreased. Now that’s the family business! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Conflict Resolution Family Introspection Jesus Judging

Family Spats (6)

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matt 7:3-5 (NIV) You always find what you are looking for. If we want to find fault in someone, we won’t have to look far. It is so easy to discover inconsistencies in others. When it comes to examining the lives of others, we have the eyes of an eagle. Detecting defects in others has a way of boosting our self image and stroking our ego. We tend to look through the microscope to view others and then choose to view ourselves through rose colored glasses. Jesus lobbed a major teaching on the value of proper introspection. He uncovered our human tendency to view others critically while viewing ourselves gently. Jesus even used the explosive word, hypocrite. When we critique others unfairly and then hide behind a mask that conceals our authentic current reality, Jesus exposes our hypocrisy. What if we began viewing ourselves in light of the holiness of God? What if we began to view ourselves in light of God’s Word? Our response would be like that of Isaiah, “Woe to me! I am a man of unclean lips!” (Is. 6:5). Remember, man looks at the externals, but God looks at the heart (I Sam. 16:7). Let’s deal with the gigantic log in our own eye and stop judging others for the speck in their eye. To help us find what God wants us to look for, consider praying daily through the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:3-17) and praying daily through the fruit of the Spirit. “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’” Ex 20:20 (NIV) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23 (NIV) I think God is calling me to be a logger so that the fruit of the Spirit will be evidenced in my life and through my life for His glory. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Conflict Resolution Family Growth Speech

Family Spats (5)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph 4:29 (NIV) Our words have such power. With our words we can encourage and comfort or we can shatter hearts and dreams. God wants our words to benefit others. “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Prov 15:1 (NIV) “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Prov 15:4 (NIV) Let’s talk about the wheel of conflict. Now, let’s imagine that conflict enters your path. You experience hurt feelings which may lead to anger. Someone has wounded you. You have a choice to make. You can flee and withdraw which leads to isolation and unresolved conflict. Or you can choose to face the conflict. Once you make that decision, two more options arise: fight or invite. You can go head-to-head with that person and launch a verbal assault and fight. Or you can take the better option: invite the person into dialogue. Simply say, “Let’s talk.” In fact, practice saying that right now. Then be willing to extend or receive forgiveness. When you respond to conflict this way, you experience growth in your relationship. The very conflict that could have destroyed the relationship actually takes the relationship to the next level based on how you respond. Would you be willing to allow the wheel of conflict to roll in a healthy direction? Ask God to give you the wisdom to make proper decisions to navigate through the tunnel of conflict and come to the place of healing, restoration, and growth for His glory. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Adversity Circumstances Conflict Resolution Family

Family Spats (4)

“John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.’” Luke 3:7-9 (NIV) When conflict arises, we can choose to react or respond. John the Baptist confronted his hearers with the reality of their spiritual condition and exhorted them to product fruit in keeping with repentance. Of course, this created a major conflict for the hearers to resolve in their own lives. They could react to the conflict or respond to the conflict. Fortunately, they responded with an appropriate question: “What should we do then?” John instructed them to share what they had with others including food and clothing. To the tax collectors, John exhorted them not to collect more than required. To some soldiers, John told them to stop extorting money and accusing people falsely and to be content with their pay (Luke 3:10-14). What kind of conflict are you wrestling with in this season of your life? Have you been confronted by a message that brings deep conviction? Is there a strained relationship that needs attention? How are you navigating the conflict? You have a choice. You can react in the flesh or respond to the conflict God’s way. If God has allowed conflict to enter your domain, then God will use it to conform you into the image of Christ and to strengthen your faith. God will use the immediate conflict you are confronting by giving you the grace you need to experience a personal breakthrough. Are you teachable? Are you willing to hear from God in the midst of your circumstances? Is your heart tender enough to ask God, “What should I do?” God knows what you are dealing with. God knows what you are feeling. He is in tune with every fiber of your being. Remember, before you were even born, God knew you (Jer. 1:5 & Ps. 139:13). How will you respond to the conflict in your life? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Bitterness Conflict Resolution Family Unforgiveness

Family Spats (3)

“Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV) Families that resolve conflict together stay together. If the devil came to you for counsel on how to destroy families, what would your advice entail? Perhaps you would recommend the weapon of mass destruction, unforgiveness. Unforgiveness poisons harmony and erodes trust. Unforgiveness perpetuates suspicion and fertilizes bitterness. As a result of living in a fallen world among fallen people, conflict is inevitable. In other words, motion causes friction. It is not a matter of “if” conflict will happen, but a matter of “when” conflict will occur. Conflict is a natural part of life on a broken planet. Conflict is the normal confetti of living in a fallen world. Every relationship at some point will hit the wall of conflict. As my pastor, Dr. David Fleming says, “Every wall of conflict has a door which leads to conflict resolution, meaningful conversation, and intimacy.” Unfortunately, we often react to the wall of conflict by withdrawing or attacking. Instead of patiently pursuing the door of conflict resolution, we take a short cut and forfeit the potential on the other side of the wall of conflict. What if we were willing to risk the pursuit? What if we were willing to allow God to navigate us through the process of locating the door positioned at every wall of conflict? What if we decided to resolve conflict together as a family? Could it be that revival would come to the home through the doorway of conflict resolution? Forgiveness unlocks the door! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Companionship Conflict Resolution Family Relationship

Family Spats (2)

“The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” Gen 2:18 (NIV) God created us for relationship. The first “not good” in the Bible is connected to aloneness. God created us for companionship. We do better together. God designed us to be relational, not robotic. God’s desire is for us to be rightly related to Him and rlghtly related to each other. God created Eve to complete Adam. Adam transitioned from “me” to “we” and from “mine” to “ours” in response to God’s gracious creation activity. God knew what Adam needed most! Adam needed companionship. As you read God’s Word, you will discover that the Bible is the story of God’s relationship with His creation and their relationship with each other. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV) “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 (NIV) Satan is anti-relationship. Satan is anti-companionship. Satan is anti-family. The devil does not want you to be in a right relationship with God and he does not want you to be in a right relationship with others. Don’t allow the enemy to keep you from enjoying a loving relationship with God and with others. You are made for relationship. If you are battling aloneness, ask God to bring some life-giving relationships into your life. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Conflict Resolution Devil Family Pride Selfishness Sin

Family Spats (1)

“You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit.” Isaiah 14:13-15 (NIV) Every conflict has pride at its root. Before God created man in His own image, God had to resolve conflict that erupted in heaven. Pride infused Lucifer (Satan, the devil), the angel of God. In pride, Lucifer sought to lead a rebellion against God and thought he could dethrone God. However, God is holy and does not tolerate sin. Thus, God “de-heavened” Lucifer. Jesus spoke of this fall and John recorded the fall of Satan in Revelation 12:9. “He replied, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” Luke 10:18 (NIV) “The great dragon was hurled down–that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” Rev 12:9 (NIV) Pride causes us to think of ourselves before thinking of others. Pride causes us to embrace selfishness and self-centeredness. In pride, we forfeit God’s agenda and become absorbed in our own personal agenda. Pride is evidenced by our pursuit of gratifying our sinful nature (Gal. 5:16). If pride seeps into your home, your family will experience major conflict. Pride corrupts and erodes relationships. Satan is the mascot of pride. He does not want your family to operate in peace, unity, and trust. Examine the weeds inside your home. Don’t try to cut the weeds off at ground level by dealing with the symptoms of pride. Get to the root of the conflict within your home. As you trace the origin of conflict, you will find the root of pride. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Being and Doing Church

The Church: Being and Doing (5)

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47 (NIV) Teamwork makes the dream work. God’s team is made up of those who have been saved by His grace. God’s team members wear the Jesus jersey and play for His glory. His team is characterized by unity, community, selflessness, generosity, compassion, loyalty, fellowship, gladness, sincerity, evangelism, and growth. Doing church first involves being the church. Our doing flows out of our being. It is possible to become so busy doing church that you bypass the relational aspect of being the church. God has called us, the church, to an abiding relationship with Christ. “‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’” John 15:5 (NIV) “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Eph 2:19-20 (NIV) As a member of God’s household, you are called to abide in Christ. Your perpetual connection to Christ and His resources will result in bearing fruit. However, don’t focus on bearing fruit. Focus on abiding. As you abide in Christ, fruit will be born. Apart from Christ, you can do nothing. His is your Source and He is your Life! As you abide in Christ, you will instantly add more value to the team, the Body of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Being and Doing Church

The Church: Being and Doing (4)

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

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Being and Doing Church

The Church: Being and Doing (3)

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) God empowers us for participation in His redemptive activity. We cannot operate in God’s kingdom economy without God’s kingdom resources. God’s agenda can only be fulfilled by God’s enabling. Without God’s power, we cannot fulfill God’s mission. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwelt the believers and enabled them to speak forth the Gospel. Everyone heard the Good News in their own heart language. This miraculous communication of the Gospel was God’s demonstration that the Gospel is for everyone! “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Romans 1:16 (NIV) “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) What is your spiritual story? How did you come to know Christ personally? What has your life been like since being filled with the Holy Spirit? What does God’s Word say about how a person can be saved? If you have experienced the Gospel firsthand, then you are now ready to witness to Christ’s saving power. You are now ready to share your faith with others. Read Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10, and 10:13. God has reconciled you to Himself so that you can join God in reconciling others to Himself. Build bridges to those who don’t know Jesus so that they can have the saving relationship that you enjoy in Christ. There’s no greater task on planet earth! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Being and Doing Church

The Church: Being and Doing (2)

“‘I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24:49 (NIV) God’s will often includes waiting. Jesus instructed the believers to wait in Jerusalem until they had received what His Father had promised, namely, power from on high. Jesus had to ascend back to the Father so that He could send the Counselor, the promised Holy Spirit (John 16:7). Yet, Jesus did not give them an exact time or date for the Holy Spirit’s arrival. They had to wait! “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) “‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” Acts 1:8 (NIV) The 120 believers waited ten days to be clothed with power from on high (Acts 1:15). Have you ever wondered why it took ten days? During that time, they replaced Judas by adding Matthias to the eleven apostles (Acts 1:26). But why did it take ten days? Perhaps the 120 believers had some internal issues to resolve. Maybe they had to confess sin and remove jealously, bitterness, and envy. Maybe it took ten days to come to the place of complete unity as a community of Christ-followers. Are you currently waiting for God to reveal His next step for your life? Is there anything in your life that God wants you to deal with before He shows you what’s next? Ask the Lord to search your heart (Ps. 139:23). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Being and Doing Church

The Church: Being and Doing (1)

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matt 16:18 (NIV) God ordained marriage and God ordained the church. We are married to Christ and our union is expressed through His Body, the church. Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus affirmed that He would build His church on that reality. In order to become a follower of Jesus Christ and become a member of His Body, the church, a person must confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. This profession of our faith is essential to salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). Jesus builds His church by adopting us into His family (Eph. 1:5). Only those who are born again enter into His Kingdom (John 3:3). Jesus builds His church. Our job is to be the church. Jesus saves people from their sin. Our job is to share the Good News of Jesus so that others can know Jesus personally and eternally. Jesus saves us, not sit, but to serve. Our role in the Body of Christ, the church, is to empty hell and to populate heaven. How many people will be in heaven because of you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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God's Presence Joy

Joy in God’s Presence

“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalms 16:11 (NIV) God fills you with joy in His Presence. The thought of having access to the presence of God is still amazing. God has made known the path of life. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). We have gained access to God through the shed blood of Jesus on the cross. Our sin debt has been paid in full. In Christ, we have been reconciled to God. God chooses to fill us with joy in His presence. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy God’s presence. We don’t have to wait until we get to heaven to enjoy the eternal pleasures. God is for us. He created us. God is with us. Jesus redeemed us. God is in us. The Holy Spirit indwells us. The presence of God is no longer confined to the Old Testament Tabernacle or Temple. God’s presence is no longer confined to the Ark of the Covenant. God has chosen to take up residence in us. “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) “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 (NIV) Are you walking in the joy of God’s presence? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Heart Joy

Joy to the Heart

“The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” Psalms 19:8 (NIV) God honors our obedience to His Word. One of the benefits of obedience is joy. Joy is not connected to our circumstances. As followers of Jesus Christ, we experience joy as a result of our abiding relationship with Christ marked by obedience. “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalms 1:1-2 (NIV) “But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 (NIV) Are you receiving joy to the heart? Take a look at your level of obedience to God’s Word. Your joy will be proportionate to your level of obedience. Obey what God has shown you. Obey what you already know and enjoy the benefit of joy. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Intentional Intentionality On Mission

Expressing God’s Love (3)

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Heb 13:16 (NIV) Be intentional. What moves the heart of God? What brings God pleasure? What makes God smile? Doing good and sharing with others! We have the freedom to choose to do good or to exit from the highway of holiness. We can embrace God’s best or settle for less. The choice is ours to share with others or to operate in the currency of selfishness. God is pleased when we choose to do good and to share with others. “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” Romans 14:17-18 (NIV) “Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” 1 Thess 4:1 (NIV) “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) Live your life with intentionality. Abandon to God’s will. Surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Love God and love others. Serve God by serving others. Put the needs of others before your own. Share Christ faithfully. Give sacrificially. Trust completely. Express God’s love intentionally. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Love On Mission Sensitivity

Expressing God’s Love (2)

“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” Heb 13:3 (NIV) Be sensitive to God’s activity. God wants us to express His love to His creation. People matter to God. Our value was clearly demonstrated by the ultimate love bridge ever built. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8 NIV). The Bible is God’s love letter to us portraying His constant pursuit to restore fallen mankind. Being on mission with God requires sensitivity to God’s activity. We will never live for the global glory of God if we are insensitive to what He values. God wants to use us in His redemptive activity. What does this kind of sensitivity look like? It looks like remembering those who are mistreated as if you were suffering. It looks like remembering those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoner. It looks like remembering the poor as if you were living in poverty. It looks like remembering those who are lonely as if you were lonely. Are you willing to ask God to sensitize you to His activity? God is not through with you. Your light can still shine for His glory. His love can still be expressed through you to bring others into a saving relationship with Jesus. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Availability Love

Expressing God’s Love (1)

“Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Heb 13:2 (NIV) God uses ordinary people to accomplish the extraordinary. Did you know that God receives glory as you make yourself available for His use? God is not restricted by your ability. God chooses to use you based on your availability. His plan includes His power. When you align your life with God’s agenda, God’s power is unleashed in you and through you. Don’t limit God! If you only reach out to people you know, you will constrict the impact God wants to make through your life. Choose to engage people outside of your normal sphere of influence. Be available to be used by God to touch people you would normally not cross paths with. Pray the prayer of Jabez (I Chronicles 4:10): Lord, bless me, enlarge my territory, let Your hand be upon me, and keep me from harm. Allow God to enlarge your territory by being available to go places you have never gone and meet people you have never met. It may involve a short-term mission trip overseas or simply a walk across the street to meet the neighbor you don’t know. Are you willing to place your “yes” on the altar? Say to the Lord, “I’m yours! Use me!” Don’t put conditions on God. Make yourself completely available for God’s use in God’s timing for God’s glory. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Expression Interruptions Serving

Interruptions (3)

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matt 14:14 (NIV) What if you turned an interruption, such as Hurricane Ike, into an opportunity to express God’s love by serving others? Jesus faithfully served others during His earthly ministry. He put His compassion in action. The ultimate demonstration of servitude is the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus put our needs before His own. “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) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Phil 2:4 (NIV) Look to see where God is at work and take the initiative to join Him in His activity. Be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus this week and serve others. Find a need and meet it. Put the needs of others before your own. Treat the next person you come into contact with as the most important person on the planet. Explore ways to be a blessing to that person. Express God’s love by serving others. May others see Jesus in you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Interruptions Intimacy with God Knowing God

Interruptions (2)

“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matt 14:13-14 (NIV) After hearing of John the Baptist’s death, Jesus chose to embrace solitude in order to connect with our Heavenly Father. Jesus modeled the value of knowing God intimately. When interruptions arise, turn them into opportunities to take your love relationship with God to the next level. Hurricane Ike has given many of us in the Houston area the necessity to embrace a different pace. Our entire region has shifted into survival mode. Families are coming together and working together to do life together through the backside of this storm. What an opportunity to know Christ more! “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) “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” James 4:8 (NIV) As followers of Christ, we have the privilege of determining our level of intimacy with God. God invites us to know Him personally and intimately through our relationship with Jesus. Whatever you are facing during this season of life, make the choice to daily draw near to God. There’s more to explore! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Family Interruptions Opportunities

Interruptions (1)

“When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” Matt 14:13-14 (NIV) Has your life ever been interrupted by a hurricane? Storms have a way of intruding your normal routine and invading the conveniences of life. Your whole world of normal comes to an abrupt halt as you navigate the rugged terrain of survival. Jesus experienced a painful interruption that hit close to home. Jesus received news that His cousin, John the Baptist, had been beheaded. Remember, John had baptized Jesus to inaugurate Jesus’ public ministry. John was the forerunner of Christ. Now Jesus had to deal with grieving the unfortunate loss of John. Our lives here in the Houston area have been interrupted by Hurricane Ike. What if we could turn this interruption into an opportunity to identify what matters most in life? In times like these, we are reminded of the value of our faith, our family, and our friends. Spend some time in prayer thanking God for what you do have, including the life-giving relationships that God has blessed you with. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Forgiveness God's Character Holiness

Recognition

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’” Luke 15:21 (NIV) There is power in the recognition of your true disposition. You can shroud your persona with a facade that exudes perfection while your inner life embodies disarray. Disguising the reality of your inner self has the potential to delay being found out. However, the manifestation of your true disposition will appear at some point. God has a way of exposing our current reality. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ “He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’” Gen 3:8-10 (NIV) When God asked Adam and Eve, “Where are you?” He was not perplexed that He had misplaced the crown of His creation. His question was not one of confusion related to an inability to find the couple that He created. His question was to heighten their recognition of their true disposition. God wanted Adam and Eve to recognize their current reality. After Isaiah encountered God’s holiness, he came face to face with his true disposition. A new standard of measurement became his conscious defining moment. Notice Isaiah’s response: “‘Woe to me!’ I cried. ‘I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.’” Isaiah 6:5 (NIV) The prodigal son identified his true disposition and responded with the confession, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” Consider the holiness of God. Are you sensing a need for confession in light of His holiness and your true disposition? His purity exposes our sinfulness. He graciously offers forgiveness. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Christ Distractions Focus

Removing Distractions

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.” Luke 15:13 (NIV) How does a runner prepare for a marathon? He removes distractions that would impede his progress and focuses his energy and effort on intentional training. One of Satan’s primary tools is to keep us distracted from God’s plan. We begin to major on the minors and minor on the majors. We drift from our core values and seek to embrace superfluous agendas. The prodigal son allowed the allurements of the distant country to distract him from his father’s plan. He sought to bypass his father’s protection and provision in order to court a cheap but appealing substitute. Sin never delivers what it promises! What’s the antidote to distractions? How do you overcome the lure of leaving the straight life? Here it is: Make up your mind! “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col 3:1-3 (NIV) Pray this prayer with me: “Lord, I have made up my mind. Since I have been raised with You, I will set my heart on things above where You are seated at the right hand of God. Lord, I have made up my mind. I will set my mind on things above and not on earthly things. I have made up my mind. Since you died on the cross for me, my life is now hidden with You in God. I have made up my mind in Jesus’ Name, Amen.” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Christ Provision Sufficiency

Our Sufficiency In Christ

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.” Heb 4:15 (NIV) Are you struggling? Are you hurting? Do you ever go through seasons of loneliness? Have you encountered frustration or disappointment? Have your dreams been shattered? Jesus is more than enough! He can identify with our heartache and pain. He knows what it feels like to be misunderstood. His life was marked by ridicule, unfair treatment, and betrayal. Jesus is well acquainted with the onslaught of temptation. Was He tempted? Yes! Did He commit sin? No! Can He relate to the gravitational pull of sin? Yes! Our insufficiency is transformed by the sufficiency of Christ. When we are weak, He is strong! When we are most susceptible to sin, Jesus consistently stands as the model to follow. Remember, Jesus became like us so that we could become like Him. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor