Author: Stephen Trammell

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Faith Inheritance Listening Obedience Parenting

Sincere Faith (4)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Eph 6:1 (NIV) Are your parents still alive? Have you inherited their faith? Maybe they modeled sincere faith before you consistently or maybe they did not make those kinds of deposits in your life. It could be that one of your parents faithfully handed down the faith while the other parent failed to maximize that opportunity. As children, we are to obey our parents. God has given them the responsibility to model His love and His character before us. God has given them the privilege of knowing Him personally and making Him known relationally. As children, we have the privilege of inheriting the faith. Our responsibility is to pay attention, listen, and obey. We don’t get to heaven by living vicariously through the faith of our parents. We must have a personal experience with God by confessing our sin and trusting in Jesus alone for salvation. Yet, the faith of our parents can be inherited as they model their sincere faith before us. Assess your upbringing. What was your home life like? What part did faith play in your upbringing? Did you grow up in a home where Christ was honored and faith was a natural part of everyday life? Or, were you reared in an environment where sincere faith was invisible? The good news is that you can learn from the deposits your parents made in your life. You can benefit from the presence of sincere faith or from the absence of sincere faith. You can choose to replicate in your life now the faith they demonstrated back then. Or you can choose to elevate a sincere faith that was absent in your upbringing. God can take you to a new level! Stay close to Him! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Accountability Faith Family Protection Sincerity

Sincere Faith (3)

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” 2 Tim 1:13-14 (NIV) As you seek to impart your sincere faith, expect opposition. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you will be a threat to Satan and his agenda. Fight to protect that faith. Your faith is worth fighting for. The faith of your family is worth fighting for. As you impart your faith to those in your sphere of influence, you will be impacting their lives for time and eternity. Because of the value God places on your sincere faith, Satan seeks to distract you. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” 1 Tim 4:1 (NIV) “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God–having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” 2 Tim 3:1-5 (NIV) Protect the faith God has given you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Faith Influence Model Parenting Sincerity

Sincere Faith (2)

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” 1 Tim 4:12 (NIV) Did you know that you will multiply what you model? Now that is convicting! That means that it truly does matter how you live your life. It truly matters how you conduct your daily living. Your beliefs and your behavior both matter to God and impact others. So how do you impart your sincere faith to others? Model sincere faith before others. Maybe you have heard parents remark that they want you to do as they say and not as they do. Of course, you would define that behavior as hypocrisy. God wants us to live in such a way that we encourage others to do as we say and as we do. We are to strive to live in such a way that the way we live lines up with what we say. What kind of faith does God want you to model? God wants you to model sincere faith. God wants you to set an example for others to follow. In other words, be a model to follow. Model the kind of life that draws others to Christ. Live the kind of life that models the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. What are you multiplying? You know the answer: whatever you are modeling. Model what you want to multiply. May the whole earth be filled with fully devoted followers of Christ as a result of the sincere faith that you are modeling. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Faith Influence Parenting Sincerity

Sincere Faith (1)

“I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Tim 1:5 (NIV) Would those who know you best say that you have a sincere faith? Is your faith genuine? Are you the real deal? If so, then how do you impart that kind of faith to those in your sphere of influence? Make faith a daily priority. Paul affirmed Timothy for his faith. Without hesitation, Paul traced Timothy’s sincere faith through both Timothy’s mother and grandmother. Timothy was the recipient of seeing faith in action in a tangible form through the lifestyles exhibited by his mother and grandmother. They made their faith a daily priority. Each day Timothy examined the sincere faith that lived in his mother and grandmother. Now, Paul identifies that sincere faith in Timothy. Are you imparting your sincere faith to others? Think about the spheres of influence that God has entrusted to your care. The environments may include home, school, work, athletics, recreation, church, and traveling. Your sphere of influence may include children. Is faith a daily priority in your life? Is your faith evident to those in your sphere of influence?  God brings people into your life so that you can influence them for His glory. What are you doing with the faith God has given you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Appreciation Influence Mother's Day

Her Children Arise

“Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.’” Prov 31:28-29 (NIV) What a treasure to be surrounded by godly women: my wife, my mother, my mother-in-law, my mamaw, and my mawmaw! These five women in my immediate sphere of influence have modeled Jesus faithfully and served Him consistently. Their love for God permeates every relationship, every interaction, and every conversation. I see them in Scripture through the lives of Hannah, Eunice, Lydia, Lois, and Ruth. “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the LORD. And she made a vow, saying, ‘O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.’” 1 Sam 1:10-11 (NIV) “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” 2 Tim 1:5 (NIV) “One of those listening was a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth from the city of Thyatira, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. ‘If you consider me a believer in the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my house.’ And she persuaded us.” Acts 16:14-15 (NIV) “But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.’” Ruth 1:16 (NIV) Spend some time in prayer thanking God for the godly women that He has placed in your life. Some of them may have already gone to heaven. It would still be proper to thank God for them and for their influence in your life that continues even after their departure. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Heaven Jesus Salvation

Heaven (5)

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NIV) There’s only one way. I have often heard people comment that we are all heading to the same place and that we are just taking different paths to get there. All paths do not lead to heaven. There is only one path to heaven. There is only one way to get to heaven. It’s not arrogant to say that Jesus is the only way. Actually, it is arrogant to say that there’s another way. Jesus is the only way. “‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’” Acts 4:12 (NIV) “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:31 (NIV) On March 28, 1979, I embraced Jesus as the way and the truth and the life by confessing my sin and inviting Jesus to take over my life. I surrendered to His Lordship and have sought to become more like Jesus day by day. I have the assurance of heaven and eternal life, not because of who I am, but because of who He is. Long before I decided what to do with God, He decided what to do with me. What’s your decision? Have you had a life changing experience? Do you know for certain that if you were to die tonight that you would go to heaven? If the rapture were to happen within the hour, are you ready? Are you rapture ready? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Death Heaven Promise Rapture

Heaven (4)

“‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’” John 14:3 (NIV) There’s more to explore. God has so much more in store for you than what you have currently in view. There’s so much more on the other shore. God is growing you and grooming you in this life in preparation for the life to come. God’s nature is that of integrity. God keeps His word. He is the real Promise Keeper. As a follower of Christ, you will go to heaven either through the doorway of death or the reality of the rapture. You will either go to Jesus upon your death or Jesus will come to you via the rapture of the church. “Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:43 (NIV) “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” 1 Thess 4:16-17 (NIV) You will experience the ultimate reunion with Christ and your believing loved ones who have gone before you. The ultimate trade-in will occur as you trade-in your current body for the glorified body that God has for you. There will be no more cancer, no more arthritis, no more heart disease, no more diabetes, no more multiple sclerosis, no more Alzheimer’s, no more macular degeneration, no more mosquitoes, and no more humidity. Are you ready for Jesus to come back? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Citizenship Cross Crucifixion Heaven Preparation

Heaven (3)

“In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2 (NIV) Heaven is a place you can call home. When Jesus spoke these words of comfort to His disciples, He affirmed the reality of heaven and the specific rooms, mansions, or abodes in heaven. Jesus was not going to build what was already in heaven. Rather, Jesus was indicating that He was preparing a place for them and us in heaven by going to the cross to pay the penalty of their sin and our sin. “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Heb 1:3 (NIV) “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Phil 3:20-21 (NIV) Jesus has prepared a place for you in heaven by becoming the atoning sacrifice for your sin. Jesus has purchased your salvation with His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension. As a result, your citizenship is in heaven. You are an alien on this earth. God made you not for time, but for eternity. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t lose hope. Don’t get too enamored by this life on planet earth. You aren’t home yet. Heaven is your home! There’s no place like home… Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Abiding Presence Comfort Heaven

Heaven (2)

“No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Josh 1:5 (NIV) God’s presence brings comfort. You will never go through anything that Jesus hasn’t already endured on your behalf. Jesus knows grief, suffering, rejection, humiliation, betrayal, loneliness, and death on a first name basis. Yet, Jesus reigns in victory. If you will allow Jesus to reign in your life, you will reign in victory. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil 1:21 (NIV) “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy–to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Jude 1:24-25 (NIV) Joshua, Paul, and Jude can testify with clarity and confidence that God’s presence sustains you while you live the life God has given on this earth. While you wait for your glorified body and your glorious reunion with Jesus and your loved ones in heaven, God’s abiding presence enables you to endure the hard seasons of life. What’s troubling you today? Is there anything causing you to lose sleep or to agonize in the sea of worry? Has fear darkened your vision or diffused your passion? Surrender every fiber of your being to the Lord right now in prayer. Invite God to make His presence known in your life. I enjoy quoting aloud each day the following excerpt from Beth Moore’s book, Believing God: God is who He says He is God can do what He says He can do I am who God says I am I can do all things through Christ God’s Word is alive and active in me…I’m believing, I’m believing, I’m believing God! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Heaven Problems Provision Trust

Heaven (1)

“‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me.’” John 14:1 (NIV) God designed you for eternity. Everybody will live somewhere forever. As Bruce Wilkinson says, “Your beliefs determine where you will spend eternity; your behavior determines how you will spend eternity.” When you choose to live the life God has given, you experience abundant life on earth and you enjoy the reality of eternal life in heaven. In this earthly existence, you live on a broken planet with the presence of sin. As a result, problems become part of the landscape of life. The disciples were troubled as Jesus revealed the reality of His imminent death. “It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.” John 13:1 (NIV) As you can imagine, the disciples were grieving. Jesus offered them words of comfort by exhorting them to trust in God. They could trust God’s timing and they could trust God’s plan. Jesus included the appeal for the disciples to trust in Himself. Jesus had faithfully walked with them and taught them. The disciples had come to know Jesus in close proximity. Now they would have to trust in Jesus as He submitted to death on the cross. Trust in God to do what He has promised. God keeps His word. God has provided the resolution for the problem of sin. Trust God to carry you through this life into the life to come. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Depression Provision Relationship Revelation

Growing Through Depression (5)

“The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV) God’s revelation and relationships are antidotes to depression. God has chosen to reveal Himself to us through His Word. As you read the Bible, you discover God’s purpose and plan for your life. You come to know the heart of God for world redemption and you gain insight into God’s nature and character. The ultimate revelation of God is His Son, Jesus. Jesus is God incarnate. Jesus became flesh, lived a sinless life, and died to purchase our salvation. God’s Word is nourishment for your soul. God has provided the way for us to walk in relationship with Himself and to walk in relationship with other believers. God revealed Himself to Elijah as a gentle whisper. God wanted to teach Elijah to be sensitive to His abiding Presence. Elijah had chosen to leave his servant. As a result, his depression escalated in proportion to his isolation. One of Satan’s most effective tools is that of isolation. He wants to remove you from relationships because God designed you for relationships. In fact, the first “not good” in the Bible is where God said that it was not good for man to be alone. It’s time for a spiritual checkup. What are you currently doing for refreshment? What adjustments do you need to make in order to get more rest? Are you having a consistent intake of God’s Word? If you read four chapters each day, you will read through the entire Bible in one year. Do you have a life-giving friend? Ask God to help you in these four specific areas to help you grow through depression. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Depression Provision Rest Restoration

Growing Through Depression (4)

When Elijah reached the lowest point of his life and prayed that he might die, God provided Elijah with physical nourishment and rest. Read these two verses and take special note of the rest God provided. “Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.” 1 Kings 19:5-6 (NIV) You will spend one-third of your life sleeping. For your body to operate at maximum capacity, rest is a nonnegotiable. So how’s your sleep? Do you feel rested when you awake each morning? Sleep deprivation will negatively affect your mood, your energy, and your stress level. To help ease your mind at night, have a notepad and pen close to your bed so you can jot down the items that are bothering you. Instead of counting sheep, talk to the Shepherd. Pray through whatever you are worrying about and anything that God brings to your mind. When your mind is at peace, your rest will be sweet. Your pillow, mattress, sheets, and comforter do impact how well you sleep. If your room is too bright, you may want to think of ways to make your room darker. Another tip is to locate your alarm clock away from your face and place it across the room. If total silence helps you sleep better, then eliminate noise. If soft music helps you relax and fall asleep, then turn on the music. God wants you to take care of your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, do whatever it takes to ensure a good night’s rest. When you are well rested, you will feel the difference and you will have more energy to live for God’s glory. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Depression Food Nourishment Provision

Growing Through Depression (3)

“Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’” 1 Kings 19:3-4 (NIV) Have you ever reached a point in your life where you had just had enough? In our fast paced culture, it is easy to reach the breaking point. Frustration, fear, fatigue, and financial pressure along with other stress in life can lead you to the place of depression. When you are depressed, your resistance to the stress of life weakens and your ability to bounce back may be inhibited. What did God do to bring relief to the depression Elijah was experiencing? “Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.” 1 Kings 19:5-6 (NIV) “The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.” 1 Kings 19:7-8 (NIV) Your body requires refreshment. God has designed your body to operate effectively and efficiently with the proper consumption of healthy food. Food is fuel for your body. Why kind of fuel are you putting into your body? Elijah ate the food God provided for his refreshment. You could call it Angel food cake. Sometimes you may feel depressed simply because of a nutritional deficit. Depression can also be the result of the unhealthy food we choose to eat. Start experiencing God’s refreshment by eating properly and exercising consistently. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Depression Discouragement Fatigue Fear Financial Pressure Frustration

Growing Through Depression (2)

“Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’” 1 Kings 19:1-2 (NIV) Loss of perspective leads to confusion. Elijah confronted idolatry and the forces of evil with courage and boldness. He aggressively opposed the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Elijah was able to raise his hands in victory after the fire of God fell on Mt. Carmel to consume the sacrifice. The public victory had been won. Privately, Elijah shifted from faith in God to fear of the wicked woman, Jezebel. Elijah confronted the prophets with utter courage and now is running for his life as a coward because of a threat from Jezebel. Elijah displayed confusion as a result of losing his perspective. He falls into deep depression. What are some causes of depression? Frustration can lead to depression. Frustration over the circumstances you find yourself in can lead to depression. Sometimes frustration related to a strained relationship can cause depression. Fear can certainly bring you down into the pit of despair. When you stop viewing life through the eyes of faith and start viewing life through the eyes of fear, depression seeps in. Fatigue has a way of opening the door to depression. When you are exhausted, you can quickly lose perspective. Then, of course, there is the bandit of financial pressure. That kind of perpetual pressure can lead you down the alley of depression. Do you currently have God’s perspective on your life and on your circumstances? Have you experienced any level of depression in recent days? There’s hope! There’s help on the way… Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Depression Desperation Sin Susceptible Victory

Growing Through Depression (1)

“At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’” 1 Kings 18:36-37 (NIV) When you hear the name Elijah, your first inclination is to think of the major victory he experienced on Mt. Carmel. Elijah took on the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who ate at Jezebel’s table. Elijah is kind of like the “Rocky Balboa” of the Old Testament. He was not about to back down from the featured match between good and evil. “Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.” 1 Kings 18:38 (NIV) “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The LORD–he is God! The LORD–he is God!’” 1 Kings 18:39 (NIV) What a major demonstration of God’s power! What a miraculous response to Elijah’s prayer! God allowed Elijah to see and experience God’s favor. Elijah truly had a mountain top experience on Mt. Carmel. How could Elijah ever doubt God or deny God’s power after such a magnificent encounter? You are most susceptible to sin after a major victory. More to come… Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Christ Hope Sacrifice Servant Serve

Surrendered Life (3)

“‘The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.’” John 12:25-26 (NIV) Victory comes through surrender. Why did you wake up this morning? What are you giving your life to today? Who are you living for? God is working all things together for His glory and for your good. Today matters! God desires to conform you into the image of Christ. Christlikeness does not come without your willingness to fully surrender your life to the Holy Spirit’s control. As you choose to lose your life, the life of Christ becomes more evident in you. Consider embracing the attitude of servitude. Allow Jesus to live His life in you and through you. There’s room only for one to take the reigns to your life. Will you give Jesus His rightful place in your life? You cannot live the life God has for you apart from Christ in you. Even on your best day, you will come up short of God’s perfection. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20 (NIV) “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) Live by faith in the Son of God. Christ is in you and He is the hope of glory. Surrender to the Lordship of Christ and continue to follow His lead. Victory in this life comes through daily surrender to the One who gave His life for you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Brokenness Death Potential Seed Surrender

Surrendered Life (2)

“‘I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.’” John 12:24 (NIV) Are you dying to live? God has placed within you unlimited potential. God created you to share His love and to shine His light. Your life purpose is to bring glory to God. There’s no higher calling and there’s no greater commission to give your life to than that of bringing glory to God. Are you living the life God has given? The seed must die. In order for the potential within the seed to be unleashed, the seed must die. Without death, the seed will not germinate. Growth and development are dependent upon the seed dying. In the life of the believer, death to self is vital. The child of God must surrender his or her personal agenda, personal aspirations, and personal ambitions. Choosing to sacrifice your personal preferences in light of God’s best for you is a crucial decision. “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.’” Gen 22:2 (NIV) Is there an “Isaac” in your life that God wants you to be willing to sacrifice? Is there something in your life that needs to die in order for you to live the life God has for you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Paradox Submission Sufficiency Surrender

Surrendered Life (1)

“Jesus replied, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.’” John 12:23 (NIV) Victory comes through surrender. Our culture teaches you to take control of your life. Be the best! Give it your all! Get all you can! Be happy! Win at all costs! Reality shows have glamorized the self-centered life. The persistent themes suggest that your best life is all about you and what you can acquire during your short stay on this planet. Jesus demonstrated the opposite pursuit. Jesus left it all in Heaven so that He could come to earth, live and die a sinless death, be resurrected on the third day, and ascend back to His Father in Heaven. Jesus came not to be served, but to serve. Jesus oriented His life around the centrality of bringing glory to God. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2 (NIV) “‘Father, glorify your name!’” John 12:28 (NIV) Jesus willingly put others first. He willingly endured the agony of crucifixion and looked to the resulting outcome of saving mankind and bringing glory to God. Your best life is not your life! Victory comes through surrender. Are you willing to follow the example of Christ and place God’s agenda first in your life? Are you willing to reflect honor to God? Live in such a way that those who know you, but don’t know God, will come to know God because they know you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Burning Bush Moses Private Worship Public Worship Worship

Assessing Your Worship

“And God said, ‘I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.’” Exodus 3:12 (NIV) How’s your worship? Is God the object of your affection and the recipient of your relentless pursuit? God wants you to worship Him and no other. God wants you to display your love and affection for Him both in private worship and in public worship. Moses encountered God at the burning bush. This divine appointment was a life-changing experience for Moses. God provided Moses with the blessing of an Egyptian upbringing and now God is teaching Moses some things in the desert that he couldn’t learn in the palace. God reveals Himself to Moses. Moses comes to know God in His holiness and righteousness. God instructs Moses to deliver the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and to bring them to the mountain to worship God corporately. God demands our worship. God deserves our worship. Spend some time in private worshiping God for who He is. Express your love to God by praising Him. Make a commitment to take your private worship to church. Join other believers in public worship. Seek to express your love to God with fellow believers in worship just like you do in your private worship. God alone is worthy of your worship and your praise! Assess your worship. Is your private worship consistent and persistent? Do you draw near to God? How’s your public worship? Are you joining other believers in a weekly celebration of God’s Presence? Do you give God your best in your expression of worship? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Abundant Life Awareness Life Prayer

Obstacles to Abundant Life (5)

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong.” 1 Cor 16:13 (NIV) Get on your toes and be aware, be alert, and be armed. The Devil is real. Spiritual warfare is a reality of the life God has for you. This is not a time to embrace spiritual apathy or lethargy. Choose to live in the opposition readiness mode. God has given you everything you need to reign victoriously in this life. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Eph 6:18 (NIV) Get on your knees and pray. Praying is like flying; when you stop you drop! Nothing will keep you standing like kneeling before the Lord. Prayer is your life-line. Prayer is your communication connection to the Commander-in-Chief. Stay close and clean. Strive for unbroken fellowship with God. “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Tim 6:12 (NIV) Get on your feet and fight. Move from the posture of kneeling in prayer to that of standing to your feet to face the enemy. The armor of God will protect you. God has armed you for battle. Stand firm! Fight the good fight! You may lose some battles, but as a child of the King, you win the war! Satan has been defeated! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Abundant Life Devil Opposition

Obstacles to Abundant Life (4)

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

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Abundance Abundant Life Opposition Worldliness

Obstacles to Abundant Life (3)

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16 (NIV) One obstacle to abundant life is the flesh within you. Another obstacle to abundant life is the world around you. The world around you is opposed to the Jesus in you. The cultural current is anti-Christian. The world’s values will not be in alignment with the values of the follower of Christ. The way of Jesus is counter-culture. You will likely be in the minority as you live out your faith in a fallen world. “‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’” John 16:33 (NIV) “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.” 1 Peter 2:11 (NIV) Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer reflects the environment and a thermostat sets the environment. God has called you to influence the culture instead of allowing the culture to influence you. The abundant life that God gives is not found on the broad road that leads to destruction. His abundant life is found on the narrow road. Consider the environments that God has placed you in to influence for His glory. Are you overcoming the obstacles and seizing the opportunities to make Jesus known? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Abundant Life Life Obstacles Opposition Sin Nature

Obstacles to Abundant Life (2)

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15 (NIV) Sometimes your greatest obstacle is you. Paul gave us insight into the civil war within him. Though a seasoned believer and a mature follower of Jesus Christ, Paul wrestled with his old sin patterns. His flesh kept calling him back to the old ways. He experienced the gravitational pull of the flesh. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel had witnessed the mighty acts of God. Think about it. They participated in the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground. They ate manna from Heaven and drank water from the rock. Their shoes did not wear out after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The opportunity to enter the Land of Promise, the land flowing with milk and honey, was right before them. Yet, they were unwilling to embrace God’s abundant life for them. They wanted to go back to Egypt where they were slaves. “And they said to each other, ‘We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’” Num 14:4 (NIV) “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20 (NIV) Paul demonstrated the discipline of being crucified with Christ. When your flesh wants to go back to the bondage of Egypt and fulfill the cravings of your sin nature, choose to crucify the flesh. Remember, whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Starve the flesh! Feed your love relationship with God! Nourish the life of Christ in you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Abundant Life Life Obstacles Opposition

Obstacles to Abundant Life (1)

“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’” John 10:7-10 (NIV) Living the Christian life is living with opposition. Motion causes friction. When you choose to follow Jesus and move in the direction of the narrow path, you will face opposition. Living the Christian life is like swimming upstream. The cultural current will work against you. When you received God’s gift of eternal life by placing your faith in Jesus alone for salvation, you were adopted into God’s family. God placed you positionally in Christ and thus you became a recipient of the abundant life that Jesus gives. Along the way, you will have to overcome obstacles. Living in a fallen world as a Christ-follower does not exempt you from spiritual warfare. The reality is that your devotion to Christ will stir up a response from your adversaries. Resistance is part of growth. Just as there is no growth in weight training without resistance, there is no growth spiritually without resistance. Your faith must be formed. Without a test, there is no testimony. Opposition provides you with the friction necessary to sharpen the blade of your faith in God. Can you identify some obstacles to abundant life that you are facing personally? Will you allow God to use those in your life to conform you into the image of Christ? Are you willing to grow in your understanding of these obstacles in order to learn how to prepare for battle? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Abundance Heaven Life Living Wisely Perspective

Life on the Narrow Road (3)

Your best life is not your life. Your best life is God’s life for you. Who created you? What is the purpose of your existence? Why are you where you are right now? God created you to fulfill His purposes and His plan. You are not an accident. You have been appointed by God to join Him in His redemptive activity. Every thought you have today matters. Every conversation you engage in today matters. Every interaction you initiate today matters. God has saved you by His grace, sealed you with His Holy Spirit, and set you apart to serve others for His glory. “‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’” Matt 7:13-14 (NIV) You could not dream of a better life than the one that God has for you on the narrow road. The same road that leads to eternal life leads to abundant life. God does not save you so that you can experience life once you get to heaven. God saves you so that you can have eternal security and abundant life now on the narrow road. Your best life is not your life. God’s life for you is truly your best life. There is not a better option. The best option is always God’s option. The best way is always God’s way. The best path is always God’s path. Are you living the life God has for you? If not, why not? What adjustments do you need to make in order to live the life God has for you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Choices Day by Day Decisions Devotion Discipleship

Life on the Narrow Road (2)

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Col 2:6-7 (NIV) Continue to live in Christ. Your daily decisions determine what you become. If you want to become a fully devoted follower of Christ, then you must make daily decisions that will produce that reality. If you want to be physically fit, then you must make daily decisions that will produce that reality. “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” I Tim 4:8 (NIV) “Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Matt 16:24 (NIV) A decision to follow Jesus daily as Lord requires discipline and devotion. Becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ demands a daily death, a daily denial, and a daily determination. The daily decision to continue in the life of full surrender to Jesus reaps immediate and eternal benefits. Your passion should be to be conformed to the image of Christ. Whatever is in your life that does not reflect Christ has no right occupying space in your life. Your daily decisions include deciding what you are going to give your allegiance to and what you are not going to give your allegiance to. Deciding to continue to live in Christ means to give Him first place in your life. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Believe Confession Lordship Response Salvation

Life on the Narrow Road (1)

“‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’” Matt 7:13-14 (NIV) How do you enter through the narrow gate that only a few find? What does it take to get in on what God has already made available? Let’s take a look at three steps to entering the narrow gate: Step 1: Admit that you are a sinner. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Rm 3:23 (NIV) Step 2: Believe that Jesus is God’s Son. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in hims shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) Step 3: Confess Jesus as Lord of your life. “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Rm 10:9-10 (NIV) God loves us enough to make a way for us to be reconciled to Him. In fact, there is only one way to be restored to a right relationship with God. Jesus is the only way! “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NIV) “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NIV Enter through the narrow gate. Jesus is the way! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Obedience Responsiveness Tenacity

Potential Essentials (4)

“Josiah removed all the detestable idols from all the territory belonging to the Israelites, and he had all who were present in Israel serve the LORD their God. As long as he lived, they did not fail to follow the LORD, the God of their fathers.” 2 Chron 34:33 (NIV) Be tenacious. God used Josiah to bring forth a reformation in Israel. Here are a few of the reformation verbs found in II Kings 22-23 and II Chronicles 34-35: removed, burned, did away with, took, ground it to powder, scattered, tore, desecrated, pulled down, smashed, cut down, covered, defiled, slaughtered, got rid of, purged, cut to pieces, broke to pieces, tore down, and crushed. Josiah was willing to tenaciously follow God’s lead and remove all the detestable idols. Like his great-grandfather, Hezekiah, Josiah cleansed the nation of idolatry, repaired the temple, restored the worship, and celebrated a great nationwide Passover. Josiah tenaciously renewed the Covenant and reformed the culture. What is keeping you from reaching your God-given potential? What are you giving your life to? Where does your life give evidence of tenaciously following God’s lead? God placed you right where you are so that you could be an irresistible influence for God’s glory. God allowed you to wake up this morning so that you could spread the aroma of Christ through your conversation and your conduct. God did not call you to reflect the environment, but to set the environment. God did not save you so that you would embrace the way of the world. God saved you so that you would tenaciously follow the way of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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God's Word Humility Responsive Tenderness

Potential Essentials (3)

“Tell the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says concerning the words you heard: Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people, that they would become accursed and laid waste, and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the LORD.” 2 Kings 22:18-19 (NIV) Be tender. At the age of twenty-six, Josiah encountered the reading of the Book of the Law. Though he was a king, Josiah allowed the Word of the Lord to impact his life. Instead of seeking to get God’s Word to conform to his life, Josiah conformed his life to the Word of God. “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:23 (NIV) “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” II Tim 3:16-17 (NIV) Do you read the Bible? When you read the Bible, are you allowing God’s Word to take root in your life? Are you tender towards God and sensitive to what He speaks into your life? Jesus wants us to move from being hearers to the Word only, to being doers of the Word. Is your heart responsive to God’s Word? How do you respond? Have you allowed God’s Word to affect you emotionally and intellectually? Strive to have a consistent daily intake of God’s Word. A healthy daily discipline is to read four chapters of the Bible each day. In one year, you will have read through the entire Bible. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Family Tree Seek Thirst

Potential Essentials (2)

“In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David.” 2 Chron 34:3 (NIV) Be thirsty. What caused Josiah, at the age of sixteen, to begin to seek God? When you look at his family tree, you find that both his father, Amon, and his grandfather, Manasseh, did evil in the eyes of the Lord. It is obvious that Josiah did not receive his spiritual heritage from them. When you look into the life of his great-grandfather, Hezekiah, you find a much different portrait. “Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father David had done.” 2 Chron 29:1-2 (NIV) I wonder if Josiah was influenced by the godly life that his great-grandfather, Hezekiah, lived. Another possibility is that Josiah began to seek God when he became a daddy, at the age of sixteen, to Jehoahaz. For me personally, when I became a daddy my understanding of God’s love and my pursuit of God intensified. There’s something about seeing your own flesh and blood and embracing the awesome responsibility of parenthood that draws you to God. You recognize your dependency upon God. Regardless of your age or life stage, assess your level of thirst for God? Are you passionately seeking God daily and allowing Him to have full access to your mind, emotions, and will? Is there anything or anyone you desire more than you desire God? I have discovered in my walk with God, whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Make Jesus your top priority. Draw near to Him and He will draw near to you. Let Jesus quench your thirst! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor