“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.” 2 Chron 34:1-2 (NIV) Be Teachable. Can you imagine an eight year old child becoming the President of the United States of America? That’s hard to fathom. Yet, in the sovereignty of God, Josiah became the king of Judah when he was the tender age of eight. God enabled Josiah to reign for thirty-one years. How does an eight year old rule his kingdom? He doesn’t by himself. Josiah surrounds himself with people who can help. He willingly brings people around him who can do what he can’t and who can exercise gifts that he may not personally have. Josiah becomes an effective king by being teachable. Josiah allows others to speak into his life. You need four people in your life to help you reach your God-given potential. You need a “Paul” who will mentor you. You need a “Timothy” to invest your life in. You need a “Barnabas” to encourage you and to bring out the best in you. And you need a “Nathan” to speak the truth in love to you. Are you teachable? Do you allow God to stretch you and mold you and grow you? Are you willing to allow others to get close enough to you in order to learn from them? Ask God to bring a Paul, a Timothy, a Barnabas, and a Nathan into your life. Be willing to be a Paul, to be a Timothy, to be a Barnabas, and to be a Nathan in someone’s life. Seek to add value to others as you allow the life of Christ to be expressed through you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
Author: Stephen Trammell
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The Comfortable Life (5)
“And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.” Col 1:10-12 (NIV) As you invest your time, energy, and resources, consider what matters most. Does it matter how much you acquire during your brief stay on the earth? Does it matter how many trips you make to distant lands? Does it matter how many accolades you receive from others? If not, then what really matters? The answer is: living a life worthy of the Lord and pleasing to Him. That’s what matters most! Now you can give your life to that. You can wisely invest your time, resources, and energy to that ultimate pursuit. What does that look like? That kind of life involves bearing fruit, growing spiritually, operating in His power, enduring patiently, and giving thanks joyfully. Take personal inventory. What are you giving your life to? Are you living a life worthy of the Lord? Is your life laser focused on pleasing God? If not, why not? Begin making adjustments in your time allocation, your energy allocation, and your allocation of resources to bring your life into alignment with God’s priorities. It’s not about comfort; it’s all about life change! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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The Comfortable Life (4)
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:12-14 (NIV) Don’t get too comfortable with your level of intimacy with God and your level of spiritual maturity. There’s more to explore! Don’t get too comfortable with your current understanding of the Bible. There’s more to explore! One indication of Paul’s spiritual maturity was his recognition of lack of spiritual maturity. Paul was not satisfied to coast down lazy river. Instead, he embraced the posture of leaning forward to become everything God had purposed for Paul to become. Paul never lost sight of the past God delivered him from, but he focused on the future in order to press on toward the goal to win the prize. Remember who you are in Christ and where God has brought you from. Remember why Jesus died for you and why God raised Him from the dead. Remember that you have been adopted into God’s family and filled by His Holy Spirit. Now forget what is behind. Strain toward what is ahead and press on! Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize! Keep your eyes on the prize! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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The Comfortable Life (3)
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Cor 9:24-27 (NIV) When I read this passage it reminds me of my experience of training for a 5k race. You may think that I meant that I was training for a marathon, but I was training for my first ever 5 kilometer race. I grew up racing motocross, bmx, and Jet Skis. But it wasn’t until I was in my mid-thirties that I embraced the challenge of a running race. I discovered that the intensity level in the training phase has proportionate benefits to the racing phase. Training matters! The Christian life is very similar to that of a race. Jesus calls us to run with purpose, focus, and intensity. We are to run in such a way as to get the prize. The focus of the Christian life is not comfort, but change. As we diligently run the race set before us, Jesus transforms us into His image. Knowing that we are going to receive a crown that will last forever, we are to run this race with passion and laser focus. Our lives are to be marked by discipline and self-control. There’s more to this life than preparing for and running in a 5k. God has an assignment tailor made for you to fulfill. God will comfort you as you comfort others and as He changes you. Allow God to empower you for the race. Be committed to finish strong! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.’ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, ‘It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.’” John 5:8-10 (NIV) What brings you personal comfort? What do you long for each day? Maybe you desire to be rid of relational tension. Maybe your idea of comfort is being nestled behind a good book. Perhaps you long for the mornings when you are winding up or you long for the evenings when you are winding down. The environment that brings you comfort may be that of peace and quiet or laughter and passionate verbal interaction. The invalid of 38 years received the comfort of instant healing when Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” And “at once” that man was healed. There was no delay. After 38 years, the lame man’s healing came instantly. The comfort of his instant healing was strained by the poison of legalism. The Jews were unable to celebrate the miracle of this man’s healing because they were so transfixed on the fact that Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath. Their legalism kept them from recognizing the Lord. Legalism bypasses relationship. God has not saved you from your sin and sealed you by His Holy Spirit so that you will live in the bondage of legalism. In Christ, God has saved you so that you can walk in the freedom of your new identity in Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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The Comfortable Life (1)
“One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, ‘Do you want to get well?’” John 5:5-6 (NIV) We know more than we are doing. We know that we are to eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest in order to be healthy. We know that we are to give, save, pay bills, and pay taxes. We know that we are to make the most of every moment that God gives us. We know that we are to forgive others, to love others, to pray for others, to be considerate of others, and to serve others. Yet, we don’t always do the things we know we are supposed to do. Jesus asked a thirty-eight year old invalid if he wanted to get well. That question seems out of place. Why wouldn’t a lame man want to walk? What would keep a person from wanting to experience healing? It is a matter of want. If you had the “want to” then you would find a “way to” be healed. Sometimes we can become comfortable with our misery. The question is, “Do you want to get well?” Do you want to continue living like you are living? Do you want to continue to operate in your current reality? Jesus is the answer to your situation. Are you obeying what you know? Have you responded to what He has already revealed to you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” 2 Tim 1:8-10 (NIV) Paul modeled his testimony before his son in the ministry, Timothy. Paul was consumed by the gospel. The Good News of Jesus Christ had radically transformed Paul’s life and he unashamedly bore witness to the saving grace of Jesus to a lost and dying world. “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) “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.” 2 Cor 4:3 (NIV) What’s there to be ashamed about? Jesus has saved you and called you to a holy life by His own purpose and grace. Jesus has destroyed death and has brought forth life through His gospel. You are armed with the most powerful message on planet earth. The gospel impacts life in the now and the hereafter. God has given you an eternal message empowered by His eternal Spirit that brings forth eternal life to everyone who believes. You have been given the keys to unlock hell and open heaven for every person who turns from their sin and to Jesus alone for salvation. Hallelujah! Praise the Lamb of God! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“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) Our participation in God’s redemptive activity includes actively sharing our faith. We are commissioned by God and for God to share His redemptive love to all 12,500 people groups on this planet. God has saved us and set us free so that we can shine His light and share His love with every individual. God wants us to share our faith with those He brings into our path. God also wants us to build bridges to people we have never met in order to share our faith with them. Are you willing to seize the opportunities that God gives you? Are you willing to go on a short term mission trip in order to share your faith in other cultures? Your home is your mission field. Your neighborhood is your mission field. Your school is your mission field. Your work place is your mission field. Everywhere you go is terrain that God wants you to claim for His glory. How many people will be in heaven because of you? Will your life impact the population of hell? Will your testimony impact the population of heaven? God has given you the gift of eternal life so that you can personally share that gift with others. Don’t mute your testimony. Don’t conceal your testimony. Instead, reveal to others what God has done in your life to bring you to the point of salvation and abundant life. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Sharing Your Testimony (1)
“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers.” John 4:39-41 (NIV) God uses human instrumentality in the redemptive process. There is nothing like the power of a changed life. When someone turns from sin and to Jesus for salvation, that transformed life touches other people. The Samaritans knew the shadowy past of the woman at the well. They were familiar with her lifestyle and most impacted by her transformation. The woman at the well was willing to go back into her city to share her salvation story. She was willing to go back to her fellow Samaritans to share her testimony. The Lord Jesus had transformed her life and she was compelled to let her new life in Christ be an instrument to bring others to salvation. “They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.’” John 4:42 (NIV) Are you helping people come to know Christ? Are you sharing your personal testimony? Do your family members know your salvation story? Look for opportunities this week to share your testimony and watch how God uses your life to draw others to Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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The Frustrated Life (5)
You will find what you are looking for. If you begin to look for the activity of God, you will find Him at work. God is always at work around us. His activity is constant. God’s redemptive activity is immediate and global. God is working right now and God is working around the world. Jesus had been in close proximity to the woman at the well and was willing to put His Jewish lips to her Samaritan cup. Jesus had uncovered her past and informed her religious understanding. “The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’” John 4:25 (NIV) “Then Jesus declared, ‘I who speak to you am he.’” John 4:26 (NIV) Sometimes we miss the redemptive activity of God because we are distracted by our personal preferences and prejudices. Often we try to conform God into our image instead of allowing Him to conform us to the image of Christ. In prayer, ask God to heighten your sensitivity to His activity. You may want to begin each day by reading a few chapters from the Gospel of John. Spend time walking with Jesus in the pages of Scripture. Look to see how Jesus joined God in His activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“‘Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.’” John 4:23-24 (NIV) In His interaction with the woman at the well, Jesus confronted the reality of her relational choices. She shifted the focus of their conversation from her personal life to the subject of religion. She expressed her views on worship. Her theology of worship centered on the place of worship rather than the purpose of worship. Jesus defined true worshipers as those who worship the Father in spirit and truth. Religion is not sufficient to develop a person into a true worshipper. In fact, just as a flu shot will give you just enough of the flu to keep you from getting the real thing, religion can inoculate you from developing a vibrant love relationship with God. Religion, ritual, and routine are not adequate. Without a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a person cannot become a true worshipper of the living God. Are you the kind of worshipper the Father seeks? Do you worship in spirit and in truth? Do you go to church to worship or do you go to church worshipping? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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The Frustrated Life (3)
“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” John 4:13-14 (NIV) Nothing in this life will satisfy like the water Jesus provides. Water is essential for survival on planet earth. Our body needs water to function properly. Water quenches our physical thirst. However, there is a thirst that water cannot satisfy. There is a thirst that only Jesus can quench. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Eccl 3:11 (NIV) “They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” Isaiah 49:10 (NIV) God has placed eternity in our hearts. There is a longing that can only be satisfied by the living water that Jesus provides. In His compassion, God draws us to Himself. “‘No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” John 6:44 (NIV) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NIV) God has made the gift of eternal life available to us. There is frustration in trying to share with others something you haven’t received personally. Make certain that you have personally received God’s gift of eternal life. Now seize opportunities that God gives you to share the gift of eternal life with others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’” John 4:13-14 (NIV) Nothing in this life will satisfy like the water Jesus provides. Water is essential for survival on planet earth. Our body needs water to function properly. Water quenches our physical thirst. However, there is a thirst that water cannot satisfy. There is a thirst that only Jesus can quench. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Eccl 3:11 (NIV) “They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” Isaiah 49:10 (NIV) God has placed eternity in our hearts. There is a longing that can only be satisfied by the living water that Jesus provides. In His compassion, God draws us to Himself. “‘No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.’” John 6:44 (NIV) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NIV) God has made the gift of eternal life available to us. There is frustration in trying to share with others something you haven’t received personally. Make certain that you have personally received God’s gift of eternal life. Now seize opportunities that God gives you to share the gift of eternal life with others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” John 4:10 (NIV) A man was on the side of the road with the hood of his car propped open. Another man drove up, stopped behind the car, and stepped out to approach the scene. The stranger asked permission to take a look and then requested for the stranded driver to try the ignition. The car started and the driver shouted in relief. Then he asked the gracious man, “What is your name?” The reply came gently, “My name is Henry Ford.” Can you imagine the creator of the Ford Model T being the very one who showed up at just the right time to repair the car he invented? Little did the woman at the well know, but the Creator of the universe was sitting right in front of her. Had she known what we know by reading the account, the woman at the well would have been asking Jesus for a drink of living water. As a child of God, you have direct access to the Creator and Sustainer of life. You have access to the living water that Jesus made available to the woman at the well. Pray through the following Scripture: “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 (NIV) “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true–even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20 (NIV) Jesus is near. Now choose to draw near to Him. Allow His living water quench your thirst. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
Have you been there, done that, and left frustrated? Life is filled with unlimited options and unimaginable opportunities. We are bombarded with advertisements which are positioned to convince us that we need the product being promoted. Our landscape is littered with attractions and allurements which compete for our attention. It seems that the more we acquire, the more we desire. The more we attain, the more we strain to attain even more. Yet, at the end of the day after the varied pursuits, we are left empty. We meet a woman in the Gospel of John who has been there, and done that. In fact, she has had five husbands and the one she is with now is not her husband. She has been looking for love in all the wrong places. She has been trying to make sense out of life through relationships with men. Each relationship has not delivered what it promised. This Samaritan woman meets a man, unexpectedly, who will transform her life. “Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.” John 4:4-6 (NIV) Jesus is always at the right place at the right time. Jesus is always seizing opportunities to build bridges to broken people. The Samaritan woman encountered a divine appointment. “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’” John 4:7 (NIV) Jesus initiated the relationship that would ultimately change the Samaritan woman’s life. Jesus was willing to associate with a woman who was both a Samaritan and an adulteress. Are you frustrated with your life? Have you sought to fill the void in your life with good things at the expense of the best God has for you? Maybe it is time for you to meet Jesus at the well. Maybe it is time to give up on your personal journey to fulfillment and embrace the way of Jesus. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Living the Life (7)
“When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’” John 11:43-44 (NIV) Are you living the life God has given? Jesus left heaven and came to earth to dwell among us and ultimately give His life in death upon the cross so that we could know and experience true life. Jesus has removed the obstacles and provided the only way to salvation. Jesus is the way. Death could not prevent Jesus from bringing forth life even to Lazarus, who had been dead four days. As the stench of death permeated the graveyard, Jesus called Lazarus by name to come forth from the dead. As Lazarus came out of the tomb, Jesus commanded them to take the graves clothes off and to let him go. What is keeping you from living the life God has given? What kind of grave clothes have kept you bound? Release those things which prevent you from walking in the fullness of God’s provision. Let go of those thoughts and attitudes that inhibit the flow of the Holy Spirit in your life. Jesus has paid full price for your freedom. Jesus has called you forth from the dead. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Eph 2:1-2 (NIV) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36 (NIV) Take the grave clothes off and walk in the grace God provides. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’” John 11:41-42 (NIV) Jesus prayed. When you contemplate the relational fortitude Jesus modeled in prayer, you gain insight into your personal need to stay connected to the Father. Jesus, as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, nurtured His love relationship with the Father through consistent conversation. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 (NIV) “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Luke 5:16 (NIV) “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Luke 22:44 (NIV) Standing before the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus asked them to remove the stone and they did. Before Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth, He prayed. In fact, Jesus looked up and prayed to His Father in Heaven. Jesus prayed a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer of affirmation. Jesus wanted those standing near to believe that He was truly sent by God. As we read John 11:41-42 we get an inside view of the intimate relationship Jesus enjoyed with His Father. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Your love relationship with God determines the level of your participation in God’s agenda. As the world-renowned missionary, E. Stanley Jones, explained: “If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.” Jesus prayed and lived in alignment with the will of God. Are you ready to pull yourself to the shore? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 (NIV) Jesus wept aloud when He stood over unrepentant Jerusalem in their failure to recognize Him as Savior. But when Jesus stood before the tomb of Lazarus, He shed a tear. Jesus’ expression of grief was not a loud lament but rather an intimate display of grief over the reality of the consequences of sin. We get a glimpse of the humanity of Christ as He empathized with Mary and Martha. Of course, Jesus knew that He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3 (NIV) “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) “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Phil 2:5-7 (NIV) Jesus knows grief by personal experience. Jesus knows what you are going through right now. You will never go where Jesus has not already been. Draw near to Him. Place your burdens upon Him. Trust Jesus with your life, your hurts, your disappointments, and your dreams. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Living the Life (4)
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?’“ John 11:25-26 (NIV) The value of life seems to go up when you come face to face with death. If you have ever had someone close to you die, you know what I mean. We tend to take life for granted until we brush up against the reality of death. Maybe you have leaned on the door of death personally through tragedy or health issues. When I almost died in a Jet Ski accident on February 23, 1986, at 2:20pm at Buhlow Lake in Alexandria, Louisiana, the value I placed on life elevated exponentially. When I held my daughter, Tori, for the first time, the value I had placed on life catapulted again. Five years later when I held my son, Austin, for the first time, the value I had placed on life skyrocketed yet again. Martha expressed her faith in Jesus and acknowledged that her brother, Lazarus, would not have died had Jesus been there. Jesus, the One who establishes the value of a life, declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Martha understood that her brother would rise again on the last day. She was looking to the distant future. Jesus reminded her of the immediate reality. Do you believe that Jesus is who He says He is? Do you believe that whoever lives and believes in Jesus will never die? Have you come to that place of trusting in Jesus personally for the forgiveness of your sins and the provision of your salvation? The value of your life has already been established by the saving work Jesus did for you on the cross. Jesus took your place. Jesus took the full wrath of God for your sin. Your sin debt has been paid in full. You can know Jesus, the resurrection and the life, personally and eternally. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“When he heard this, Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.’” John 11:4 (NIV) God has a purpose behind every problem. Living the life in a fallen world includes unfavorable circumstances. The sin factor affects both the cause and the solution to problems in this life. You can trace sin, sickness, and death back to the garden when man fell. The residual effect of sin permeates every generation. We live our lives in a world that straddles daily the consequences of sin. As Steve Farrar writes in his book, Finishing Strong, “Sin will take your farther than you want to go, keep you longer that you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.” God does not originate our problems, but He orchestrates the solution to our problems. The origin of our sin is linked through our family tree back to Adam and Eve. The solution to our sin is linked to God’s provision of forgiveness through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Gen 50:20 (NIV) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:28-29 (NIV) Martha and Mary grieved the death of their brother, Lazarus. They also grieved the fact that Jesus did not come to their rescue according to their personal preference of time. Jesus identified a higher purpose behind their problem. Jesus declared that it was for God’s glory. Watch to see how God reveals Himself and His glory through your circumstances. God’s glory can radiate in your present circumstances and in the midst of your perplexing problems. God has a purpose behind every problem. Allow God’s glory to shine even when the solution to your problems is delayed from your standpoint. God purpose will always prevail. Nothing can derail God’s glory. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.” John 11:5-6 (NIV) Delays are painful. We understand that God is all-knowing and that God is love, but we just don’t always fully understand God’s timing. When God doesn’t respond in the time frame that we have established, we wonder if God really cares. Delays intensify our fears and magnify the reality of our meager faith. Have you ever been between a rock and hard place and wondered if God would come through for you? Have your circumstances ever taken you to a place you never thought you would go? God allows us to go through those seasons and experience those places in order to come to know the depth of His love. God is for us. God always has our best interest in mind. Nothing happens to a child of God without His permission. If God permits it, then God will use it for your good and for His glory. Martha and Mary experienced the full impact of a delay. Their brother, Lazarus, was sick and died before Jesus got there. They knew firsthand the trauma of unmet expectations. They had seen Jesus speak life into the dead. They had seen Jesus restore sight to the blind, speech to the mute, mobility to the lame, and hearing to the deaf. Yet, Jesus did not operate according to their personal time preference. Jesus delayed. Why doesn’t God show up to resolve your dilemmas sooner? Why does God seem to delay His response to your need for divine intervention? God’s timing is perfect. He is never late. God, in His sovereignty, takes the confetti of our lives and produces a portrait of His grace. Do you trust God? Are you entrusting your life and your circumstances to His care? Are you willing to obey God in the midst of a perceived delay? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Living the Life (1)
Are you living the life God has for you now? Jesus is alive and the tomb is empty. Shouldn’t that reality make an eternal difference in your life now? For some reason, we put life off until another day. We believe that life is right around the corner. It seems as though that corner never comes. Life is delayed until the next opportunity or the next breakthrough. Maybe life will kick into gear when we get our driver’s license, or graduate, or get married, or get a home, or have kids, or land that perfect job, or send our kids off to college, or become grandparents, or retire. What’s the holdup? Why isn’t life happening now? “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11 (NIV) “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12 (NIV) The eternal life God has given us in His Son is now. If you have the Son, then you have life now. God has taken the initiative to provide you the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life. Once you place your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross, you become a child of God. In that moment, God graces you with the gift of eternal life. Eternal life for you does not begin after you die and go to heaven. Even if Jesus comes before you die and you get to experience the rapture, eternal life does not begin at that point. Eternal life for you begins the moment you trust Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Eternal life is now! What are you doing with the life God has given you? Are you living it for His glory? Are you wasting it on careless living? Are you delaying it until another day, week, month, or year? Choose to live the life now! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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He Has Risen
“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’” Matt 28:5-6 (NIV) Are you looking for Jesus? He has risen! Death has been conquered. Sin has been atoned for. Forgiveness has been made available. Reconciliation has been established. Satan has been defeated. Hell has been invaded. Heaven has been decorated: gates of pearl, streets of transparent gold, river of the water of life, the tree of life, light from the Glory of God, light from the Lamb of God, no more night, no longer any curse, absence of tears, absence of mourning, absence of crying, absence of pain, and the presence of jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnilian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.” Romans 6:8-10 (NIV) “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4 (NIV) “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Cor 15:58 (NIV) Are you living in light of the resurrection of Jesus? Are you walking in anticipation of heaven? The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you. The tomb is empty so that you can be filled by the Person of the Holy Spirit. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Eph 4:32 (NIV) Extending forgiveness is intentional and perpetual. The words “just as” are powerful. In our key verse above, they mean to imitate and to emulate God’s forgiveness. We are to forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave us. Let’s consider going on a personal journey together in order to extend forgiveness to those who have wounded us. Ask God to bring to your mind someone you need to forgive. This may induce feelings of hurt, betrayal, or neglect. Now that you have someone in mind, take that person with you to the cross in prayer. In fact, you may even need to take them by the hand as you kneel with them at the foot of the cross. Remember that Jesus knows him or her better than you do. Jesus loves him or her more than you do. Also, Jesus paid the full price for his or her complete forgiveness. In prayer, say to the Lord, “Jesus, as You have graciously forgiven me, I now choose to forgive (insert his or her name).” Release that person from the prison of your unforgiveness. Genuinely extend forgiveness as in Christ God forgave you. Now entrust that person and your future to God. “‘And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.’” Mark 11:25 (NIV) Forgiveness is always the best decision. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Forgiveness (4)
“‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’” Heb 8:12 (NIV) Forgiveness includes memory. God, in His omniscience, has the capacity to remember our sins no more. God is infinite and we are finite. We do not have the capacity to forgive and forget. Of course, it seems at times that we forget what we need to remember and remember what we need to forget. Even after we have extended forgiveness to someone who has wounded us, it can be difficult to forget the experience and the pain involved. You can be driving down the road or watching television or surfing the internet and an image will trigger the memory of being wounded by someone you have already forgiven. Forgiveness includes memory. Forgiveness is not the ability to remember no more, but rather being able to say, “Though I remember I choose to forgive.” Forgiveness is a choice. Harboring bitterness and resentment is a choice as well. I remember when I chose to visit my dad in jail to personally extend forgiveness to him for the hurt he had inflicted throughout my life due to his alcohol abuse. For years I had chosen to allow unforgiveness to poison my life and to infuse my life with toxic bitterness. The day I chose to forgive my dad was the day I realized that even though my dad was the one in prison, I had been imprisoned by my unforgiveness. Yes, I remember the hurt and the pain of my dad’s alcohol abuse, but in the swirling current of memory, I choose to forgive. God uses my memory to remind me of His abundant grace in my life. God is not asking me to do anything He has not already done for me. Though you remember, choose to forgive. That’s the beauty of walking in the light God gives you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matt 6:14-15 (NIV) Forgiveness is immediate; trust takes time. Would it not be hypocritical to receive God’s forgiveness personally and then refuse to extend God’s forgiveness to others? We do not earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others, but we demonstrate God’s forgiveness as we forgive others. Jesus expounded on this concept of receiving and extending forgiveness in Matthew 18:21-35. We are to forgive others instantly as a result of our being recipients of God’s instant forgiveness. You don’t have to ponder the decision to forgive those who have wounded you. Forgiving those who have hurt you does not validate their behavior or condone their actions, but rather honors God by mirroring His forgiveness towards you. The grace and mercy that God lavishes on you becomes a blessing that flows through you to those who have wounded you. By extending forgiveness, you are allowing the life of Christ to be evident in you and through you. Forgiveness is immediate; trust takes time. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that it is safe to trust that person. God is not asking you to extend forgiveness and then embrace a posture of vulnerability and susceptibility. You are to walk wisely. It takes time and multiple opportunities for a person to demonstrate trustworthiness. Just as you would not dare cross a bridge that is not deemed trustworthy, you would not trust an individual who has failed to be trustworthy. Extend forgiveness immediately and then pray for the person you have forgiven. Ask God to transform the one you have forgiven and to help that person become worthy of your trust. It is possible that you may never trust that person again. However, extending forgiveness is not optional in God’s economy. In my daily quiet time, I came across this question by Henry Blackaby that God is using in my life, “Would you want God to forgive you in the same way you are presently forgiving others?” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Forgiveness (2)
“Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Col 3:13 (NIV) Forgiveness is an event, followed by a process. Perhaps you have found yourself in situations where you have had a hard time forgiving those who have wounded you. Maybe you have been wounded by hurtful words directed to you. Maybe you have been wounded by someone who withheld affection or affirmation from you. Doing life with others involves risks. Relationships can be risky. In his letter to the church at Colosse, Paul identified the prominent role of forgiveness in the realm of relationships. We are commanded to patiently endure each other and to graciously forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another. In order to have a right relationship with God, we must have a right relationship with others. Conversely, in order to have a right relationship with others, we must have a right relationship with God. The next time you begin thinking that someone doesn’t deserve your forgiveness; ask this question, “How much has the Lord forgiven me?” That question places a unique perspective on the concept of forgiveness. In the midst of our hurt, extending forgiveness may not be in line with our true feelings. We may be convinced that the one who wounded us does not deserve our forgiveness. That’s why Paul reminds us to graciously forgive as the Lord has graciously forgiven us. Jesus is not asking you to do anything He has not already done for you. Jesus is not asking you to do anything that He has not already empowered you to do. Follow His example and trust in His provision to enable you to extend forgiveness. Forgiveness is an event, followed by a process. Ask Jesus to give you the compassion and courage to extend forgiveness. Trust Jesus with the event and the process. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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Forgiveness (1)
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matt 6:12 (NIV) Forgiveness is always the best decision. The Bible teaches us multiple facets of forgiveness. We have the privilege of receiving God’s forgiveness provided by the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. This vertical forgiveness initiated by God allows us to be in a right relationship with God. We also have to come to the place of forgiving ourselves. Once we have received God’s forgiveness for our sins, we need to forgive ourselves so that we can walk in the freedom Christ provides. Another facet of forgiveness is that of extending forgiveness to others. In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus included the discipline of extending forgiveness to others. Before asking God to forgive us of our sins, we are to have already forgiven those who have sinned against us. In order to have a proper vertical relationship with God, we must ensure a proper horizontal relationship with others. When it comes to extending forgiveness to others, you never have to pray and ask God if you should forgive someone. God expects us to extend instant forgiveness to others. To harbor bitterness or resentment breaks the heart of God. To fail to forgive others is to disobey God. Spend some time in prayer asking God to search your heart. As God reveals elements of unforgiveness in your life, deal with them before God in prayer. The more specific you are in prayer the more dynamic your experience in prayer will be. Forgiveness is always the best decision. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Psalm 125:1 (NIV) Can God use a shepherd boy to slay a giant? We all face giants in this life. Sometimes the giants are related to health, sometimes related to family or friends, and sometimes related to finances. The giants before us are not obstacles to overcome but rather opportunities for our trust in the Lord to be developed and displayed. God gets the glory when the victory is won. When David faced his giant, Goliath, God received the glory. “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.’” 1 Sam 17:45-47 (NIV) Repeat this phrase aloud, “The battle is the Lord’s.” Just speaking forth that phrase reminds us that the battle is not about us, but about God and what He wants to accomplish in us and through us. The opposition you face in this life provides you with multiple opportunities to trust in God and demonstrate His ability to enable you to endure difficult circumstances. As long as you anchor your trust in God, you will not be shaken. The evidence of stability will be realized as you place your trust in God. Now consider your giants. Is there anything you are facing that God cannot handle? Remember, the battle is the Lord’s. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” Psalm 91:2 (NIV) When answers are beyond your reach, trust in God. When your circumstances produce an element of fear, trust in God. When you feel as though the road of life has become filled with pot holes, trust in God. God is your refuge. He is your covering and your protection. Your fortification is found in God. Jesus endured the agony of being falsely accused and ultimately crucified. The people went from the waving palm braches shouting “Hosanna” to waving their fists in the air shouting “crucify!” Jesus endured such opposition so that we could learn from Him the importance and value of taking refuge in God. Jesus entrusted Himself to the protective hand of God. “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. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Heb 4:15-16 (NIV) “And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” 2 Tim 1:11-12 (NIV) What kind of obstacles are you currently facing? Is there anything that is bothering you or causing you to lose sleep at night? Close your eyes and simply articulate your fears and frustrations before the Lord. Release your anxiety to God and allow Him to fill your questions with His abiding Presence. Trust in God’s timing. Trust in God’s unlimited supply. God knew that you needed Jesus to become your personal Savior. You may not know what tomorrow holds; but you know who holds tomorrow. God has the whole world in His hands; that includes you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor