“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV) The enemy seeks to distort our identity by infusing insecurity. When insecurity infiltrates the life of a believer, fear is produced. God rescues us by affirming the reality of our new identity in Christ. God’s affirmation is dispensed through the intentional testimony of the Spirit living in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and He confirms His abiding Presence in us. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are clearly and securely God’s children. The distinct assurance made available to us by God was also delivered to Jesus at His baptism and His transfiguration. The Son of God was affirmed by our Heavenly Father. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matt. 3:16-17 (NIV) “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” Matt. 17:5 (NIV) As an adopted child of God, you have the indwelling Holy Spirit as your divine resource continually offering distinct assurance to your true identity in Christ. Do you detect His affirmation of your adoption into the family of God? The Spirit of God bears witness with your spirit. Walk in the security of your new identity in Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Assurance
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV) The enemy seeks to distort our identity by infusing insecurity. When insecurity infiltrates the life of a believer, fear is produced. God rescues us by affirming the reality of our new identity in Christ. God’s affirmation is dispensed through the intentional testimony of the Spirit living in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and He confirms His abiding Presence in us. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are clearly and securely God’s children. The distinct assurance made available to us by God was also delivered to Jesus at His baptism and His transfiguration. The Son of God was affirmed by our Heavenly Father. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV) “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” Matthew 17:5 (NIV) As an adopted child of God, you have the indwelling Holy Spirit as your divine resource continually offering distinct assurance to your true identity in Christ. Do you detect His affirmation of your adoption into the family of God? The Spirit of God bears witness with your spirit. Walk in the security of your new identity in Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, ‘Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.’” Acts 23:11 (NIV) Paul experienced intense opposition as he shared the gospel in Jerusalem. He caused turbulence in the Temple among the crowd and chaos as he faced the court, the Sanhedrin. His body was almost torn into pieces by the mob and almost flogged by the military. Paul’s encounters in Jerusalem produced the fruit of failure from the worldly perspective. However, God was at work in the midst of severe adversity. Don’t bypass Jerusalem; God will use it to get you to Rome. Our natural proclivity is to take the path of least resistance. We dodge the potholes of life and seek the terrain of minimal pain. Yet, God often allows us to go through adversity to get us where He wants us. God will use the hammer of adversity and the chisel of suffering to conform us into the image of Christ and to prepare us for our next assignment. Moses had to leave the luxury of the palace to go to the desert. There are some things God wanted to teach Moses in the desert that he could not learn in the palace. By the way, the bush wasn’t burning in the palace. God used the desert to train Moses in shepherding to equip him to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Moses had to go through his personal Jerusalem, the desert, to get to his Rome. If God allows adversity in your life, He will use it for your good and for His glory. Jesus comforted Paul with the assurance of testifying in Rome. Paul had a longing to go to Rome to preach the gospel. God was giving Paul the desires of his heart. Just when Paul thought that Jerusalem was the end of the road, God built a bridge through adversity to Rome. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
Categories
Fortifying Your Faith
“The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. ‘Where is your faith?’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.’” Luke 8:24-25 (NIV) Without a test, there is no testimony. Jesus provided the disciples with an opportunity to fortify their faith and to solidify their testimony. Fearing for their lives, the disciples woke Jesus and alerted Him of their plight. Jesus got up and changed their circumstances by rebuking the wind and the waters. The storm subsided and all was calm. Their life lesson was delivered in the form of a question, “Where is your faith?” Jesus wanted the disciples to think about where they were placing their confidence. Did the disciples place their confidence in the boat or in the Master of the wind and the waves? “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Cor 5:7 (NIV) “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Heb 11:6 (NIV) The disciples asked one another, “Who is this?” Your answer to that question is vital. Is Jesus just a good man who performed good deeds while upon the earth? Or, is Jesus the Master of your life and your forever? Place your confidence in Jesus alone for salvation and trust Him to see you through the storms of life. Jesus can save you from your sin and from eternal damnation. The same Jesus who has provided for your eternal security can provide for your immediate stability in the midst of your storm. Entrust your life to Jesus completely. Jesus is in the boat! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.” Luke 8:23 (NIV) Why does God allow storms to come into our path? God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His passion is for us to become like Christ. If God allows a storm, He will use that storm to reveal Himself and to refine our character. There are some things you learn in a storm that you cannot learn on the calm sea. The storm provides the environment in which we learn to trust God by taking Him at His Word. We learn to view our circumstances from God’s perspective. The disciples were in great danger from their personal perspective. While the storm was raging, Jesus was sleeping. Jesus knew the outcome before they even set sail. Jesus oriented His life according to the Father’s agenda. God’s will supersedes any storm and any distraction. God will accomplish His plan in the midst of life’s storms. Your character development matters to God. The friction of each storm in your life will be guided by the hand of God to sand the rough edges from your life in order to perfect Christ in you. If God allows a storm to come into your life, He will orchestrate the movement of that storm to conform you into the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29). God works in all situations to bring you into perfect union with Christ and to effectively portray Christ through your life. Every storm has a season and is used of God for a divine reason. What storm are you in? Have you detected the loving hand of God at work in the midst of the storm to produce Christ-likeness in you? Maintain God’s perspective while you trust His provision to see you through. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor