Category: Boldness

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Boldness Courage Discipline

Bravery

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (NIV) Living the Christian life in a fallen world mandates readiness in spiritual warfare. The battle rages as God combats the demonic forces of evil in heavenly realms. The devil cannot attack God, so he chooses to attack that which is closest to the heart of God, namely, every child of God. As fully devoted followers of Christ, we are not exempt from the reality of spiritual warfare. We cannot live the Christian life as though there were no enemy. The enemy has mobilized his entourage to seek to derail the devotion of every disciple of Christ. “‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.’” Josh. 1:9 (NIV) Be on your guard. Be vigilant. Be alert. Be ready. This is no time to be “at ease in Zion” or to slip into a spiritual slumber. God has called us to put on His full armor and to combat the enemy by standing firm. We have been saved by grace through faith and we are to walk by faith. We are to take up the shield of faith and extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Be courageous. We are children of the living God. Be strong. We are supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit and supernaturally protected by the Prince of Peace. Do everything in love. The weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but heavenly. The love of God has brought us from death unto life. Live a life of love and radically display the love of Christ to our lost and dying world. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Boldness Courage Discipline

Bravery

“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.” 1 Cor 16:13-14 (NIV) Living the Christian life in a fallen world mandates readiness in spiritual warfare. The battle rages as God combats the demonic forces of evil in heavenly realms. The devil cannot attack God, so he chooses to attack that which is closest to the heart of God, namely, every child of God. As fully devoted followers of Christ, we are not exempt from the reality of spiritual warfare. We cannot live the Christian life as though there were no enemy. The enemy has mobilized his entourage to seek to derail the devotion of every disciple of Christ. “‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.’” Josh 1:9 (NIV) Be on your guard. Be vigilant. Be alert. Be ready. This is no time to be “at ease in Zion” or to slip into a spiritual slumber. God has called us to put on His full armor and to combat the enemy by standing firm. We have been saved by grace through faith and we are to walk by faith. We are to take up the shield of faith and extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Be courageous. We are children of the living God. Be strong. We are supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit and supernaturally protected by the Prince of Peace. Do everything in love. The weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but heavenly. The love of God has brought us from death unto life. Live a life of love and radically display the love of Christ to our lost and dying world. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Boldness Faith Obedience

Faith in the Fire

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’” Dan 3:16-18 (NIV) Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever been in an environment that provided you with an opportunity to make a bold stand for the Lord? Maybe your home is a place where your faith is put to the test. Maybe your work environment has been a difficult place for you to express your faith. Swimming upstream is always a challenge. Whenever you decide to go in the opposite direction of the cultural current, you will face resistance and opposition. In the midst of impending death if they chose not to abide by the king’s command, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego where willing to obey God at all costs. Instead of bowing to the golden image erected by king Nebuchadnezzar, they chose to honor God even if it meant death. They demonstrated their belief in God’s ability to save them from the blazing furnace. They went a step further by declaring that even if God did not deliver them that they would not worship the image of gold. Do you have that kind of “but even if God does not” faith? Are you willing to obey God in the face of opposition and in the face of being misunderstood by your family or peers? Even if God does not deliver you from your difficult circumstances, are you willing to obey Him and honor Him? The good news is that God delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They did not bow, they did not bend, they did not budge, and they did not burn! God brought them through the blazing furnace. God allowed them to go through the fire unharmed. Now that’s a life changing experience! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Boldness Trials Trust

The Battle is the Lord’s

“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

Categories
Baptism Boldness Identification Jesus Obedience

Baptism (4)

“If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Luke 9:26 (NIV) Believer’s baptism by immersion is a public proclamation of your faith in Jesus. Jesus identified with you through baptism so that you could identify with Him through baptism. Your identification with Christ is a bold and courageous act of obedience. If you have not identified with Christ through baptism, what is keeping you from taking that clear step of obedience? What would you be ashamed of? There’s nothing to fear! “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) “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Tim 2:15 (NIV) There’s no need to be ashamed. When you identify with Christ through baptism, you demonstrate your faith in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. In baptism, you testify of His resurrection power that brought you out of darkness into the kingdom of light. You can bear the name of Christ with honor. He has given His all for you so that you can have an abiding love relationship with Him that is personal and eternal. Don’t be ashamed of Christ. If you have not been baptized by immersion since your conversion experience, then make things right with the Lord by obeying His command. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Boldness Commitment Proclamation Soul Consciousness Soulwinning Spiritual Story

Proclamation

“Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’” Luke 2:27-32 (NIV) Have you seen the Lord’s salvation? Have you had a personal encounter with Christ that radically transformed your life? Simeon had positioned his life to encounter Christ. Once he encountered the Messiah, Simeon proclaimed that Jesus was a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to His people Israel. This proclamation was made in front of Joseph and Mary who were simply obeying the requirements of the custom of the Law. Once Jesus comes into your life and transforms you, it is negligent to be silent. You have been graciously given the cure to the cancer of sin through the shed blood of Christ. Proclaim that reality! You have been rescued from the flames of hell and positioned in Christ for eternity. Proclaim that reality! You were sinking deep in sin, but Christ paid the penalty for your sin and purchased your salvation. Proclaim that reality! What if you became contagious in your Christianity? What would happen if you seized the next opportunity God gives you to share your salvation story? Share the wonderful life-changing message of Jesus and help populate the Kingdom of Heaven. Souls are worth saving! One way to get a pulse on someone’s spiritual destiny is to simply transition your conversation to life after death. Be willing to ask people where they plan to spend eternity. Ask them to share their spiritual story with you. If they have one, they will be quick to share it with you. If they don’t have a spiritual story, then you can help them establish one by sharing with them how they can know Jesus personally. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Categories
Abednego Boldness Faith Life Changing Experience Meshach Obedience Shadrach

Life Changing Experience (4)

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’” Dan 3:16-18 (NIV) Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever been in an environment that provided you with an opportunity to make a bold stand for the Lord? Maybe your home is a place where your faith is put to the test. Maybe your work environment has been a difficult place for you to express your faith. Swimming upstream is always a challenge. Whenever you decide to go in the opposite direction of the cultural current, you will face resistance and opposition. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the midst of impending death if they chose not to abide by the king’s command, were willing to obey God at all costs. Instead of bowing to the golden image erected by king Nebuchadnezzar, they chose to honor God even if it meant death. They demonstrated their belief in God’s ability to save them from the blazing furnace. They went a step further by declaring that even if God did not deliver them that they would not worship the image of gold. Do you have that kind of “but even if God does not” faith? Are you willing to obey God in the face of opposition and in the face of being misunderstood by your family or peers? Even if God does not deliver you from your difficult circumstances, are you willing to obey Him and honor Him? The good news is that God did deliver Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They would not bow, they would not bend, they would not budge, and they would not burn! God rescued them through the blazing furnace. God allowed them to go through the fire unharmed. Now that’s a life changing experience! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor