Category: Concentration

Finding That One Thing

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV) Life is full of distractions. There are so many tugs on our lives coming from various directions. We daily combat the gravitational pull of the flesh, the world, and the devil. Countless opportunities to disobey God await our attention. Living the Christian life in a fallen world requires us to live on purpose and with intentionality. Paul consolidated his energy to focus on one thing. He disciplined his life to release the past and to embrace the future God had for him. For Paul, his past was relegated to oblivion. He purposefully let go of the past and invested his life in the future God had ordained for him. You have to decide how you will live each day. Being engulfed with past failures and past successes can keep you from seizing the life God has for you. Focus on this one thing: release the past and embrace the future God has in front of you. God will empower you to do this one thing. God will enable you to concentrate on His agenda. Tenacity, focus, and persistence are necessary to release the past and to march into your destiny. God saved you and filled you with His Holy Spirit so that you can live for His global glory. God wants you to experience His daily provision and to encounter His abiding Presence. What is keeping you from letting go of your past? What is keeping you from walking in the forgiveness God has extended to you? Be forgiven and take possession of the land God is giving you. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Concentration Focus Tenacity

Finding That One Thing

“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 3:13-14 (NIV) Life is full of distractions. There are so many tugs on our lives coming from various directions. We daily combat the gravitational pull of the flesh, the world, and the devil. Countless opportunities to disobey God await our attention. Living the Christian life in a fallen world requires us to live on purpose and with intentionality. Paul consolidated his energy to focus on one thing. He disciplined his life to release the past and to embrace the future God had for him. For Paul, his past was relegated to oblivion. He purposefully let go of the past and invested his life in the future God had ordained for him. You have to decide how you will live each day. Being engulfed with past failures and past successes can keep you from seizing the life God has for you. Focus on this one thing: release the past and embrace the future God has in front of you. God will empower you to do this one thing. God will enable you to concentrate on His agenda. Tenacity, focus, and persistence are necessary to release the past and to march into your destiny. God saved you and filled you with His Holy Spirit so that you can live for His global glory. God wants you to experience His daily provision and to encounter His abiding Presence. What is keeping you from letting go of your past? What is keeping you from walking in the forgiveness God has extended to you? Be forgiven and take possession of the land God is giving you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Concentration Devotion Discipline Focus New Life

First Love (3)

“Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” Rev 2:5 (NIV) Jesus exposed the true spiritual condition of the church in Ephesus. He graciously gave them the opportunity to repent and return to their first love. Their gospel influence was at stake. The kingdom impact they could make for the Lord in Ephesus was limited to their level of devotion in their love relationship with Christ. God is not a God of disorder (I Cor. 14:33). God has establish priorities for your life. Your top priority is your love relationship with Jesus. If your devotion to the Lord has become diluted, then repent and return. Change your mind about your current reality and your changed behavior will follow. Repent of those things that are causing you to drift in your love relationship with Jesus and return to your first love. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matt 6:33 (NIV) “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.” Phil 3:12 (NIV) Your influence in this generation is directly linked to your love relationship with Jesus. Is He number one in your life? Is Jesus the object of your devotion and affection? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Concentration Consecration Forgiveness New Life

Align for 2009 (3)

“And the people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.’” Josh 24:24 (NIV) Joshua exhorted the children of Israel to review their spiritual markers and to remove their idols. God had spoken through Joshua to bring the children of Israel into alignment with God’s best. God’s Word demands a response. They responded with a commitment to serve the Lord and to obey Him. As you review the past 365 days and anticipate the fresh start of the New Year, recapture your devotion to God. Don’t neglect your love relationship with God. Assess your devotion by looking at your time allocation. How much time do your carve out to read the Bible and to pray? How much time to do you spend in the spiritual disciplines of solitude and meditating on God’s Word? Do you live with a continual heightened awareness of God’s presence? “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” 1 John 2:28 (NIV) “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21 (NIV) You have a clean slate and a new beginning. What will you do with this New Year that God has given you? Will you serve the Lord and obey Him? Recapture your devotion to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Concentration Consecration Forgiveness Idolatry New Life

Align for 2009 (2)

“‘Now then,’ said Joshua, ‘throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’” Josh 24:23 (NIV) After reviewing the spiritual markers God established for the children of Israel, Joshua called them to a moment of decision. Though they had come out of Egypt, it was now time to get Egypt out of them. Instead of influencing the cultures they conquered, the idolatry of the cultures infiltrated their lifestyles. Joshua exhorted the children of Israel to throw away the foreign gods that were among them. Idolatry comes in many forms. In our modern day technological advances, idolatry has become more easily accessible. You don’t have to go looking for sin, sin will come to you uninvited. As you prepare for the New Year, consider the value of removing your idols. What is an idol? An idol is anything that hinders your love relationship with God. In prayer, ask the Lord to search your heart and to reveal unconfessed sin in your life. “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Prov 28:13 (NIV) “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV) Whatever you cover, God will uncover. Whatever you uncover, God will cover. You may want to spend some time looking back over every year of your life and writing down specific sins that you committed. This is a very personal and private process. After you write down the specific sins the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, confess them one-by-one and claim God’s forgiveness over each one. Destroy the sheet of paper that you use to write on or hit the “delete” button on your computer if you choose to type your list. Now walk in the freedom and forgiveness that God provides. Step into the New Year with the clarity of having removed your idols and confessed your sin. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Concentration Consecration New Life Spiritual Markers

Align for 2009 (1)

“‘So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’” Josh 24:13 (NIV) The children of Israel drifted from God’s best and slipped into immorality. Joshua called them back into alignment with God’s will and God’s way. Joshua reviewed the spiritual markers that God had established for them. God gave Abraham many descendants and later raised up Moses and Aaron to deliver them from Egyptian bondage. God enabled them to cross the Red Sea on dry ground and to defeat the Amorites. God turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing and delivered them out of his hand. God enabled them to miraculously cross the Jordan. Joshua reminded the children of Israel of the faithfulness of God. The spiritual markers served as reminders of God’s provision. The blessings of God were clearly evident in each of the spiritual markers. Review your spiritual markers. Identify the times in your life when God made Himself known to you in a special way. You may have a spiritual marker that was formed in the midst of adversity where God reminded you of His protection over you. You may have a spiritual marker that was established as a result of God revealing His unconditional love to you through your saving relationship with Jesus. Spiritual markers are vital for the Christian life. As you review your spiritual markers, you will gain a sense of stability. Your faith is strengthened as you review the activity of God in your life. You may want to take a few moments to identify your spiritual markers in writing. Begin to thank God for each spiritual marker in your past and go ahead and begin thanking God for the spiritual markers that He will establish in your future. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor