“‘But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.’” Numbers 14:21-24 (ESV) Tension mounted as the people of Israel grumbled against God and against Moses. God declared that none of those who despised God would see the land flowing with milk and honey. That would have been devastating news after all those years of wandering in the wilderness. God demonstrated that He does not bless disobedience. Refreshingly, God affirmed His servant, Caleb. God affirmed that Caleb had a different spirit and that Caleb followed God fully. As a result, God promised to bring Caleb and His descendants into the land he had explored with Joshua. The Promised Land was Caleb’s inheritance. Would God identify you as a fully devoted follower of Christ? Would your devotion to the Lord set you apart as a person with a different spirit? Take some time to take personal inventory of your life and your commitment to the Lord. Measure your motives and calculate your commitment to God’s Word and to God’s will. Are you fully devoted to the Lord? In order to exhibit a different spirit, you must allow the Holy Spirit to have full control of your life. Yield to His prompting and allow Him to empower you to follow Jesus fully! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Devotion
Categories
Fully Devoted
“‘But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.’” Job 23:10-12 (ESV) Job was fully devoted to God. Both in private and in public, Job was cognizant of the omniscience of God. Job recognized that God was all-knowing and all-seeing and that nothing escapes God’s attention. As a result, Job was conscientious about the paths he took, he was cautious about the decisions he made, and he was committed to the ways of God. Your decisions determine your direction and ultimately your destination. The decisions you make each day have immediate and eternal implications. Therefore, your decision-making process is vital. Are you doing life God’s way? Are you making decisions based on God’s will or based on your own personal agenda. Job did not make decisions in a vacuum. Job had a heightened awareness of God’s activity. In revering God, Job lived his life in view of God’s purpose and plan. He did not want to make a decision that would violate God’s nature and character. Job wanted to live his life consistent with God’s will. God knows the way you take. When He has tried you, will you come out as gold? Hold fast to God’s steps. Keep His way and do not deviate from His path. Do not depart from His commandments. Ask God to show you what you need to stop doing, what you need to continue doing, and what you need to start doing? Be a fully devoted follower of Christ and passionately pursue His will. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 (ESV) What is your first step when a need arises in your life? We have become such an affluent society and driven by our independence. If we don’t know something, we can easily Google it. If we don’t have something, we can readily secure it by buying it now and paying for it later by leveraging our credit capacity. There are so many options before us that often distract us from the best option. God invites us into an ongoing vibrant love relationship with Himself that allows us to enjoy eternal security. We don’t have to fear eternity. We can have peace with God. In light of our eternal security, God invites us into an intimate love relationship that features unbroken communion with Him through prayer. Prayer is both a heavenly privilege and an earthly responsibility for the child of God. Our position in Christ gives us unhindered access to the Creator of the universe through the avenue of prayer. If you want to move the heart of God and live in alignment with His purposes and His plan, then embrace the communication jewel of prayer that God has formed for your benefit. Persistent prayer is the best option for doing life God’s way and enjoying the love relationship He has established. Respond to God’s invitation by learning to ask, and it will be given to you. If you want to make your prayer life come alive, pray to God through asking. Ensure that your asking lines up with God’s Word. Choose a promise to claim as you pray to God persistently through asking. Seek Him and you will find His will and His provision will be unleashed. Take the initiative through prayer to knock and watch God open the door of His fullness. Persistence in prayer paves the way to intimacy! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:11 (ESV) What are you passionate about? What are you giving your time, energy, and resources to? What gets the best of you? Your answer unveils your zeal. God placed zeal in you. Your passion is an expression of your spiritual DNA. God gives you the ability to be passionate in this life. However, it is possible to misdirect the passion God gives you. Your passion can be diverted to areas that are unhealthy or unfruitful. You can channel your passion to outlets that dishonor God or even to good things that rob God’s best for you. God’s Word teaches us to keep our spiritual fervor. Our passion in action should be vertical in nature. We are to be passionate for God. Our zeal for God and His Kingdom should never experience a deficit. As we nurture our passion for God, we are to keep our passion channeled in the paths that God provides. Are you passionate about the things of God? Does your life give evidence to the passion God desires from you? Take some time to assess your current reality. See if your passion is misdirected. Examine your life to the level of identifying the source of your passion and the expression of your passion in action. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41 (ESV) Wow! On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were adopted into God’s family. Three thousand were delivered from the clutches of hell and placed on the path that leads to heaven. Three thousand were saved by God and for God. They became followers of Jesus Christ and were added to His Body, the church. An eternal transaction took place! What’s next? Now that the three thousand are in Christ, how are they to function as a community of Christ-followers? What will be different about their conversation and their conduct? Do they go back to business as usual or do they embrace a new way of living? “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” Acts 2:42-43 (ESV) Notice how their lifestyle radically changed. On this side of their salvation, the three thousand along with the other 120 believers start doing life together. They begin to operate as a community of believers. They are walking together in unity. Their priorities have shifted and their time allocation reflects the heart of God. Take a moment to examine your life in light of Acts 2:42-43. Are you devoted to the reading, study, hearing, and application of God’s Word? Are you in fellowship with a group of believers you can do life with? Are you consistently embracing the privilege of prayer? Are you in awe of the redemptive activity of God? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14:25-26 (ESV) Idolatry is a word we seldom use. Whenever you allow someone or something to take the place of God in your life, you commit the sin of idolatry. The first and second of the Ten Commandments speak to this concept directly (Exod. 20:3-4). Whatever or whomever becomes the object of your worship becomes your idol. Jesus infuses this earthly tendency of ours into His teaching on becoming a disciple. To become a follower of Jesus Christ, you must be willing to remove the idols in your life. Your loyalty to Christ is to be unmatched and undivided. Jesus becomes your focus and the object of your worship, devotion, and loyalty. The fifth commandment of the Ten Commandments refers to the honoring of our parents (Exod. 20:12). Jesus is not contradicting the fifth commandment. He does not want you to dishonor your parents. Jesus is saying that your love for Him should be such a priority, that in comparison, your love for your family would look like hate. Your love, loyalty, and devotion to Jesus is to be your top priority and the expressed passion of your life. Don’t allow anything or anyone to compete for that place in your life. Don’t allow anything or anyone to rob your allegiance to the One who gave His life for you. Jesus has already demonstrated His selfless and sacrificial love. Now, it’s your turn to demonstrate your selfless and sacrificial love for Jesus. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (ESV) You can live your life at a distance relationally and experience the absence of meaningful relationships with others. The relational deficit will soon erode your joy and remove your smile. God made us for relationships. The shepherd and sheep relationship is very prominent in the Bible. Dependent on the shepherd’s care, the sheep learns to respond to the shepherd’s voice. There is a connection that develops through the consistent exposure to the voice of compassion and concern. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isa. 53:6 (ESV) “For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Pet. 2:25 (ESV) Jesus is the Shepherd of our souls. He took on the full wrath of God for our sin. Jesus invites us into an intimate love relationship that is personal and eternal. We participate in the cultivation of that relationship once we turn from our sin and turn to Christ alone for salvation. Each day as we spend time in prayer and Bible reading, the love relationship deepens and our faith increases. Learn to recognize the voice of Truth. God speaks to us in alignment with His Word and His will. You will hear the still small voice of the Lord speaking to you as you practice His Presence throughout each day. Be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit living in you. Tune out the noise of worry and worldliness and tune in to the voice of the One who sought you and bought you with His own blood. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Demonstrating Your Devotion
“Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the Lord all the day.” Proverbs 23:17 (ESV) The current of our culture is counter Christian. As you seek to live out your faith in a fallen world, you will quickly discover that walking in reverence to God and in full devotion to Jesus will place you in the minority. You may forfeit popularity in this sin-saturated culture, but you will not forfeit your position in Christ. You may not be affirmed by society for your faithfulness to God, but God will reward you because He is all knowing and takes care of His own. Don’t allow the prosperity of the wicked to distract you in this life. Don’t allow the visible affluence of the disobedient to diminish your passion for the things of God. Always be zealous for the Lord. Guard your heart and fortify your passion for God. Revere God as your Heavenly Father. Revere God as the One who created you, pursued you, rescued you, and empowers you for victorious living. Revere God for His holiness. Revere God for His nature and character. Demonstrate your devotion to God by your unwavering allegiance to His redemptive plan. What if you had less than thirty days to live? How would your loyalty be adjusted? Would your allegiance to God’s agenda expand? How differently would you channel your passion? Let’s live life for God with the intensity of our final days on the earth. God deserves our best! God deserves our reverence and our diligence! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Passionate Pursuit
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What kind of person does God use? What are the characteristics that are evident in the person God uses? God uses the person who has a passion for His presence. One of the characteristics evident in the person God uses is passion. Passion is more than a feeling. Passion is the divine energy from God to accomplish His will His way. What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? You may be passionate about your career, your car, your family, or your finances. You may be passionate about your position, prestige, pleasure, or possessions. You can be passionately devoted to things that are good and yet miss God’s best for you. God has a plan for your life and you will need His passion to accomplish His plan. God uses the person who is passionate in the pursuit of God’s presence. God wants you to seek Him diligently and passionately. God wants you to call on Him while He is near. Don’t allow your passion for temporal things to rob your passion for that which is eternal. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:18 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col. 3:1-3 (NIV) God wants to be sought. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (Jas. 4:8). Ask God to restore your passion for His presence. Confess anything in your life that has diluted your devotion. Return to your first love! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Fully
“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 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV) What are you giving your life to? What will be different in eternity because of your life on earth today? Your life matters. Your investment in the work of the Lord matters. Your investment in the lives of others matters. God has created you so that you can join Him in His activity. What will you do with the life God has given you? Stand firm. Don’t allow the litter of loose lifestyles limit your effectiveness in the kingdom of God. Don’t allow the motion of mediocrity to manipulate you or to draw you away from your devotion to the Lord. Never compromise your convictions. Never settle for the stagnant waters of lukewarmness. You were made for more than that. Always give your best to the Lord. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord. God is using you for His glory. God knows all that you are doing in His Name. Even if you are serving behind the scenes, God is keeping record. “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.” Isa. 65:23 (NIV) God blesses you so that you can be a blessing. Give your life to that which has eternal value. Pray perpetually. Give sacrificially. Trust completely. Walk humbly. Share your faith intentionally. Worship passionately. Serve compassionately. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain. One day you will stand before God and give an account for your life. God will reward you for your service. God will bless you for your obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 7:35 (NIV) In Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, he emphasizes the relationship that stands above all other relationships. Paul does not demean the value of marriage or the virtue of singleness, but he elevates the relationship that is primary for every believer. The one relationship that is supreme and deserves our utmost devotion is our love relationship with Jesus. Think about the tugs on your life and the relationships connected to those tugs. After a while, you come to realize that there is not enough of you to satisfy every tug on your life. As Andy Stanley says in his book, Choosing to Cheat, “Someone in your life is going to feel cheated.” Who will you cheat? Often we choose to cheat the Lord by diluting our devotion to Him. We know that His love is unconditional and that He will receive us back. As a result, we may drift from our first love and soon be walking at a guilty distance instead of maintaining intimacy with the Lord. “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Ps. 86:11 (NIV) “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Jer. 24:7 (NIV) What adjustments do you need to make in your allocation of time and energy in order to have an undivided heart? What is keeping you from giving Jesus first place in your life? Identify those things that have divided your devotion and confess them to the Lord. Lordship and loyalty go together! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Vital Link
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) Why is prayer so important in the life of a fully devoted follower of Christ? Praying is like flying, when you stop, you drop. Kneeling in prayer keeps you standing. Prayer is the avenue through which we nurture our love relationship with Christ. Prayer is to the believer what water is to a fish, what helium is to a balloon, and what fuel is to a jet engine. Without prayer, there is no power. Without prayer there is no sacred communication with the Creator of the Universe. Prayer is the currency through which you participate in the economy of God’s kingdom activity. Prayer sensitizes you to the heartbeat of God. Through prayer you come to know the heart of God and you learn to discern the voice of God. Without prayer, you cannot live the life God has for you. Before you can conduct yourself in a Christian manner, you must become a Christian. Once you become a Christian, your Christian conduct is informed by God’s Word and empowered by God’s Spirit through the vital connection called prayer. What does your prayer life look like? If the prayers you offered up in the past seven days were transcribed, what would the content be? Would your transcribed prayers be redundant? Would they be filled with passion and compassion? Prayer is a spiritual discipline that builds your spiritual muscles. Now commit to talk to God about people and talk to people about God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Devotion and Diligence
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.” Proverbs 23:17 (NIV) On this Mother’s Day think about the devotion and diligence your mom has emulated. Think about the sacrifices she made to help you become the person God created you to be. Where would you be without her investment in your life and her willingness to believe in you and to pray for you? Allow her devotion and diligence to inspire you as you continue your walk with God. As you seek to live out your faith in a fallen world, you will quickly discover that walking in reverence to God and in full devotion to Jesus will place you in the minority. You may forfeit popularity in this sin-saturated culture, but you will not forfeit your position in Christ. You may not be affirmed by society for your faithfulness to God, but God will reward you because He is all knowing and takes care of His own. Don’t allow the prosperity of the wicked to distract you in this life. Don’t allow the visible affluence of the disobedient to diminish your passion for the things of God. Always be zealous for the Lord. Guard your heart and fortify your passion for God. Revere God as your Heavenly Father. Revere God as the One who created you, pursued you, rescued you, and empowers you for victorious living. Revere God for His holiness. Revere God for His nature and character. Demonstrate your devotion to God by your unwavering allegiance to His redemptive plan. Thank God for the devotion and diligence your mom exemplified. Continue to be devoted to God’s agenda and diligently seek to bring honor to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” Genesis 22:9-10 (NIV) Is there anything in your life that takes priority over your relationship with Jesus? Are there any allurements sifting your affection away from your devotion to Christ? Do you have an Isaac in your life that you are unwilling to sacrifice? Abraham demonstrated absolute loyalty and devotion to God by his willingness to sacrifice his promised son. Abraham and Sarah were beyond child bearing years. Yet, God provided the miracle of Isaac’s conception. Now God is asking Abraham to sacrifice that which was promised to him. What is standing in the way of your realization of unbroken fellowship with God? What is taking the number one place of prominence in your life which is reserved for God? Whatever that item, ambition, or person is may be your Isaac. Could it be that God wants you to sacrifice that Isaac in your life to enable God to have top priority in your life? God wants first place in your daily walk. God wants to be the supreme object of your energy and affection. He not only deserves it, but He demands it. Spend a few moments taking inventory of your current priorities and identify what is preventing God from being your top priority. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘But truly, as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, 22 none of the men who have seen my glory and my signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have put me to the test these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, 23 shall see the land that I swore to give to their fathers. And none of those who despised me shall see it. 24 But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.’” Numbers 14:21-24 (ESV) Tension mounted as the people of Israel grumbled against God and against Moses. God declared that none of those who despised God would see the land flowing with milk and honey. That would have been devastating news after all those years of wandering in the wilderness. God demonstrated that He does not bless disobedience. Refreshingly, God affirmed His servant, Caleb. God affirmed that Caleb had a different spirit and that Caleb followed God fully. As a result, God promised to bring Caleb and His descendants into the land he had explored with Joshua. The Promised Land was Caleb’s inheritance. Would God identify you as a fully devoted follower of Christ? Would your devotion to the Lord set you apart as a person with a different spirit? Take some time to take personal inventory of your life and your commitment to the Lord. Measure your motives and calculate your commitment to God’s Word and to God’s will. Are you fully devoted to the Lord? In order to exhibit a different spirit, you must allow the Holy Spirit to have full control of your life. Yield to His prompting and allow Him to empower you to follow Jesus fully! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 60: Numbers 14-15; Psalm 90) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Fully Devoted
“‘But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. 11 My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. 12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.’” Job 23:10-12 (ESV) Job was fully devoted to God. Both in private and in public, Job was cognizant of the omniscience of God. Job recognized that God was all-knowing and all-seeing and that nothing escapes God’s attention. As a result, Job was conscientious about the paths he took, he was cautious about the decisions he made, and he was committed to the ways of God. Your decisions determine your direction and ultimately your destination. The decisions you make each day have immediate and eternal implications. Therefore, your decision-making process is vital. Are you doing life God’s way? Are you making decisions based on God’s will or based on your own personal agenda. Job did not make decisions in a vacuum. Job had a heightened awareness of God’s activity. In revering God, Job lived his life in view of God’s purpose and plan. He did not want to make a decision that would violate God’s nature and character. Job wanted to live his life consistent with God’s will. God knows the way you take. When He has tried you, will you come out as gold? Hold fast to God’s steps. Keep His way and do not deviate from His path. Do not depart from His commandments. Ask God to show you what you need to stop doing, what you need to continue doing, and what you need to start doing? Be a fully devoted follower of Christ and passionately pursue His will. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 9: Job 21-23) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Passionate Pursuit
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What kind of person does God use? What are the characteristics that are evident in the person God uses? God uses the person who has a passion for His presence. One of the characteristics evident in the person God uses is passion. Passion is more than a feeling. Passion is the divine energy from God to accomplish His will His way. What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? You may be passionate about your career, your car, your family, or your finances. You may be passionate about your position, prestige, pleasure, or possessions. You can be passionately devoted to things that are good and yet miss God’s best for you. God has a plan for your life and you will need His passion to accomplish His plan. God uses the person who is passionate in the pursuit of God’s presence. God wants you to seek Him diligently and passionately. God wants you to call on Him while He is near. Don’t allow your passion for temporal things to rob your passion for that which is eternal. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col 3:1-3 (NIV) God wants to be sought. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Ask God to restore your passion for His presence. Confess anything in your life that has diluted your devotion. Return to your first love! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Fully
“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) What are you giving your life to? What will be different in eternity because of your life on earth today? Your life matters. Your investment in the work of the Lord matters. Your investment in the lives of others matters. God has created you so that you can join Him in His activity. What will you do with the life God has given you? Stand firm. Don’t allow the litter of loose lifestyles limit your effectiveness in the kingdom of God. Don’t allow the motion of mediocrity to manipulate you or to draw you away from your devotion to the Lord. Never compromise your convictions. Never settle for the stagnant waters of lukewarmness. You were made for more than that. Always give your best to the Lord. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord. God is using you for His glory. God knows all that you are doing in His Name. Even if you are serving behind the scenes, God is keeping record. “They will not toil in vain or bear children doomed to misfortune; for they will be a people blessed by the LORD, they and their descendants with them.” Isaiah 65:23 (NIV) God blesses you so that you can be a blessing. Give your life to that which has eternal value. Pray perpetually. Give sacrificially. Trust completely. Walk humbly. Share your faith intentionally. Worship passionately. Serve compassionately. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain. One day you will stand before God and give an account for your life. God will reward you for your service. God will bless you for your obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 1 Cor 7:35 (NIV) In Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth, he emphasizes the relationship that stands above all other relationships. Paul does not demean the value of marriage or the virtue of singleness, but he elevates the relationship that is primary for every believer. The one relationship that is supreme and deserves our utmost devotion is our love relationship with Jesus. Think about the tugs on your life and the relationships connected to those tugs. After a while, you come to realize that there is not enough of you to satisfy every tug on your life. As Andy Stanley says in his book, Choosing to Cheat, “Someone in your life is going to feel cheated.” Who will you cheat? Often we choose to cheat the Lord by diluting our devotion to Him. We know that His love is unconditional and that He will receive us back. As a result, we may drift from our first love and soon be walking at a guilty distance instead of maintaining intimacy with the Lord. “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” Psalm 86:11 (NIV) “I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.” Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV) What adjustments do you need to make in your allocation of time and energy in order to have an undivided heart? What is keeping you from giving Jesus first place in your life? Identify those things that have divided your devotion and confess them to the Lord. Lordship and loyalty go together! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Vital Link
“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NIV) Why is prayer so important in the life of a fully devoted follower of Christ? Praying is like flying, when you stop, you drop. Kneeling in prayer keeps you standing. Prayer is the avenue through which we nurture our love relationship with Christ. Prayer is to the believer what water is to a fish, what helium is to a balloon, and what fuel is to a jet engine. Without prayer, there is no power. Without prayer there is no sacred communication with the Creator of the Universe. Prayer is the currency through which you participate in the economy of God’s kingdom activity. Prayer sensitizes you to the heartbeat of God. Through prayer you come to know the heart of God and you learn to discern the voice of God. Without prayer, you cannot live the life God has for you. Before you can conduct yourself in a Christian manner, you must become a Christian. Once you become a Christian, your Christian conduct is informed by God’s Word and empowered by God’s Spirit through the vital connection called prayer. What does your prayer life look like? If the prayers you offered up in the past seven days were transcribed, what would the content be? Would your transcribed prayers be redundant? Would they be filled with passion and compassion? Prayer is a spiritual discipline that builds your spiritual muscles. Now commit to talk to God about people and talk to people about God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Devotion and Diligence
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.” Prov 23:17 (NIV) On this Mother’s Day think about the devotion and diligence your mom has emulated. Think about the sacrifices she made to help you become the person God created you to be. Where would you be without her investment in your life and her willingness to believe in you and to pray for you? Allow her devotion and diligence to inspire you as you continue your walk with God. As you seek to live out your faith in a fallen world, you will quickly discover that walking in reverence to God and in full devotion to Jesus will place you in the minority. You may forfeit popularity in this sin-saturated culture, but you will not forfeit your position in Christ. You may not be affirmed by society for your faithfulness to God, but God will reward you because He is all knowing and takes care of His own. Don’t allow the prosperity of the wicked to distract you in this life. Don’t allow the visible affluence of the disobedient to diminish your passion for the things of God. Always be zealous for the Lord. Guard your heart and fortify your passion for God. Revere God as your Heavenly Father. Revere God as the One who created you, pursued you, rescued you, and empowers you for victorious living. Revere God for His holiness. Revere God for His nature and character. Demonstrate your devotion to God by your unwavering allegiance to His redemptive plan. Thank God for the devotion and diligence your mom exemplified. Continue to be devoted to God’s agenda and diligently seek to bring honor to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” Gen 22:9-10 (NIV) Is there anything in your life that takes priority over your relationship with Jesus? Are there any allurements sifting your affection away from your devotion to Christ? Do you have an Isaac in your life that you are unwilling to sacrifice? Abraham demonstrated absolute loyalty and devotion to God by his willingness to sacrifice his promised son. Abraham and Sarah were beyond child bearing years. Yet, God provided the miracle of Isaac’s conception. Now God is asking Abraham to sacrifice that which was promised to him. What is standing in the way of your realization of unbroken fellowship with God? What is taking the number one place of prominence in your life which is reserved for God? Whatever that item, ambition, or person is may be your Isaac. Could it be that God wants you to sacrifice that Isaac in your life to enable God to have top priority in your life? God wants first place in your daily walk. God wants to be the supreme object of your energy and affection. He not only deserves it, but He demands it. Spend a few moments taking inventory of your current priorities and identify what is preventing God from being your top priority. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:11 (NIV) What are you passionate about? What are you giving your time, energy, and resources to? What gets the best of you? Your answer unveils your zeal. God placed zeal in you. Your passion is an expression of your spiritual DNA. God gives you the ability to be passionate in this life. However, it is possible to misdirect the passion God gives you. Your passion can be diverted to areas that are unhealthy or unfruitful. You can channel your passion to outlets that dishonor God or even to good things that rob God’s best for you. God’s Word teaches us to keep our spiritual fervor. Our passion in action should be vertical in nature. We are to be passionate for God. Our zeal for God and His Kingdom should never experience a deficit. As we nurture our passion for God, we are to keep our passion channeled in the paths that God provides. Are you passionate about the things of God? Does your life give evidence to the passion God desires from you? Take some time to assess your current reality. See if your passion is misdirected. Examine your life to the level of identifying the source of your passion and the expression of your passion in action. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41 (NIV) Wow! On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were adopted into God’s family. Three thousand were delivered from the clutches of hell and placed on the path that leads to heaven. Three thousand were saved by God and for God. They became followers of Jesus Christ and were added to His Body, the church. An eternal transaction took place! What’s next? Now that the three thousand are in Christ, how are they to function as a community of Christ-followers? What will be different about their conversation and their conduct? Do they go back to business as usual or do they embrace a new way of living? “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” Acts 2:42-43 (NIV) Notice how their lifestyle radically changed. On this side of their salvation, the three thousand along with the other 120 believers start doing life together. They begin to operate as a community of believers. They are walking together in unity. Their priorities have shifted and their time allocation reflects the heart of God. Take a moment to examine your life in light of Acts 2:42-43. Are you devoted to the reading, study, hearing, and application of God’s Word? Are you in fellowship with a group of believers you can do life with? Are you consistently embracing the privilege of prayer? Are you in awe of the redemptive activity of God? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters–yes, even his own life–he cannot be my disciple.’” Luke 14:25-26 (NIV) Idolatry is a word we seldom use. Whenever you allow someone or something to take the place of God in your life, you commit the sin of idolatry. The first and second of the Ten Commandments speak to this concept directly (Ex. 20:3-4). Whatever or whomever becomes the object of your worship becomes your idol. Jesus infuses this earthly tendency of ours into His teaching on becoming a disciple. To become a follower of Jesus Christ, you must be willing to remove the idols in your life. Your loyalty to Christ is to be unmatched and undivided. Jesus becomes your focus and the object of your worship, devotion, and loyalty. The fifth commandment of the Ten Commandments refers to the honoring of our parents (Ex. 20:12). Jesus is not contradicting the fifth commandment. He does not want you to dishonor your parents. Jesus is saying that your love for Him should be such a priority, that in comparison, your love for your family would look like hate. Your love, loyalty, and devotion to Jesus is to be your top priority and the expressed passion of your life. Don’t allow anything or anyone to compete for that place in your life. Don’t allow anything or anyone to rob your allegiance to the One who gave His life for you. Jesus has already demonstrated His selfless and sacrificial love. Now, it’s your turn to demonstrate your selfless and sacrificial love for Jesus. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV) You can live your life at a distance relationally and experience the absence of meaningful relationships with others. The relational deficit will soon erode your joy and remove your smile. God made us for relationships. The shepherd and sheep relationship is very prominent in the Bible. Dependent on the shepherd’s care, the sheep learns to respond to the shepherd’s voice. There is a connection that develops through the consistent exposure to the voice of compassion and concern. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6 (NIV) “For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:25 (NIV) Jesus is the Shepherd of our souls. He took on the full wrath of God for our sin. Jesus invites us into an intimate love relationship that is personal and eternal. We participate in the cultivation of that relationship once we turn from our sin and turn to Christ alone for salvation. Each day as we spend time in prayer and Bible reading, the love relationship deepens and our faith increases. Learn to recognize the voice of Truth. God speaks to us in alignment with His Word and His will. You will hear the still small voice of the Lord speaking to you as you practice His Presence throughout each day. Be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit living in you. Tune out the noise of worry and worldliness and tune in to the voice of the One who sought you and bought you with His own blood. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Demonstrating Your Devotion
“Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.” Prov 23:17 (NIV) The current of our culture is counter Christian. As you seek to live out your faith in a fallen world, you will quickly discover that walking in reverence to God and in full devotion to Jesus will place you in the minority. You may forfeit popularity in this sin-saturated culture, but you will not forfeit your position in Christ. You may not be affirmed by society for your faithfulness to God, but God will reward you because He is all knowing and takes care of His own. Don’t allow the prosperity of the wicked to distract you in this life. Don’t allow the visible affluence of the disobedient to diminish your passion for the things of God. Always be zealous for the Lord. Guard your heart and fortify your passion for God. Revere God as your Heavenly Father. Revere God as the One who created you, pursued you, rescued you, and empowers you for victorious living. Revere God for His holiness. Revere God for His nature and character. Demonstrate your devotion to God by your unwavering allegiance to His redemptive plan. What if you had less than thirty days to live? How would your loyalty be adjusted? Would your allegiance to God’s agenda expand? How differently would you channel your passion? Let’s live life for God with the intensity of our final days on the earth. God deserves our best! God deserves our reverence and our diligence! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Passion for His Presence
“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What kind of person does God use? What are the characteristics that are evident in the person God uses? God uses the person who has a passion for His presence. One of the characteristics evident in the person God uses is passion. Passion is more than a feeling. Passion is the divine energy from God to accomplish His will His way. What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? You may be passionate about your career, your car, your family, or your finances. You may be passionate about your position, prestige, pleasure, or possessions. You can be passionately devoted to things that are good and yet miss God’s best for you. God has a plan for your life and you will need His passion to accomplish His plan. God uses the person who is passionate in the pursuit of God’s presence. God wants you to seek Him diligently and passionately. God wants you to call on Him while He is near. Don’t allow your passion for temporal things to rob your passion for that which is eternal. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col 3:1-3 (NIV) God wants to be sought. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Ask God to restore your passion for His presence. Confess anything in your life that has diluted your devotion. Return to your first love! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Returning to Your First Love
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 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 2:4-5 (NIV) The church at Ephesus had a lot going for them. They were strong in deeds, hardworking, and known for their perseverance. They sought purity of doctrine, endured hardship, and served diligently. Yet, they bypassed their love relationship with God. The church had forsaken their first love. There are so many things vying for your affection and devotion. You can give your life to an endless array of commitments and neglect the most important relationship. It is possible to give a little bit of yourself to everything and have nothing left for the most vital relationship. Keeping you fragmented is one of Satan’s goals to keep you from nurturing the life-giving relationship that Christ provides. As long as you are distracted from that which is eternal, Satan knows that your effectiveness in the Kingdom of God will be stifled. Do you remember when your love relationship with Christ was your top priority? Measure how far you have drifted from that passionate intimate relationship you had with Christ. Repent! Choose to go a new direction by forsaking those things that hinder your love relationship with Christ. Give your full devotion to the One who died sacrificially so that you could live abundantly and eternally. Return to guarding your love relationship with Christ. Give the best of your life each day to the One who deserves first place in your life. Make a standing appointment with the Lord each morning to spend time with Him. Yield your life to the One who gave you life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Your First Love
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” Rev 2:4 (NIV) When I was a teenager, I raced motocross. One afternoon I was on a track with my brother and some friends practicing in the heat of the day. At this point, I was in the lead and throttling through a sandy turn when my dirt bike slide out from under me at a high speed which slammed my body to the ground. The pain was so immense and the heat was so intense that I began to see stars. I was nauseated and just knew that I had broken my wrist. My brother came to my rescue and said, “Come on man! Ride it out! Let’s keep riding!” After my visit to the emergency room and a cast secured to my right arm, I proudly walked up to my brother and confirmed my suspicion that my wrist was broken. The X-ray enabled the physician to see what we could not see. The X-ray provided information that was not attainable from an external view of my arm. Jesus has the unique ability to X-ray the church and to X-ray our heart. Jesus detects the internal workings. Jesus weighs motives and our current reality. Jesus knows the reality of our priorities. “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) Remember, repent, and return. Remember the former intensity of your love relationship with Jesus. Repent of those things that have caused you to drift from your first love. Turn away from those things that have robbed you of your devotion to the Lord. Return to daily surrender and full devotion to Jesus as your first love. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor (This devotional was originally posted in ’07 or ’08. I’m taking a break from writing for a season of personal renewal.) Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell