Category: Drifting

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2 Chronicles Drifting Mediocrity

Combat Mediocrity

“Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.” 2 Chronicles 25:1-2 (ESV) Mediocrity is a symptom of hypocrisy. Whenever you coast in your Christianity, you drift from the posture of passionate devotion to being at ease in Zion (Amos 6:1). Casual Christianity is displayed when you forsake your first love and allow other things to dilute your devotion and pollute your passion for the Lord. Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord up to a certain level. His commitment was compromised and his character was corroded as he infiltrated his life with idols. “After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, ‘Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?’” 2 Chronicles 25:14-15 (ESV) Combat mediocrity by surrendering fully and completely to the Lordship of Christ. Live with a heightened sensitivity to God’s activity and with a keen awareness of the corrosive consequences of sin. Maintain a vertical orientation to the supremacy of your love relationship with the Lord. Guard your daily intimacy with the One who delivered you from the kingdom of darkness and brought you into the kingdom of light. Ask the Lord to search your heart (Psalm 139:23). Confess known sin instantly and receive God’s forgiveness completely. Remove idols and take paths that are firm. Make no room for mediocrity. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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2 Kings Drifting Sin

The Poison of Pluralism

“And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.” 2 Kings 12:2-3 (ESV) Is Jesus your life or just a part of your life? When you add Jesus to your life in the midst of an array of other loyalties and devotions, then you embrace pluralism. The danger of pluralism is that you give weight and allegiance to other things that become idols in your life. Jehoash was instructed by Jehoiada to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Jehoash was effective at some level of leading himself in the ways of God, but failed to influence his culture to do the same. Idolatry was rampant during his reign. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 (ESV) Allow the Lord to transform your life. You have been saved by His grace and adopted into His family and sealed by His Spirit. In Christ, you are a child of God. Invest the rest of your life pursuing God and transforming the culture. Be a change agent. Shine God’s light and share God’s love. Be an irresistible influence for the Lord. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

Categories
2 Chronicles Drifting Mediocrity

Combat Mediocrity

“Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 2 And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart.” 2 Chronicles 25:1-2 (ESV) Mediocrity is a symptom of hypocrisy. Whenever you coast in your Christianity, you drift from the posture of passionate devotion to being at ease in Zion (Amos 6:1). Casual Christianity is displayed when you forsake your first love and allow other things to dilute your devotion and pollute your passion for the Lord. Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord up to a certain level. His commitment was compromised and his character was corroded as he infiltrated his life with idols. “After Amaziah came from striking down the Edomites, he brought the gods of the men of Seir and set them up as his gods and worshiped them, making offerings to them. 15 Therefore the Lord was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, ‘Why have you sought the gods of a people who did not deliver their own people from your hand?’” 2 Chronicles 25:14-15 (ESV) Combat mediocrity by surrendering fully and completely to the Lordship of Christ. Live with a heightened sensitivity to God’s activity and with a keen awareness of the corrosive consequences of sin. Maintain a vertical orientation to the supremacy of your love relationship with the Lord. Guard your daily intimacy with the One who delivered you from the kingdom of darkness and brought you into the kingdom of light. Ask the Lord to search your heart (Psalm 139:23). Confess known sin instantly and receive God’s forgiveness completely. Remove idols and take paths that are firm. Make no room for mediocrity. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 187: 2 Kings 14; 2 Chronicles 25) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
2 Kings Drifting Sin

The Poison of Pluralism

“And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.” 2 Kings 12:2-3 (ESV) Is Jesus your life or just a part of your life? When you add Jesus to your life in the midst of an array of other loyalties and devotions, then you embrace pluralism. The danger of pluralism is that you give weight and allegiance to other things that become idols in your life. Jehoash was instructed by Jehoiada to do what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Jehoash was effective at some level of leading himself in the ways of God, but failed to influence his culture to do the same. Idolatry was rampant during his reign. “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (ESV) “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” Romans 13:14 (ESV) Allow the Lord to transform your life. You have been saved by His grace and adopted into His family and sealed by His Spirit. In Christ, you are a child of God. Invest the rest of your life pursuing God and transforming the culture. Be a change agent. Shine God’s light and share God’s love. Be an irresistible influence for the Lord. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 186: 2 Kings 12-13; 2 Chronicles 24) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Drifting Obedience

Attentiveness

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Heb 2:1 (NIV) Carelessness and neglect will produce a lifestyle of drifting. Our natural proclivity in this fallen world is to drift from God’s best. God reminds us in His Word to be attentive to what we have heard from Him so that we will not drift away. “Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.” Prov 7:2 (NIV) “But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” Luke 8:15 (NIV) The condition of your heart determines the level of your receptivity to God’s Word. When your heart is cold and indifferent to the things of God, then His Word will not take root in your life. As your heart softens and becomes open to God’s Word, the fruit will become evident. What have you heard from God recently? Are you walking in obedience to what God has revealed to you? Are you being attentive to your love relationship with God? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor