Category: Forgiveness

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Forgiveness Joseph Sovereignty

Trusting God’s Sovereignty

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20 (ESV) The sixty-six books of the Bible provide us with a string of pearls that demonstrates God’s redemptive activity. Long before we were born, God took the initiative to rescue us from our fallen condition. God factors in our poor choices and even the decisions others make that affect our lives. How refreshing to know that God has the final say. Your past, present, and future circumstances will never circumvent the mighty acts of God. Joseph had a life changing experience through the gateway of betrayal. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and tried to cover up their sin through deception. God elevated Joseph to Potipher’s house where he was later falsely accused by Potipher’s wife. Joseph went from the pit to the palace and then to prison. His life’s circumstances appeared to be most unfortunate. Yet, God knew right where Joseph was and what Joseph needed most. God was with Joseph and delivered him from prison to second in command over Egypt in preparation for the upcoming famine. When Joseph’s path intersected that of his brothers, he demonstrated the life giving grace of God. Instead of having them pay for their sin, Joseph forgave them and acknowledged God’s sovereignty. Have you had the ultimate life changing experience by placing your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross? Are you living out the reality of God’s transforming power? Have you experienced God’s forgiveness at the level of being able to forgive others in the same measure? Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Compassion Forgiveness God's Nature

God’s Compassion

“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” Jonah 3:10 (ESV) God blesses your obedience. God gave Jonah a second chance. In response, Jonah obeyed God and went to the great city of Nineveh and preached against it. God honored the preaching of His Word. The Ninevites believed God and declared a fast. The King repented and issued a proclamation. This domino effect took place because God was willing to give Jonah a second chance and Jonah was willing to obey God. God not only blessed Jonah’s obedience, but He also rewarded the people’s repentance. God witnessed their change of direction and unleashed His compassion. “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.” (Ps. 116:5 ESV). God responded to the response of the people. Notice how God withheld His wrath. What a tremendous demonstration of God’s compassion! Trace your past for a few moments. Contemplate the pivotal moments in your life when God unleashed His compassion. Where would you be today had God not lavished you with His grace, mercy, and compassion? Think about the opportunities that God has provided you with over your lifetime in light of His compassion. God’s forgiveness enables you to join Him in His redemptive activity. Once you have personally experienced God’s compassion, you will be able to extend compassion to others at a deeper level. “’Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.’” (Luke 7:47 ESV). Your capacity to love others and to be compassionate towards others will be proportionate to the compassion you have received from God. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Choices Forgiveness Grace

Choosing to Forgive

“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12 (ESV) God, in His omniscience, has the capacity to remember our sins no more. God is infinite and we are finite. We do not have the capacity to forgive and forget. Of course, it seems at times that we forget what we need to remember and remember what we need to forget. Even after we have extended forgiveness to someone who has wounded us, it can be difficult to forget the experience and the pain involved. You can be driving down the road or watching television or surfing the internet, and an image will trigger the memory of being wounded by someone you have already forgiven. Forgiveness includes memory. Forgiveness is not the ability to remember no more, but rather being able to say, “Though I remember, I choose to forgive.” Forgiveness is a choice. Harboring bitterness and resentment is a choice as well. I remember when I chose to visit my dad in jail to personally extend forgiveness to him for the hurt he had inflicted throughout my life due to his alcohol abuse. For years, I had chosen to allow unforgiveness to poison my life and to infuse my life with toxic bitterness. The day I chose to forgive my dad was the day I realized that, even though my dad was the one in prison, I had been imprisoned by my unforgiveness. Yes, I remember the hurt and the pain of my dad’s alcohol abuse, but in the swirling current of memory, I choose to forgive. God uses my memory to remind me of His abundant grace in my life. God is not asking me to do anything He has not already done for me. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Forgiveness Jesus Trust

Forgiveness and Trust

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) Would it not be hypocritical to receive God’s forgiveness personally and then refuse to extend God’s forgiveness to others? We do not earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others, but we demonstrate God’s forgiveness as we forgive others. You don’t have to ponder the decision to forgive those who have wounded you. Forgiving those who have hurt you does not validate their behavior or condone their actions, but rather honors God by mirroring His forgiveness towards you. The grace and mercy that God lavishes on you becomes a blessing that flows through you to those who have wounded you. Forgiveness is immediate; trust takes time. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that it is safe to trust that person. God is not asking you to extend forgiveness and then embrace a posture of vulnerability and susceptibility. You are to walk wisely. It takes time and multiple opportunities for a person to demonstrate trustworthiness. Extend forgiveness immediately, and then pray for the person you have forgiven. Ask God to transform the one you have forgiven and to help that person become worthy of your trust. Extending forgiveness is not optional in God’s economy. In my daily quiet time, I came across this question by Henry Blackaby that God is using in my life, “Would you want God to forgive you in the same way you are presently forgiving others?” Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Compassion Forgiveness Jesus

The Process of Forgiveness

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive.” Col 3:13 (ESV) Perhaps you have found yourself in situations where you have had a hard time forgiving those who have wounded you. Maybe you have been wounded by hurtful words directed to you. Maybe you have been wounded by someone who withheld affection or affirmation from you. Relationships can be risky. Doing life with others involves risks. In his letter to the church at Colosse, Paul identified the prominent role of forgiveness in the realm of relationships. We are commanded to patiently endure each other and to graciously forgive whatever grievances we may have against one another. In order to have a right relationship with God, we must have a right relationship with others. Conversely, in order to have a right relationship with others, we must have a right relationship with God. The next time you begin thinking that someone doesn’t deserve your forgiveness, ask this question, “How much has the Lord forgiven me?” That question places a unique perspective on the concept of forgiveness. In the midst of our hurt, extending forgiveness may not be in line with our true feelings. Jesus is not asking you to do anything He has not already done for you. Jesus is not asking you to do anything that He has not already empowered you to do. Follow His example and trust in His provision to enable you to extend forgiveness. Forgiveness is an event, followed by a process. Ask Jesus to give you the compassion and courage to extend forgiveness. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Bitterness Forgiveness Prayer

Forgive as One Forgiven

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 6:12 (ESV) The Bible teaches us multiple facets of forgiveness. We have the privilege of receiving God’s forgiveness provided by the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. This vertical forgiveness initiated by God allows us to be in a right relationship with God. We also have to come to the place of forgiving ourselves. Once we have received God’s forgiveness for our sins, we need to forgive ourselves so that we can walk in the freedom Christ provides. Another facet of forgiveness is that of extending forgiveness to others. In teaching His disciples how to pray, Jesus included the discipline of extending forgiveness to others. Before asking God to forgive us of our sins, we are to have already forgiven those who have sinned against us. In order to have a proper vertical relationship with God, we must ensure a proper horizontal relationship with others. When it comes to extending forgiveness to others, you never have to pray and ask God if you should forgive someone. God expects us to extend instant forgiveness to others. To harbor bitterness or resentment breaks the heart of God. To fail to forgive others is to disobey God. Spend some time in prayer asking God to search your heart. As God reveals elements of unforgiveness in your life, deal with them before God in prayer. The more specific you are in prayer, the more dynamic your experience in prayer will be. Forgiveness is always the best decision. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Authenticity Forgiveness Humility

Lose the Log

“‘Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.’” Matthew 7:3-5 (ESV) We tend to judge others by a different standard than we judge ourselves. When we look at ourselves, we tend to use a filtered lens that makes us look pretty good. When we look at others, we tend to utilize the most powerful microscope to examine their lives. We can be rather selective by choosing someone who will make us look good. The truth is, everyone looks good from a distance. Proximity affects accuracy. Jesus is giving us a new lens to view ourselves and others. Instead of bypassing the reality of a massive log in our own eye in order to identify the speck of sawdust in our brother’s eye, Jesus wants us to examine our own life first. “For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51:3 (ESV) “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8 (ESV) Introspection paves the way for realization of God’s impartation of grace in which we live and breathe. God already knows about the log. Be quick to remove it and be slow to critique the speck in your brother’s eye. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Forgiveness Reconciliation Worship

Reconcile Ruptured Relationships

“‘So, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.’” Matthew 5:23-24 (ESV) In yielded worship before the Lord, your sensitivity to the things of God is heightened. Your awareness of God’s holiness and your personal sin becomes elevated when you are consecrated before the Lord in worship. If during the act of offering your gift at the altar of worship, God brings to your mind the reality of a strained relationship, leave your gift and diligently go and be reconciled. God values unity in the body. God expects us to protect the vitality of our relationships with others. You cannot have a right relationship with God, even in worship, if you are not in a right relationship with others. Living in a fallen world perpetuates the litter of strained relationships. Make reconciliation your “first” response to God in worship. “If you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead earnestly with your neighbor!” (Proverbs 6:2-3 ESV). You have been reconciled to God through the finished work of Jesus upon the cross so that you can be an intentional reconciler on this broken planet. Your gift becomes acceptable to God at the level of your relational purity with God and with others. Exhibit humility and brokenness! Ask for forgiveness! Extend forgiveness! Do whatever it takes to make things right between you and God. Do whatever it takes to make things right with others. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Confession Forgiveness Psalms

Uncover Iniquity

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Psalm 32:5 (ESV) The prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin by sharing a parable and announcing, “You are the man.” King David could have had Nathan killed, but instead, the king got real about his own sin before God. David acknowledged his sin, uncovered his iniquity, and confessed his transgressions to the Lord. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!” Psalm 51:1-2 (ESV) “For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” Psalm 86:5 (ESV) God forgave David for his sin of adultery and murder and enabled David to become a man after God’s own heart. David became a portrait of God’s grace and a mascot of God’s mercy. Spend some time reviewing your life and invite the Lord to search your heart and to reveal any unconfessed sin in your life. The convicting work of the Holy Spirit will illuminate the areas of your life that are out of alignment with the holiness of God. Confess sin instantly and specifically. Claim the shed blood of Jesus over your life and walk in the victory you have through the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Satan seeks to discourage you and to defeat you. Don’t give him a foothold. Keep walking in the light God gives you. Avoid sin. Take ways that are firm. Fear God and keep His commandments. Walk in the power of the Holy Spirit living in you. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Compassion Forgiveness Psalms

Father of Compassion

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame;he remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:11-14 (ESV) Three comparisons are made to demonstrate the vastness of God’s love toward us. The immense gap between the heavens and the earth is one picture of  how great God’s steadfast love is toward us. God’s love is grandiose. Try to measure the distance between the east and west and you will be able to capture the distance between our sin and us. God places our sin as far as the east is from the west. Infinity is the immeasurable distance. You cannot place a measurement on the distance that God places between our sin and ourselves. When God removes our sin, He completely removes our sin. Just as a compassionate father shows compassion to his children, our Heavenly Father shows compassion to us. The abundance of God’s compassion cannot be depleted. God’s compassion is endless. The ultimate portrait of His compassion is found in Romans 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God created us and knows our limitations and the frailty of our humanity. He knows our frame. He knows every fiber of our being. God has not forgotten that we are dust. As God’s steadfast love is lavished on us and His compassion is dispensed, He knows the challenges we face in this fallen world. He is our Father of Compassion! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Forgiveness Joseph Perspective

Forgiveness and Memory

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.’” Genesis 50:15 (ESV) Forgiveness is tested by memory. Only God has the capacity to forgive and forget. We have the capacity to forgive, but we struggle with forgetting what happened to us. Inevitably, something will trigger the memory of the pain of our past. Remember, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and Joseph experienced quite a ride before becoming second in command in Egypt. Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers. He had forgiven them in private before God, then he went public with his forgiveness and even provided for the needs of his family. Their father, Jacob, dies and it triggers the pain of the past. Joseph has already forgiven his brothers for their mistreatment, but they now fear retribution as a result of Jacob’s death. Forgiveness has an Encore. After you have forgiven the one who offended you, wounded you, neglected you, or betrayed you, something may come along and trigger the memory of the pain in your past. Though you do not have the capacity to forgive and forget, by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, though you remember, you can choose to forgive. “‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:20-21 (ESV) Joseph demonstrated a depth of spiritual maturity and embraced God’s perspective on his current reality. Instead of billowing in bitterness, Joseph addressed the encore of forgiveness by reassuring his brothers and being gracious to their children. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Forgiveness Joseph Pain

Process Before Event

“So Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come near to me, please.’ And they came near. And he said, ‘I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.’” Genesis 45:4-5 (ESV) Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. The process includes the pain caused by the offense or neglect or wound. Often, the pain grows into bitterness rooted in unforgiveness. God begins to alert you to the presence of unforgiveness inside of you which produces conviction. Responding to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you choose to extend forgiveness in private through prayer to the one who offended you. God enables you to release the unforgiveness you have harbored in your heart. Once you have received God’s forgiveness for your unforgiveness and you have extended forgiveness in private through prayer, then you prepare to go public on your private forgiveness. This moves into the event of forgiveness. After you have spent time with God in prayer, you transition into communicating your forgiveness to the offender. Joseph experienced the process of forgiveness which prepared him for the event of forgiveness. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers whom had sold him into slavery, he deliberately extended forgiveness to them. It was apparent that Joseph had forgiven them privately in prayer as he communed with God each day. Private forgiveness enabled Joseph to go public on his forgiveness by saying, “Come close to me.” When you extend forgiveness to others, it splashes Living Water on them and releases and refreshes you. Remember that forgiveness is immediate, once you go public, but trust takes time. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Forgiveness Joseph Unforgiveness

Unveiling Unforgiveness

“Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.” Genesis 37:28 (ESV) If anyone ever had reason to be infused with the bile of bitterness, it would have to be Joseph. His brothers were void of mercy and full of hatred and jealousy to the point of selling Joseph into slavery. The brothers even deceived their father, Jacob, by tearing Joseph’s coat of many colors and dipping it in blood to portray the possibility of Joseph being devoured by a ferocious animal. We would call this a genuinely dysfunctional family. The truth is that every family is dysfunctional at some level. Every family has allowed the sewage of unforgiveness to seep into their home for a season and perhaps for a reason. Unforgiveness can quickly become toxic, acidic, corrosive, and radioactive. Many families have been destroyed by the venom of unforgiveness. Salvation is an event, followed by a process. The event of your conversion took place at the moment you confessed your sin and trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord. Your name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, you were adopted into God’s family, and you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since that moment, you have been involved in the process of growing spiritually. You have been working out what God has worked in. The process continues until you go to Heaven! Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. God does a work in you to give you understanding about the unforgiveness resident within you. How will you respond to unfair treatment? Will you become bitter or better? Unveil unforgiveness and extend forgiveness to bring honor to God. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Forgiveness Jacob Reconciliation

Reward of Reconciliation

“And Isaac breathed his last, and he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. And his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.” Genesis 35:29 (ESV) Isaac was greatly blessed by God and was enabled to finish strong. His sons, Jacob and Esau, experienced a tumultuous sibling rivalry that produced immense family turmoil. Their upbringing was filled with deception, selfishness, and inequality. They embodied dysfunction and inflamed disunity. The grace of God was clearly evidenced when Jacob and Esau reconciled after years of separation and seething bitterness and resentment. Jacob prepared generously for the day he faced Esau. Jacob feared Esau’s retribution, but received restoration instead. “But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept” (Genesis 33:4 ESV). Their reunion reflected the grace of God which sustained them through major transitions throughout their lives. Esau and Jacob united to bury their father, Isaac. They came together to honor their father and to bring honor to God. Isaac was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Isaac finished strong. Reconciliation has a tremendous reward. When you choose to restore ruptured relationships, you bring honor to God and you demonstrate obedience to His Word. Reconciliation is a gracious response to God’s redeeming work in your life that compels you to make things right with others. You cannot be right with God without being in a right relationship with others. You cannot be in a right relationship with others unless you are right with God. Is there anyone with whom you need to initiate reconciliation? Do your part to make things right. Experience the power of God as you build a bridge of reconciliation. The peace of God will flow into your life as you practice instant obedience. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Forgiveness Pursuing God

Release the Past and Reclaim the Future

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13 (ESV) What is keeping you from embracing the life God has for you? What is holding you back? Confront and release the past so that you can reclaim the future God has for you. Let go of those hurtful moments and leave the dissapointments of last year behind. There is so much more God has for you that requires your focus and your attention. Release the past so that you can reclaim the future God has orchestrated for you. Revisit 2014 so that you can confess known sin and receive God’s abundant provision of grace. Ask God to forgive you. Forgive yourself. Extend forgiveness to those who have wounded you. Ask for forgiveness from those whom you have offended. Leave no stone unturned. Uncover anything that has brought dishonor to God and enter 2015 with a fresh canvas upon which God can paint the portrait of His grace. Seek God with all of your heart. Remove competing allurements and refocus your passion on pursuing God. Eliminate idols that have accrued over time and enthrone Jesus as Lord of your life. Give Him first place in your life. Return to your first love by allowing Jesus to be your top priority. Nurture the life of Christ in you through daily surrender and by practicing His presence. You will become what you are becoming right now. To become more like Christ, elevate your love relationship with Him to the top of your energy allocation. Make room for Him. Start your day with unhurried time alone with Jesus. Read His Word and listen for the echo of His whisper. Feel His love. Accept His acceptance. Radiate His life. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Compassion Forgiveness Sin

Forgiven to Forgive

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:13 (ESV) Motion causes friction. Doing life with real people can generate feelings of irritability and agitation. Real people in real life can get on your nerves at times. Our self-absorbed society elevates relational strife. Our proclivity toward selfishness accelerates the relational turmoil. The Body of Christ is not exempt from relational challenges. Every church family experiences tension, jealousy, and relational drift. We combat the world, the flesh, and the devil. We combat the tendency to turn inward and neglect relationships. Self-preservation prevents us from experiencing the depth of meaningful relationships God has for us. Perpetual forgiveness and bearing with each other are required for maintaining unity in the Body of Christ. If you have a grievance against someone, release it! If you have been fertilizing a spirit of un-forgiveness, renounce it! Forgive others just as the Lord Jesus has forgiven you. Don’t forget about the forgiveness you have received in your lifetime. Calculate the grace, mercy, and compassion that Christ has lavished on you. Think about where you would be without His abundant forgiveness. Your sin has been placed as far as the east is from the west. Your sin has been placed in the sea of forgetfulness. You are totally forgiven. You have been set free! Now, choose to forgive others as the Lord has chosen to forgive you. Let others experience your forgiveness in the same degree upon which you have experienced the forgiveness of Christ. In prayer, visit the scene of the cross. Picture for a moment the Lord Jesus on the cross paying the penalty for your sin. Consider the weight of taking on the full wrath of God for your sin. Jesus did that for you. Would you be willing to extend forgiveness to others in response to the forgiveness Jesus extended to you? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Divorce Forgiveness Grace

Protect Your Castle

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Matthew 5:31-32 (ESV) Jesus affirmed the value of marriage. Instead of committing your life to your spouse for a season and then looking for an exit, seek to finish together. Marriage is hard work. We are by nature self-centered and self-absorbed. In marriage, you move from me to we. You move from serving yourself to serving your spouse. Protect your private castle. In other words, protect your marriage relationship. You are in a covenant relationship with your spouse before Almighty God. Here’s one of the many ways to protect your private castle. Delete divorce from your vocabulary. Seek to eliminate divorce as an option when things get tough in your marriage relationship. Don’t allow divorce to be your first option. When you go through a difficult season, seek outside help. Secure a godly Christian counselor and allow that person to help you navigate the path to restoration. I am so blessed to have a godly mother who loves the Lord and has served Him faithfully. When I was about seven years old, my godly mother had to make a very difficult decision to divorce my dad due to his excessive alcohol abuse and violence. Divorce was not my mother’s first choice. She exhausted every other option available to her at that time, but she had to ultimately divorce my dad to protect the safety and security of our home and family. Divorce is painful and has perpetual consequences. If you have gone through a divorce, know that God still has a plan for your life. You are not defined by your divorce. Your value has already been established by what God did for you in Christ. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Grace Mercy

Choosing to Forgive

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Eph 4:32 (ESV) Extending forgiveness is intentional and perpetual. The words “just as” are powerful. In our key verse above, they mean to imitate and to emulate God’s forgiveness. We are to forgive each other just as in Christ God forgave us. Let’s consider going on a personal journey together in order to extend forgiveness to those who have wounded us. Ask God to bring to your mind someone you need to forgive. This may induce feelings of hurt, betrayal, or neglect. Now that you have someone in mind, take that person with you to the cross in prayer. In fact, you may even need to take them by the hand as you kneel with them at the foot of the cross. Remember that Jesus knows him or her better than you do. Jesus loves him or her more than you do. Also, Jesus paid the full price for his or her complete forgiveness. In prayer, say to the Lord, “Jesus, as You have graciously forgiven me, I now choose to forgive (insert his or her name).” Release that person from the prison of your unforgiveness. Genuinely extend forgiveness as in Christ God forgave you. Now entrust that person and your future to God. “‘And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses’” (Mark 11:25 ESV). Forgiveness is always the best decision. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Joseph Sovereignty

Trusting God’s Sovereignty

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20 (ESV) The sixty-six books of the Bible provide us with a string of pearls that demonstrates God’s redemptive activity. Long before we were born, God took the initiative to rescue us from our fallen condition. God factors in our poor choices and even the decisions others make that affect our lives. How refreshing to know that God has the final say. Your past, present, and future circumstances will never circumvent the mighty acts of God. Joseph had a life changing experience through the gateway of betrayal. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and tried to cover up their sin through deception. God elevated Joseph to Potipher’s house where he was later falsely accused by Potipher’s wife. Joseph went from the pit to the palace and then to prison. His life’s circumstances appeared to be most unfortunate. Yet, God knew right where Joseph was and what Joseph needed most. God was with Joseph and delivered him from prison to second in command over Egypt in preparation for the upcoming famine. When Joseph’s path intersected that of his brothers, he demonstrated the life giving grace of God. Instead of having them pay for their sin, Joseph forgave them and acknowledged God’s sovereignty. Have you had the ultimate life changing experience by placing your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross? Are you living out the reality of God’s transforming power? Have you experienced God’s forgiveness at the level of being able to forgive others in the same measure? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Compassion Forgiveness Mercy

Extending and Receiving Forgiveness

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 6:14-15 (ESV) Would it not be hypocritical to receive God’s forgiveness personally and then refuse to extend God’s forgiveness to others? We do not earn God’s forgiveness by forgiving others, but we demonstrate God’s forgiveness as we forgive others. We are to forgive others instantly as a result of our being recipients of God’s instant forgiveness. Forgiving those who have hurt you does not validate their behavior, but rather honors God by mirroring His forgiveness towards you. The grace and mercy that God lavishes on you becomes a blessing that flows through you to those who have wounded you. By extending forgiveness, you are allowing the life of Christ to be evident in you and through you. Forgiveness is immediate; trust takes time. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that it is safe to trust that person. God is not asking you to extend forgiveness and then embrace a posture of vulnerability and susceptibility. You are to walk wisely. It takes time and multiple opportunities for a person to demonstrate trustworthiness. Just as you would not dare cross a bridge that is not deemed trustworthy, you would not trust an individual who has failed to be trustworthy. Extend forgiveness immediately and then pray for the person you have forgiven. Ask God to transform the one you have forgiven and to help that person become worthy of your trust. It is possible that you may never trust that person again. However, extending forgiveness is not optional in God’s economy. In my daily quiet time, I came across this question by Henry Blackaby that God is using in my life, “Would you want God to forgive you in the same way you are presently forgiving others?” Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Compassion Forgiveness Freedom

Forgiveness and Freedom

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 (ESV) After speaking to a men’s group on the subject of father wounds, a man in his mid-thirties came up to me to say that he was going immediately to his dad’s house to forgive him. His dad had been pretty tough on him over his lifetime. The son felt that he could never please his dad. It was never enough! His dad always expected more and demanded more and refused to express affirmation. Bitterness had saturated the son’s heart and on this day, he was under deep conviction by the Holy Spirit that it was time to forgive his dad. Forgiveness brings freedom. When you choose to forgive those who have wounded you or neglected you, there is a tremendous release of tension followed by a refreshing wave of satisfaction. Showing kindness and compassion through forgiving others brings honor to God and relief to your soul. Harboring unforgiveness is like trying to push a parked car up a steep hill. Unforgiveness will shackle your capacity to experience love and will imprison your joy. God is not asking you to do anything He has not already done for you in Christ. God took the initiative to sacrifice His only Son to pay the penalty of your sin. God chose to forgive you in spite of your rebellion, in spite of your past, and in spite of your proclivity to drift into sin. Forgive others just as God has forgiven you. Dispense to others the mercy and grace you have freely received from God. Jesus bore your sin on the cross so that you could be forgiven and so that you could have the capacity to forgive others. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Future Past

Releasing the Past

“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) Don’t allow your past to prevent you from doing something great for God in the future. Everyone has a past. Everybody has pollution at some level in their past. We have made decisions we regret, said hurtful words we regret, and have had impure thoughts. We have caused pain in the lives of others and we have also been the recipient of pain from others. Living in a fallen world becomes evident by looking into the rearview mirror. Paul enjoyed the favor of God. While participating with God in the redemptive process, Paul also encountered the trauma of severe persecution. His rearview mirror included scenes of immense failures and tremendous successes. Paul understood the vital importance of releasing the past and embracing the future. Memory has power. Satan uses memory to immobilize us. God uses memory to remind us of the depth of His love. God wants to do something great through your life in spite of your past. God factored in your sin before you were even born. God made provision for your sin and your success by allowing Jesus to pay your sin debt in full. Find a private place of solitude. Take out a notepad and ask God to reveal unconfessed sin in your life. In the quietness of the moment, begin to write down what God reveals to you. Specifically confess each sin by agreeing with God that you have broken His heart and missed the mark. Now receive God’s cleansing for your sin and release the past. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Compassion Forgiveness God's Nature

God’s Compassion

“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.” Jonah 3:10 (ESV) God blesses your obedience. God gave Jonah a second chance. In response, Jonah obeyed God and went to the great city of Nineveh and preached against it. God honored the preaching of His Word. The Ninevites believed God and declared a fast. The King repented and issued a proclamation. This domino effect took place because God was willing to give Jonah a second chance and Jonah was willing to obey God. God not only blessed Jonah’s obedience, but He also rewarded the people’s repentance. God witnessed their change of direction and unleashed His compassion. “Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful.” (Ps. 116:5 ESV). God responded to the response of the people. Notice how God withheld His wrath. What a tremendous demonstration of God’s compassion! Trace your past for a few moments. Contemplate the pivotal moments in your life when God unleashed His compassion. Where would you be today had God not lavished you with His grace, mercy, and compassion? Think about the opportunities that God has provided you with over your lifetime in light of His compassion. God’s forgiveness enables you to join Him in His redemptive activity. Once you have personally experienced God’s compassion, you will be able to extend compassion to others at a deeper level. “’Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.’” (Luke 7:47 ESV). Your capacity to love others and to be compassionate towards others will be proportionate to the compassion you have received from God. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Compassion Forgiveness Mercy

Being Merciful to Others

“So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” James 2:12-13 (ESV) Imagine being transferred instantly before the throne of God. You are standing before God right now and you fall on your face before God and He asks you to give an account for your treatment of others. Where would that place you in the area of God’s approval and affirmation? How would you measure up to God’s standard of perfection? God is a God of justice. And yes, God is a God of mercy. Without God’s justice, mercy would not exist. Without God’s mercy, justice would not exist. God declared His justice on your sin when Jesus took upon God’s wrath for your sin on the cross. God demonstrated His mercy by providing for the forgiveness of your sin. How will you treat others in light of what God has done for you? “‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.’” Matt. 5:7 (ESV) “‘Judge not, that you be not judged.For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.’” Matt. 7:1-2 (ESV) Our tendency is to use binoculars when judging our lives and using a microscope when judging the lives of others. Thank God for His mercy. God wants our conversation and our conduct to reflect the mercy we have received from Him. God is not asking us to do anything in our relationship with others that He has not already done for us. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Justification Sanctification

Sanctity

“And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV) How would God reverse the curse sin produced? What would God do to restore fallen humanity? The most incredible display of unconditional love became God’s response to man’s sin. God provided for the removal of our sin through the sacrifice of His only Son. God allowed Jesus to pay our sin debt in full and to purchase our salvation. The shedding of blood was essential for the forgiveness of our sin. God chose to sacrifice an animal to provide garments of skin for Adam and Eve after their fall (Gen. 3:21). God took the initiative to reconcile and to restore them through the shedding of blood. Adam and Eve still had to face the natural consequences of their sin. They were still banished from the garden and Adam had to work the ground (Gen. 3:23). “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.” Rom. 5:18 (NIV) Through Adam’s sin, condemnation came to us all. As a result, we are born in sin and inherit the sin nature. However, through the obedience of Jesus on the cross, we are made righteous. Upon our trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, we receive the imputed righteousness of Christ. We are justified through faith, receive peace from God, and gain access into His grace (Rom. 5:1-2). The righteousness of Christ is deposited into our account. We are reconciled to God through the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus paid it all! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Certainty Forgiveness Identity

Embrace Your New Identity

“But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” 1 John 3:5-6 (NIV) Jesus established your new identity by removing your sins. Jesus willingly left the glory of heaven to come to earth in order to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death to pay the penalty of our sin. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29 (NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Cor. 5:21 (NIV) There’s hope for every person who turns from their sin and to Jesus alone for salvation. Jesus has already done all the work to provide the gift of eternal life and to establish our new identity. Are you living in light of your sins being forgiven? Have you experienced the renewal that comes through the total cleansing of sin? In Jesus there is no sin. To become a follower of Jesus is to take on His nature and to reflect His character. Jesus lives in you to produce His life in you and through you. Embrace your new identity by surrendering to the Lordship of Christ and giving Him total access to every area of your life. If there is unconfessed sin in your life, don’t hesitate to confess your sin specifically and instantly. Uncover any fraction of sin in your life and choose to walk in alignment with your new identity in Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Acceptance Forgiveness Jesus

Yielded Interactions

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7 (NIV) Have you been wounded by someone recently? What is your natural reaction? You probably want to wound them for wounding you. But is it possible to look at the person behind the behavior? What if you sought to place yourself in their skin to seek to understand why they would act in a hurtful way? Maybe they are deeply hurting. Maybe they are searching for something to anesthetize their pain. You cannot control how they treat you. However, you can control how you respond to their treatment of you. When you react, it is you reacting. When you respond, it is the Holy Spirit living in you expressing His nature and character through you. Jesus is the ultimate pattern for us to model our lives after. He exemplified how to respond to difficult people. “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:23 NIV). Rather than retaliating, Jesus entrusted Himself to the Judge who is all-knowing and all-seeing. God doesn’t miss even a fragment of an interaction that you have with others. Entrust yourself to His care. He knows what you are dealing with. By the way, He created the person who has wounded you. In fact, God even gave them His best by allowing Jesus to die on the cross for them also. Accepting others will not come naturally. Accepting others, especially difficult people, comes supernaturally as you surrender your life completely to the Lordship of Christ. Allow Him to be Lord of your life and your interactions with people who may potentially hurt you. Jesus specializes in pain management. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Atonement Forgiveness Sacrifice

Ultimate Sacrifice

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:27-28 (NIV) In the Old Testament sacrificial system, the high priest would enter the holy of holies once a year on the Day of Atonement to offer sacrifices for the sins of his family and for all the people. One goat would be chosen to be sacrificed for the Lord and one goat would become the scapegoat (Lev. 16:10). The blood from the goat sacrificed as a sin offering would be sprinkled throughout the altar, sanctuary, and tent of meeting to remove defilements of the past year. The high priest would then place his hands on the head of the scapegoat and symbolically transfer the sins of the people to it. The scapegoat, also known as the goat of removal, would be led away from the people into the desert to picture the removal of sins. Jesus bore our sins on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin. Jesus took our punishment for sin to satisfy God’s justice. In His mercy, Christ was sacrificed to remove our sins. Our sin debt has been paid in full and our salvation purchased through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus became our scapegoat to take away our sins. Have you confessed your sins? Have your received God’s provision for the forgiveness of your sins? Spend some time thanking Jesus for the removal of your sins. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Family Forgiveness Joseph

The Encore of Forgiveness

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?’” Genesis 50:15 (NIV) Forgiveness is tested by memory. Only God has the capacity to forgive and forget. We have the capacity to forgive, but we struggle with forgetting what happened to us. Inevitably, something will trigger the memory of the pain of our past. Remember, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and Joseph experienced quite a ride before becoming second in command in Egypt. Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers. He had forgiven them in private before God, then he went public with his forgiveness and even provided for the needs of his family. Their father, Jacob, dies and it triggers the pain of the past. Joseph has already forgiven his brothers for their mistreatment, but they now fear retribution as a result of Jacob’s death. Forgiveness has an Encore. After you have forgiven the one who offended you, wounded you, neglected you, or betrayed you, something may come along and trigger the memory of the pain in your past. Though you do not have the capacity to forgive and forget, by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, though you remember, you can choose to forgive. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Gen. 50:20 (NIV) “‘So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.’ And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.” Gen. 50:21 (NIV) Joseph demonstrated a depth of spiritual maturity and embraced God’s perspective on his current reality. Instead of billowing in bitterness, Joseph addressed the encore of forgiveness by reassuring his brothers and being gracious to their children. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Joseph Obedience

The Event of Forgiveness

“Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come close to me.’ When they had done so, he said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.’” Genesis 45:4-5 (NIV) Forgiveness is a process, followed by an event. The process includes the pain caused by the offense or neglect or wound. Often, the pain grows into bitterness rooted in unforgiveness. God begins to alert you to the presence of unforgiveness inside of you which produces conviction. Responding to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, you choose to extend forgiveness in private through prayer to the one who offended you. God enables you to release the unforgiveness you have harbored in your heart. Once you have received God’s forgiveness for your unforgiveness and you have extended forgiveness in private through prayer, then you prepare to go public on your private forgiveness. This moves into the event of forgiveness. After you have spent time with God in prayer, you transition into communicating your forgiveness to the offender. Joseph experienced the process of forgiveness which prepared him for the event of forgiveness. When Joseph revealed himself to his brothers whom had sold him into slavery, he deliberately extended forgiveness to them. It was apparent that Joseph had forgiven them privately in prayer as he communed with God each day. Private forgiveness enabled Joseph to go public on his forgiveness by saying, “Come close to me.” When you extend forgiveness to others, it splashes Living Water on them and releases and refreshes you. Remember that forgiveness is immediate, once you go public, but trust takes time. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell