Category: God’s Love

Categories
God's Love God's Nature John 3:16

The Greatest Lover

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV) Have you ever questioned your own value and worth? That’s a normal part of life. Everyone wants to feel valued and valuable. God established your value by taking the initiative to rescue you from your sin and to robe you in His righteousness. God has made His righteousness known through His Word and the Word made flesh (John 1:14). When you place your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross, you receive the righteousness of Christ. The truth is that we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. We have missed the mark of His perfection and His holiness. Yet, God chose to justify us freely by His grace through the redemption that came through Jesus. God took the initiative to demonstrate His selfless and sacrificial love. Before you turned to God, God turned to you! Your value is measured by the price He paid to remove your sin and to robe you in His righteousness. You are valued and you are valuable to God. His love for you is the certification of your value. God is the greatest lover. He loves unconditionally, personally, and eternally. God is love and His love never fails. There is nothing you can do to cause God to love you more and there is nothing you can do to cause God to love you less. God’s love for you is perfect. What will you do with the love God has shown you? Have you expressed your appreciation to God for the love He has lavished on you? Share the gift of His love with others. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Compassion God's Love Mercy

The Fragrance of Mercy

“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) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s love. We do not deserve God’s gift of eternal life. We do not deserve our new identity in Christ. We do not deserve having our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Yet, God graced us with these and many other spiritual realities. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Because of our sin, we deserve separation, punishment, and alienation. Because of our sin, we deserve eternal damnation. Because of our sin, we deserve total isolation from God’s abiding Presence. Yet, God extends His mercy to us and does not give us what we deserve. Instead, God has blesses us, redeems us, includes us, seals us, and lavishes us with His love. Because of God’s mercy, we have a song to sing and a message to declare. As recipients of God’s mercy, we have been given a clean canvas upon which we join God in His redemptive activity. May God’s merciful treatment of us radically transform our conversation and our conduct! May our words and our walk exhibit mercy to others as God has exhibited to us! “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Viewing others from God’s perspective will produce the fragrance of mercy in our lives. May that aroma bring others closer to the love of God that we have found in Christ! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Compassion God's Love Mercy

The Fragrance of Mercy

“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) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s love. We do not deserve God’s gift of eternal life. We do not deserve our new identity in Christ. We do not deserve having our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Yet, God graced us with these and many other spiritual realities. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. Because of our sin, we deserve separation, punishment, and alienation. Because of our sin, we deserve eternal damnation. Because of our sin, we deserve total isolation from God’s abiding Presence. Yet, God extends His mercy to us and does not give us what we deserve. Instead, God has blesses us, redeems us, includes us, seals us, and lavishes us with His love. Because of God’s mercy, we have a song to sing and a message to declare. As recipients of God’s mercy, we have been given a clean canvas upon which we join God in His redemptive activity. May God’s merciful treatment of us radically transform our conversation and our conduct! May our words and our walk exhibit mercy to others as God has exhibited to us! “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (ESV) Viewing others from God’s perspective will produce the fragrance of mercy in our lives. May that aroma bring others closer to the love of God that we have found in Christ! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Love Reconciliation Restoration

God’s Restoration Plan

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’” Revelation 21:3-4 (ESV) You are not a robot. God created you with the capacity to accept His plan or to reject His plan. He made you to be relational. You can respond to God’s offer of restoration or you can choose to go your own way. God grants the freedom to accept Him or reject Him. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He comforts and convicts. He guides and He provides. However, God will allow you the freedom to choose a selfish path or a selfless path. He will alert you when you are taking a path that is not His best for you. Yet, God will allow you to maneuver in the direction of your choice. The prodigal son made a poor decision when he selfishly requested his share of the estate so that he could carelessly spend it. Yet, God allowed him to get to the pigpen level of living. It was there that the prodigal son came to his senses and made the life-giving decision to get up and go back to his father (Luke 15:17-20). Restoration awaits! How will you respond to God’s offer? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Love Grace Prodigal

Celebration or Rejection

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’” Luke 15:28-30 (NIV) If you have ever lost anything that you valued then you know what it feels like to celebrate when the recovery is made. Can you imagine someone you treasure being displaced? Do you sense the anticipation of their return? How would you respond? The prodigal son was fortunate to have a father waiting, watching, and anticipating his return. However, the older brother was not in a celebratory frame of mind. He was bitter and resentful. The older brother could not understand why his father would throw such a massive party for his young wayward brother. It just did not make sense. The father made a distinction between the two brothers. Did you see it in the passage? The father affirmed the older son’s distinction by acknowledging their special connection that was not hindered by the younger son’s rebellion. On the other hand, the father made a clear distinction by identifying that the younger son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. The prodigal son was in desperate need of the father’s mercy, grace, and love. Have you been there? Spend some time thinking about how God has fathered you through difficult times. Aren’t you grateful that He doesn’t give you what you deserve? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Compassion God's Love Prodigal

Close the Gap

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (NIV) You determine the level of intimacy you have with God. The gap widens as you drift from God’s plan and God’s pursuit. When you become fixated on your personal agenda and seek to fulfill your fleshly cravings, the intimacy you once enjoyed with God erodes. Have you ever felt a distance between you and God? Have you experienced seasons where God seemed far away? Who moved? Remember, the prodigal son made the life altering decision to get up and go back to his father. Notice how the prodigal son was still a long way off when his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. Who ran? Well, the son ran away from his father and then decided to return. The father ran to his son. That blesses my heart. The father ran to his son! God draws us near in salvation and we respond by drawing near to Him through daily intimacy. When we make poor choices or neglect our love relationship with God, we are to return to God by confessing sin specifically and instantly. Sin grieves the heart of God and quenches the Spirit of God living in us. We navigate the relational proximity by our response to God’s compassion. Close the gap by responding to God’s redeeming love. Your performance and your productivity do not grant you access into the reservoir of God’s compassion. Come to God in brokenness and humility as you recognize your dependency upon Him. God loves you completely and has a wonderful plan for your life. Remember, God factored in your sin and made the provision for your cleansing and renewal. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Love Grace Prodigal

Celebration or Rejection

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’” Luke 15:28-30 (NIV) If you have ever lost anything that you valued then you know what it feels like to celebrate when the recovery is made. Can you imagine someone you treasure being displaced? Do you sense the anticipation of their return? How would you respond? The prodigal son was fortunate to have a father waiting, watching, and anticipating his return. However, the older brother was not in a celebratory frame of mind. He was bitter and resentful. The older brother could not understand why his father would throw such a massive party for his young wayward brother. It just did not make sense. The father made a distinction between the two brothers. Did you see it in the passage? The father affirmed the older son’s distinction by acknowledging their special connection that was not hindered by the younger son’s rebellion. On the other hand, the father made a clear distinction by identifying that the younger son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. The prodigal son was in desperate need of the father’s mercy, grace, and love. Have you been there? Spend some time thinking about how God has fathered you through difficult times. Aren’t you grateful that He doesn’t give you what you deserve? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Compassion God's Love Prodigal

Close the Gap

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” Luke 15:20 (NIV) You determine the level of intimacy you have with God. The gap widens as you drift from God’s plan and God’s pursuit. When you become fixated on your personal agenda and seek to fulfill your fleshly cravings, the intimacy you once enjoyed with God erodes. Have you ever felt a distance between you and God? Have you experienced seasons where God seemed far away? Who moved? Remember, the prodigal son made the life altering decision to get up and go back to his father. Notice how the prodigal son was still a long way off when his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him. Who ran? Well, the son ran away from his father and then decided to return. The father ran to his son. That blesses my heart. The father ran to his son! God draws us near in salvation and we respond by drawing near to Him through daily intimacy. When we make poor choices or neglect our love relationship with God, we are to return to God by confessing sin specifically and instantly. Sin grieves the heart of God and quenches the Spirit of God living in us. We navigate the relational proximity by our response to God’s compassion. Close the gap by responding to God’s redeeming love. Your performance and your productivity do not grant you access into the reservoir of God’s compassion. Come to God in brokenness and humility as you recognize your dependency upon Him. God loves you completely and has a wonderful plan for your life. Remember, God factored in your sin and made the provision for your cleansing and renewal. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Love God's Nature John 3:16

The Greatest Lover

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) Have you ever questioned your own value and worth? That’s a normal part of life. Everyone wants to feel valued and valuable. God established your value by taking the initiative to rescue you from your sin and to robe you in His righteousness. God has made His righteousness known through His Word and the Word made flesh (John 1:14). When you place your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross, you receive the righteousness of Christ. The truth is that we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. We have missed the mark of His perfection and His holiness. Yet, God chose to justify us freely by His grace through the redemption that came through Jesus. God took the initiative to demonstrate His selfless and sacrificial love. Before you turned to God, God turned to you! Your value is measured by the price He paid to remove your sin and to robe you in His righteousness. You are valued and you are valuable to God. His love for you is the certification of your value. God is the greatest lover. He loves unconditionally, personally, and eternally. God is love and His love never fails. There is nothing you can do to cause God to love you more and there is nothing you can do to cause God to love you less. God’s love for you is perfect. What will you do with the love God has shown you? Have you expressed your appreciation to God for the love He has lavished on you? Share the gift of His love with others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Compassion God's Love Mercy

The Fragrance of Mercy

“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” James 2:12-13 (NIV) Grace is getting what we do not deserve. We do not deserve God’s love. We do not deserve God’s gift of eternal life. We do not deserve our new identity in Christ. We do not deserve having our names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Yet, God graced us with these and many other spiritual realities. Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Because of our sin, we deserve separation, punishment, and alienation. Because of our sin, we deserve eternal damnation. Because of our sin, we deserve total isolation from God’s abiding Presence. Yet, God extends His mercy to us and did not give us what we deserved. Instead, God has blessed us, redeemed us, included us, sealed us, and lavished us with His love. Because of God’s mercy, we have a song to sing and a message to declare. As recipients of God’s mercy, we have been given a clean canvas upon which we join God in His redemptive activity. May God’s merciful treatment of us radically transform our conversation and our conduct! May our words and our walk exhibit mercy to others as God has exhibited to us! “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 (NIV) Viewing others from God’s perspective will produce the fragrance of mercy in our lives. May that aroma bring others closer to the love of God that we have found in Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Love Reconciliation Restoration

God’s Restoration Plan

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’” Rev 21:3-4 (NIV) You are not a robot. God created you with the capacity to accept His plan or to reject His plan. He made you to be relational. You can respond to God’s offer of restoration or you can choose to go your own way. God grants the freedom to accept Him or reject Him. By the power of His Holy Spirit, He comforts and convicts. He guides and He provides. However, God will allow you the freedom to choose a selfish path or a selfless path. He will alert you when you are taking a path that is not His best for you. Yet, God will allow you to maneuver in the direction of your choice. The prodigal son made a poor decision when he selfishly requested his share of the estate so that he could carelessly spend it. Yet, God allowed him to get to the pigpen level of living. It was there that the prodigal son came to his senses and made the life-giving decision to get up and go back to his father (Luke 15:17-20). Restoration awaits! How will you respond to God’s offer? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Christmas Gift of Eternal Life God's Love

The Ultimate Gift

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) Travel down memory lane with me for a moment. Think about your Christmas experiences as a child. What do you remember as the most meaningful gift you received? Can you still feel the excitement of the anticipation of the gift? That experience is locked in your memory because it was special to you. The ultimate gift in this life is the gift of eternal life. There is no greater gift and there is no greater demonstration of God’s love. The moment you recognized your sin and accepted God’s provision for your forgiveness through your faith in Jesus, you received the ultimate gift. Let me ask you a question. Do you know that God is for you? “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (NIV) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NIV) Consider the individuals currently in your sphere of influence. Have they received the ultimate gift? Have you shared your salvation story with them? Are you willing to be used of God to make Jesus known to those God places in your path? God still uses human instrumentality in the redemptive process. Once you have received the ultimate gift, you can share that gift with others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Atonement Comfort God's Love

God’s Unfailing Love

“May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.” Psalms 119:76 (NIV) We are made for love. Loving God, loving people, and being loved by God is our privilege and responsibility. God’s love sustains us through seasons of uncertainty. God’s love preserves us in the storms of life. The fluctuation of our circumstances cannot disrupt, nor hinder the love of God. Nothing can separate us from God’s love (Rm 8:38-39). God’s love is unfailing. God’s love does not ebb and flow. The love of God is not conditioned by our performance. God loves us unconditionally. There is nothing we can do to cause God to love us more. There is nothing we can do to cause God to love us any less. God’s love is perfect! “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10 (NIV) “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 (NIV) We must combat the enemy and his attempt to distort God’s love for us. The enemy cannot attack God, so he attacks God’s children. Remember, Jesus came to give us life abundant and complete. Jesus came to enable us to experience God’s love personally and eternally. God demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin. Receive comfort today through God’s unfailing love. Even when you fail, God’s love never fails. God will love you through your pain. God will love you through your valley and mountaintop experiences. God will love you when you have nothing to give and when your cup is overflowing. May His unfailing love be your comfort! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Love Initiative Sacrificial Love Selfless Love

Selfless and Sacrificial Love (4)

“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:21-24 (NIV) God took the initiative to come to your rescue. Have you ever questioned your own value and worth? That’s a normal part of life. Everyone wants to feel valued and valuable. God established your value by taking the initiative to rescue you from your sin and to robe you in His righteousness. God has made His righteousness known through His Word and the Word made flesh (John 1:14). When you place your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross, you receive the righteousness of Christ. The truth is that we have all sinned and fall short of God’s glory. We have missed the mark of His perfection and His holiness. Yet, God chose to justify us freely by His grace through the redemption that came through Jesus. God took the initiative to demonstrate His selfless and sacrificial love. Before you decided what you would do with God, God decided what to do with you. Before you turned to God, God turned to you! Your value is measured by the price He paid to remove your sin and to robe you in His righteousness. You are valued and you are valuable to God. His love for you is the certification of your value. What will you do with the love God has shown you? How will you treat others now that you have experienced God’s love firsthand? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

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Adam Eve God's Love Love Sacrificial Love Selfless Love

Selfless and Sacrificial Love (2)

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” Gen 3:8-9 (NIV) God demonstrated His selfless and sacrificial love in the Garden of Eden. As Adam and Eve were trying to hide from God due to their willful disobedience, God asked Adam a question that revealed the heart of God and the sinfulness of man. God called to Adam, “Where are you?” The truth is that God knew exactly where Adam was both physically and spiritually. God did not need Adam to identify his location. God wanted Adam to consider and contemplate his own personal spiritual state. God wanted Adam to recognize his disobedience and rebellion. God demonstrated sacrificial love as He killed an animal that He created in order to provide covering and cleansing for Adam and Eve. “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Gen 3:21 (NIV) “So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Gen 3:23-24 (NIV) God’s provision taught Adam and Eve that the shedding of blood was necessary for the removal of sin. The demonstration of selfless and sacrificial love also taught Adam and Eve that sin comes at a high cost. Adam and Eve received God’s forgiveness, but had to suffer the consequences of their sin. They were banished from the Garden of Eden. God’s selfless and sacrificial love includes tough love. Think of ways in which God has demonstrated His selfless and sacrificial love in your life. You may want to revisit the spiritual markers in your life and assess them based on God’s selfless and sacrificial love. It could be that you can identify times in your life when God had to practice tough love and allow you to suffer the natural consequences that parade behind your choices. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor