Category: God’s Will

Illuminating God’s Will

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” John 16:13-14 (ESV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to illuminate the path of God’s will. God loves you and has a plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to respond to His offer of salvation, to grow spiritually, to be spirit-filled, and to be a soul winner. The Holy Spirit lives in you to empower you to know and do God’s will. The Holy Spirit empowers you to be on mission with God so that you can continue the ministry of Jesus. What is it like to be guided into all truth? Who qualifies for such a task? God has created you to come into a personal relationship with Him through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. God redeems you and takes up permanent residence within you by the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Your life matters to God and the direction of your life has immediate and eternal implications. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, moves in to serve as your personal guide to ensure that you stay on the path of truth. God’s will includes your awareness of His plan and your response of obedience to His plan. You cannot fulfill God’s will without the Holy Spirit living inside of you? The Holy Spirit illuminates the path God wants you to take. The Holy Spirit clarifies God’s will so that you can bring glory to God through a life of obedience. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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God's Will Sovereignty Trust

Trust God’s Plan

“One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they set out.” Luke 8:22 (ESV) God will get you to the other side. His plan for you is personal. God designed you with His purpose in mind. You are not an accident. Before you were born, God knew you (Jer. 1:5). You are here at this very moment because God ordained your existence. God has a special plan for your life that includes your past, present, and future. God’s plan factors in your choices. You are not an impersonal robotic creature. You are a personal relational being with the purpose of God in your heart. God knows you by name and even the hairs upon your head are numbered (Luke 12:7). God’s plan for you is eternal. There’s more in store than what you see in the here and now. God has placed eternity in your heart to position you for eternal life (Eccl. 3:11). Your life goes beyond the grave. God’s plan for you extends beyond the immediate and includes eternal life. As you receive the gift of eternal life by faith, your forever is changed. Heaven becomes the place where you will live with God forever. The disciples responded to Jesus by getting into a boat and setting out. Jesus said, “Let’s go over to the other side.” Jesus did not say, “Let’s see if we can make it to the other side.” When Jesus is in your boat, there’s nothing to fear. Jesus will get you to the destination safely and right on time. Enjoy the journey! Trust God’s plan! Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Focus God's Will Jesus

What Are You Living For?

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date February 3, 2021
125 Comments on What Are You Living For?

“Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.’” John 4:34 (ESV) God has a mission for you to fulfill. God created you to bloom where He plants you so that you can continue the ministry of Jesus. Your life matters to God. Stay on mission with God. Jesus lived His earthly life to bring glory to God by doing His will and finishing His work. Jesus was on mission with God. His passion was to do God’s will. When the disciples returned with food for Jesus to eat, Jesus clarified that His appetite was to do God’s will. Jesus recognized the clear mission for which He was sent by God to the earth to fulfill. “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30 (ESV) Jesus completed His atoning work on the cross to purchase our salvation. He took the full wrath of God for our sin. Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb and rose three days later. After forty days of post-resurrection appearances, Jesus ascended to heaven. On the Day of Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to indwell the believers as He promised (John 16:7 & Luke 24:49). Now Jesus is at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us (Rom. 8:34). Will you embrace the mission of Jesus by doing God’s will and finishing the work He wants to do through you? There are people who need the love of Jesus you possess. Multitudes stand in need of the gift of eternal life that you have received. Bring glory to God by living on mission with Him. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Discernment God's Will Numbers

Discern God’s Will

“On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff.” Numbers 17:8-9 (ESV) God reveals His will. Even when you are not clear about a direction you should take, God will bring you into the decision making process to reveal His plan. God created you and God has a specific plan for your life. Will you pursue Him daily and trust Him completely? Will you obey what God shows you? Moses obeyed God’s directive by securing the staffs of the twelve chiefs of Israel. Moses wrote their name on their staff and wrote Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. The morning after Moses placed the twelve staffs in the tent of meeting, he retrieved each staff and noticed that Aaron’s staff had sprouted. Through this very interesting process, God revealed His will. Perhaps you are going through a season of life in which you would love for God to reveal His will to you in a tangible way. You would be willing to secure a staff or any item that God would use to indicate His will. The reality is that God reveals His will through His Word. Are you reading your Bible? Are you spending time in prayer and spending time diligently seeking God’s will? As you obey what God has already revealed to you, He will illuminate the path He wants you to take. As you obey, God will show you the way. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Adversity God's Will Questions

Ask the Right Question

“I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Philippians 1:12 (ESV) God had transformed Paul from a persecutor of the church to a preacher of the gospel. Later in his journey, the Apostle Paul was instrumental in the birth of the church at Philippi. Paul was fully yielded to the Lordship of Christ and fully surrendered to God’s will. He sought to maintain the posture of living on mission with God and joining God in His redemptive activity. Sometimes obedience to God’s will leads to imprisonment. Paul was imprisoned in Rome and chained to two Roman soldiers rotating shifts every eight hours. Can you imagine being chained to the Apostle Paul for eight hours? God used the very chains that bound Paul to unleash the gospel of grace to throughout the whole palace guard. When you look into the rear view mirror of your life, maybe you can quickly remember a season of adversity that made no sense at the time. Now, looking back you see how God used that season in your life to build your faith and to bless others. Hindsight gives you a view of clarity that provides comfort. Our tendency is to ask God, “Why?” We like knowing the reason behind the season of adversity. We find comfort in clarifying the unknown and resolving the mystery of our circumstances. For some reason, we just passionately want to know why God allows certain things into our lives. We convince ourselves, that if we knew why, then we would be able to accept the reality of our circumstances. Instead of asking why, consider asking what! Start asking, “God, what would you like to accomplish in me and through me in the midst of this season of adversity?” Remember, if God allows it, He will use it to build your faith and to bless others. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Adversity God's Timing God's Will

Divine Appointments

“So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.” Acts 16:40 (ESV) Have you ever been tempted to question God? Maybe you have gone through a season that did not make sense to you and appeared to divert you from God’s will. Paul had delivered a fortune-teller from her demon possession. As you can imagine, her owners where not happy with the cessation of their flow of income. As a result, Paul and Silas were thrown in prison for obeying God’s will. Just before that encounter, Paul and Silas met Lydia at a place of prayer by the river in Philippi. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message and she and her family had a life changing experience and were baptized. She invited Paul and his companions to her home. Lydia’s home became an oasis. After Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, they were praying and singing hymns to God when the foundations of the prison were shaken by an earthquake. Chains were loosed and the prison doors flew open. The jailer was about to take his own life until Paul declared that all the prisoners where still there. The jailer fell trembling before Paul and Silas and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Immediately the jailer and his family were baptized. Paul and Silas went to Lydia’s house and met with the believers and encouraged them. God birthed the church of Philippi out of adverse circumstances. Lydia’s home became the church of Philippi. Don’t underestimate what God wants to do in the midst of your circumstances. God orchestrates divine appointments throughout the terrain of turbulence. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Clarity God's Will Vision

Gain Clarity

“And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” Acts 16:10 (ESV) Fog has the capacity to limit visibility and to stall progress. If you have ever driven in fog you know firsthand the challenge it creates. Living life in a fallen world can be like trying to drive in the fog. The path God wants you to take may not be crystal clear. Paul and his traveling companions experienced the canopy of fog when they sought to preach the word in the province of Asia. The Holy Spirit prevented them from moving in that direction. When they tried to enter the border of Bithynia, the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Their path was foggy until Paul had a vision during the night of a man from Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Sometimes the fog doesn’t lift until God has prepared you for your next assignment. Even when your path doesn’t seem clear, know that God is working to develop you and to prepare the circumstances in your future for the life He has for you. Wait patiently before the Lord and trust in His impeccable timing to reveal to you the step He wants you to take. Keep yielding to His authority and control in your life. Keep drawing near to God and grow in your daily intimacy with Him. God is passionate about developing the character of Christ in you so that you will be more like Jesus whether the path is foggy or radiantly clear. Paul did not know it, but God was preparing him for some divine appointments that were positioned just beyond the fog. God sees where you are and He knows exactly where He wants you to be. The fog will lift and you will gain clarity. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Choices Discernment God's Will

Choose the Right Path

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12 (ESV) Decisions determine direction and direction determines destination. Life is filled with incremental decisions that place you on a particular path. You can be living in the center of God’s will and make one small decision that causes you to divert from the path God has for you. Think about the condition of your relationships. Measure the health of your relationship with Christ, your relationship with your spouse, your relationship with your children, and your relationship with others. The decisions you make impact the level of health in each of these relationships. One decision can enhance your relationships or hinder your relationships. Assess where you are right now in your life. How did you get to where you are? You are a product of the choices you make. When you chose to trust in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, your forever changed. You made a spiritual decision that placed you in a right relationship with Christ. Consider the choices you made academically to position yourself for a bright future. The location of your residence is a result of a decision you made. Sometimes the choices others make impact you directly. Perhaps someone in your family made a poor choice that led them down a path filled with consequences. You are now reaping a portion of what they have sown. God will give you the grace to navigate that path. Remember, if God allows it, He will use it! If God allowed the consequences to drift in your direction, He will use them for your good and His glory. Walk in unbroken fellowship with the Lord and ask Him to enable you to discern His will. Ask the Lord to illuminate the path He wants you to take for His glory. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Sovereignty Trust

God’s Sovereignty

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:11-12 (ESV) Has your life ever become complicated and messy? Have you traveled down a road you never thought you would view? Living in a fallen world tends to cause us to experience unexpected turns in life. Either we make poor choices or the decisions of others negatively affect us. It may be a relationship that has diverted into unhealthy patterns or personal behaviors that drift away from God’s best. The good news is that God is sovereign. He rules and He reigns. He always has the final say in any and every situation. Even when you make a disastrous move, God can orchestrate your path for your good and His glory. Notice how our Bible verse says that God works out everything in conformity with the purpose of His will. He is God! There is nothing that is impossible with Him. He can handle your situation. He can handle your relationships. God orchestrates everything we encounter to bring about His will. Right now your current challenge may seem like an uphill climb dragging two dead elephants. God can take any difficult situation and orchestrate the details to conform to His plan. Are you willing to surrender your hurts, your frustrations, your disappointments, and your fears to God? Release them and entrust them to God’s sovereign care. He is the master conductor in the orchestra called life. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Clarity God's Will Prayer

Start with Prayer

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12 (ESV) Major decisions require major clarity. Jesus was about to make a major decision that would change the course of human history. Of all the disciples showing interest in following Jesus, it was now time for Jesus to choose twelve of them and designate them as apostles. Instead of glancing out and randomly securing twelve of them, Jesus found a place of solitude on a mountainside to have unhurried time alone with God in prayer. Jesus spent the entire night praying to God. His number one priority was not building a team, but rather receiving clarity from God through prayer. Jesus oriented His life around knowing and doing God’s will. Are you in the center of God’s will? It is so easy to hastily jump into life and be cascaded with the wave of busyness. We fill our lives with excessive activities and consuming commitments having never paused long enough to hear from God. Our natural proclivity is to launch into activity. We often feel as though motion is a mark of progress. The problem is that you may be moving in the wrong direction. You may be on the wrong path. How do you receive clarity from God? First, recognize that God loves you and has a specific plan for your life. You were made by God and for His glory. God invites you into His story. Secondly, God wants to reveal His plan to you. As Henry Blackaby says, “God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purpose, and His ways.” Thirdly, spend unhurried time alone with God in prayer to seek His face and to learn to recognize His voice. Then, simply obey what God shows you along the way. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Renewal Transformation

Renewing Your Mind

“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 12:2 (ESV) There is an immense gravitational pull to succumb to the allurements of the world. We combat the pattern of this world, the flaming arrows of the evil one, and the cravings of the flesh. Choosing to conform to the path of worldliness dilutes our spiritual passion and distorts our spiritual focus. We will bypass God’s best for us. We will forfeit God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. God gives us the freedom to choose our path. We do not have to travel down the lane of lust or the highway of hostility or the sidewalk of selfishness. We can choose to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Floating down the river of culture and allowing the current of compromise to corrode our character is not God’s will for us. God did not sacrifice His only Son in order for us to drift into sin. Renew your mind by replacing sin with Scripture, by replacing falsehood with truth, and by replacing self-centeredness with Christlikeness. Be transformed by renewing your mind. Scrape off the peeling paint of improper thinking and apply the fresh paint of God’s Holy Word. Your life is too valuable to allow corrupt thinking to occupy your mind. God’s plan for your life is too important to waste another moment allowing toxic thoughts to contaminate your mind. Unload your mind! Make room for God’s Word to take full possession of your mind. Make a commitment to feed on God’s Word daily. Seek to memorize a verse each week, internalize that verse, and then align your thinking with that verse. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Prayer Revelation

Knowing God’s Will

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Colossians 1:9 (ESV) One of the most profound prayers you can pray for others is for them to know God and to do His will. Knowing and doing God’s will is the purpose of life. God has provided the way in Jesus for us to know God personally and to obey His will completely. The knowledge of God’s will comes through spiritual wisdom and understanding. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14 ESV). Spiritual discernment comes from the Spirit of God living inside of you. At the moment of conversion, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. He lives in you to teach you and to remind you of the things Jesus did and said (John 14:26). Pray that others might be saturated with the knowledge of God’s will. When you pray for others, ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. As they come to know God’s will they will have the opportunity to choose to obey God’s will. You will be involved in the process through the avenue of intercessory prayer. What a wise investment of your time! Are you in the center of God’s will? Have you asked God to fill you with the knowledge of His will? Are you willing to ask God for spiritual wisdom and understanding to know His will? Bring honor to God by obeying His will. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Blessing God's Will Obedience

Enjoying God’s Way

“And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” Luke 5:6-7 (ESV) God’s way is always best! You will never go wrong obeying God. He knows you and He knows what is best for you. Everything God invites you to do allows you to participate in His Kingdom activity. Simon and his fishing partners experienced a miraculous catch of fish because Simon was willing to obey Jesus. Blessing follows obedience. Simon responded to Jesus’ invitation to let down his nets for a catch in the deeper waters in the daytime. The fishermen normally fished in the shallow waters at night in that region of the Lake of Gennesaret (also known as the Sea of Galilee). However, Simon was willing to fish Jesus’ way and reap the tremendous benefits. Both boats were filled so full that they began to sink. What a picture of the abundance of God’s blessings! Doing life God’s way is always the right choice. Even when God’s directive doesn’t add up in your logical thinking, you can count on God’s way to be the best option. Can God speak through a donkey (Num. 22:30), cause an ax head to float (2 Kings 6:5-6), and provide water from a rock (Num. 20:8)? Yes, God can! Can God handle your situation? Yes, God can! Will you trust God and submit to His way? Will you seek the Lord (Isa. 55:6) and draw near to Him (Jas. 4:8)? Will you trust in the Lord (Prov. 3:5-6)? Now, walk in the light God gives you! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Identity Jesus

Clarifying Your Identity

“All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. ‘Isn’t this Joseph’s son?’ they asked.” Luke 4:22 (ESV) Jesus shared from Isaiah 61:1-2 in the hearing of those in the synagogue and identified Himself as the fulfillment of that prophecy. The people spoke well of Him. Amazed at Jesus’ gracious words, they tried to reconcile His professed identity by asking, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” The people were confused. Their understanding of the coming Messiah did not position them to anticipate a carpenter’s son from Nazareth as the Messiah. The humanity and humility of Jesus did not line up with their view of the Messiah. They were expecting a mighty military leader with position and prominence who would restore Israel. As followers of Christ, we can identify with His dual identity. Though virgin born, Jesus had an earthly father and a Heavenly Father. We too have an earthly father and our Heavenly Father. “They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.” Heb. 12:10 (ESV) “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1 (ESV) Your identity in Christ is formed and fashioned by your Heavenly Father. God has created you for His glory. You are God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10) and you belong to God (I Pet. 2:9). If you ever forget who you are in Christ, look up! You are a child of the King! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Faithfulness God's Will Obedience

Practicing Instant Obedience

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date June 4, 2014
14 Comments on Practicing Instant Obedience

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:17 (ESV) What would God have you do today? Did you know that God has a “to-do” list for you for today? God wants you to be saved! God wants you to grow spiritually! God wants you to share His love and to shine His light! God created you to be relational, not robotic. As you walk with God, He invites you to be in such relational intimacy with Him that you respond to His voice with instant obedience. You know the good that you ought to do. It’s not that you need more information or more imperatives. Start doing what God has already told you to do. Instant obedience demonstrates your allegiance and loyalty to God’s will. There are times when you may desire God to simply write His will on the wall so that you can read it and obey. It just so happens that the wall is the pages upon which God’s Word is written for you to read personally and obey instantly. You may be waiting for God’s direction concerning a specific decision that you need to make. Walk in the light God gives you. If you are not at peace about a certain direction, don’t make a move. Wait until God gives you the release to move into that particular direction. Remember, that God has been at work long before your specific situation showed up on your radar. Nothing catches God by surprise. God has a purpose for anything and everything that surprises us. Wait on God’s timing and practice instant obedience. God’s way is always the best way! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Jesus On Mission

Doing God’s Will

God's Will Holiness Purity

Embracing Moral Purity

“For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.” 1 Thessalonians 4:7 (ESV) Is it possible to stay clean while living in a dirty world? Every possibility for contaminating our lives is available to us. Sin is rampant. We face trials from without and temptation from within. The cultural current is moving in the opposite direction of the Christ honoring flow. We must make a conscious and continuous decision to walk in purity. “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.” 2 Cor. 7:1 (ESV) “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 1 Tim. 4:12 (ESV) Purify yourself and perfect holiness. Purify your heart and set an example for the believers in purity. In Christ, you are positionally pure. In Christ, you are a new creation. Live out practically what you are presently and positionally in Christ. The only way to reign in this life is to allow Christ to reign in your life. Staying clean while living in a dirty world is only possible in the strength Christ provides. Jesus has already set the example. Jesus has demonstrated the life of purity in a sin-polluted culture. Jesus lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death so that you can walk in victory. Embrace moral purity by yielding to the Lordship of Christ. Make Jesus the Lord of your life. God called you to live a holy life. Now give Jesus His rightful place in your life and allow Him to live His life through you. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Sovereignty Trust

Trusting God’s Plan

Focus God's Will Jesus

Kingdom Focused Living

“’Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’” Luke 2:49 (NIV) Diffused light does not have much power to impact the environment it is placed in, but focused light can cut steel. Your life is most powerful when it is most focused. Our proclivity is to drift into a fragmented lifestyle where we are trying to divert our energy into too many tasks. It is so easy to dilute our impact by seeking to keep too many plates spinning at a given time. We become generalist instead of specialists. Jesus lived a focused life. He was laser focused on being about His Father’s business. God’s agenda was Jesus’ top priority. Even at age twelve Jesus affirmed His devotion to God’s will. Nothing was more important to Jesus than operating every moment in the center of God’s will. Jesus was committed to fulfilling God’s plan. Shortly after His baptism at age thirty, Jesus declared that He had come down from heaven not to do His will but to do the will of His Father (John 6:38). Have you oriented your life to the Father’s will? Have you made necessary adjustments in your life to focus on living in the center of God’s will? You will have competing agendas, countless opportunities to drift, and a persistent gravitational pull from the enemy to downplay the urgency of God’s agenda. The world, the flesh, and the Devil will seek to capture your devotion. Your life will be tugged from various directions in order to get you off mission. Don’t give in to the temptation to become fragmented. Don’t dilute your devotion. Renew your commitment to serve God and to obey His Word. God’s will is for you to be fully yielded and fully surrendered to His prompting. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Fasting God's Will Spiritual Disciplines

Absolute Fast

“Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: ‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.’” Esther 4:15-16 (NIV) There are times when God will lead you into an absolute fast. This type of fast is characterized by abstaining from food and drink for a set amount of time. You have to be very careful with this kind of fast and make certain that God has called you to it. Going any extended length of time without water can be detrimental to your health. Be certain that God has called you into this type fast. Esther sensed the heaviness of the reality of her circumstances and was willing to invite her people to fast for her. She committed to a three day absolute fast along with them in preparation for standing before the king. Esther was willing to put her life at risk by standing before the king. Her boldness was fueled by the abiding connection she had with God through the spiritual discipline of fasting. Whenever you are facing a major decision or going through a season of uncertainty, consider inviting a few godly people to fast for you and to seek God on your behalf. Fasting and prayer go together. You can pray and not fast, but you cannot fast without praying if it is to be a biblical fast. God calls you to a fast so that you can passionately pursue Him and place your dependency upon Him. Do you need to hear from God concerning a situation you are facing? Are you in need of God’s wisdom and guidance? God may call you to an absolute fast to remove your dependency upon other things and to enable you to focus your attention on His provision. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Discernment God's Will Prayer

Spiritual Discernment

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Colossians 1:9 (NIV) One of the most profound prayers you can pray for others is for them to know God and to do His will. Knowing and doing God’s will is the purpose of life. God has provided the way in Jesus for us to know God personally and to obey His will completely. The knowledge of God’s will comes through spiritual wisdom and understanding. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14 NIV). Spiritual discernment comes from the Spirit of God living inside of you. At the moment of conversion, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. He lives in you to teach you and to remind you of the things Jesus did and said (John 14:26). Pray that others might be saturated with the knowledge of God’s will. When you pray for others, ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. As they come to know God’s will they will have the opportunity to choose to obey God’s will. You will be involved in the process through the avenue of intercessory prayer. What a wise investment of your time! Are you in the center of God’s will? Have you asked God to fill you with the knowledge of His will? Are you willing to ask God for spiritual wisdom and understanding to know His will? Bring honor to God by obeying His will. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Clarity God's Will Vision

Finding Clarity

“After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.” Acts 16:10 (NIV) Fog has the capacity to limit visibility and to stall progress. If you have ever driven in fog you know firsthand the challenge it creates. Living life in a fallen world can be like trying to drive in the fog. The path God wants you to take may not be crystal clear. Paul and his traveling companions experienced the canopy of fog when they sought to preach the word in the province of Asia. The Holy Spirit prevented them from moving in that direction. When they tried to enter the border of Bithynia, the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Their path was foggy until Paul had a vision during the night of a man from Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Sometimes the fog doesn’t lift until God has prepared you for your next assignment. Even when your path doesn’t seem clear, know that God is working to develop you and to prepare the circumstances in your future for the life He has for you. Wait patiently before the Lord and trust in His impeccable timing to reveal to you the step He wants you to take. Keep yielding to His authority and control in your life. Keep drawing near to God and grow in your daily intimacy with Him. God is passionate about developing the character of Christ in you so that you will be more like Jesus whether the path is foggy or radiantly clear. Paul did not know it, but God was preparing him for some divine appointments that were positioned just beyond the fog. God sees where you are and He knows exactly where He wants you to be. The fog will lift and you will gain clarity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Holy Spirit Illumination

Illuminating God’s Will

“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.” John 16:13-14 (NIV) The Holy Spirit lives in you to illuminate the path of God’s will. God loves you and has a plan for your life. God’s plan is for you to respond to His offer of salvation, to grow spiritually, to be spirit-filled, and to be a soul winner. The Holy Spirit lives in you to empower you to know and do God’s will. The Holy Spirit empowers you to be on mission with God so that you can continue the ministry of Jesus. What is it like to be guided into all truth? Who qualifies for such a task? God has created you to come into a personal relationship with Him through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. God redeems you and takes up permanent residence within you by the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. Your life matters to God and the direction of your life has immediate and eternal implications. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, moves in to serve as your personal guide to ensure that you stay on the path of truth. God’s will includes your awareness of His plan and your response of obedience to His plan. You cannot fulfill God’s will without the Holy Spirit living inside of you? The Holy Spirit illuminates the path God wants you to take. The Holy Spirit clarifies God’s will so that you can bring glory to God through a life of obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Faith God's Will Salvation

Greatest Invitation

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 (NIV) Of all the invitations you will receive in a lifetime, there is no invitation that comes close to the significance and magnitude of the greatest invitation extended to you by God. His invitation affects your level of living on earth and your eternal destiny. Your response to the greatest invitation will determine where you spend eternity. “Whoever believes” includes you. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13 (NIV) “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9 (NIV) To believe in Jesus is to place your total confidence and trust in His redemptive work. Jesus lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death, experienced a miraculous resurrection, and ascended to heaven. What will you do with what He has done for you? How will you respond to the greatest invitation? Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to this broken planet in order to provide you with the greatest invitation to come into a personal relationship with the Savior of the world. I responded to the greatest invitation on March 28, 1979, by transferring my trust from myself to Jesus alone for salvation. In that moment, I became a child of God, filled with His Spirit, and adopted into His forever family. Have you made peace with God by responding to the greatest invitation? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Patience Salvation

God Is Patient

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Have you ever lost your patience? Waiting in a fast food line for an extended period of time has a way of testing your capacity to embrace patience. In our instant gratification saturated society, we just don’t wait well. Our lifestyles have been conditioned through advancing technology to expect everything to come to fruition in a matter of seconds. Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with us? God has graciously given us time to respond to His salvation love gift. God has been patient with us in the process of our spiritual development. In the midst of our sins of omission and sins of commission, God patiently conforms us into the image of Christ. God forgives us of our sins and cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God’s patience means salvation! The heart of God is for everyone to come into a vibrant love relationship with Him through Christ. God does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell. God wants everyone to come to repentance. Yet, God has given us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. God did not create us to be robotic, but rather to be relational. Will some perish and experience eternal separation from God? Yes! Those who fail to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will spend eternity in hell (Rom. 10:9-10). God has provided the way for those who believe in Jesus to not perish (John 3:16). Have you come to repentance? Will you invest the rest of your life helping others come into a growing relationship with Jesus? Remember to be patient with others just as God has been patient with you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Discernment God's Will Prayer

Discerning God’s Will

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Colossians 1:9 (NIV) One of the most profound prayers you can pray for others is for them to know God and to do His will. Knowing and doing God’s will is the purpose of life. God has provided the way in Jesus for us to know God personally and to obey His will completely. The knowledge of God’s will comes through spiritual wisdom and understanding. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. 2:14). Spiritual discernment comes from the Spirit of God living inside of you. At the moment of conversion, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. He lives in you to teach you and to remind you of the things Jesus did and said (John 14:26). Pray that others might be saturated with the knowledge of God’s will. When you pray for others, ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. As they come to know God’s will they will have the opportunity to choose to obey God’s will. You will be involved in the process through the avenue of intercessory prayer. What a wise investment of your time! Are you in the center of God’s will? Have you asked God to fill you with the knowledge of His will? Are you willing to ask God for spiritual wisdom and understanding to know His will? Bring honor to God by obeying His will. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Prayer Wisdom

Spiritual Wisdom

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Col 1:9 (NIV) One of the most profound prayers you can pray for others is for them to know God and to do His will. Knowing and doing God’s will is the purpose of life. God has provided the way in Jesus for us to know God personally and to obey His will completely. The knowledge of God’s will comes through spiritual wisdom and understanding. In his letter to the church at Corinth, Paul affirmed, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor 2:14 NIV). Spiritual discernment comes from the Spirit of God living inside of you. At the moment of conversion, you were filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray that others might be saturated with the knowledge of God’s will. When you pray for others, ask God to give them spiritual wisdom and understanding. As they come to know God’s will they will have the opportunity to choose to obey God’s will. You will be involved in the process through the avenue of intercessory prayer. What a wise investment of your time! You can impact the lives of others through praying specifically for them to know and to do God’s will. Are you in the center of God’s will? Have you asked God to fill you with the knowledge of His will? Bring honor to God by obeying His will. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Focus God's Will Jesus

What Are You Living For?

Discernment God's Will Numbers

Discern God’s Will

“On the next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and behold, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and put forth buds and produced blossoms, and it bore ripe almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the Lord to all the people of Israel. And they looked, and each man took his staff.” Numbers 17:8-9 (ESV) God reveals His will. Even when you are not clear about a direction you should take, God will bring you into the decision making process to reveal His plan. God created you and God has a specific plan for your life. Will you pursue Him daily and trust Him completely? Will you obey what God shows you? Moses obeyed God’s directive by securing the staffs of the twelve chiefs of Israel. Moses wrote their name on their staff and wrote Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. The morning after Moses placed the twelve staffs in the tent of meeting, he retrieved each staff and noticed that Aaron’s staff had sprouted. Through this very interesting process, God revealed His will. Perhaps you are going through a season of life in which you would love for God to reveal His will to you in a tangible way. You would be willing to secure a staff or any item that God would use to indicate His will. The reality is that God reveals His will through His Word. Are you reading your Bible? Are you spending time in prayer and spending time diligently seeking God’s will? As you obey what God has already revealed to you, He will illuminate the path He wants you to take. As you obey, God will show you the way. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 61: Numbers 16-17) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Focus God's Will Jesus

Kingdom Focused Living

“’Why were you searching for me?’ he asked. ‘Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?’” Luke 2:49 (NIV) Diffused light does not have much power to impact the environment it is placed in, but focused light can cut steel. Your life is most powerful when it is most focused. Our proclivity is to drift into a fragmented lifestyle where we are trying to divert our energy into too many tasks. It is so easy to dilute our impact by seeking to keep too many plates spinning at a given time. We become generalist instead of specialists. Jesus lived a focused life. He was laser focused on being about His Father’s business. God’s agenda was Jesus’ top priority. Even at age twelve Jesus affirmed His devotion to God’s will. Nothing was more important to Jesus than operating every moment in the center of God’s will. Jesus was committed to fulfilling God’s plan. Shortly after His baptism at age thirty, Jesus declared that He had come down from heaven not to do His will but to do the will of His Father (John 6:38). Have you oriented your life to the Father’s will? Have you made necessary adjustments in your life to focus on living in the center of God’s will? You will have competing agendas, countless opportunities to drift, and a persistent gravitational pull from the enemy to downplay the urgency of God’s agenda. The world, the flesh, and the Devil will seek to capture your devotion. Your life will be tugged from various directions in order to get you off mission. Don’t give in to the temptation to become fragmented. Don’t dilute your devotion. Renew your commitment to serve God and to obey His Word. God’s will is for you to be fully yielded and fully surrendered to His prompting. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell