Category: God’s Will

Asking God

“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. 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! 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? 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

Fear God's Will Intimacy with God Selflessness Wisdom

Our Whole Duty

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Eccl 12:13 (NIV) Imagine enjoying a cup of coffee at Starbuck’s with one of the wisest men to ever live, Solomon. That’s right! You are sitting across from Solomon and you ask him to share with you what he has learned after experiencing life in a way that few would ever experience in a lifetime. Solomon pursued wealth, wisdom, and women. At the end of his life, he looks into the review mirror and captures what matters most. Let me share the first essential to doing life God’s way: Revere God. Solomon says to “fear God.” In the language of the Old Testament, to fear God means to revere God. It means to hold God in high esteem. We are to place the worth and value on God that He deserves. We are to reverence God for who He is and for what He has done. Revering God involves giving Him first place in your life. Your ambition is to honor God with your life. His agenda becomes the focus of your life. You revere God by aligning your heart with His heart. Revering God is demonstrated by loving what God loves, and by hating what God hates. In his book, Walking with God, John Eldredge writes, “I assume that an intimate, conversational walk with God is available, and is meant to be normal.” As you walk with God and revere Him, your love relationship with God will become intimate. Doing life God’s way always produces intimacy with God and brings Him pleasure. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor (This devotional was originally posted in ’07 or ’08. I’m taking a break from writing for a season of personal renewal.) Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Will Jesus On Mission Purpose

Identity (4)

“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.” Luke 4:28-30 (NIV) Jesus communicated to His hearers in the synagogue that a prophet is not accepted in his hometown. He was implying that many would miss the fact that He was the Messiah and forfeit the benefits just as many in Israel did not enjoy the benefits of the ministry of Elijah. The people were so furious with Jesus that they tried to throw him down the cliff. Jesus’ popularity in His hometown was not very positive! Your identity is not based on what people say about you. Your identity in Christ is based on what God says about you. You are shaped by God’s hand. Your destiny is determined by the loving provision of your Heavenly Father. In the midst of opposition and being misunderstood, you can stand firm in the security of your identity in Christ. “‘You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.’” John 15:16 (NIV) “‘If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.’” John 15:18 (NIV) Find a place of solitude and begin to eliminate the voices of falsehood and tune in to the voice of Truth! Speaker and author, Beth Moore, likes to say, “God is who He says He is. God can do what He says He can do. I am who God says I am. I can do all things through Christ. God’s Word is alive and active in me. I’m believing God!” Now listen for God’s voice and allow Him to affirm your identity in Christ. Remember who you are in Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will Jesus On Mission Purpose

Identity (3)

“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 (NIV) 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. “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV) “Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.” Heb 12:10 (NIV) “How great is the 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 (NIV) 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 Pt. 2:9). If you ever forget who you are in Christ, look up! You are a child of the King! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will Jesus On Mission Purpose

Identity (2)

“The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’” Luke 4:17-19 (NIV) As Jesus stood up in the synagogue to read, He was given the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and then He found the place from which He wanted to read. The passage Jesus read was what we now know as Isaiah 61:1-2. Jesus identified the ministry that He was anointed to employ. He identified the focus of His ministry as preaching the good news to the poor, proclaiming freedom for the prisoners, proclaiming recovery of sight to the blind, releasing the oppressed, and proclaiming the year of the Lord’s favor. “Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” Luke 4:20-21 (NIV) Isaiah prophesied some 700 years before Christ was born that the Messiah would be anointed for this particular ministry. Jesus affirmed that He is the fulfillment of that prophecy. Have you been the recipient of the ministry of Christ? Has your character and conduct been transformed? Now that you know Jesus personally, you are commissioned to embrace His ministry to bring others into His family. The ministry of Christ on earth is now your ministry. You may be the only Jesus others see! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will Jesus On Mission Purpose

Identity (1)

“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.” Luke 4:16 (NIV) You make room for what you value. When you value participating in the ministry of your local church, you will make room in your life for that ministry. If you value short-term mission trips, then you will make room in your annual calendar of events to go on a short-term mission trip. Whatever you value will receive your time, energy, and attention. Whatever you value will be a guarded priority in your life. Jesus valued the weekly worship experience in the synagogue on the Sabbath (Saturday). The synagogue had been a consistent part of His life for thirty years at this particular point. After His baptism and 40 days of temptation in the desert, Jesus returned to Galilee and went to His hometown of Nazareth. As was His custom, He went into the synagogue. Much of Jesus’ identity was connected to the synagogue. He had grown up being exposed to the reading of Scripture each Sabbath in the local synagogue. On this day, He stood to read. He participated in the flow of the service and contributed to the experience. You are the sum total of your habits. In other words, you will become what you habitually invest your life in. You are in the process of becoming who you are in Christ. Value weekly participation in the local church. Value connecting with God in worship with other believers. Value weekly interaction with other believers in a small group Bible study. Make it your custom to grow in your love relationship with Jesus. Your identity is found in Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will Joining God On Mission Purpose

Joining God (5)

“The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.” Acts 11:29-30 (NIV) God blesses generosity. You cannot join God in His redemptive activity and employ a stingy mindset. You cannot be selfish and effectively join God in His redemptive activity. Joining God involves being generous with your resources just as God has been generous toward you. The church at Jerusalem was instrumental in birthing the church in Antioch. Now the mother church in Jerusalem is in financial need and the daughter church in Antioch responds by generously meeting the need. The grace of God was evidenced by the sacrificial and spontaneous generosity exhibited by the church in Antioch. Sir Winston Churchill is noted for saying, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” What are you currently giving to fund the Lord’s work? Are you sacrificial in your giving? Let’s make a life by bringing the life of Christ to a dark and decaying world through our generosity. Placing the needs of others before our own is the first step! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Christ Christian God's Will Purpose

Joining God (4)

“The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Acts 11:26 (NIV) As you join God in His redemptive activity, your sensitivity to His agenda will heighten. You will begin to see people the way God views them. Your heart for the lost will increase as you embrace the true meaning of being a Christian. In the language of the New Testament, the word Christian means to be of the party of Christ. It means to be identified as a little Christ. This word is used three times in the New Testament: Acts 11:26, Acts 26:28, and I Peter 4:16. “Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’” Acts 26:28 (NIV) “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” 1 Peter 4:16 (NIV) God was doing a redemptive work in the city of Antioch and the disciples joined God in His activity. Their irresistible influence in the pagan metropolis of Antioch caused the pagans to tag the disciples as Christians. It was considered a term of derision. The disciples in Antioch were deemed from the party of Christ. If you were to ever be identified with anyone, there’s no greater person to be identified than Jesus Christ. In fact, the Bible says, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved”(Acts 4:12 NIV). As you join God in His redemptive activity, be willing to be identified by others as a Christian. Your life should draw people to Christ, not repel them from Christ. Let others see Christ in you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Activity God's Will Journey On Mission

Joining God (3)

“Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” Acts 11:25-26 (NIV) Why did Barnabas need Saul? It would have made more sense for Barnabas to go back to Jerusalem and get Nicolas, one of the early deacons who happened to be from Antioch. Instead, Barnabas searched with intensity to locate Saul in order to bring Saul into the journey of what God was doing in the church in Antioch. Barnabas was very familiar with the calling God placed on Saul’s life. “But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’” Acts 9:15-16 (NIV) “When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.” Acts 9:26-27 (NIV) Barnabas included Saul in God’s activity in the church in Antioch. Partnering in ministry, Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers for a whole year (Acts 11:26). Can you imagine sitting under the teaching of Barnabas and Saul for a year? The Christian life is not a solo flight. God wants you to bring others into the journey. Right now there are people in your sphere of influence who would benefit greatly by joining God in His redemptive activity as a result of your invitation. Be willing to search for them just as Barnabas searched for Saul. We do better together! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Family God's Agenda God's Will Stewardship

Space Invaders (3)

“‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’” Jer 1:5 (NIV) Allow God’s agenda to become your agenda. Before you were born, God existed. God is eternal. That means that God has always been and God will always be. God was never born and God will never die. Yet, you have a beginning. You have a birth date! Nine months before your birth date, you were conceived. Thus, you have a date of conception. To know the heart of God for you, we must travel even further back into time. Before God formed you, He knew you. Wow! That means that you were not an accident. You were created by God for a divine purpose. Before you were born, God set you apart. The concept in the language of the Old Testament is that of being sanctified. Before you were born, God had in mind exactly what He wanted you to become and God had in mind exactly when He wanted to introduce you to life on planet earth. God orchestrated all of this before you were born. Before you were born, God set you apart to participate in His kingdom activity. God loves you and has a purpose for your life. God’s purpose for your life is for you to experience His redemptive love personally and then for you to join Him in expressing His redemptive love locally and globally. You have a massive mission to fulfill on this planet during the time God gives you. Don’t waste it! Don’t allow space invaders to rob you of your divine destiny! Don’t allow anything to steal your passion for God and your passion to be on mission with God! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Conflict Resolution Family God's Will Home

Family Spats (7)

“My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.” Isaiah 32:18 (NIV) Do you dread going home or do you look forward to it each day? Is your home a war zone or an oasis? Does your home drain the life out of you or impart life to you? Is your home characterized by conflict, tension, and chaos or meaningful communication, refreshment, and peace. What’s your home like? God desires that our home be a peaceful dwelling place. Don’t you just love that word, peaceful? It is so soothing and so inviting. God’s portrait for our home includes security. Our home is to be a place of refuge and safety from the venom of our fallen world. Our home is to be an undisturbed place of rest. That opens a whole new level of living. How far off is your home compared to the home God desires for you? The environment in which you call home is so much more than brick, stucco, and paint. Home is all about relationships and how we interact with each other and how we treat each other. Home is all about how we do life together as a family. Make personal spiritual growth a priority. Model what you want to multiply in your home. Mobilize your family to radiate God’s love beyond your home. My prayer is that your home will become a holy place where Jesus is honored and spiritual maturity is nurtured so that the population of heaven will be increased and the population of hell decreased. Now that’s the family business! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will

God’s Will (7)

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” James 4:17 (NIV) 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! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will Sanctification

God’s Will (6)

“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” James 4:13-15 (NIV) God’s will is that you grow spiritually. The process of sanctification includes your obedience to God’s plan. As you submit to God’ will, your spiritual maturity continues to develop. One mark of spiritual maturity is the recognition of the sovereignty of God. Instead of presuming upon the grace of God and His plan, you acknowledge that God has the final say in what each day holds for you. His plans supersede your plans. God’s agenda becomes the priority of your life. James reminds us of the brevity of life. Another mark of spiritual maturity is recognizing how fragile life is. In light of eternity, your life on planet earth is brief. God made you not for time, but for eternity. Living in light of eternity not only helps you develop spiritual maturity, but also helps to measure your level of spiritual maturity. Your view of life on earth will determine how you invest your time, treasures, and talents. Learn to live each day with the “if” of God’s will. If it is God’s will, you will do this or that. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Eternal life God's Will Heaven Salvation

God’s Will (5)

“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) God’s will is that you be saved. The heart of God is for world redemption. The ultimate price has been paid for world redemption to be made possible. That price was paid by the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus paid the debt we could not pay to purchase the salvation we could not earn. Universalism teaches that all will be saved. However, the Bible is clear that only those who confess Jesus as Lord will be saved. Only those who have been born again will enter the kingdom of heaven. Without receiving the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ, a person is without hope and without heaven. This would be an ideal time to take spiritual inventory of your own life and solidify your own salvation. It is God’s will that you be saved. Have you received God’s gift of eternal life? “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NIV) “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph 2:8-9 (NIV) God saves you to secure you for eternity in heaven and to empower you to shine His light and to share His love with the lost and dying world that He has placed you in. You are rescued by God so that you can join God is His world redemption activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Voice God's Will Hearing

God’s Will (4)

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” James 1:22 (NIV) God’s will involves listening. God speaks to us through the Bible. As you read the Bible, you read God’s revelation. God’s will is that you obey His Word. God also speaks through prayer. As you connect with God through prayer, He reveals His will to you. In order to hear God’s voice, you must listen with expectation and anticipation of God’s revelation. You learn to recognize God’s voice as you walk with God. “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” John 10:4 (NIV) “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV) Listening to God’s Word is not enough. You must do what it says. Put God’s Word into practice by obeying what God reveals to you. Sometimes God will wait for you to obey what He has already revealed to you before unveiling His next layer of revelation. Are you obeying what God has already revealed to you? Obey what you know. As you obey, God will show you more and more of His way. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will

God’s Will (3)

“Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.’” John 5:17 (NIV) God’s will involves identifying where God is at work. Jesus said that God is always at work. The question is not, is God at work, but where is God at work. As Henry Blackaby says, “Look to see where God is at work so that you can join Him in what He is doing.” In your current situation, God is at work. In your neighborhood, God is at work. In your community, your country, and on every continent, God is at work. Are you willing to look to see where God is at work and choose to join Him in His activity. In order to detect where God is at work requires sensitivity. You must be sensitive to God’s activity. You can get so busy in life and so distracted by the things of this world that you become numb toward that activity of God. Sensitivity to God’s activity comes through a life of full surrender. As you surrender your agenda to God’s agenda and surrender your desires to God’s desires, you will begin seeing God’s activity. Your sensitvity to God’s activity will continue to grow as you join God in what He is doing. There’s no place on earth like being in the center of God’s will. Take some time today to evaluate your level of sensitivity to God’s activity. Have you become anesthetized to the things of God? Have you numb toward the activity of God? Surrender completely to the Lord and ask Him to give you a special sensitivity to His activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

God's Will

God’s Will (2)

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Prov 27:1 (NIV) We may not know what tomorrow holds, but we know who holds tomorrow. God is eternal. God was never born and He will never die. God is infinite and we are finite. God is all-knowing and we are limited in our knowing. God is the Creator and we are the created. In other words, God is the potter and we are the clay. “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalms 139:13-14 (NIV) “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jer 29:11 (NIV) We have no room to boast about tomorrow. We cannot see tomorrow, but God can. In our humanity, we have a limited view of tomorrow, but God’s view is complete. God formed us and fashioned us for His glory. God’s plans are to prosper us and not to harm us. God’s plans include giving us hope and a future. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pasto

God's Will Prayer

God’s Will (1)

God’s will involves prayer. Prayer is aligning your life with God’s agenda. God has a plan for your life. He has a purpose for you to fulfill. How do you get connected to that purpose and plan? Through alignment! Prayer is the avenue through which we connect with God. He has already broken down the barriers that separated us. God grants us access to Him through prayer based on the atonement of Christ. Because Jesus paid the penalty for our sin, we have the privilege of communing with God through prayer. The Israelites communed with God through the use of the Tabernacle. “‘Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.’” Ex 25:8-9 (NIV) As believers, we commune with God through Jesus. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Heb 4:14-16 (NIV) As a Christ follower, you have direct access to God through Jesus. Are you aligned with God’s agenda? God’s will includes you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor