Category: Life

Life

Living the Life (1)

Are you living the life God has for you now? Jesus is alive and the tomb is empty. Shouldn’t that reality make an eternal difference in your life now? For some reason, we put life off until another day. We believe that life is right around the corner. It seems as though that corner never comes. Life is delayed until the next opportunity or the next breakthrough. Maybe life will kick into gear when we get our driver’s license, or graduate, or get married, or get a home, or have kids, or land that perfect job, or send our kids off to college, or become grandparents, or retire. What’s the holdup? Why isn’t life happening now? “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:11 (NIV) “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:12 (NIV) The eternal life God has given us in His Son is now. If you have the Son, then you have life now. God has taken the initiative to provide you the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life. Once you place your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross, you become a child of God. In that moment, God graces you with the gift of eternal life. Eternal life for you does not begin after you die and go to heaven. Even if Jesus comes before you die and you get to experience the rapture, eternal life does not begin at that point. Eternal life for you begins the moment you trust Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Eternal life is now! What are you doing with the life God has given you? Are you living it for His glory? Are you wasting it on careless living? Are you delaying it until another day, week, month, or year? Choose to live the life now! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

He Has Risen

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.’” Matt 28:5-6 (NIV) Are you looking for Jesus? He has risen! Death has been conquered. Sin has been atoned for. Forgiveness has been made available. Reconciliation has been established. Satan has been defeated. Hell has been invaded. Heaven has been decorated: gates of pearl, streets of transparent gold, river of the water of life, the tree of life, light from the Glory of God, light from the Lamb of God, no more night, no longer any curse, absence of tears, absence of mourning, absence of crying, absence of pain, and the presence of jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, carnilian, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprase, jacinth, and amethyst. “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.” Romans 6:8-10 (NIV) “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” Romans 6:4 (NIV) “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Cor 15:58 (NIV) Are you living in light of the resurrection of Jesus? Are you walking in anticipation of heaven? The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to you. The tomb is empty so that you can be filled by the Person of the Holy Spirit. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Dream Life Partnership Something Great

Something Great (2)

Do something great by partnering with others. “In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil 1:4-6 (NIV) Has God given you a dream that cannot be accomplished without others? As you study the Old Testament and the New Testament, seek to identify the partnerships that God blessed. From the Old Testament, I immediately think of Moses and Aaron, Joshua and Caleb, David and Jonathan, Naomi and Ruth, Elijah and Elisha. From the New Testament, I immediately think of Peter, James, and John, Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas, Paul and Titus, and of course, Paul and Timothy. As John Maxwell says, “Teamwork makes the dream work!” Paul understood the power of partnership. Writing from his imprisonment in Rome, Paul affirms his partnership with the church at Philippi. His relationship with the church family brought him great joy. Paul needed them and they needed him. Do you sense the value of being connected to a small group of Christ followers? Consider taking your partnerships to a new level this year by participating in a short term mission trip somewhere to spread the fragrance of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care

Grace Life Peace Salvation Something Great

Something Great (1)

Do something great by extending God’s grace and peace. “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Phil 1:2 (NIV) You cannot give what you do not have. On this first day of the year, reflect on your salvation event. Remember, salvation is an event followed by a process. Where were you when you responded to God’s offer of salvation? Think about the moment you confessed your sin and invited Jesus to take over your life. You became a recipient of God’s grace. Grace is something you cannot earn nor deserve. Grace is a gift from God based on the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. You received God’s riches at Christ’s expense. In God’s grace, you received the gift of eternal life. Your eternal destination is secure. Yet, there’s more. The result of receiving God’s grace gift is peace. You are now in a right relationship with God in that Jesus took on the full wrath of God for your sin. The righteousness of Christ has been imputed to your account. Peace is the fruit of your love relationship with God made possible by Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Peace is not connected to circumstances. You can be in the midst of a trying situation and yet have the peace of God in your life. You can be facing adversity in your daily living and still have the peace of God. Now that you have the grace and peace of God, are you willing to share that eternal gift with others? Is there anyone in your sphere of influence who is in need of God’s grace and peace? Begin praying for them by name and allow God to use you in the process. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care

Doing Life Life

Doing Life (5)

Doing life involves anticipating the Lord’s return. “Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:7-8 (NIV) In our society of instant coffee, microwavable breakfast, and fast food, we don’t wait well. We want what we want right now. When it comes to the return of Christ, patience is required. Jesus came to the earth, lived, died a sacrificial death, rose from the dead, and ascended to the Father in heaven. Jesus is coming again. In His second coming, Jesus will come like a thief in the night. We tend to get so comfortable in this life that we forget about the reality of the Lord’s return. Just as a farmer waits patiently for the rain and the fruition of his crops, we are to wait patiently for the Lord’s return. That means to live in anticipation of the visible return of the Lord. We are to stand firm by obeying God’s Word with the expectation of the soon coming of Christ. Could Jesus come back today? Are you ready for His return? Turn your eyes upon the Lord and anticipate His return. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care

Doing Life Life

Doing Life (4)

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (NIV) Doing life involves submission and opposition readiness. God is at work and the devil is at work. Anytime you choose to join God in His activity, Satan will oppose. You can walk in victory by submitting to God. Submission is a conscious choice to surrender your agenda to God’s agenda. Moment by moment surrender allows God to have His way in your life. Your usefulness to God will be proportionate to your willful submission to God. It is not enough to submit to God’s agenda; you must also resist the devil. Opposition readiness is not optional for the follower of Christ. If you are going to reign victorious in this life, you must consciously resist the lure of the enemy. Satan is the master of disguise. He seeks to get you to drift into his path and to get you to neglect your devotion to God. Will you submit to God? Will you resist the devil? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care

Doing Life Life Restraint

Doing Life (3)

“All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:7-8 (NIV) Doing life requires restraint. There are countless temptations used of Satan to entice us to compromise our Christianity. His goal is to get us to drift from our devotion to God. One of Satan’s favorite tools is an unbridled tongue. He knows that our words can do more damage than our actions alone. Have you ever said something you deeply regretted? Have you had one of those moments when you spoke before you had time to really think through and process what you were going to say? Ouch! It is impossible to retrieve words once spoken. If only we could snatch them out of the air before they made contact with the tympanic membrane of someone’s ear. If you have ever allowed words to slip and wound someone, then embrace this great word from God on how to respond. “If you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor’s hands: Go and humble yourself; press your plea with your neighbor!” Prov 6:2-3 (NIV) Has God placed someone on your heart that you have wounded with your words? Are you willing to go to them in humility in order to apologize and ask for their forgiveness? God will honor your obedience to His word. God will make a way for you to experience restoration. Restoration is God’s specialty! Don’t delay. Make things right! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care

I am sayings Life Truth Way

Because He Is (6)

Because He is the way, the truth, and the life, I am informed. “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NIV) Often I have heard people insert their belief that “we are all trying to get to the same place, just taking different paths to get there.” Scripture does not affirm that belief. In fact, there is only one way to get to heaven. Jesus is the only way! Now that is both exclusive and inclusive. Those who reject Jesus as the only way don’t receive the benefit of eternal life in heaven. They are excluded from heaven for failing to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Be informed, since Jesus is the only way to heaven, you can know for certain that you have the gift of eternal life. Everyone who trusts in Jesus alone for salvation is included in the eternal benefits of that decision. “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) “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.” Romans 10:9 (NIV) “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) Have you met the way? Have you embraced the truth? Have you experienced the life? Be informed and be transformed by the only One who can make an eternal difference in your life, Jesus. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care