Category: Mercy

Compassion in Action

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (ESV) Have you ever been on the receiving end of the hurtful treatment rendered by an unmerciful person? It was not an enjoyable experience was it? Being unmerciful is a direct result of our fallen nature. However, Jesus ushered in a new way to live life on this broken planet. As you extend mercy to others horizontally, you will receive mercy vertically. The Lord will be merciful to you as you are merciful to others. When you came to trust in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, you received salvation as an act of His mercy. Now that you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, you are to extend mercy to others. Being merciful to others is not simply being possessed of pity, but putting compassion into action. It is not enough to see someone in need and to feel sorry for that individual. It is not enough to pity those who are hurting. Push your compassion into action! Mercy led Joseph to forgive his brothers and to provide them with food. Mercy led Moses to plead with the Lord to remove the leprosy with which his sister Miriam had been punished. Mercy led David to spare the life of King Saul. Mercy led Jesus to endure the agony and shame of the cross. Push compassion into action by meeting practical needs. Give food to the hungry, comfort the bereaved, love the rejected, and befriend the lonely. Give time, give forgiveness, give money, and give yourself to others. Find a need and meet it! Ask God to give you eyes to see people in need and to give you a heart to respond to their needs. Begin to look for opportunities to continue the ministry of Jesus by pushing your compassion into action. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Grace Jonah Mercy

Second Chances

“And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.” Jonah 2:10 (ESV) Where would you be if God were not the God of second chances? You would be without hope and without a future. God will not only pursue you with His redeeming love, but He also gives you a second chance to obey His will. The fish obeyed God in the midst of Jonah’s rebellion. God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry ground. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time (Jonah 3:1). After a three day aquatic experience of prayer in the belly of the fish, Jonah was now hurled onto the beach for a second chance to obey God’s way. The wonderful news is that Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh (Jonah 3:3). Jonah responded to God the first time by saying, “Lord, here I am, send someone else!” The second time, Jonah responded by saying, “Lord, here I am, send me!” On the Ship Jonah was singing, “I did it my way!” Inside the Fish Jonah was singing, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord!” Jonah came to know God as the God of second chances. Jonah learned a valuable lesson about obeying God. Ponder the grace of God in your own life. Think through the decisions you have made over your lifetime to choose to go your own way. Do you remember how God pursued you with His redeeming love? God is so patient, so tender, and so persistent. He wants you to come to know Him by experience as the God of second chances. Don’t give up. God has not given up on you. What God has begun in your life, He will bring to completion (Php 1:6). God always finishes what He starts. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Grace Jonah Mercy

Second Chances

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Justice Mercy Psalms

Justice and Mercy

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4 (ESV) Imagine being transferred instantly before the throne of God. You are standing before God right now and you fall on your face before God and He asks you to give an account for your treatment of others. Where would that place you in the area of God’s approval and affirmation? How would you measure up to God’s standard of perfection? God is a God of justice. And yes, God is a God of mercy. Without God’s justice, mercy would not exist. Without God’s mercy, justice would not exist. God declared His justice on your sin when Jesus took upon God’s wrath for your sin on the cross. God demonstrated His mercy by providing for the forgiveness of your sin. How will you treat others in light of what God has done for you? “‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.’” Matt 5:7 (ESV) “‘Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.’” Matt 7:1-2 (ESV) Our tendency is to use binoculars when judging our lives and using a microscope when judging the lives of others. Thank God for His mercy. God wants our conversation and our conduct to reflect the mercy we have received from Him. Treat others with the same mercy you have received from God. Rescue the weak and the needy. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Mercy Prayer Psalms

Tears in His Bottle

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” Psalm 56:8 (ESV) God created you for a divine purpose to fulfill. You are not here by accident; you are here by divine appointment. God designed you so that you can know Him personally and fulfill His plan intentionally. Fulfilling God’s agenda requires God’s enabling. You cannot continue His ministry in your own strength. In this life you will face difficulties and go through seasons of uncertainty. Fatigue, exhaustion, and feeling depleted are normal features of living in a fallen world. God intimately knows your inmost feelings and He keeps count of all your wanderings. He puts your tears in His bottle. He records every step you take and every decision you make. Nothing escapes God’s attention. “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.” Psalm 140:12 (ESV) “With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.” Psalm 142:1-2 (ESV) Prayer enables you to express your heart to God. You have the sacred privilege of communicating with God through the grace-paved avenue of prayer. Acknowledge your dependency upon Him. The Lord executes justice for the needy and maintains the cause of the afflicted. You can cry out to the Lord in prayer. You can lift up your voice to plead for mercy. In prayer, you have the invitation to pour out your complaints before the Lord and to share your trouble before Him. God can handle your frustrations and He can bring calm to your troubled waters. Don’t run from the Lord! Run to the Lord and watch how His mercy comes running to you! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Mercy Numbers Refuge

Finding Refuge

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.’” Numbers 35:9-12 (ESV) God featured His mercy and grace as He established the cities of refuge for the person who accidentally killed another person. God was providing protection from the avenger. When you consider the large number of people Moses was leading and when you consider the challenges of mobilizing around two-million people, the probability of conflict is rather high. Doing life together as a covenant community generated some major challenges and opportunities. The cities of refuge were strategically placed and graciously established. God was demonstrating His nature and character through His tangible redemptive activity. Moses was charged with carrying out the plan of God and ensuring the protection of the person who accidentally killed another. As followers of Jesus Christ, we look to God as our refuge and strength. He is the Creator of life and He is the sustainer of life. We look to Him because He is our faithful Shepherd and our consistent provider. As God’s children adopted into His family, we have privilege of casting all of our cares on Him and receiving mercy and grace to help us daily as we serve Him. Are you in need of refuge? Instead of running from God, choose to run to God. God already knows your condition and He already has everything you need to live the abundant life He has for you in Christ. Find refuge in Him! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Forgiveness Grace Mercy

Choosing to Forgive

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

Mercy Sacrifice Worship

Living Sacrifices

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1 (ESV) How do we respond to God’s mercy? The fact that God pursued us with His redeeming love and did not give us what we deserved engenders a response. Think of where we would be had God’s mercy not been applied to our hopeless estate. We were separated from God as a result of our sin. We deserved punishment, alienation, and eternal damnation. In His mercy, God provided the atonement for our sin through the sinless sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. In response to His mercy, God is not asking us to die for Him. God wants us to respond to His mercy by living for Him. Instead of being a dead sacrifice, God wants us to be a living sacrifice. Our spiritual act of worship that moves the heart of God is that of being holy and pleasing to Him. To be holy is to work out in practical daily living the holiness of Christ imparted to us at the moment of our salvation. We received the imputed righteousness of Christ which instantly gave us a right standing before our holy God. That event is to be followed by the process of living a holy life that is pleasing to God. Offer your body as a living sacrifice by loving what God loves and hating what God hates. Live in perpetual dependence upon the power of the Holy Spirit to stay clean while living in this dirty world. Practice His presence throughout the day and be sensitive to His prompting. Confess sin immediately. Choose to stay close and clean. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Pushing Compassion into Action

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date July 15, 2014
3 Comments on Pushing Compassion into Action

Compassion Forgiveness Mercy

Extending and Receiving Forgiveness

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date July 8, 2014
57 Comments on Extending and Receiving Forgiveness

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

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

Compassion God's Love Mercy

The Fragrance of Mercy

Compassion Forgiveness Mercy

Being Merciful to Others

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

God's Character Jonah Mercy

God’s Mercy

“And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” Jonah 2:10 (NIV) Where would you be if God were not the God of second chances? You would be without hope and without a future. God will not only pursue you with His redeeming love, but He also gives you a second chance to obey His will. The fish obeyed God in the midst of Jonah’s rebellion. God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry ground. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time (Jon. 3:1). After a three day aquatic experience of prayer in the belly of the fish, Jonah was now hurled onto the beach for a second chance to obey God’s way. The wonderful news is that Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh (Jon. 3:3). Jonah responded to God the first time by saying, “Lord, here I am, send someone else!” The second time, Jonah responded by saying, “Lord, here I am, send me!” On the Ship Jonah was singing, “I did it my way!” Inside the Fish Jonah was singing, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord!” Jonah came to know God as the God of second chance. Jonah learned a valuable lesson about obeying God. Ponder the grace of God in your own life. Think through the decisions you have made over your lifetime to choose to go your own way. Do you remember how God pursued you with His redeeming love? God is so patient, so tender, and so persistent. He wants you to come to know Him by experience as the God of second chances. Don’t give up. God has not given up on you. What God has begun in your life, He will bring to completion (Phil. 1:6). God always finishes what He starts. What God originates He always orchestrates. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Living Sacrifices Mercy Motivation

Motivation from God

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV) Where would we be without God’s mercy? The mercy we have received from God motivates us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God. His mercy is our motivation. God became like us so that we could become like Him. In His mercy, God allowed us to experience the forgiveness of our sins and He replaced our unrighteousness with the righteousness of Christ. Apart from God’s mercy, we have nothing to offer. Think about that for a moment. The only way we can fulfill our spiritual act of worship as living, holy, and pleasing sacrifices is by receiving and reciprocating God’s mercy. Only the redeemed can present a living sacrifice. God’s mercy makes us fit for that service. What we have to offer God through our spiritual act of worship is packaged in God’s mercy. The marvelous mercy of God embodies His love, grace, kindness, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, righteousness, faith, justification, sanctification, and glorification. God’s mercy is displayed by what we have received from God as revealed in Romans 1-11. God’s mercy is demonstrated by what we choose to give to God in response to His mercy as revealed in Romans 12-16. Do you offer your body as a living, holy, and pleasing sacrifice to God? This is the spiritual act of worship that God’s mercy makes possible. Identify what you have received from God. Celebrate your identity in Christ and the eternal security you have in Christ. Rejoice in the reality of your personal and eternal relationship with Christ. Keep God’s mercy in view and be consistent in offering your body as a living sacrifice to honor God and to benefit others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Living Sacrifices Mercy Motivation

Motivation from God

Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Extending and Receiving Mercy

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date April 7, 2013
62 Comments on Extending and Receiving Mercy

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves being merciful. Has the Lord been merciful to you? Capture a snapshot of what shape you would be in right now had you not been a personal recipient of God’s mercy. God is not asking you to do anything He has not already done for you. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.” Eph. 2:4-5 (NIV) “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. 4:16 (NIV) You need God’s mercy for salvation and in sanctification. You need God’s mercy day-by-day in order to live the Christ-centered life. His mercy is both inward and outward. You receive God’s mercy inwardly and express God’s mercy outwardly. Sing with me, “Mercy there was great and grace was free; pardon there was multiplied to me; there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary.” God, in His mercy, did not give you what you deserved. God placed on Jesus the iniquity of us all (Is. 53:6). Shouldn’t that transform how you view others? Shouldn’t your treatment of others flow out of the mercy you have received from God? The most merciful act you will ever employ is sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. As you inquire about the spiritual status of another person you will have the opportunity to share your spiritual story and present the plan of salvation. Sharing your faith is a tangible demonstration of extending mercy to others in response to the mercy you have received from God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Condemnation Mercy Romans

I Am Not Condemned

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1 (NIV) The Bible presents the bad news of condemnation for sin. We are born in sin and bear the marks of the sin nature that can be traced throughout our family tree all the way back to our beloved relative, Adam. Every human being is a descendant of Adam and has inherited Adam’s fallen nature. Because of sin the unregenerate have no future to look forward to except separation from God and eternal damnation in hell. Thankfully, just as the Bible presents the bad news of condemnation for sin, it also presents the good news of salvation from sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23 NIV). As a result of the gift of God provided to every child of God, the bad news of our sin is replaced with the good news of eternal life found in Jesus Christ. When you come into union with Jesus Christ, you are blessed with the realities of that personal and eternal relationship. Your union with Christ generates some realities that profoundly impact your present and future. Reality #1: In Christ, I am not condemned. In Christ, you no longer operate your life under the cloud of shame and guilt. The penalty for your sin has been paid in full. “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men” (Romans 5:18 NIV). You are no longer condemned. Jesus took your place by completing the atoning work on the cross for your sin. Don’t allow the enemy to drag you back under the cloud of condemnation. Since you are not condemned, you can remove the grave clothes. You have been brought from death to life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Grace Jesus Mercy

Dispensing Mercy

“But for that very reason, I was shown mercy…” I Tim 1:16a (NIV) During my fourth grade year in elementary school, I made the decision to ride on the handle bars of the bicycle my friend was pedaling to transport us home. The front tire was compressed by my weight and caused my friend to lose control. Within moments we plummeted over the curb and fell into the lane of the oncoming school bus. The bus driver slammed on the brakes and missed hitting us by a fraction of an inch. The teacher on duty came alive in that moment and darted over to retrieve us. She quickly snatched us up and escorted us to the principal’s office. My friend and I were terrified of the impending doom. We nervously sat in Mr. Boone’s office while the teacher on duty recounted the preceding “bicycle meets a bus” event. She left and Mr. Boone closed his office door and stared deeply into our eyes. We melted in our chairs. He slowly moved behind his desk, opened his desk draw, and pull out his board of education. The sight of his paddle infused instant fear. Mr. Boone then did the unbelievable! He sat on the corner of his desk and crossed his leg to feature the bottom of his left dress shoe. He raised his paddle as we leaned back into our chairs, and he proceeded to commence with two devastating blows with his paddle onto the flat surface of the bottom of his shoe. Then he said, “Boys, these were meant for you. Now get out of here and go home!” On that day, God revealed His mercy to me in a personal way. Remember, Jesus took the punishment for our sin. Have you received the mercy Jesus dispenses? It will change your forever! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Grace Jonah Mercy

Second Chances

Justice Mercy Psalms

Justice and Mercy

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4 (ESV) Imagine being transferred instantly before the throne of God. You are standing before God right now and you fall on your face before God and He asks you to give an account for your treatment of others. Where would that place you in the area of God’s approval and affirmation? How would you measure up to God’s standard of perfection? God is a God of justice. And yes, God is a God of mercy. Without God’s justice, mercy would not exist. Without God’s mercy, justice would not exist. God declared His justice on your sin when Jesus took upon God’s wrath for your sin on the cross. God demonstrated His mercy by providing for the forgiveness of your sin. How will you treat others in light of what God has done for you? “‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.’” Matt 5:7 (ESV) “‘Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.’” Matt 7:1-2 (ESV) Our tendency is to use binoculars when judging our lives and using a microscope when judging the lives of others. Thank God for His mercy. God wants our conversation and our conduct to reflect the mercy we have received from Him. Treat others with the same mercy you have received from God. Rescue the weak and the needy. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 182: Obadiah; Psalms 82-83) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Mercy Prayer Psalms

Tears in His Bottle

“You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” Psalm 56:8 (ESV) God created you for a divine purpose to fulfill. You are not here by accident; you are here by divine appointment. God designed you so that you can know Him personally and fulfill His plan intentionally. Fulfilling God’s agenda requires God’s enabling. You cannot continue His ministry in your own strength. In this life you will face difficulties and go through seasons of uncertainty. Fatigue, exhaustion, and feeling depleted are normal features of living in a fallen world. God intimately knows your inmost feelings and He keeps count of all your wanderings. He puts your tears in His bottle. He records every step you take and every decision you make. Nothing escapes God’s attention. “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy.” Psalm 140:12 (ESV) “With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. 2 I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.” Psalm 142:1-2 (ESV) Prayer enables you to express your heart to God. You have the sacred privilege of communicating with God through the grace-paved avenue of prayer. Acknowledge your dependency upon Him. The Lord executes justice for the needy and maintains the cause of the afflicted. You can cry out to the Lord in prayer. You can lift up your voice to plead for mercy. In prayer, you have the invitation to pour out your complaints before the Lord and to share your trouble before Him. God can handle your frustrations and He can bring calm to your troubled waters. Don’t run from the Lord! Run to the Lord and watch how His mercy comes running to you! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 106: Psalms 56,120,140,142) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Mercy Numbers Refuge

Finding Refuge

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 10 ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, 11 then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. 12 The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment.’” Numbers 35:9-12 (ESV) God featured His mercy and grace as He established the cities of refuge for the person who accidentally killed another person. God was providing protection from the avenger. When you consider the large number of people Moses was leading and when you consider the challenges of mobilizing around two-million people, the probability of conflict is rather high. Doing life together as a covenant community generated some major challenges and opportunities. The cities of refuge were strategically placed and graciously established. God was demonstrating His nature and character through His tangible redemptive activity. Moses was charged with carrying out the plan of God and ensuring the protection of the person who accidentally killed another. As followers of Jesus Christ, we look to God as our refuge and strength. He is the Creator of life and He is the sustainer of life. We look to Him because He is our faithful Shepherd and our consistent provider. As God’s children adopted into His family, we have privilege of casting all of our cares on Him and receiving mercy and grace to help us daily as we serve Him. Are you in need of refuge? Instead of running from God, choose to run to God. God already knows your condition and He already has everything you need to live the abundant life He has for you in Christ. Find refuge in Him! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 69: Numbers 35-36) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

God's Character Jonah Mercy

God’s Mercy

“And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” Jonah 2:10 (NIV) Where would you be if God were not the God of second chances? You would be without hope and without a future. God will not only pursue you with His redeeming love, but He also gives you a second chance to obey His will. The fish obeyed God in the midst of Jonah’s rebellion. God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry ground. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time (Jonah 3:1). After a three day aquatic experience of prayer in the belly of the fish, Jonah was now hurled onto the beach for a second chance to obey God’s way. The wonderful news is that Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh (Jonah 3:3). Jonah responded to God the first time by saying, “Lord, here I am, send someone else!” The second time, Jonah responded by saying, “Lord, here I am, send me!” On the Ship Jonah was singing, “I did it my way!” Inside the Fish Jonah was singing, “Have Thine Own Way, Lord!” Jonah came to know God as the God of second chance. Jonah learned a valuable lesson about obeying God. Ponder the grace of God in your own life. Think through the decisions you have made over your lifetime to choose to go your own way. Do you remember how God pursued you with His redeeming love? God is so patient, so tender, and so persistent. He wants you to come to know Him by experience as the God of second chances. Don’t give up. God has not given up on you. What God has begun in your life, He will bring to completion (Php 1:6). God always finishes what He starts. What God originates He always orchestrates. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Living Sacrifices Mercy Motivation

Motivation from God

Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Extending and Receiving Mercy

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date April 3, 2011
4 Comments on Extending and Receiving Mercy

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matt 5:7 (NIV) Christ-centered living involves being merciful. Has the Lord been merciful to you? Capture a snapshot of what shape you would be in right now had you not been a personal recipient of God’s mercy. God is not asking you to do anything He has not already done for you. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved.” Eph 2:4-5 (NIV) “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 4:16 (NIV) You need God’s mercy for salvation and in sanctification. You need God’s mercy day-by-day in order to live the Christ-centered life. His mercy is both inward and outward. You receive God’s mercy inwardly and express God’s mercy outwardly. Sing with me, “Mercy there was great and grace was free; pardon there was multiplied to me; there my burdened soul found liberty, at Calvary.” God, in His mercy, did not give you what you deserved. God placed on Jesus the iniquity of us all. Shouldn’t that transform how you view others? Shouldn’t your treatment of others flow out of the mercy you have received from God? The most merciful act you will ever employ is sharing the Good News of Jesus with others. As you inquire about the spiritual status of another person you will have the opportunity to share your spiritual story and present the plan of salvation. Sharing your faith is a tangible demonstration of extending mercy to others in response to the mercy you have received from God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Condemnation Mercy Romans

I Am Not Condemned

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Dispensing Mercy

Mercy Sacrifice Worship

Living Sacrifices

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1 (NIV) How do we respond to God’s mercy? The fact that God pursued us with His redeeming love and did not give us what we deserved engenders a response. Think of where we would be had God’s mercy not been applied to our hopeless estate. We were separated from God as a result of our sin. We deserved punishment, alienation, and eternal damnation. In His mercy, God provided the atonement for our sin through the sinless sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. In response to His mercy, God is not asking us to die for Him. God wants us to respond to His mercy by living for Him. Instead of being a dead sacrifice, God wants us to be a living sacrifice. Our spiritual act of worship that moves the heart of God is that of being holy and pleasing to Him. To be holy is to work out in practical daily living the holiness of Christ imparted to us at the moment of our salvation. We received the imputed righteousness of Christ which instantly gave us a right standing before our holy God. That event is to be followed by the process of living a holy life that is pleasing to God. Offer your body as a living sacrifice by loving what God loves and hating what God hates. Live in perpetual dependence upon the power of the Holy Spirit to stay clean while living in this dirty world. Practice His presence throughout the day and be sensitive to His prompting. Confess sin immediately. Choose to stay close and clean. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Beatitudes Jesus Mercy

Pushing Compassion into Action

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date July 15, 2010
58 Comments on Pushing Compassion into Action

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Matt 5:7 (NIV) Have you ever been on the receiving end of the hurtful treatment rendered by an unmerciful person? It was not an enjoyable experience was it? Being unmerciful is a direct result of our fallen nature. However, Jesus ushered in a new way to live life on this broken planet. As you extend mercy to others horizontally, you will receive mercy vertically. The Lord will be merciful to you as you are merciful to others. When you came to trust in Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord, you received salvation as an act of His mercy. Now that you are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, you are to extend mercy to others. Being merciful to others is not simply being possessed of pity, but putting compassion into action. It is not enough to see someone in need and to feel sorry for that individual. It is not enough to pity those who are hurting. Push your compassion into action! Mercy led Joseph to forgive his brothers and to provide them with food. Mercy led Moses to plead with the Lord to remove the leprosy with which his sister Miriam had been punished. Mercy led David to spare the life of King Saul. Mercy led Jesus to endure the agony and shame of the cross. Push compassion into action by meeting practical needs. Give food to the hungry, comfort the bereaved, love the rejected, and befriend the lonely. Give time, give forgiveness, give money, and give yourself to others. Find a need and meet it! Ask God to give you eyes to see people in need and to give you a heart to respond to their needs. Begin to look for opportunities to continue the ministry of Jesus by pushing your compassion into action. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell