“Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 ‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.’” Esther 4:15-16 (ESV) 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. 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. 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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 266: Esther 1-5) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Obedience
“Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the Lord was finished. And Solomon brought in the things that David his father had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the Lord.” 1 Kings 7:51 (ESV) God created you to know Him personally and to do His will intentionally. You are designed by God to complete His assignment. God invites you into His redemptive story so that you can join Him in His redemptive activity. Solomon joined God in His activity. He obeyed God’s directives and finished the house of the Lord. As you read the description of the construction process, you will notice Solomon’s careful attention to details. “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) “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) “But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (ESV) Focus your life on the task the Lord has called you to complete. Do God’s will with passion. If you don’t know God’s will, start obeying the last thing God said to you. As you obey, God will show you the way. Practice instant obedience and enjoy the journey God has for you. Trust Him to illuminate the path He wants you to take. Trust God to build the bridges He wants you to cross and to open the doors He wants you to walk through. Keep your “yes” on the altar! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 163: 1 Kings 7; 2 Chronicles 4) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Store Up God’s Word
“With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:10-11 (ESV) What guides your decision making process? What is your moral compass? How do you know if your decisions line up with God’s will? As you seek the Lord with all your heart, He will make His will known to you. God is a God of revelation. His desire is for you to know Him personally and to obey Him instantly. Passionately pursue God’s agenda. Focus your life on accomplishing His will. Practice moment-by-moment surrender to His Lordship and respond to His prompting. God has given you His Word. As you read and feed on the Bible, God will unveil His will. You will discover what God loves and what God hates. You will begin to discern what God has for you to join Him in. God invites you to join Him in His activity so that you can experience His love and benefit His kingdom. Choose to meditate upon God’s Word. Read through a few chapters of the Bible and slow down on the verses that speak into your life. Ask God to illuminate His Word as you read. Meditate on what you sense God is saying to you and then apply that truth in practical living. Obey what God shows you. Seek the Lord with all your heart and demonstrate obedience as you hide God’s Word in your heart. Internalize God’s Word so that you can live a life of instant obedience. Hide God’s Word in your heart and embrace a lifestyle of moral purity. God’s way is always the best way! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 150: Psalm 119) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
No Other God
“Know therefore today, and lay it to your heart, that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. 40 Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.” Deuteronomy 4:39-40 (ESV) As I am writing this devotional, my team and I are about to board our plane to return to America after spending a week serving the people of East Asia. If you have ever had the opportunity to fly on a commercial jet, you will recall the unique perspective you gain by looking through the widow of the plane down to the earth below. You begin to realize how small you are and how big the earth is. Your daily pressures and the basic anxieties of life are suspended for the duration of your flight. You don’t have to board a plane and ascend to an altitude of 37,000 feet in order to gain a new perspective on life. Simply acknowledge and take to heart that the Lord is God. He is God of heaven and He is God of earth. He created the entire universe and He created you. There is no other God. He is the One true living God who rules and reigns. All other gods are simply gods. We serve the God of all creation. One way to demonstrate your acknowledgement of God is by obeying His commands. God reveals Himself to you so that can know Him personally and intimately. God reveals His Word to you so that you can obey Him immediately and consistently. Your obedience to God’s Word is a true mark of spiritual maturity and an indication of your new identity in Christ. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 71: Deuteronomy 3-4) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Yes Lord
“And the people of Gad and the people of Reuben answered, ‘What the Lord has said to your servants, we will do. 32 We will pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, and the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us beyond the Jordan.’” Numbers 32:31-32 (ESV) When you surrender to the Lordship of Christ, you are placing His agenda before your own. Lordship is a decision of stewardship. Stewardship is caring for what God has entrusted to you. Your devotion and commitment to Christ is demonstrated through the way you steward what God has entrusted to your care. Surrendering your life to the Lordship of Christ places Him in charge of your life and your decisions. The people of Gad and the people of Reuben were willing to submit to what the Lord had said. They acknowledged that they were servants and their lives were marked by instant obedience. They were willing to do what the Lord said. Obedience to the Lord was not only valued, but also demonstrated by their actions. “‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.’” Matt 7:24-25 (ESV) “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” James 1:22 (ESV) Start demonstrating the Lordship of Christ by being a hearing of God’s Word. Consistently read and feed on God’s Word. Grow in your understanding of the Bible. Move into becoming a doer of God’s Word by putting God’s Word into practice. Apply God’s Word by practicing instant obedience. Live your life by perpetually saying, “Yes, Lord!” Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 67: Numbers 31-32) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“All the people of Israel did just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron. 51 And on that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their hosts.” Exodus 12:50-51 (ESV) God keeps His word. He is the ultimate promise keeper. What God starts, He finishes! God was faithful to provide for Moses and the children of Israel throughout the process of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. After sending the nine plagues upon Egypt, the tenth plague was the turning point for Pharaoh and for the people of Israel. God instructed Moses to have the people of Israel sacrifice a lamb for each family and to take some of the blood and put it on the doorposts and lintel of the houses in which they ate the lamb. “‘The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.’” Exodus 12:13 (ESV) The grace of God was evidenced as the He did not allow the destroyer to enter the houses of those who obeyed His command. Instead, God chose to passover their houses. The passover is a clear indication that God blesses obedience. God brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Do not bypass the grace of God as evidenced by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. If you have not turned from your sin and turned to Jesus alone for salvation, your first step of obedience is to make that decision right now. Don’t delay! Trust in Jesus alone for salvation. Place your faith in the completed work of Christ on the cross. He shed His blood for the removal of your sins. Trust and obey and He will show you the way! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 33: Exodus 10-12) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Jehovah Jireh
“And Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ 8 Abraham said, ‘God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they went both of them together.” Genesis 22:7-8 (ESV) Abraham demonstrated absolute loyalty and devotion to God by his willingness to sacrifice his promised son. Abraham and Sarah were beyond child bearing years. Yet, God provided the miracle of Isaac’s conception. Now God is asking Abraham to sacrifice that which was promised to him. “And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” Gen 22:13 (ESV) Is there anything in your life that takes priority over your relationship with Jesus? Are there any allurements sifting your affection away from your devotion to Christ? Do you have an Isaac in your life that you are unwilling to sacrifice? What is standing in the way of your realization of unbroken fellowship with God? What is taking the number one place of prominence in your life which is reserved for God? Whatever that item, ambition, or person is may be your Isaac. Could it be that God wants you to sacrifice that Isaac in your life to enable God to have top priority in your life? God wants first place in your daily walk. God wants to be the supreme object of your energy and affection. He not only deserves it, but He demands it. Spend a few moments taking inventory of your current priorities and identify what is preventing God from being your top priority. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 19: Genesis 22-24) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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God’s Provision
“Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’” Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV) Without trust, there is no authentic relationship. Relationships are built on the foundation of trust. As you know, to be trusted one must be trustworthy. Without question, God is worthy of our trust. He is holy, righteous, immutable, eternal, and perfect. God honors His Word. God keeps His promises. God has impeccable timing and matchless integrity. When God revealed Himself to Abram, the relationship of trust was demonstrated. God commanded Abram to leave his comfort zone and to embrace the unknown. God promised to bless Abram and to make Abram a blessing. At this time, Abram was seventy-five years old and he and Sarai had no children. Even though God’s promise did not make logical sense in that Sarai was well along in years and childless, Abram took God at His Word and obeyed Him. What are you doing with what God has said to you? Have you obeyed what you already know? God blesses obedience. When you obey God, you come to know God by experience. You will discover God’s will as you obey God’s will. Walk in the light God gives you and watch to see how God unveils the next step that He wants you to take. As you obey, God will show you the way. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 16: Genesis 12-15) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Available for God’s Use
“When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.” Luke 2:39-40 (NIV) Can you name the people God used to position you for the future you are now in? Think about their investment in your life. Weigh their deposits of encouragement, feedback, and godly counsel. You are a product of the decisions you have made over your lifetime and a product of God’s grace through others in your life. God chose to use Joseph and Mary to position Jesus for the future God had for Him. They obeyed the law and they obeyed God. They returned to their own town and were faithful in parenting Jesus. Jesus grew, became strong, and was filled with wisdom. God’s grace was upon Him. God could have positioned Jesus for the future without Joseph and Mary, yet He chose to use human instrumentality. Just as God has brought people into your life to position you for the future, God wants to use you to help others. Are you available to be used of God to position others for the future? God wants to touch others through your life. Your personal testimony of God’s faithfulness and your daily walk with Jesus are vital components for being used of God to impact the lives of others. You can make an immediate difference as well as an eternal difference in the lives of those God brings into your path. God has blessed you with every spiritual blessing in Christ so that you can be a blessing to others. Will you make yourself available for God’s use? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Listening and Obeying
“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. God will entrust you with His revelation. As a child of God you have been filled with the Holy Spirit. God empowers you to hear His Word so that you can obey His Word. Read God’s Word and feed on God’s Word consistently so that you will know Him personally and obey Him instantly. Be a doer of God’s Word. It is not enough to just hear. Put God’s Word into practice. Activate God’s Word through a diligent lifestyle of instance obedience! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.’” Matt 6:7-8 (NIV) Before you pray, consider the One you are praying to. God has invited you into the most amazing conversation you will ever have. Prayer is having face-time with the One who designed you. God thought of you long before you thought of Him. You are privileged with the communication that will continue for eternity. Your love relationship with God is continual, perpetual, and eternal. God does not respond to your prayer based on the number of words you articulate. Unleashing a barrage of words does not give you favor with God. The prayer relationship God invites you into does not depend on excessive verbiage, but rather on the sufficiency of God’s omniscience. God knows everything about you and every detail of every situation surrounding your life. God is fully aware of your current reality. He knows where you have been, where you are, and where you are going. God knows your inmost fears and frustrations. Don’t be like the pagan who thinks he will be heard because of his catalogue of words. God knows exactly what you need before you ask Him. Prayer is not bringing God up on your circumstances, but bringing you up on God and His sovereignty over your circumstances. When you pray, be mindful of God’s activity in your life. Be alert to the awesome nature and character of God. The reality of prayer is an abiding comfort in that your lifeline to God is always connected. You have direct access to the One who gave His one and only Son to grant that access. What will you do with the honor and privilege of prayer? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Right with God?
“’Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?’” 2 Sam 23:5 (NIV) These were the last words of King David. His life was decorated with a colorful past and a perpetual reaping of what he had sown. David was known as a man after God’s own heart. His question is worthy of our consideration. Is not your house right with God? Let’s think through that question in two layers. The first layer reminds us that your body is a house. In fact, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). Is your body right with God both spiritually and physically? Are you feeding your house spiritually? Are you walking with God and giving evidence to a growing relationship with Christ? Examine your life physically. Are you embracing a healthy lifestyle including diet and exercise? Let’s transition to the second layer of this question. Is not your house right with God? Think in terms of your family. How’s your marriage? How’s your parenting? Is your home a holy place where God is honored and where your family is encouraged to grow spiritually? Is your house in order spiritually? Getting your house right with God begins with your daily intimacy with Christ. Your private time alone with the Lord is the secret to getting your house right with God. In the solitude of daily intimacy with God, you will learn to hear His voice and respond to His prompting. When something in your life or in your family is out of order, the Holy Spirit will bring that to your attention specifically. Consecrate yourself before the Lord and allow Him to illuminate the areas of your life and your family that need adjusting. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chron 7:14 (NIV) What moves the heart of God? Have you ever thought about that? Consider the portrait of God’s family living in harmony with each other and with Him. Picture God’s people embracing the posture of humility, employing the privilege of prayer, enjoying a daily pursuit of His presence, and eliminating the indulgence of sin. Now that would be considered revival. God is the ultimate Promise Keeper. God promises to bless obedience. God’s definition of success is not the accumulation of possessions but the application of obedience. If we will humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our sinful ways, God promises to hear our prayers, forgive our sin, and heal our land. What is keeping you from obeying what you know? Are you willing to move the heart of God through a consistent lifestyle of obedience? God does not expect you to live the Christian life in your own strength. God has empowered you with His abiding Holy Spirit to enable you to live the life He has for you. Do you have unconfessed sin in your life? Sin grieves the Holy Spirit. Sin hinders your fellowship with God and impedes the fruit of the Spirit. Confess your sin and receive God’s forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9). Start running from sin and choose to run to Jesus. Do not think about how to gratify the cravings of the sinful nature (Rm 13:14). God will hear your prayer, forgive your sin, and heal your land. Claim God’s promises and walk in victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14 God honors those who seek Him. God took the initiative to bring us into a right relationship with Himself. His heart is for you to know Him intimately. God has done everything needed to enable you to have an intimate love relationship with Him. Will you respond to God’s invitation? If you will humble yourself, pray, and seek God’s face and turn from the path of evil, God will respond with blessing from heaven. God promises to hear, forgive, and heal. Are you in need of God’s heavenly touch? As you seek God, He responds to your pursuit. Your impact for God will never rise above your prayer life. Can you imagine where you would be had God not pursued you long before you ever thought about Him? Can you visualize where you would be had God not built the ultimate bridge to come to where you were? You are armed with an opportunity to take your relationship with the Creator of the universe to a whole new level. Seize the opportunity by taking God at His Word. Capture the awesome privilege of connecting with Almighty God through prayer. Spend some time praying for your family, your church family, your community, your state, your nation, and your world. As you pray, be sensitive to the specific individuals God brings to your attention. Begin to intercede for each person. Give careful attention to the person God gives you a burden for. Invest extra time praying for that person and watch to see how God works! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Intentional Response
“As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” Luke 8:42-44 (NIV) Has your life been interrupted recently? Has your schedule, routine, or plans been shifted as a result of an unexpected interruption? Jesus had that experience as He was on His way to heal the twelve-year-old daughter of Jairus. Jesus was on his way to their home to perform a miraculous healing touch when His plans were interrupted. In the midst of the crowds pressing in on Jesus, there was a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. No one could heal her. She was desperate and determined that Jesus could heal her. She came up behind Jesus and touch the edge of His cloak and her bleeding stopped immediately. Jesus noticed that power had gone out from Him and so He asked His disciples, “Who touched me?” The woman came trembling at Jesus’ feet and told Him why she had touched Him and then affirmed her healing. Jesus responded to her by saying, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.” Jesus turned this interruption into an opportunity to be a blessing to someone in need. Of course, this interruption delayed His arrival at the home of Jairus. Someone from the house of Jairus announced that his daughter was dead. Did she die because of the delay? Jesus went into their home and took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” The interruption Jesus encountered became a pronounced opportunity to heal the woman and the child. Will you turn your interruptions into opportunities for God to do something special through you? God knows where you are and what you are facing. God knows each interruption that will intrude your schedule. How will you respond? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Reveal His Name
“‘If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.’” Luke 9:26 (NIV) Do you conceal your Christianity? Can you be accused of being a closet Christian? Do those in your sphere of influence know that you are a follower of Jesus Christ? There’s nothing to be ashamed of. In Christ, you have been adopted into God’s family and sealed by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:5,13). You have been rescued from darkness and placed in the kingdom of light (Col. 1:5). God has placed you in the display window of life to portray His grace to a dark and decaying world (1 Tim. 1:16). Embrace the attitude of Paul who affirmed, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile”(Romans 1:16 NIV). The gospel that brought you hope and eternal life is the same gospel that you represent in this life. Don’t be ashamed of the Good News that transformed your life. Don’t withhold the cure to the cancer of sin that will set others free just as you have been set free. Jesus was not ashamed to identify with the lost by becoming flesh (John 1:14). For a person to be ashamed of Christ and His words is to deny the One who gave His all to provide for the forgiveness of sin. There’s no room for shame when it comes to identifying with Christ. To align with Christ is an honor to behold. Go public with your faith. God has given you the message worth sharing and the light worth shining. You have the capacity to influence others toward Christ. How many people will be in heaven because of you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Go Public
“The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia–your faith in God has become known everywhere.” 1 Thess 1:8 (NIV) One of the features of a High School football game is the cheer squad. The cheerleaders seek to engage the fans in the stands in order to motivate them to cheer on the team. Regardless of the score, the cheerleaders seek to get the fans involved in the game in a positive manner. Often the cheerleaders utilize a megaphone to project their cheers and to amplify their message. God has transformed your life by His grace so that you can become a megaphone to amplify the Good News of Jesus Christ. That’s right! You are a megaphone for the Master! The message of Christ is to project from your life and from your lips. Are you encouraging people to get into the game? Are you sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with those in your sphere of influence? The church at Thessalonica became a megaphone for the Master. The Lord’s message sounded forth like a blaring trumpet and like rolling thunder. The church boldly and continually trumpeted the gospel message. Their faith in God was not a secret to be concealed, but a glorious reality to be revealed. God did not transform your life so that you could become a closet Christian. God did not deliver you from the kingdom of darkness and place you in the kingdom of light so that you could become a silent saint. You have been saved by the grace of God to become a megaphone for the Maker of heaven and earth. Your faith in God is to be projected for others to encounter the redeeming love of Christ. Go public with your faith. Let others hear your personal testimony. Share your spiritual story and live out the gospel. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” James 2:14 (NIV) What does it take for a person to be saved? Is it possible to have saving faith without deeds? Will my faith be demonstrated by my deeds? So many have embraced an “easy believism” theology that can produce a false sense of security. You can spend your entire life on the earth thinking that you are saved and in reality, be lost. You can profess Christ and not possess Christ. “‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’” Matt 7:21 (NIV) “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10-11 (NIV) Your eternal destiny is determined by how you respond to God’s offer of salvation found in Christ alone. Knowing about Christ is not sufficient for salvation. You must know Christ personally through faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Take inventory of your spiritual condition. Don’t rely on feelings. Trace your steps and identify the moment you had a life-changing experience. Clarify your conversion experience. When did you come to realize your sin and your need for God’s forgiveness? When you did acknowledge that Jesus is God’s Son and the only way to heaven? When did you receive God’s gift of eternal life? Celebrate the gift of eternal life and the saving faith you possess! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James 2:8 (NIV) We are by nature self-absorbed, self-centered, and self-focused. When anything happens around us our first question is: How will this affect me? In many ways, we act as though the earth really does rotate around us. The reality of our fallen nature pops up from time to time like a ground hog trying to catch a glimpse of daylight. Jesus acknowledges the presence of our self-love. We truly love ourselves. As one of my colleagues would often say, “Sometimes you just have to be good to yourself!” We have no problem being good to ourselves do we? We value comfort. We value pleasure. We value looking good and feeling good and sleeping good. As we begin viewing others from God’s perspective, we will begin to value others the way God values them. The resulting choice will be to love others as we love ourselves. In other words, we will begin to treat others the way we want to be treated. We will love others with the same kind of love that we desire to receive. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 (NIV) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4 (NIV) James identifies that we are doing right when we love others as we love ourselves. Longing to do right is not enough. Putting our faith in action by loving others brings honor to God. Do you love others as much as you love yourself? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Tangible Demonstration
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ‘It is finished.’ With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” John 19:30 (NIV) Jesus died so we could live. Our destiny was destruction. Our identity was diluted by sin. Our iniquity was placed upon Jesus (Is. 53:6). Jesus became sin for us so that we could be recipients of His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus bore our sins on the cross. The penalty for our sin was atoned for. Jesus paid our sin debt in full. It is finished! “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2 (NIV) God took the initiative to communicate His unconditional love (Rom. 5:8). The cross is a visible and tangible demonstration of God’s redeeming love. Jesus died as the sinless atoning sacrifice for you. You can now die to sin and live for righteousness. His physical wounds spiritually heal you. When God sees you, He views you through the shed blood of Jesus. Your life is now hidden with Christ (Col. 3:3). God’s love is made complete in you. What if you started living in light of that reality? In Christ, you are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Jesus demonstrated complete obedience to purchase your salvation. Take a moment to consider the depth of God’s love. Try to fathom the finality of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. What if everyone you knew came to the recognition of their personal need to place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:14-15 (NIV) The sinless Son of God was willing to wash the feet of sinful men. Jesus exemplified the servitude that moves the heart of God. In humility, Jesus chose to live His life to benefit others. He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matt 20:28). You can sum up Jesus’ earthly ministry with one word: others! Our society promotes the self-centered lifestyle. It’s all about me and my happiness and my life and my gratification. The current of our culture slithers into fueling the selfish lifestyle. Embracing the philosophy of self-absorption is both honored and rewarded in our modern day worldliness. Get all you can and can all you get is the motto of the hour. Selfishness saturates the streets of our society. Jesus came to reverse the curse. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you are called to embrace the way of Jesus. Bring honor to God by doing what Jesus did. Orient your life to live to benefit others. Do you have room for others? Does your schedule allow you to place the needs of others before your own? Make adjustments to create space in your life to benefit others. The ultimate display of living to benefit others took place on the cross of Calvary when Jesus took on the full wrath of God for our sin. Though completely sinless, Jesus became the only acceptable sacrifice to redeem us from our sin. If Jesus was willing to do that for us, what would we be willing to do for Him? Serve Jesus by serving others. Love Jesus by loving others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Obey What You Know
“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 Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Recall the Words
“Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.” 2 Peter 3:1-2 (NIV) The Bible was written over a period of 1,400 years by forty human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Old Testament is made up of thirty-nine books and the New Testament is made up of twenty-seven books. The sixty-six books are God’s revelation to us. God has revealed Himself to us through His Word so that we can know His plan and experience His love. The common thread throughout the Bible is God’s redemptive love. God pursues us with His everlasting love. In Christ, we are reconciled to God. In his second letter, Peter writes to remind his readers of the revelation they have received from God through the holy prophets and through the apostles. The message of Christ has been conveyed. Peter reminds them in order to produce unmixed and uncontaminated thinking. In Christ, right thinking produces right behavior. Wholesome thinking involves knowing God’s will and obeying God’s will. To be unmixed in your thinking is to operate your life in alignment with God’s purpose and plan. God reveals His truth so that you can live out His truth. God’s reveals His agenda so that you can fulfill His agenda. Recall what you have learned. Recite the Bible verses you have memorized. Apply God’s truth in your daily decisions. Prepare for the future by obeying God’s Word today. Are you obeying what God has already revealed to you? Are you walking in the light God has provided? Is your thinking pure, unmixed, and uncontaminated? Where there is purity there is clarity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Respect Your Parents
“‘Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.‘” Exodus 20:12 (NIV) As we continue exploring the Ten Commandments, we notice that the first four commandments are vertical in nature whereas the remaining six commandments are horizontal in nature. The first four commandments are “Godward,” and the remaining six are “manward.” The fifth commandment is the first commandment with a promise. Respect your parents by obeying them. In God’s covenant community, obedience and submission to parents is vital. The family unit is built on mutual trust and mutual submission. To disobey your parents is to bring chaos to the family and society. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Eph. 6:1 NIV). Respect your parents by appreciating them. Appreciating your parents brings honor to God and produces a healthy atmosphere where peace reigns. Appreciation is demonstrated by recognizing their effort & sacrifice. Your parents are doing the best they can with what they have. Your parents are sacrificing personal ambitions, time, energy, & money. Respect your parents by caring for them. Meeting their needs and serving them throughout their lifetime is a mark of spiritual maturity and an indicator of respect. “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God” (1 Tim. 5:4 NIV). Respect your parents by providing for them and helping them to finish strong. Respect your parents by forgiving them. Perhaps you have father-wounds or mother-wounds. Don’t be imprisoned by unforgiveness. Choose to forgive your parents. Extend forgiveness to them just as God has extended forgiveness to you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” Malachi 4:2 (NIV) Revering God is a mandate from heaven. We esteem God and revere Him by living life His way. Let’s examine a few steps to revering God. Step 1: Express your love to God in worship privately and publicly. “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name’” (Matt. 6:9 NIV). Honor God’s Name as you commune with Him daily through your daily quiet time. Your private worship is a sacred time of expressing your love to God. Bring your private worship with you to the corporate experience of worship in your local church. Your public worship is a witness. Step 2: Maintain character and integrity. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27 NIV). Stay close and clean as you cling to God and His Word. Let the character of Christ be formed in you and be a person of integrity. Step 3: Align practically with who you are positionally. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13 NIV). You are chosen, redeemed, forgiven, included, and sealed. Now work out what God has worked in. Step 4: Hate what God hates and love what God loves. Read Proverbs 6:16-19 and uncover what God hates. Revere God by investing your life in hating what God hates and loving what God loves. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Here Am I
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV) Isaiah had a life changing experience. He looked up and saw the Lord in all of His holiness. Isaiah looked inward and recognized his own sinfulness in light of God’s holiness. Isaiah then looked outward and detected the sinful condition of others. In this life changing experience, Isaiah heard God’s call and responded with instant obedience. Isaiah said, “Here am I. Send me!” Will you make an impact upon every generation? Are you willing to allow God to call you to a new level of living? God’s grace always matches His assignment for your life. Where God guides He always provides. There is never a better moment than now to obey God instantly and make yourself totally available for His use. God can do more in you and through you in the next six months than all the previous years of your life combined. God values the work He does in you more than the work He does through you. Before God used Isaiah to make an eternal impact, God had to do an internal work in Isaiah’s life. The internal work always impacts the eternal work. Don’t bypass what God wants to do in you. Isaiah came face to face with the holiness of God in worship. Isaiah’s worship led to a personal assessment of his morality and then the morality of those around him. After God did this great work in Isaiah, He invited Isaiah to join His world redemptive activity. You have a chance to make an eternal impact for every generation. Are you available? Look upward! Look inward! Look outward! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:8 (NIV) What comes to mind when you think of the concept of sacrifice? I immediately think of the soldier fighting on foreign soil to preserve our freedom. I think of the single mom delaying personal gratification in order to purchase school supplies for her children. The middle-aged married couple serving as the primary caregiver to a parent is another portrait of sacrifice. Another example that comes to mind is that of an elderly person living on meager means in order to support the ministry of the local church. I think of the newly weds embracing a frugal lifestyle in order to focus on completing the requirements for advance degrees. The greatest sacrifice is God providing for our redemption through sacrificing His Son on the cross. Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to earth to provide for the removal of our sins and to purchase our salvation. His sacrifice changed our forever. God gave us His best so that we could have an abiding relationship with Jesus that is personal and eternal. Are you a recipient of God’s sacrificial love? Because of the greatest sacrifice, you can know true meaning and purpose, fulfillment and life-giving relationships. Because of the greatest sacrifice, you can have immediate peace and eternal security. God gave His Son so that you could know Him personally and invest the rest of your life making Him known. Are you willing to sacrifice to help others come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ? Are you willing to place the needs of others before your own? God wants to use you to point others to Christ. Will you practice instant obedience even if it means sacrifice? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” Rev 22:12 (NIV) What motivates you to serve? Do you serve for immediate recognition or eternal reward? Who is calculating your service? Jesus is the Rewarder! As you live to please Him and serve Him, Jesus rewards you personally both now and in the life to come. As Bruce Willkinson says, “Your belief determines where you spend eternity. Your behavior determines how you will spend eternity.” Jesus rewards your obedience in serving Him. Enjoy Personal Reward for Giving: “He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” Prov 19:17 (NIV) “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matt 6:3-4 (NIV) Enjoy Personal Reward for Praying: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matt 6:6 (NIV) Enjoy Personal Reward for Fasting: “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matt 6:17-18 (NIV) Your life counts. Are you willing to allow Jesus to live in you and through you today in order to serve others? Your service to God will be rewarded by God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Crucified with Christ
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20 (NIV) Are you dying to live? You can spend your entire life trying to figure out how to really live. Your constant pursuit can be saturated with seeking to discover life. Meanwhile, life happens while you are trying to get a grasp on life. Paul gives tremendous insight into the life God has for you. In order to live, you must die. The life God has for you is really not your life. As a follower of Jesus Christ, you have been crucified with Christ. You have already died to yourself so that Christ can live in you. Don’t miss the parallel. You died so that Christ can live in you and through you. Yet, the life you now live in the body is lived by faith in Jesus, who loved you and gave Himself for you. You are dying to live. “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.’” Luke 9:23-24 (NIV) Put your passion in action by allowing Jesus to live His life in and through you. Give Jesus the reins to your life and let Him have His way in you. Surrender to His Lordship and submit to His prompting. Your passion will be evidenced by your obedience. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.” Josh 4:18 (NIV) The Christian life is a life of faith. To be a fully devoted follower of Christ, your life with be marked by a journey of faith. Faith is taking God at His Word and entrusting your life to His care. As you walk in daily dependency upon the Lord, you will discover the joy of seeing God at work and seizing opportunities to join God in His activity. Crossing the Jordan River on dry ground was a tremendous experience of faith for the priests carrying the ark. They remained in the middle of the river while the children of Israel passed through on dry ground. Once the priests came up out of the river carrying the Ark of the Covenant, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place. God had worked a miracle and involved the people in the process! Continue to walk in faith. Sometimes your journey will be as clear as crystal, but at other times the way may appear foggy. You will experience seasons of high spiritual energy and focus and at other times, you will experience seasons of uncertainty. That’s part of the faith journey! The scenery changes and the pace shifts from time to time. Don’t get so fixated on the destination that you miss the God-moments along the way. Enjoy the process of knowing and obeying God. Enjoy the journey. God has some Jordan’s for you to cross. He will turn your obstacles into opportunities for you to see His glory and for your faith to be exercised. Obey what you know! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell