“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.’” Leviticus 19:9-10 (ESV) 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. “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James 2:8 (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. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Others
“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14 (ESV) Love is the fuel that ignites compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. As you experience God’s love personally, you will unleash His love freely. Loving others will be a byproduct of your personal encounter of God’s love for you. God is not asking you to do anything that He has not already done for you. His love in you is available to express to others. Love keeps your spiritual wardrobe in unity. “’By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’” John 13:35 (ESV) “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11 (ESV) Is it clearly evident that you are a fully devoted follower of Christ? Are you loving others the way God loves you? Your discipleship is demonstrated through your treatment of others. When you love others the way God has loved you, the reality of your love relationship with God becomes obvious. Portray God’s love by expressing God’s love to every person you come into contact with. You will find that some people are very easy to love and some people are more challenging to love. Choose to love people based on God’s love for you and in you. Place the same value on others that God does. God loves them perfectly and completely. Allow His unconditional love to flow through you in this love-deficient world. People need to know God’s love. God has chosen you to be the conduit of His love. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Humility
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Philippians 2:3 (NIV) How do you view yourself? Your answer to that question provides insight into your understanding of humility. As Rick Warren says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” It is possible to have an inflated view of yourself. Paul addressed this concept by writing, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Rom. 12:3 NIV). To use sober judgment is to view yourself accurately. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. In humility, embrace your dependency upon God and your new identity in Christ. How do you view others? When you examine the life of Jesus, you will notice that His life was about others. Jesus honored God by serving others. Jesus did not neglect Himself, but He put the needs of others before His own. He lived to benefit others. Jesus valued people and loved them unconditionally. His atoning work on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of the value He placed on others. Exhibit down-to-earth humility by embracing a proper view of yourself in light of what God says about you. Display a lifestyle of placing the same value on others that Jesus does. Begin to view others through the lens of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus has established your value and the value of others through His redeeming love. In humility, reciprocate that same value and that same love to those God brings into your path. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead 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.” Matt. 7:12 (NIV) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Phil. 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 Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. 10 And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.’” Leviticus 19:9-10 (ESV) 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. “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right.” James 2:8 (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. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 50: Leviticus 19-21) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Humility
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil 2:3 (NIV) How do you view yourself? Your answer to that question provides insight into your understanding of humility. As Rick Warren says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” It is possible to have an inflated view of yourself. Paul addressed this concept by writing, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3 NIV). To use sober judgment is to view yourself accurately. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. In humility, embrace your dependency upon God and your new identity in Christ. How do you view others? When you examine the life of Jesus, you will notice that His life was about others. Jesus honored God by serving others. Jesus did not neglect Himself, but He put the needs of others before His own. He lived to benefit others. Jesus valued people and loved them unconditionally. His atoning work on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of the value He placed on others. Exhibit down-to-earth humility by embracing a proper view of yourself in light of what God says about you. Display a lifestyle of placing the same value on others that Jesus does. Begin to view others through the lens of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus has established your value and the value of others through His redeeming love. In humility, reciprocate that same value and that same love to those God brings into your path. 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
“And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Col 3:14 (NIV) Love is the fuel that ignites compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. As you experience God’s love personally, you will unleash His love freely. Loving others will be a byproduct of your personal encounter of God’s love for you. God is not asking you to do anything that He has not already done for you. His love in you is available to express to others. Love keeps your spiritual wardrobe in unity. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 (NIV) “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:11 (NIV) Is it clearly evident that you are a fully devoted follower of Christ? Are you loving others the way God loves you? Your discipleship is demonstrated through your treatment of others. When you love others the way God has loved you, the reality of your love relationship with God becomes obvious. Portray God’s love by expressing God’s love to every person you come into contact with. You will find that some people are very easy to love and some people are more challenging to love. Choose to love people based on God’s love for you and in you. Place the same value on others that God does. God loves them perfectly and completely. Allow His unconditional love to flow through you in this love-deficient world. People need to know God’s love. God has chosen you to be the conduit of His love. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” Phil 2:3 (NIV) How do you view yourself? Your answer to that question provides insight into your understanding of humility. As Rick Warren says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less.” It is possible to have an inflated view of yourself. Paul addressed this concept by writing, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you” (Romans 12:3 NIV). To use sober judgment is to view yourself accurately. Begin to see yourself as God sees you. In humility, embrace your dependency upon God and your new identity in Christ. How do you view others? When you examine the life of Jesus, you will notice that His life was about others. Jesus honored God by serving others. Jesus did not neglect Himself, but He put the needs of others before His own. He lived to benefit others. Jesus valued people and loved them unconditionally. His atoning work on the cross is the ultimate demonstration of the value He placed on others. Exhibit down-to-earth humility by embracing a proper view of yourself in light of what God says about you. Display a lifestyle of placing the same value on others that Jesus does. Begin to view others through the lens of the finished work of Christ on the cross. Jesus has established your value and the value of others through His redeeming love. In humility, reciprocate that same value and that same love to those God brings into your path. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell