“For he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles.” Galatians 2:8 (ESV) God still uses human instrumentality in the redemptive process. God chooses to use us in unique ways to shine His light and to share His love. You were created by God to know Him personally by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus. God sought you, bought you, redeemed you, forgave you, adopted you, included you, filled you, and sealed you so that you could be an instrument of His redeeming love. Peter was uniquely gifted by God to be an apostle to the Jews. God transformed Paul from a persecutor of the church to be a preacher of the gospel as an apostle to the Gentiles. Of course Peter was to be an irresistible influence for the Lord to everyone he came in contact with. Yet, God was at work through Peter to specifically bring the saving news of Jesus to the Jews. Paul had an assignment from God to spread the aroma of Christ to every person who did not have a saving relationship with Jesus. However, God was strategically at work in Paul to build a bridge of hope to the Gentiles. Your life is to be lived in such a way as to demonstrate and communicate the redemptive love of God. Your conversation and conduct are to point people to Jesus so they can know Him personally and eternally just as you do. Maximize the moments God gives you to make Jesus known. Capture the opportunities to ask spiritual questions that take your conversations vertical. Feature the grace of God by sharing with others how they can come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Paul
Categories
Authentic Christianity
“And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, ‘He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me.” Galatians 1:22-24 (ESV) Think about someone you are acquainted with that would be characterized as being far from God. When you think of this person, maybe you wonder if he or she could ever change. Perhaps their perpetual behavior has made you consider them unreachable and indifferent to the grace of God. Paul would have been considered someone like this. He was far from God and far from operating in the center of God’s will. Paul was deeply passionate, but his passion was misdirected and brought immeasurable harm to the followers of Jesus. Paul, known as Saul before his conversion, was steeped in legalism and sought to strip believers of their identity in Christ. God revealed His grace through a powerful transformation of Paul’s life. Instead of persecuting the church, Paul began preaching the faith he once sought to destroy. Can you imagine the followers of Jesus contemplating the transformation of such an avid opponent to the movement of God such as Paul. The churches of Judea praised God because of Paul. Though they did not know him personally, they praised God for the report of the life change Paul experienced. He became a portrait of God’s grace. There’s no one beyond the reach of God’s grace. Even the vilest sinner can be radically saved and transformed by the power of God. The grace of God is sufficient to produce an authentic Christian out of anyone, including those far from God. What if you heard a report that gave testimony to the revolutionary transformation of the person you deem farthest from God? Pray for that to become a reality! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Sharing the Gospel
“On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles). Galatians 2:7-8 (ESV) One of the many joys in the Christian life for us is recognizing that God still uses human instrumentality in the redemptive process. God chooses to use us in His master plan to bring people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Sometimes God will prompt us to openly share our faith with an individual and allow us to lead that person in the sinner’s prayer. God also empowers our ongoing conversation and conduct to serve as a witness for Christ to a watching world. As Dr. Johnny Hunt says, “People in your community may not read the Bible, but they will read the gospel according to your life.” Peter embraced his calling from God to share the gospel with the Jews. God had anointed Peter for that particular assignment. Peter had a special connection with the Jews and a specific burden to reach them for Christ. Paul identified his personal mission statement as bringing glory to God by preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and planting churches. Paul shared the gospel intentionally and strategically. He focused his life to be on mission with God. Paul simply joined God in His redemptive activity. If you have been saved by the grace of God, then you have been commissioned by God to participate in His redemptive activity. You have a song to sing and message to declare. Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Share the gospel today. Be intentional about knowing Jesus personally and making Him known relationally. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Refining Your Focus
“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) When I read this passage it reminds me of my experience of training for a 5k race. You may think that I meant that I was training for a marathon, but I was training for my first ever 5-kilometer race. I grew up racing motocross, bmx, and Jet Skis. But it wasn’t until I was in my mid-thirties that I embraced the challenge of running this type of race. I discovered that the intensity level in the training phase has proportionate benefits to the racing phase. Training matters! The Christian life is very similar to that of a race. Jesus calls us to run with purpose, focus, and intensity. We are to run in such a way as to get the prize. The focus of the Christian life is not comfort, but change. As we diligently run the race set before us, Jesus transforms us into His image. Knowing that we are going to receive a crown that will last forever, we are to run this race with passion and determination. Our lives are to be marked by discipline and self-control. Paul lived his life with a passion to complete the task the Lord had given him. He diligently gave his life to testifying of the gospel of God’s grace. God gave Paul grace for the race. There’s more to this life than preparing for and running in a 5k. God has an assignment tailor made for you to fulfill. God will comfort you as you comfort others and as He changes you. Allow God to empower you for the race. Be committed to finish strong! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Being Crucified with Christ
“For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15 (NIV) Sometimes your greatest obstacle is you. Paul gave us insight into the civil war within him. Though a seasoned believer and a mature follower of Jesus Christ, Paul wrestled with his old sin patterns. His flesh kept calling him back to the old ways. He experienced the gravitational pull of the flesh. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel had witnessed the mighty acts of God. Think about it. They participated in the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground. They ate manna from Heaven and drank water from the rock. Their shoes did not wear out after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The opportunity to enter the Land of Promise, the land flowing with milk and honey, was right before them. Yet, they were unwilling to embrace God’s abundant life for them. They wanted to go back to Egypt where they were slaves. “And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’” Num. 14:4 (ESV) “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal. 2:20 (ESV) Paul demonstrated the discipline of being crucified with Christ. When your flesh wants to go back to the bondage of Egypt and fulfill the cravings of your sin nature, choose to crucify the flesh. Remember, whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Starve the flesh! Feed your love relationship with God! Nourish the life of Christ in you! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Running the Christian Race
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” 1 Corinthians 9:24 (ESV) Life is not a sprint, but a marathon. The Greeks had two athletic festivals: the Olympic games and the Isthmian games. Paul’s audience would immediately connect this running imagery with the Isthmian games in their city of Corinth. Instead of receiving a gold, silver, or bronze medal like in our current day Olympics, only one prize was awarded in the Isthmian games. The winning runner would receive a wreath. Nothing was awarded to the runner who came in second or third. Only one person got the prize! Paul is encouraging us as believers to run in such a way as to get that prize. We are to live the Christian life with passion. God desires our best and God deserves our best. So, how are you running the Christian race? Are you running with passion? Too often, we divert our passion to other venues. We rob God and we give our best to that which has no eternal value. How you live is just as important as how much time you have left on this earth. The quality of your life is just as vital as the quantity of your remaining days. How will you live your life? If you had only a short time left to live, would your passion in the race of life be vertical? Would your passion for God and His agenda be evident? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Passionate Intercession
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:3-6 (ESV) The Apostle Paul demonstrated his love for the church at Philippi by his passionate intercession for them. He prayed with joy because of their partnership in the gospel. He prayed with confidence knowing that God began a good work in them and would bring it to completion. Paul’s prayer life was energized by his love for the believers at Philippi. Paul was not alone. The Holy Spirit joined in the divine communication by interceding for the saints in Philippi. Jesus interceded for them from the right hand of God in heaven. “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Rom. 8:26-27 (ESV) “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Rom. 8:34 (ESV) When you pray for others, you have the divine privilege of joining the Holy Spirit and Jesus in the ministry of intercession. Put your passion in action by embracing the ministry of intercessory prayer. Who will you begin to pray for today? Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Unrelenting Pursuit
“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:10-11 (ESV) What makes you come alive? What are you passionate about? What gets your focus, attention, and energy? Paul was clear about the pursuit of his life. God had radically transformed his life on the road to Damascus and called him to a life of dangerous surrender. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul gave insight to his unrelenting pursuit of knowing Christ. His passion was to know Christ more. Paul desired to take his love relationship with Christ to a deeper level. He wanted to personally know the power of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in Christ’s sufferings. Paul was not satisfied with religion and routine. He passionately desired the real, authentic, and vibrant love relationship with Christ that no other relationship could offer. Assess your pursuit. Are there fragments of apathy and lethargy? Have you been distracted by worldliness or worry? Living in a fallen world can dilute your passion for the things of God. Recognize those things in your life that have stifled your spiritual appetite. Remove those things that have usurped your hunger and thirst for God. You determine the level of your pursuit of knowing Jesus more. Be unrelenting in your pursuit of a vibrant and growing love relationship with Christ. Emulate Paul’s passion to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Return to your first love. Guard your heart and passionately pursue Christ! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Integrity
“For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” 1 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV) Hypocrisy corrodes the connection we make with a lost and dying world. Our influence for Christ is inhibited when there is a discrepancy between our words and our actions. Being an irresistible influence for Christ mandates integrity. Paul invested in Timothy’s life and was instrumental in Timothy’s coming to faith in Christ. Timothy had shadowed Paul and had insight into both Paul’s public and private life. Paul was now sending Timothy to the church at Corinth to remind them of Paul’s way of life in Christ Jesus. Timothy was positioned to give firsthand testimony to Paul’s integrity as a fully devoted follower of Christ. Paul’s way of life in Christ agreed with what he taught everywhere in every church. His faith and his practice were in sync. Paul’s lifestyle was in alignment with his loyalty to Christ. When you examined Paul’s behavior, it was in-tune with his beliefs. Paul’s conduct was consistent with his convictions. Let me share with you one of the most engaging definitions of integrity that I have ever heard. Integrity is when the tongue in your mouth lines up with the tongue in your shoe. When your speech matches your path on the street, then integrity is exhibited. When there is misalignment between our talk and our walk, hypocrisy erupts. Does your way of life in Christ line up with your convictions and conversations? Is there any area of your life that is out of sync with your true identity in Christ? Ask the Lord to reveal inconsistencies and choose to live a life of integrity that brings glory to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Releasing the Past
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV) Don’t allow your past to prevent you from the future God has for you. Everyone has a past. Everybody has pollution at some level in their past. We have made decisions we regret, said hurtful words we regret, and have had impure thoughts. We have caused pain in the lives of others and we have also been the recipient of pain from others. Living in a fallen world becomes evident by looking into the rear-view mirror. Paul enjoyed the favor of God. While participating with God in the redemptive process, Paul also encountered the trauma of severe persecution. His rear-view mirror included scenes of immense failures and tremendous successes. Paul understood the vital importance of releasing the past and embracing the future. Memory has power. Satan uses memory to immobilize us. God uses memory to remind us of the depth of His love. God wants to do something great through your life in spite of your past. God factored in your sin before you were even born. God made provision for your sin and your success by allowing Jesus to pay your sin debt in full. Find a private place of solitude. Take out a notepad and ask God to reveal unconfessed sin in your life. In the quietness of the moment, begin to write down what God reveals to you. Specifically confess each sin by agreeing with God that you have broken His heart and missed the mark. Now receive God’s cleansing for your sin and release the past. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Press On
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV) Life is full of distractions. There are so many tugs on our lives coming from various directions. We daily combat the gravitational pull of the flesh, the world, and the devil. Countless opportunities to disobey God await our attention. Living the Christian life in a fallen world requires us to live on purpose and with intentionality. Paul consolidated his energy to focus on one thing. He disciplined his life to release the past and to embrace the future God had for him. For Paul, his past was relegated to oblivion. He purposefully let go of the past and invested his life in the future God had ordained for him. You have to decide how you will live each day. Being engulfed with past failures and past successes can keep you from seizing the life God has for you. Focus on this one thing: release the past and embrace the future God has in front of you. God will empower you to do this one thing. God will enable you to concentrate on His agenda. Tenacity, focus, and persistence are necessary to release the past and to march into your destiny. God saved you and filled you with His Holy Spirit so that you can live for His global glory. God wants you to experience His daily provision and to encounter His abiding Presence. What is keeping you from letting go of your past? Be forgiven and take possession of the land God is giving you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Integrity
“For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.” 1 Cor 4:17 (NIV) Hypocrisy corrodes the connection we make with a lost and dying world. Our influence for Christ is inhibited when there is a discrepancy between our words and our actions. Being an irresistible influence for Christ mandates integrity. Paul invested in Timothy’s life and was instrumental in Timothy’s coming to faith in Christ. Timothy had shadowed Paul and had insight into both Paul’s public and private life. Paul was now sending Timothy to the church at Corinth to remind them of Paul’s way of life in Christ Jesus. Timothy was positioned to give firsthand testimony to Paul’s integrity as a fully devoted follower of Christ. Paul’s way of life in Christ agreed with what he taught everywhere in every church. His faith and his practice were in sync. Paul’s lifestyle was in alignment with his loyalty to Christ. When you examined Paul’s behavior, it was in-tune with his beliefs. Paul’s conduct was consistent with his convictions. Let me share with you one of the most engaging definitions of integrity that I have ever heard. Integrity is when the tongue in your mouth lines up with the tongue in your shoe. When your speech matches your path on the street, then integrity is exhibited. When there is misalignment between our talk and our walk, hypocrisy erupts. Does your way of life in Christ line up with your convictions and conversations? Is there any area of your life that is out of sync with your true identity in Christ? Ask the Lord to reveal inconsistencies and choose to live a life of integrity that brings glory to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Releasing the Past
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14 (NIV) Don’t allow your past to prevent you from the future God has for you. Everyone has a past. Everybody has pollution at some level in their past. We have made decisions we regret, said hurtful words we regret, and have had impure thoughts. We have caused pain in the lives of others and we have also been the recipient of pain from others. Living in a fallen world becomes evident by looking into the rear-view mirror. Paul enjoyed the favor of God. While participating with God in the redemptive process, Paul also encountered the trauma of severe persecution. His rear-view mirror included scenes of immense failures and tremendous successes. Paul understood the vital importance of releasing the past and embracing the future. Memory has power. Satan uses memory to immobilize us. God uses memory to remind us of the depth of His love. God wants to do something great through your life in spite of your past. God factored in your sin before you were even born. God made provision for your sin and your success by allowing Jesus to pay your sin debt in full. Find a private place of solitude. Take out a notepad and ask God to reveal unconfessed sin in your life. In the quietness of the moment, begin to write down what God reveals to you. Specifically confess each sin by agreeing with God that you have broken His heart and missed the mark. Now receive God’s cleansing for your sin and release the past. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Press On
“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14 (NIV) Life is full of distractions. There are so many tugs on our lives coming from various directions. We daily combat the gravitational pull of the flesh, the world, and the devil. Countless opportunities to disobey God await our attention. Living the Christian life in a fallen world requires us to live on purpose and with intentionality. Paul consolidated his energy to focus on one thing. He disciplined his life to release the past and to embrace the future God had for him. For Paul, his past was relegated to oblivion. He purposefully let go of the past and invested his life in the future God had ordained for him. You have to decide how you will live each day. Being engulfed with past failures and past successes can keep you from seizing the life God has for you. Focus on this one thing: release the past and embrace the future God has in front of you. God will empower you to do this one thing. God will enable you to concentrate on His agenda. Tenacity, focus, and persistence are necessary to release the past and to march into your destiny. God saved you and filled you with His Holy Spirit so that you can live for His global glory. God wants you to experience His daily provision and to encounter His abiding Presence. What is keeping you from letting go of your past? Be forgiven and take possession of the land God is giving you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles.” Galatians 2:8 (NIV) God still uses human instrumentality in the redemptive process. God chooses to use us in unique ways to shine His light and to share His love. You were created by God to know Him personally by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus. God sought you, bought you, redeemed you, forgave you, adopted you, included you, filled you, and sealed you so that you could be an instrument of His redeeming love. Peter was uniquely gifted by God to be an apostle to the Jews. God transformed Paul from a persecutor of the church to be a preacher of the gospel as an apostle to the Gentiles. Of course Peter was to be an irresistible influence for the Lord to everyone he came in contact with. Yet, God was at work through Peter to specifically bring the saving news of Jesus to the Jews. Paul had an assignment from God to spread the aroma of Christ to every person who did not have a saving relationship with Jesus. However, God was strategically at work in Paul to build a bridge of hope to the Gentiles. Your life is to be lived in such a way as to demonstrate and communicate the redemptive love of God. Your conversation and conduct are to point people to Jesus so they can know Him personally and eternally just as you do. Maximize the moments God gives you to make Jesus known. Capture the opportunities to ask spiritual questions that take your conversations vertical. Feature the grace of God by sharing with others how they can come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Authentic Christianity
“I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they praised God because of me.” Galatians 1:22-24 (NIV) Think about someone you are acquainted with that would be characterized as being far from God. When you think of this person, maybe you wonder if he or she could ever change. Perhaps their perpetual behavior has made you consider them unreachable and indifferent to the grace of God. Paul would have been considered someone like this. He was far from God and far from operating in the center of God’s will. Paul was deeply passionate, but his passion was misdirected and brought immeasurable harm to the followers of Jesus. Paul, known as Saul before his conversion, was steeped in legalism and sought to strip believers of their identity in Christ. God revealed His grace through a powerful transformation of Paul’s life. Instead of persecuting the church, Paul began preaching the faith he once sought to destroy. Can you imagine the followers of Jesus contemplating the transformation of such an avid opponent to the movement of God such as Paul. The churches of Judea praised God because of Paul. Though they did not know him personally, they praised God for the report of the life change Paul experienced. He became a portrait of God’s grace. There’s no one beyond the reach of God’s grace. Even the vilest sinner can be radically saved and transformed by the power of God. The grace of God is sufficient to produce an authentic Christian out of anyone, including those far from God. What if you heard a report that gave testimony to the revolutionary transformation of the person you deem farthest from God? Pray for that to become a reality! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Sharing the Gospel
“On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews. For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.” Gal 2:7-8 (NIV) One of the many joys in the Christian life for us is recognizing that God still uses human instrumentality in the redemptive process. God chooses to use us in His master plan to bring people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Sometimes God will prompt us to openly share our faith with an individual and allow us to lead that person in the sinner’s prayer. God also empowers our ongoing conversation and conduct to serve as a witness for Christ to a watching world. As Dr. Johnny Hunt says, “People in your community may not read the Bible, but they will read the gospel according to your life.” Peter embraced his calling from God to share the gospel with the Jews. God had anointed Peter for that particular assignment. Peter had a special connection with the Jews and a specific burden to reach them for Christ. Paul identified his personal mission statement as bringing glory to God by preaching the gospel to the Gentiles and planting churches. Paul shared the gospel intentionally and strategically. He focused his life to be on mission with God. Paul simply joined God in His redemptive activity. If you have been saved by the grace of God, then you have been commissioned by God to participate in His redemptive activity. You have a song to sing and message to declare. Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Share the gospel today. Be intentional about knowing Jesus personally and making Him known relationally. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Refining Your Focus
“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 (NIV) When I read this passage it reminds me of my experience of training for a 5k race. You may think that I meant that I was training for a marathon, but I was training for my first ever 5-kilometer race. I grew up racing motocross, bmx, and Jet Skis. But it wasn’t until I was in my mid-thirties that I embraced the challenge of running this type of race. I discovered that the intensity level in the training phase has proportionate benefits to the racing phase. Training matters! The Christian life is very similar to that of a race. Jesus calls us to run with purpose, focus, and intensity. We are to run in such a way as to get the prize. The focus of the Christian life is not comfort, but change. As we diligently run the race set before us, Jesus transforms us into His image. Knowing that we are going to receive a crown that will last forever, we are to run this race with passion and determination. Our lives are to be marked by discipline and self-control. Paul lived his life with a passion to complete the task the Lord had given him. He diligently gave his life to testifying of the gospel of God’s grace. God gave Paul grace for the race. There’s more to this life than preparing for and running in a 5k. God has an assignment tailor made for you to fulfill. God will comfort you as you comfort others and as He changes you. Allow God to empower you for the race. Be committed to finish strong! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Being Crucified with Christ
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15 (NIV) Sometimes your greatest obstacle is you. Paul gave us insight into the civil war within him. Though a seasoned believer and a mature follower of Jesus Christ, Paul wrestled with his old sin patterns. His flesh kept calling him back to the old ways. He experienced the gravitational pull of the flesh. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel had witnessed the mighty acts of God. Think about it. They participated in the crossing of the Red Sea on dry ground. They ate manna from Heaven and drank water from the rock. Their shoes did not wear out after forty years of wandering in the wilderness. The opportunity to enter the Land of Promise, the land flowing with milk and honey, was right before them. Yet, they were unwilling to embrace God’s abundant life for them. They wanted to go back to Egypt where they were slaves. “And they said to each other, ‘We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.’” Num 14:4 (NIV) “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) Paul demonstrated the discipline of being crucified with Christ. When your flesh wants to go back to the bondage of Egypt and fulfill the cravings of your sin nature, choose to crucify the flesh. Remember, whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Starve the flesh! Feed your love relationship with God! Nourish the life of Christ in you! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Running the Christian Race
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Cor 9:24 (NIV) Life is not a sprint, but a marathon. The Greeks had two athletic festivals: the Olympic games and the Isthmian games. Paul’s audience would immediately connect this running imagery with the Isthmian games in their city of Corinth. Instead of receiving a gold, silver, or bronze medal like in our current day Olympics, only one prize was awarded in the Isthmian games. The winning runner would receive a wreath. Nothing was awarded to the runner who came in second or third. Only one person got the prize! Paul is encouraging us as believers to run in such a way as to get that prize. We are to live the Christian life with passion. God desires our best and God deserves our best. So, how are you running the Christian race? Are you running with passion? Too often, we divert our passion to other venues. We rob God and we give our best to that which has no eternal value. How you live is just as important as how much time you have left on this earth. The quality of your life is just as vital as the quantity of your remaining days. How will you live your life? If you had less than one month to live, would your passion in the race of life be vertical? Would your passion for God and His agenda be evident? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Passionate Intercession
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil 1:3-6 (NIV) The Apostle Paul demonstrated his love for the church at Philippi by his passionate intercession for them. He prayed with joy because of their partnership in the gospel. He prayed with confidence knowing that God began a good work in them and would bring it to completion. Paul’s prayer life was energized by his love for the believers at Philippi. Paul was not alone. The Holy Spirit joined in the divine communication by interceding for the saints in Philippi. Jesus interceded for them from the right hand of God in heaven. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.” Romans 8:26-27 (NIV) “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” Romans 8:34 (NIV) When you pray for others, you have the divine privilege of joining the Holy Spirit and Jesus in the ministry of intercession. Put your passion in action by embracing the ministry of intercessory prayer. Who will you begin to pray for today? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Unrelenting Pursuit
“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Phil 3:10-11 (NIV) What makes you come alive? What are you passionate about? What gets your focus, attention, and energy? Paul was clear about the pursuit of his life. God had radically transformed his life on the road to Damascus and called him to a life of dangerous surrender. In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul gave insight to his unrelenting pursuit of knowing Christ. His passion was to know Christ more. Paul desired to take his love relationship with Christ to a deeper level. He wanted to personally know the power of Christ’s resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in Christ’s sufferings. Paul was not satisfied with religion and routine. He passionately desired the real, authentic, and vibrant love relationship with Christ that no other relationship could offer. Assess your pursuit. Are there fragments of apathy and lethargy? Have you been distracted by worldliness or worry? Living in a fallen world can dilute your passion for the things of God. Recognize those things in your life that have stifled your spiritual appetite. Remove those things that have usurped your hunger and thirst for God. You determine the level of your pursuit of knowing Jesus more. Be unrelenting in your pursuit of a vibrant and growing love relationship with Christ. Emulate Paul’s passion to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings. Return to your first love. Guard your heart and passionately pursue Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Keeping the Faith
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” 2 Tim 4:7-8 (NIV) This verse comes to life when you bury someone close to you. There’s something about funerals that remind us of the brevity of life and the reality of heaven. Maybe it causes us to move closer to the reality of our mortality. The pace of life on earth can sometimes numb our emotions and keep us from dealing with life beyond the grave. Seeing your loved one in a casket is a stark reminder that we are one breath away from eternity. Paul was at the end of his life and wrote a final letter to his son in the ministry, Timothy. Paul had truly fought the good fight. Paul had finished the race and kept the faith. He finished strong! Paul reminded Timothy of the crown of righteousness that Jesus would be awarding at the finish line. Think about your life. How are you doing? When you look into the review mirror of life, do you have any regrets? Remember, it’s not how you start; it’s how you finish that matters most! Fight the good fight of the faith. Yes! It is a fight because we are in a spiritual battle that has eternal implications. “Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith.” 1 Tim 1:18-19 (NIV) “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” 1 Tim 6:12 (NIV) Your life has eternity written all over it. Finish strong! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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It’s Your Serve (4)
“When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” Acts 9:26-28 (NIV) Imagine the New Testament without Barnabas. What if Barnabas was unwilling to step up and stand in the gap for Saul (Paul)? What if Paul would not have been accepted by the apostles in the church at Jerusalem? Barnabas chose to serve Paul by befriending him and establishing him within the church at Jerusalem. As a result, Paul went on three missionary journeys and gave birth to many churches. Because Barnabas was willing to serve to benefit others, Paul was able to write what is now half of our New Testament. Remove Barnabas and we lose Paul. If we lose Paul, we lose half of the New Testament. Do you think that Barnabas made an eternal impact by serving to benefit others? What a wonderful example of serving! Barnabas is such a great example of what God can do with a person who is willing to serve to benefit others. Live to be a blessing! Choose to serve to benefit others! It’s your serve! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
“Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left.” 2 Chron 34:1-2 (NIV) Be Teachable. Can you imagine an eight year old child becoming the President of the United States of America? That’s hard to fathom. Yet, in the sovereignty of God, Josiah became the king of Judah when he was the tender age of eight. God enabled Josiah to reign for thirty-one years. How does an eight year old rule his kingdom? He doesn’t by himself. Josiah surrounds himself with people who can help. He willingly brings people around him who can do what he can’t and who can exercise gifts that he may not personally have. Josiah becomes an effective king by being teachable. Josiah allows others to speak into his life. You need four people in your life to help you reach your God-given potential. You need a “Paul” who will mentor you. You need a “Timothy” to invest your life in. You need a “Barnabas” to encourage you and to bring out the best in you. And you need a “Nathan” to speak the truth in love to you. Are you teachable? Do you allow God to stretch you and mold you and grow you? Are you willing to allow others to get close enough to you in order to learn from them? Ask God to bring a Paul, a Timothy, a Barnabas, and a Nathan into your life. Be willing to be a Paul, to be a Timothy, to be a Barnabas, and to be a Nathan in someone’s life. Seek to add value to others as you allow the life of Christ to be expressed through you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor
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The People God Uses (5)
God uses people who are broken. “But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’” Acts 9:15-16 (NIV) God specializes in using broken people. His love shines brightly through the cracks of broken vessels. Paul understood brokenness. Though he was God’s chosen instrument to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, he traveled the way of suffering. As you read Paul’s writings in the New Testament, you quickly detect that Paul’s journey was filled with adversity. Here’s a snapshot of some of his experiences. “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” 2 Cor 11:24-28 (NIV) Are you broken before the Lord? Anything that breaks the heart of God should break your heart. Often God will allow you to go through difficult circumstances to form the character of Christ in you. In your brokenness, you have a wonderful opportunity to know Christ more intimately and to make Him known more effectively. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell, Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care