Category: Pentecost

Moving with God

“And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’” Acts 1:10-11 (ESV) The disciples experienced a monumental moment as they witnessed the ascension of Jesus. Jesus had walked with them and invested in them and mentored them. Jesus sacrificed His life upon the cross for them and was raised from the dead. Jesus interacted with the disciples during His forty days of post-resurrection appearances. Now, Jesus ascends before their eyes back into heaven. Can you imagine what they were feeling and thinking? How would you respond to such an experience? Where do you go after witnessing such a miraculous event? It is possible to seek to live in a God-moment meant as an isolated experience and miss God’s next assignment for you. God allows you to have special moments where He reveals more of Himself to you so that you can know Him more deeply and obey Him completely. Had the disciples been unwilling to keep moving with God, they would have missed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They had to go to Jerusalem and engage in a “ten day prayer meeting” in the upper room in order to have the experience of becoming Spirit-filled followers of Christ. Contemplate this powerful quote from Henry Blackaby, “You cannot stay where you are and go with God.” Keep moving with God! Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Holy Spirit Pentecost Priesthood of the Believer

Filled with the Spirit

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4 (ESV) God accomplishes the extraordinary through ordinary people just like you. He gives you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Fulfilling God’s purposes requires God’s power. You cannot accomplish God’s will without being filled with His Spirit. He equips you to do His work His way. The hundred and twenty believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit and communicated the gospel in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Gathered in Jerusalem from diverse cultures for Pentecost, the crowd came together in bewilderment. Each person heard the believers speaking in his own language. Was the miracle in the speaking or in the hearing? There’s no need to debate that issue. The miracle was that God chose to communicate the gospel to everyone. God broke down the ethnic barriers and removed the obstacles to communication so that everyone could hear the saving news of Jesus in his own heart language. The Holy Spirit was at work in both the senders and the receivers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The believers were filled with the Spirit to participate in God’s redemptive activity. The Holy Spirit took up permanent residence in each of them to enable them to continue the ministry of the Jesus. If you are a child of God, you are filled with the Holy Spirit to join God in His redemptive activity. Be sensitive to opportunities God places before you today to make Jesus known. Everyday is Pentecost for the fully devoted follower of Christ. You have the capacity and the responsibility to share God’s redemption story with every unsaved person on the earth. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Holy Spirit Pentecost Priesthood of the Believer

Filled with the Spirit

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:4 (NIV) God accomplishes the extraordinary through ordinary people just like you. He gives you everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Fulfilling God’s purposes requires God’s power. You cannot accomplish God’s will without being filled with His Spirit. He equips you to do His work His way. The hundred and twenty believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit and communicated the gospel in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Gathered in Jerusalem from diverse cultures for Pentecost, the crowd came together in bewilderment. Each person heard the believers speaking in his own language. Was the miracle in the speaking or in the hearing? There’s no need to debate that issue. The miracle was that God chose to communicate the gospel to everyone. God broke down the ethnic barriers and removed the obstacles to communication so that everyone could hear the saving news of Jesus in his own heart language. The Holy Spirit was at work in both the senders and the receivers of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The believers were filled with the Spirit to participate in God’s redemptive activity. The Holy Spirit took up permanent residence in each of them to enable them to continue the ministry of the Jesus. If you are a child of God, you are filled with the Holy Spirit to join God in His redemptive activity. Be sensitive to opportunities God places before you today to make Jesus known. Everyday is Pentecost for the fully devoted follower of Christ. You have the capacity and the responsibility to share God’s redemption story with every unsaved person on the earth. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Great Commission Mountaintop Experiences Pentecost Reveal

Mountaintop Experiences

“After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.” Matt 17:1-2 (NIV) God moments are difficult to transfer. If only life was a perpetual mountaintop experience. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be on a constant spiritual high and never come down? Peter, James, and John had a once in a lifetime experience with Jesus on the top of a mountain. Jesus was transfigured before them. Peter wanted to build three shelters in order to stay on the mountaintop and live in the radiance of Jesus’ glory. Jesus used the experience to teach Peter, James, and John the necessity to come down the mountain to meet the needs of people in the valley. In other words, God surprises us with mountaintop experiences to reveal His glory so that we can go into the world to reveal God’s glory to others. Consider the terrain of your spiritual journey. Can you recall the mountaintop experiences you have had with God? Did God reveal His glory to you in those moments so that you would stay in the moment? No! God gave you those special glimpses into His nature and character so that you could go into the valley of life to connect with people in desperate need of God’s salvation. God moments can be difficult to transfer to others. Often, the God moments are for you to be encouraged and strengthened personally. The experience should motivate you to go into the world to declare the message of reconciliation to a world alienated from God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor (This devotional was originally posted in ’07 or ’08. I’m taking a break from writing for a season of personal renewal.) Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Ascension Conceal Experience Pentecost Reveal

Reveal (5)

“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’” Acts 1:10-11 (NIV) The disciples experienced a monumental moment as they witnessed the ascension of Jesus. Jesus had walked with them and invested in them and mentored them. Jesus sacrificed His life upon the cross for them and was raised from the dead. Jesus interacted with the disciples during His forty days of post-resurrection appearances. Now, Jesus ascends before their eyes back into heaven. Can you imagine what they were feeling and thinking? How would you respond to such an experience? Where do you go after witnessing such a miraculous event? “Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.” Acts 1:12 (NIV) “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.” Acts 1:14 (NIV) It is possible to seek to live in a God-moment meant as an isolated experience and miss God’s next assignment for you. God allows you to have special moments where He reveals more of Himself to you so that you can know Him more deeply and obey Him completely. Keep moving with God. Had the disciples been unwilling to keep moving with God, they would have missed the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. They had to go to Jerusalem and engage in a “ten day prayer meeting” in the upper room in order to have the experience of becoming Spirit-filled followers of Christ. God has used Henry Blackaby and his workbook, Experiencing God, to enhance my walk with God over the years. Contemplate this powerful quote from Henry Blackaby, “You cannot stay where you are and go with God.” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor