Category: Persistence

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

Intercession Persistence Prayer

Pray Continually

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) What if the content of your prayers this week were transcribed and put into book form and placed on the end table in a doctor’s office waiting room for others to read? What would your prayer life reveal to others? What would the content of your prayers reveal about your walk with God? Choose to pray specifically. Instead of articulating generic requests and ambiguous petitions, begin to pray with specificity. For example, begin pray for others to know and enjoy the personal presence of Jesus. Pray for lost people by name. Write their names down and pray specifically for these individuals to become children of God. If the whole world is under the control of the evil one, then who will rescue the perishing? Who will do spiritual battle in prayer for the lost souls on this planet? Pray evangelistically and be willing to be used of God in the process of bringing others to Christ. Jesus has given us understanding so that we can know Him personally and make Him known intentionally. Jesus is the true God! There is no other! Jesus is eternal life! Jesus is the hope of the world. Jesus has saved us so that we can continue His ministry on the earth of bringing others into His kingdom. As a kingdom citizen, you have a kingdom assignment. Pray specifically for the salvation of individuals by name. Pray expectantly by making yourself available for God’s use in His redemptive activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Focus Paul Persistence

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

Intercession Persistence Prayer

Pray Continually

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) What if the content of your prayers this week were transcribed and put into book form and placed on the end table in a doctor’s office waiting room for others to read? What would your prayer life reveal to others? What would the content of your prayers reveal about your walk with God? Choose to pray specifically. Instead of articulating generic requests and ambiguous petitions, begin to pray with specificity. For example, begin pray for others to know and enjoy the personal presence of Jesus. Pray for lost people by name. Write their names down and pray specifically for these individuals to become children of God. If the whole world is under the control of the evil one, then who will rescue the perishing? Who will do spiritual battle in prayer for the lost souls on this planet? Pray evangelistically and be willing to be used of God in the process of bringing others to Christ. Jesus has given us understanding so that we can know Him personally and make Him known intentionally. Jesus is the true God! There is no other! Jesus is eternal life! Jesus is the hope of the world. Jesus has saved us so that we can continue His ministry on the earth of bringing others into His kingdom. As a kingdom citizen, you have a kingdom assignment. Pray specifically for the salvation of individuals by name. Pray expectantly by making yourself available for God’s use in His redemptive activity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Persistence Prayer Something Great

Persistent Prayer

Do something great by praying it through. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7 (NIV) What are you anxious about right now? Is there anything keeping you up at night? It sounds like you are in need of the peace of God. How do you get to the place of peace? Pray everything through. Notice the process that Paul establishes. Instead of being anxious, be thankful as you present your requests to God. Replace anxiety with gratitude for what God is going to do in and through your situation. Take every item and pray it through. Before Jesus chose His twelve disciples, He spent the entire night praying it through. Read carefully and discern the process Jesus embraced. “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” Luke 6:12-16 (NIV) Jesus took everything to God in prayer. If Jesus, being God’s Son, valued prayer at that level, what about us? Do something great by praying it through. 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

Persistence Prayer Something Great

Something Great (6)

Do something great by praying it through. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7 (NIV) What are you anxious about right now? Is there anything keeping you up a night? It sounds like you are in need of the peace of God. How do you get to the place of peace? Pray everything through. Notice the process that Paul establishes. Instead of being anxious, be thankful as you present your requests to God. Replace anxiety with gratitude for what God is going to do in and through your situation. Take every item and pray it through. Before Jesus chose His twelve disciples, He spent the entire night praying it through. Read carefully and discern the process Jesus embraced. “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” Luke 6:12-16 (NIV) Jesus took everything to God in prayer. If Jesus, being God’s Son, valued prayer at that level, what about us? Do something great by praying it through. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Pastor of Leadership and Pastoral Care