Category: Perspective

Wisdom and Perspective

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” James 1:5 (ESV) View your trials from God’s perspective. Knowledge is needed to take things apart. Wisdom is needed to put things back together. When your life is coming apart, you need God’s wisdom to put your life in order. Trials tend to skew our vision and stifle our passion. It is so easy to lose perspective when facing trials. Our tendency is to be captured by the immediate and bypass the future that God has in store for us. Why do we wait so long in the process to turn to God in prayer? We try to figure out circumstances on our own and frantically search for answers apart from God. Nothing comes into our lives without God’s permission. If God permits trials, then God will use those trials for our good and for His glory. If only we can embrace that reality earlier in the process of our trials. God is both the Creator and Sustainer of our lives. He knows where we are and what we are facing and where we are heading. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10 (ESV) In faith, turn to God and ask for His wisdom. Seek to gain God’s perspective on the trials you face. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Elijah Endurance Perspective

Recapture God’s Perspective

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date February 28, 2021
126 Comments on Recapture God’s Perspective

“There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He said, ‘I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.’” 1 Kings 19:9-10 (ESV) Elijah experienced the miracle working, idol defeating, prayer answering display of God’s splendor. A major spiritual victory had been won on Mount Carmel. The 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah were slaughtered. The people of Israel responded to the demonstration of God’s power by kneeling and proclaiming, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” Once Elijah received a threat from Jezebel, he descended from the mountain of public victory to the valley of personal defeat. He ran for his life and entered the wilderness. As he sat under a broom tree, he hit a personal all-time low and wanted God to take away his life. Elijah spiraled down into the depths of depression. Fear causes you to lose perspective. Fear blurs your focus and exaggerates your circumstances. Recapture God’s perspective on your life and on your circumstances. Remember that you are designed by God and for God’s glory. If God allows you to go through a difficult situation, He will use it for your good and for His glory. God has the final say. Rest in His sovereignty. God has the power to change both you and your circumstances. Sometimes God removes your obstacles and sometimes God gives you the grace to navigate life in the midst of the obstacles you face. God provided Elijah with rest, refreshment, revelation, and relationship. Elijah recaptured God’s perspective on life. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Forgiveness Joseph Perspective

Forgiveness and Memory

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.’” Genesis 50:15 (ESV) Forgiveness is tested by memory. Only God has the capacity to forgive and forget. We have the capacity to forgive, but we struggle with forgetting what happened to us. Inevitably, something will trigger the memory of the pain of our past. Remember, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and Joseph experienced quite a ride before becoming second in command in Egypt. Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers. He had forgiven them in private before God, then he went public with his forgiveness and even provided for the needs of his family. Their father, Jacob, dies and it triggers the pain of the past. Joseph has already forgiven his brothers for their mistreatment, but they now fear retribution as a result of Jacob’s death. Forgiveness has an Encore. After you have forgiven the one who offended you, wounded you, neglected you, or betrayed you, something may come along and trigger the memory of the pain in your past. Though you do not have the capacity to forgive and forget, by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, though you remember, you can choose to forgive. “‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:20-21 (ESV) Joseph demonstrated a depth of spiritual maturity and embraced God’s perspective on his current reality. Instead of billowing in bitterness, Joseph addressed the encore of forgiveness by reassuring his brothers and being gracious to their children. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Job Perspective Redeemer

My Redeemer Lives

“‘For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!’” Job 19:25-27 (ESV) When you are going through a season of adversity the natural proclivity is to turn inward. You slide into the posture of being consumed with how you are feeling and how you are doing and drift into self-pity. Pain has the power to redirect your focus. Job unveiled his inward thoughts and the agony of his soul. He expressed his hurt and his disappointment with his current reality. Job was surrounded by three so-called friends who just didn’t get it. They were not a productive source of encouragement and comfort. Job made a decision to shift his thinking. He embraced a healthy and beneficial perspective by declaring, “For I know that my Redeemer lives.” Job acknowledged the sovereignty of God and the redeeming love of God. How desperate is your situation? What has captivated your mind and dominated your emotions? What kind of season are you in currently? Declare by faith that your Redeemer lives. Articulate the reality of God’s sovereignty and the certainty of God’s redeeming love. God is for you. God knows where you are and what you are feeling right now. Your Redeemer lives. Run from your fear, anxiety, and anguish. Deliberately run to your Redeemer. Look how far God has brought you. Calculate where you would be without His grace, His mercy, and His persistent pursuit. One day you will see God. One day you will stand before God to give an account for your life. Your Redeemer lives inside of you so that you can join Him in redeeming others. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Job Perspective Sovereignty

Proper Perspective

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’” Job 1:20-21 (ESV) Have you ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen to good people? When you read about the life of Job and the severity of the adversity he faced, you come away feeling that life is unfair. Job was upright, blameless, turned from evil, and feared God. He had experienced tremendous familial blessing and financial blessing. Job was a godly man who had it all and then lost it all. His story is heartbreaking and his response to adversity is inspiring. Instead of being bitter, resentful, and angry, Job chose to praise God in the midst of his suffering. Job demonstrated the value of having a proper perspective when going through seasons of adversity. He acknowledged the frailty of his own humanity and the reality of God’s sovereignty. Job declared, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job chose to bless the Lord in the midst of his severe trauma, grief, and loss. Instead of magnifying what he lost, Job recognized what he had left and magnified the Lord. Job is a model to follow. You don’t want to go through what he went through. However, you can respond to adversity the way Job did by living life from God’s perspective. Ask God to help you see your circumstances from His eternal perspective. Instead of focusing on your circumstances, focus on the Creator who loves you and who will give you the grace to match what you face. In brokenness and humility, cry out to God and receive His divine enabling. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Depression Fear Perspective

Loss of Perspective

“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’” 1 Kings 19:1-2 (ESV) Loss of perspective leads to confusion. Elijah confronted idolatry and the forces of evil with courage and boldness. He aggressively opposed the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Elijah was able to raise his hands in victory after the fire of God fell on Mt. Carmel to consume the sacrifice. The public victory had been won. Privately, Elijah shifted from faith in God to fear of the wicked woman, Jezebel. Elijah confronted the prophets with utter courage and now is running for his life as a coward because of a threat from Jezebel. Elijah displayed confusion as a result of losing his perspective. He falls into deep depression. What are some causes of depression? Frustration can lead to depression. Frustration over the circumstances you find yourself in can lead to depression. Sometimes frustration related to a strained relationship can cause depression. Fear can certainly bring you down into the pit of despair. When you stop viewing life through the eyes of faith and start viewing life through the eyes of fear, depression seeps in. Fatigue has a way of opening the door to depression. When you are exhausted, you can quickly lose perspective. Then, of course, there is the bandit of financial pressure. That kind of perpetual pressure can lead you down the alley of depression. Do you currently have God’s perspective on your life and on your circumstances? Have you experienced any level of depression in recent days? There’s hope! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Contentment Perspective Trust

Being Content

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Philippians 4:12 (NIV) The landscape of living in a fallen world is littered with inconsistencies, fluctuation, and instability. Selfishness and sin permeate our planet. People let us down. Deception, injustice, and greed fuel the choices made throughout the earth on a daily basis. Sound hopeless? Don’t lose heart. Paul understood the cultural current of living on a broken planet. He experienced the extremes of life including being a persecutor of the church and then becoming a preacher of the gospel. Paul knew adversity on a first name basis. Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 for a snapshot of his resume of rejection, ridicule, and rigorous suffering. While incarcerated by the Roman government, Paul writes this personal love letter to the church at Philippi to remind them of his love for them and to encourage them in their faith. You may not be able to control your circumstances, but with Christ’s help, you can control how you respond to your circumstances. You may not be able to control how people treat you, but you can control how you respond to their treatment. Contentment is learned in the laboratory of life. God works through the daily grind in your life to form you and to fashion you. Don’t miss what God is seeking to do in your life in the midst of your adversity. Are you learning the secret of being content in any and every situation? What’s the secret? “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13 NIV). Christ Jesus is the curator of contentment! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

End Times God's Power Perspective

Remember God’s Perspective

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date May 3, 2013
57 Comments on Remember God’s Perspective

“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” 2 Peter 3:8 (NIV) Perspective is everything. When you view life from your own perspective, the view can be incomplete. In our humanity, we may only view ten yards at a time on the football field. God sees the entire field of our lives. God is not limited by time or space. God is eternal. God was never born and God will never die. God is not decaying nor growing old. God is immutable in that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). In other words, God is. God is omnipresent. There is nowhere God is not. God is omniscient. There is nothing God does not know. Nothing ever occurs to God. Nothing catches God by surprise. Nothing happens without God’s permission. God is sovereign. He rules and He reigns. From our human perspective, a thousands years is a long time. For us, it is more than twelve times our life expectancy. God views a thousand years like a day. From God’s perspective, a day is like a thousand years. God does not operate in the confines of our human perspective. God is not limited by our finite comprehension of His eternal nature. Choose to live your life in light of eternity. Realize that there is more to this life than what you see. There is life beyond the grave. Every moment counts. Therefore, make every moment of your life count Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Forgiveness Joseph Perspective

Forgiveness and Memory

“When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.’” Genesis 50:15 (ESV) Forgiveness is tested by memory. Only God has the capacity to forgive and forget. We have the capacity to forgive, but we struggle with forgetting what happened to us. Inevitably, something will trigger the memory of the pain of our past. Remember, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery and Joseph experienced quite a ride before becoming second in command in Egypt. Joseph had revealed himself to his brothers. He had forgiven them in private before God, then he went public with his forgiveness and even provided for the needs of his family. Their father, Jacob, dies and it triggers the pain of the past. Joseph has already forgiven his brothers for their mistreatment, but they now fear retribution as a result of Jacob’s death. Forgiveness has an Encore. After you have forgiven the one who offended you, wounded you, neglected you, or betrayed you, something may come along and trigger the memory of the pain in your past. Though you do not have the capacity to forgive and forget, by the grace of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit, though you remember, you can choose to forgive. “‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.’ Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.” Genesis 50:20-21 (ESV) Joseph demonstrated a depth of spiritual maturity and embraced God’s perspective on his current reality. Instead of billowing in bitterness, Joseph addressed the encore of forgiveness by reassuring his brothers and being gracious to their children. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 29: Genesis 48-50) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Job Perspective Redeemer

My Redeemer Lives

“‘For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. 26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,27 whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!’” Job 19:25-27 (ESV) When you are going through a season of adversity the natural proclivity is to turn inward. You slide into the posture of being consumed with how you are feeling and how you are doing and drift into self-pity. Pain has the power to redirect your focus. Job unveiled his inward thoughts and the agony of his soul. He expressed his hurt and his disappointment with his current reality. Job was surrounded by three so-called friends who just didn’t get it. They were not a productive source of encouragement and comfort. Job made a decision to shift his thinking. He embraced a healthy and beneficial perspective by declaring, “For I know that my Redeemer lives.” Job acknowledged the sovereignty of God and the redeeming love of God. How desperate is your situation? What has captivated your mind and dominated your emotions? What kind of season are you in currently? Declare by faith that your Redeemer lives. Articulate the reality of God’s sovereignty and the certainty of God’s redeeming love. God is for you. God knows where you are and what you are feeling right now. Your Redeemer lives. Run from your fear, anxiety, and anguish. Deliberately run to your Redeemer. Look how far God has brought you. Calculate where you would be without His grace, His mercy, and His persistent pursuit. One day you will see God. One day you will stand before God to give an account for your life. Your Redeemer lives inside of you so that you can join Him in redeeming others. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 8: Job 17-20) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Job Perspective Sovereignty

Proper Perspective

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’” Job 1:20-21 (ESV) Have you ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen to good people? When you read about the life of Job and the severity of the adversity he faced, you come away feeling that life is unfair. Job was upright, blameless, turned from evil, and feared God. He had experienced tremendous familial blessing and financial blessing. Job was a godly man who had it all and then lost it all. His story is heartbreaking and his response to adversity is inspiring. Instead of being bitter, resentful, and angry, Job chose to praise God in the midst of his suffering. Job demonstrated the value of having a proper perspective when going through seasons of adversity. He acknowledged the frailty of his own humanity and the reality of God’s sovereignty. Job declared, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away, blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job chose to bless the Lord in the midst of his severe trauma, grief, and loss. Instead of magnifying what he lost, Job recognized what he had left and magnified the Lord. Job is a model to follow. You don’t want to go through what he went through. However, you can respond to adversity the way Job did by living life from God’s perspective. Ask God to help you see your circumstances from His eternal perspective. Instead of focusing on your circumstances, focus on the Creator who loves you and who will give you the grace to match what you face. In brokenness and humility, cry out to God and receive His divine enabling. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 4: Job 1-5) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Contentment Perspective Trust

Being Content

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” Phil 4:12 (NIV) The landscape of living in a fallen world is littered with inconsistencies, fluctuation, and instability. Selfishness and sin permeate our planet. People let us down. Deception, injustice, and greed fuel the choices made throughout the earth on a daily basis. Sound hopeless? Don’t lose heart. Paul understood the cultural current of living on a broken planet. He experienced the extremes of life including being a persecutor of the church and then becoming a preacher of the gospel. Paul knew adversity on a first name basis. Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 for a snapshot of his resume of rejection, ridicule, and rigorous suffering. While incarcerated by the Roman government, Paul writes this personal love letter to the church at Philippi to remind them of his love for them and to encourage them in their faith. You may not be able to control your circumstances, but with Christ’s help, you can control how you respond to your circumstances. You may not be able to control how people treat you, but you can control how you respond to their treatment. Contentment is learned in the laboratory of life. God works through the daily grind in your life to form you and to fashion you. Don’t miss what God is seeking to do in your life in the midst of your adversity. Are you learning the secret of being content in any and every situation? What’s the secret? “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Phil 4:13 NIV). Christ Jesus is the curator of contentment! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

End Times God's Power Perspective

Remember God’s Perspective

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date May 3, 2011
7 Comments on Remember God’s Perspective

Depression Fear Perspective

Loss of Perspective

“Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, ‘May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.’” 1 Kings 19:1-2 (NIV) Loss of perspective leads to confusion. Elijah confronted idolatry and the forces of evil with courage and boldness. He aggressively opposed the prophets of Baal and Asherah. Elijah was able to raise his hands in victory after the fire of God fell on Mt. Carmel to consume the sacrifice. The public victory had been won. Privately, Elijah shifted from faith in God to fear of the wicked woman, Jezebel. Elijah confronted the prophets with utter courage and now is running for his life as a coward because of a threat from Jezebel. Elijah displayed confusion as a result of losing his perspective. He falls into deep depression. What are some causes of depression? Frustration can lead to depression. Frustration over the circumstances you find yourself in can lead to depression. Sometimes frustration related to a strained relationship can cause depression. Fear can certainly bring you down into the pit of despair. When you stop viewing life through the eyes of faith and start viewing life through the eyes of fear, depression seeps in. Fatigue has a way of opening the door to depression. When you are exhausted, you can quickly lose perspective. Then, of course, there is the bandit of financial pressure. That kind of perpetual pressure can lead you down the alley of depression. Do you currently have God’s perspective on your life and on your circumstances? Have you experienced any level of depression in recent days? There’s hope! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Heaven Perspective Suffering

Looking Down From Heaven

(Today’s Devotional Submitted by Guest Writer: Jeff Skipper, Associate Pastor of Student Ministries, Champion Forest Baptist Church) “After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ‘Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.’ At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.” Rev 4:1-2 (NIV) If you have lived very long in this world you know life can be downright difficult at times. We are faced daily with disappointment, defeat, destruction, devastation, desolation, divorce, and death. The interesting thing is the Bible promises this type of suffering. The good news is that we are also promised it is only temporary and it will produce in us something that far outweighs all that we suffer. God offers John a view that none of us will get before the second coming, yet we need to understand that view. John finds himself in a transcendent reality where he sees for the first time the world from God’s throne room! He sees death, destruction, disappointment, Nero, the Roman Empire, the past, present, and future from heaven! It’s as if he is looking down on his life through God’s eyes. Have you been struggling in this life? Have you had a bad day? How about a bad year? What if, for just a moment, you were called to God’s throne room and you could see your situation from heaven’s perspective? Remember that the island of disappointment and doubt you find yourself in is only temporary, for God has something in store for you that far outweighs it: heaven. I pray that you will see life today from heaven’s perspective. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Faith Perspective Suffering Trials Wisdom

Real Trials: Proper Perspective

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date August 16, 2009
58 Comments on Real Trials: Proper Perspective

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NIV) View your trials from God’s perspective. Knowledge is needed to take things apart. Wisdom is needed to put things back together. When your life is coming apart, you need God’s wisdom to put your life in order. Trials tend to skew our vision and stifle our passion. It is so easy to lose perspective when facing trials. Our tendency is to be captured by the immediate and bypass the future that God has in store for us. Why do we wait so long in the process to turn to God in prayer? We try to figure out circumstances on our own and frantically search for answers apart from God. Nothing comes into our lives without God’s permission. If God permits trials, then God will use those trials for our good and for His glory. If only we can embrace that reality earlier in the process of our trials. God is both the Creator and Sustainer of our lives. He knows where we are and what we are facing and where we are heading. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalms 46:10 (NIV) “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Prov 3:5-6 (NIV) In faith, turn to God and ask for His wisdom. Seek to gain God’s perspective on the trials you face. 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

Eternity Heaven Perspective Something Great

Eternal Perspective

Do something great by keeping an eternal perspective. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Phil 1:21 (NIV) Imagine flying at an altitude of thirty-thousand feet and scanning the colorful blocks of land on the earth’s surface. There is something about the view that gives you such a unique perspective on life. You begin to realize how small you are and how big the earth is. How do you view your life? Are you just breathing oxygen and taking up space or are you living on purpose by keeping an eternal perspective. God’s story is both massive and eternal. His plan includes you. You are an integral part of God’s redemptive story. God saved you, filled you with His Spirit, and gifted you to fulfill His purposes in your lifetime. Paul embraced an eternal perspective. He never lost sight of his win-win situation. If he lived, Christ lived with him. If Paul died, then he would live with Christ. Paul allowed his eternal perspective to fuel his courage and boldness for the Lord. “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Phil 3:20-21 (NIV) Will you choose to live this year with eternity in mind? Remember, there’s more to this life than what you see. There is life beyond the grave! 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

Faith Perspective Suffering Trials Wisdom

Real Trials (2)

Abundance Heaven Life Living Wisely Perspective

Life on the Narrow Road (3)

Post author By Stephen Trammell
Post date April 21, 2008
53 Comments on Life on the Narrow Road (3)

Your best life is not your life. Your best life is God’s life for you. Who created you? What is the purpose of your existence? Why are you where you are right now? God created you to fulfill His purposes and His plan. You are not an accident. You have been appointed by God to join Him in His redemptive activity. Every thought you have today matters. Every conversation you engage in today matters. Every interaction you initiate today matters. God has saved you by His grace, sealed you with His Holy Spirit, and set you apart to serve others for His glory. “‘Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’” Matt 7:13-14 (NIV) You could not dream of a better life than the one that God has for you on the narrow road. The same road that leads to eternal life leads to abundant life. God does not save you so that you can experience life once you get to heaven. God saves you so that you can have eternal security and abundant life now on the narrow road. Your best life is not your life. God’s life for you is truly your best life. There is not a better option. The best option is always God’s option. The best way is always God’s way. The best path is always God’s path. Are you living the life God has for you? If not, why not? What adjustments do you need to make in order to live the life God has for you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor

Eternity Heaven Perspective Something Great