Category: Pursuing God

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Psalms Pursuing God Thirst

Thirsting for God

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV) What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? Consider your relationship with God. Long before you thought of God, He thought of you. Long before you could pursue Him, God pursued you with His redeeming love. Life in a fallen world has a confetti of allurements clasping for your attention. Your appetites crave being fulfilled. In temptation, Satan seeks to get you to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way. Don’t allow the magnetic tug of this world to erode your passion for God. Does your soul pant for God? Does your soul thirst for the living God? Focus your faith and allocate your affection. Nothing deserves your passionate pursuit more than the Creator of the universe. He has created you for His pleasure. You have been uniquely designed by God to fulfill His will. Pursue the Lord daily and eliminate idols. Remove anything that dilutes your passion for the Lord. “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:11 (ESV) Place your total confidence in God. Praise Him for He is your salvation and your God. When you experience frustration, hope in God. When you face challenging circumstances, hope in God. When you go through seasons of uncertainty, hope in God. Start each day with God by having a daily quiet time. Spend time feeding on God’s Word and communing with God in prayer. Thirst for God and pursue Him daily. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Forgiveness Pursuing God

Release the Past and Reclaim the Future

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer. 29:13 (ESV) What is keeping you from embracing the life God has for you? What is holding you back? Confront and release the past so that you can reclaim the future God has for you. Let go of those hurtful moments and leave the dissapointments of last year behind. There is so much more God has for you that requires your focus and your attention. Release the past so that you can reclaim the future God has orchestrated for you. Revisit 2014 so that you can confess known sin and receive God’s abundant provision of grace. Ask God to forgive you. Forgive yourself. Extend forgiveness to those who have wounded you. Ask for forgiveness from those whom you have offended. Leave no stone unturned. Uncover anything that has brought dishonor to God and enter 2015 with a fresh canvas upon which God can paint the portrait of His grace. Seek God with all of your heart. Remove competing allurements and refocus your passion on pursuing God. Eliminate idols that have accrued over time and enthrone Jesus as Lord of your life. Give Him first place in your life. Return to your first love by allowing Jesus to be your top priority. Nurture the life of Christ in you through daily surrender and by practicing His presence. You will become what you are becoming right now. To become more like Christ, elevate your love relationship with Him to the top of your energy allocation. Make room for Him. Start your day with unhurried time alone with Jesus. Read His Word and listen for the echo of His whisper. Feel His love. Accept His acceptance. Radiate His life. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Prayer Pursuing God Seek

Seek and Find God

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) One of the highest privileges of life is that of seeking God. When you contemplate the vast canyon between God’s bigness and our smallness, God’s holiness and our sinfulness, humility becomes our reality. The fact that God, the Creator of the entire universe, would even desire that we seek Him is beyond comprehension. Yet, God chose to create us so that we may know Him personally and intimately. When you read the Bible from cover to cover, you will discover the story of God reconciling us to Himself so that we could have the capacity to seek Him and find Him. God does not force us to seek Him. God enables us to respond to His love. God gives us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Ps. 63:1 (ESV) “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.” Isa. 5:6 (ESV) What are you doing with the highest privilege you have been given? Are you neglecting your love relationship with God? Have you drifted from your first love? Renew your commitment to seek the Lord. Renew your passion to seek the Lord with all your heart. Earnestly seek the Lord while He may be found. He is worth the pursuit! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Passion Paul Pursuing God

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
Devotion Passion Pursuing God

Passionate Pursuit

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What kind of person does God use? What are the characteristics that are evident in the person God uses? God uses the person who has a passion for His presence. One of the characteristics evident in the person God uses is passion. Passion is more than a feeling. Passion is the divine energy from God to accomplish His will His way. What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? You may be passionate about your career, your car, your family, or your finances. You may be passionate about your position, prestige, pleasure, or possessions. You can be passionately devoted to things that are good and yet miss God’s best for you. God has a plan for your life and you will need His passion to accomplish His plan. God uses the person who is passionate in the pursuit of God’s presence. God wants you to seek Him diligently and passionately. God wants you to call on Him while He is near. Don’t allow your passion for temporal things to rob your passion for that which is eternal. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:18 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col. 3:1-3 (NIV) God wants to be sought. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (Jas. 4:8). Ask God to restore your passion for His presence. Confess anything in your life that has diluted your devotion. Return to your first love! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Psalms Pursuing God Thirst

Thirsting for God

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” Psalm 42:1-2 (ESV) What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? Consider your relationship with God. Long before you thought of God, He thought of you. Long before you could pursue Him, God pursued you with His redeeming love. Life in a fallen world has a confetti of allurements clasping for your attention. Your appetites crave being fulfilled. In temptation, Satan seeks to get you to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way. Don’t allow the magnetic tug of this world to erode your passion for God. Does your soul pant for God? Does your soul thirst for the living God? Focus your faith and allocate your affection. Nothing deserves your passionate pursuit more than the Creator of the universe. He has created you for His pleasure. You have been uniquely designed by God to fulfill His will. Pursue the Lord daily and eliminate idols. Remove anything that dilutes your passion for the Lord. “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Psalm 42:11 (ESV) Place your total confidence in God. Praise Him for He is your salvation and your God. When you experience frustration, hope in God. When you face challenging circumstances, hope in God. When you go through seasons of uncertainty, hope in God. Start each day with God by having a daily quiet time. Spend time feeding on God’s Word and communing with God in prayer. Thirst for God and pursue Him daily. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 140: Psalms 5, 38, 41-42) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Devotion Passion Pursuing God

Passionate Pursuit

“Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What kind of person does God use? What are the characteristics that are evident in the person God uses? God uses the person who has a passion for His presence. One of the characteristics evident in the person God uses is passion. Passion is more than a feeling. Passion is the divine energy from God to accomplish His will His way. What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive? You may be passionate about your career, your car, your family, or your finances. You may be passionate about your position, prestige, pleasure, or possessions. You can be passionately devoted to things that are good and yet miss God’s best for you. God has a plan for your life and you will need His passion to accomplish His plan. God uses the person who is passionate in the pursuit of God’s presence. God wants you to seek Him diligently and passionately. God wants you to call on Him while He is near. Don’t allow your passion for temporal things to rob your passion for that which is eternal. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor 4:18 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col 3:1-3 (NIV) God wants to be sought. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Ask God to restore your passion for His presence. Confess anything in your life that has diluted your devotion. Return to your first love! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Prayer Pursuing God Seek

Seek and Find God

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13 (NIV) One of the highest privileges of life is that of seeking God. When you contemplate the vast canyon between God’s bigness and our smallness, God’s holiness and our sinfulness, humility becomes our reality. The fact that God, the Creator of the entire universe, would even desire that we seek Him is beyond comprehension. Yet, God chose to create us so that we may know Him personally and intimately. When you read the Bible from cover to cover, you will discover the story of God reconciling us to Himself so that we could have the capacity to seek Him and find Him. God does not force us to seek Him. God enables us to respond to His love. God gives us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” Psalm 63:1 (NIV) “Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 (NIV) What are you doing with the highest privilege you have been given? Are you neglecting your love relationship with God? Have you drifted from your first love? Renew your commitment to seek the Lord. Renew your passion to seek the Lord with all your heart. Earnestly seek the Lord while He may be found. He is worth the pursuit! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Passion Paul Pursuing God

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