“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:17-18 (NIV) God values harmony in His family. Disunity grieves the heart of God and erodes the fellowship of God’s children. Satan cannot attack God, so he chooses to attack God’s family. One of the weapons of Satan’s warfare is disharmony. God has a solution to Satan’s pollution. Ponder the consequences of retaliation. Instead of repaying evil for evil when someone offends you, choose to be kind. Extend the love of Christ and be a shining example of what it means to continue the ministry of Jesus. “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:23 NIV). Let’s do what Jesus did. Retain the pursuit of righteousness. Be attentive and do what is right in the eyes of everybody. Live a life of love, a life of moral purity, and a life of impeccable integrity. Your Christian conduct should always honor God and benefit others. Your Christian conduct should honor God both in private and in public. Your lifestyle matters. Why does it matter? How you live affects your level of intimacy with God and your influence with others. When you embrace the “I don’t care what others think” attitude, you are underestimating your role as an ambassador for Christ. Address the impediments to harmony. Do your part. Keep your side of the court clean. Serve the ball by doing everything you can to live at peace with everyone. You can’t change people, but you can control how you respond to their treatment. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Category: Romans
Categories
Tools God Uses
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 (NIV) God saved you to become like Christ. Your sin has been forgiven and your eternal destiny has been secured. In Christ, you are adopted into God’s family and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now you are in the process of becoming who you are in Christ. God predestined that you be conformed to the image of Christ. You get to participate in the process of that transformation. What are some of the tools God uses to conform us to the likeness of Christ? Sometimes God uses the hammer of adversity and the chisel of suffering to bring us into conformity with the character of Christ. Other times, God may use seasons of silence to test our faith and to prove our devotion. God allows fully yielded and fully devoted followers of Christ to come into our path to model likeness of Christ. They give us a portrait of what we can become as we mature in our faith. Assess your current reality? How is God conforming you to the likeness of Christ? Are you being responsive to His prompting? Allow God to chip off anything in your life that does not bring honor to Christ. Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal any area of your life that distracts from your spiritual progress. Daily surrender to the Lordship of Christ and seek His face in prayer. Embrace the reality of God’s will. God desires that you become more and more like Christ each day. God uses various tools to conform you into the image of Christ so that you can be an effective tool for His glory on the earth. Your life matters to God. Every detail matters to Him. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8:29 (NIV) How did we make it into the family tree of Christ? We are products of the grace of God. The only way in is through the doorway of God’s grace. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:8-9 NIV). Are you thankful that God made a way for us to know Him personally and intimately? You are in the Royal Family through the grace of God as evidenced in your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Now that you have been adopted into His family, God wants you to become like Christ. The process of sanctification follows salvation. Once you are saved, God places you on a path to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. We have the wonderful privilege of participating with God in the process of conformity. God seeks to remove anything in us that doesn’t look like Jesus. Sometimes God will use the chisel of adversity and sometimes God will use the hammer of silence. God will allow us to go through seasons of uncertainty to conform us into the likeness of Christ. Reflect for a few moments on the level of Christ-likeness that has been attained in your journey thus far. What behavior and attitudes do you exhibit currently that just don’t line up with Christ-likeness? Will you participate with God in the process of conformity? Spend time studying the life of Christ and emulating His life. You have received His imputed righteousness. Now work out what He has worked in. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Trust God’s Heart
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) Consider all the moving parts that are featured in one single day in your life. The complexities of life are painted upon the canvas of our existence. One constant in life is the perpetual movement of God’s working all things together for your good and His glory. You love God and you are called according to His purpose. God invited you into His redemptive story. God initiated the love relationship you enjoy with Him each day. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 (NIV) “However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Cor. 2:9 (NIV) God has designed you for His glory. In this life, you will experience seasons of uncertainty. Trust God’s heart even when you can’t trace God’s hand. The events of your life are orchestrated by God to bring you into intimate fellowship with Jesus in spite of your circumstances. You can walk in the assurance of God’s heart for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Commit Romans 8:28 to memory and pray through this wonderful promise of God. You are never more secure than when you are operating in the promises of God. Take God at His Word and trust His heart. You matter to God and your future is in His care. Is there anything you need to entrust to God’s care? Are there any burdens you are bearing? In all things God works. You can trust God’s heart. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And we know…” Romans 8:28a (NIV) What do you do when your world is falling apart? Sometimes you are surprised by the circumstances of life. Living in a fallen world generates unpredictable situations that require your response. How will you respond? Remember that God is working. God is always at work in the midst of your circumstances. There is nothing beyond His reach and nothing beyond His compassion. God cares about you and everything you face in this life. Turn interruptions into opportunities to experience the fullness of God’s grace. When life catches you by surprise, you are positioned for a special encounter of God’s grace. The grace of God always matches the depth of your need. Find comfort in God’s omniscience. God is not surprised by your surprises. Before the circumstances were formulated before you, God was at work to navigate your path to be drawn close to His heart. Draw near to God and enjoy the proximity of uninhibited intimacy. God can take the mess of our lives and make a masterpiece. God can convert the trauma in our lives into something triumphant. If God allows something to come into your life, He will use it for your good and His glory. As you travel the terrain of life, rest in the assurance of God’s activity. Be affirmed of God’s Presence and His consistent release of comfort and strength. God will provide you with everything you need for doing life His way. How are you currently responding to the interruptions that come into your life? Seize the opportunity to experience the fullness of God’s grace. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Keeps on Aligning
“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 8:27 (NIV) Your body is a house of prayer. When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you were adopted into God’s family and your body became the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Indwelling Holy Spirit intercedes for you in alignment with God’s will. As a child of God, you can affirm that Someone is always praying in you and for you. The Holy Spirit keeps on praying and keeps on aligning your prayers with the purposes of God. God created you for His glory and He searches your heart. “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD” (Psalm 139:1-4 NIV). God knows you intimately and He intimately knows the Mind of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings your needs before God. Sometimes you don’t know what to pray and sometimes you may pray about something unwisely. The Holy Spirit edits your prayers and brings them into alignment with God’s plan. Thank God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who intercedes to bring the purposes of God to fruition. You are not designed by God to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth in your own strength. God has chosen to take up residence inside of you through the Person of the Holy Spirit. Your constant Companion is the loving and interceding Holy Spirit. You are never alone. Keep joining the sacred communication known as prayer. Be thankful for the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit living inside you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Keeps on Filling in the Gaps
“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26b (NIV) Several summers I had the privilege of serving as a chaperone for some of the fifth grade boys for our annual preteen camp. One of the highlights was free time. All the third, fourth, and fifth graders got to enjoy the zip line, the swimming pool, the water slide, the train, dodge-ball, paddle-boats, and the most amazing go-carts. Once the gate opened for my crew to get into the go-cart action, a few of my guys couldn’t reach the gas pedal. Fortunately, the attendant came to the rescue by inserting a cushion between the rider and the rear portion of the seat. The cushion filled in the gap and enabled each of my guys to enjoy the fun on the track. Then of course, I got to race them! When it comes to prayer, we experience a gap between our being finite and God being infinite. Because of our finiteness and fallibility we cannot perceive fully what God would desire. Therefore, we do not fully grasp what is appropriate in prayer. We are weak in that we do not know what to pray for, since the totality of God’s will is somewhat hidden from us. The Spirit fills this lack through the ministry of intercession. Our deficiency is compensated by His sufficiency. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in ways that are beyond our human comprehension. The gap created by our humanity is filled by the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit. He keeps on filling in the gap for us. When you pray, the Holy Spirit edits your prayers to bring your petitions before our Holy God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Keeps on Helping
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Romans 8:26a (NIV) Have you ever wondered what to say when you don’t know what to pray? Here’s some wonderful news from God’s Word. The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We are finite and have limitations that keep us from always knowing what to pray. The Spirit keeps on helping you carry the load. Living in a fallen world creates stress and distress and discouragement. You need outside help. You need the assistance the Holy Spirit provides. In this life, you combat the weaknesses found in the human condition and you combat the perpetual susceptibility to sin. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 (NIV) The Person of the Holy Spirit living inside of you is your Counselor. The Spirit of Truth lives in you and empowers you to live in victory and enables you to overcome adversity. He is your Comforter. When you are unsure of the path God wants you to take, the Holy Spirit living in you, illuminates the path. When you are hurting and feeling down, the Holy Spirit comforts you. He is your constant Companion. You are never alone. You are never without help and without hope. The Spirit of Truth equips you to operate in the center of God’s will. He helps you carry the load produced during this earthly existence. Where do you feel weak? Where do you need the Spirit’s help right now? Yield fully to the Spirit’s control. Enjoy the journey God has for you by submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit living in you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV) The enemy seeks to distort our identity by infusing insecurity. When insecurity infiltrates the life of a believer, fear is produced. God rescues us by affirming the reality of our new identity in Christ. God’s affirmation is dispensed through the intentional testimony of the Spirit living in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and He confirms His abiding Presence in us. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are clearly and securely God’s children. The distinct assurance made available to us by God was also delivered to Jesus at His baptism and His transfiguration. The Son of God was affirmed by our Heavenly Father. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matt. 3:16-17 (NIV) “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” Matt. 17:5 (NIV) As an adopted child of God, you have the indwelling Holy Spirit as your divine resource continually offering distinct assurance to your true identity in Christ. Do you detect His affirmation of your adoption into the family of God? The Spirit of God bears witness with your spirit. Walk in the security of your new identity in Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:14-15 (NIV) In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. God made His direction clear to them by making His Presence known to them. As children of God, we are led by the Spirit and we are given access to His Presence. Our relationship with Him is both intimate and permanent. You become a child of God by being born again. The divine transaction that takes place at the moment of your conversion replaces the spirit of fear with the Spirit of sonship. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13 (NIV) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Tim. 1:7 (NIV) One of the hallmarks of the Holy Spirit’s habitation in you is the reality of your direct access. Now that you are a child of God, you are led by the Spirit of God and you have direct access to the Presence of God. Being led by the Spirit of God demonstrates your full surrender to the Spirit’s leadership in your life. Now that you have the Spirit of sonship, enjoy unbroken fellowship with God. You are a child of the King! What will you do with the direct access you have been granted? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
Categories
Divine Assistance
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 (NIV) Have you noticed the two roads available to you? One road aligns with your sinful nature and seeks to gratify the desires resident within that nature, yet produces spiritual death. The other road available to you is less traveled and is supernatural. Access to this road is granted by the Spirit and produces life. You cannot fulfill God’s plan without God’s power. The sinful nature must be put to death in order for you to experience the life God has for you. Jesus won the victory over sin on the cross. As John Phillips wrote, “In order to enjoy this victory, the believer must cooperate with God and determine that by God’s grace sin shall not be sovereign.” God has provided everything needed for a life of victory. “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” 2 Pt 1:3-4 (NIV) As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is in you! Does He have all of you? A hallmark of His habitation is divine assistance. The Holy Spirit has you completely when you choose to depend on His power to deliberately choose to crucify the cravings of the sinful nature. Scottish Theologian David Brown remarked, “If you don’t kill sin, sin will kill you.” Fully yielded to the Spirit, you can put to death the misdeeds of the body. By the Spirit, you can live a life of victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Does He Have You?
“Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.” Romans 8:12 (NIV) Think back to the moment of your conversion. Where were you and how did you come to know Jesus personally? In that moment, a divine transaction took place that changed your forever. In that moment you received the Holy Spirit and you received ALL of Him. Yes! He is in you! Since the moment of your conversion, you have been on a journey of growing as a follower of Jesus Christ. You have been in the process of giving Him ALL of you. In other words, you ALWAYS have ALL of Him, but He may not ALWAYS have ALL of you. So the question is, “Does He have you?” One hallmark of His habitation is decisive action. If you are fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit living inside of you, then you will take decisive action when it comes to the cravings of the sinful nature. In Christ, you are no longer obligated to be loyal to the sinful nature. Surrendered to the Spirit’s control, you choose to not live according to the sinful nature. When a believer starts living according to the sinful nature it immediately produces spiritual death. You cannot be married to Christ and court the cravings of the sinful nature without experiencing spiritual death. You don’t lose your salvation, but you fracture your faith, fetter your fruit, and forfeit your fellowship with God. Your intimacy with the Lord will be devastatingly diminished if you succumb to the desires of the flesh. How do you know when the Holy Spirit has you? He has you when you deliberately choose to NOT live according to the sinful nature. Take decisive action! As Dr. Adrian Rogers said, “Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with.” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Distinct Impossibility
“Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” Rom 8:8 (NIV) Pleasing the Creator of the universe seems impossible. God is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. God is holy, perfect, immutable, and eternal. God is infinite. How can finite man please God? The vital ingredient to pleasing God is living according to the Spirit by faith. This type of faith is the conviction that God is who He says He is. To live a life pleasing to God, you must operate in faith. The focus of your life becomes God’s agenda. You demonstrate belief in God’s existence by fearing Him and revering Him through a lifestyle of obedience. Choose to come to God knowing that He desires intimacy with you. As a child of God, you have the distinct privilege of knowing that God rewards you as you seek Him earnestly. God rewards you with abiding peace, continual fellowship, and eternal hope. Is your life pleasing to God? Is faith operative in your conversation and your conduct? Portray your conviction about the truth of God’s nature and character. God has pursued you with His love. Respond to God’s pursuit by living a life of faith that brings pleasure to Him. Determine to please God through behavior that is consistent with His Word. Ask God to reveal those areas of your life that are out of alignment with His purpose and plan. As God brings those specific areas to your attention, choose to repent and go in a new direction. Remove those things in your life that rob your love relationship with God. Don’t be controlled by the sinful nature. Choose to live a life pleasing to God by submitting to the Spirit’s control. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” Rom 8:6-7 (NIV) We have God-given desires that are natural and are vital to life. For example, we have the desire for food. Without that desire we would die. We also have the desire for rest. Without that desire we would die. Yet, both desires can become sin when we take them beyond God’s intended purpose. If we take our desire for food too far, we commit the sin of gluttony. In like manner, if we take our desire for rest too far, we commit the sin of laziness. James gives uses the metaphor of childbirth to capture the predictable process of temptation. In his letter to the Jews who were scattered outside of Palestine, James writes about the trials from without and the temptations from within. “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:15 NIV). Temptation has a predictable process. Arm yourself with the knowledge of the predictable process of temptation. We idolize something we desire. The next step is that we rationalize why we should have the desire fulfilled. In other words, we talked ourselves into compromising convictions. Then we strategize by coming up with a plan to obtain the object we are idolizing. Ultimately, we capitalize on the opportunity by seizing what we have desired. Remorse and guilt follow. Look back over poor choices you have made in your lifetime. See if you can identify this predictable process. Here’s the key to victory: The sooner in the process you avoid the sin, the more likely you will overcome the temptation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Rom 8:5 (NIV) Every believer is living in two worlds: the world of the Spirit or the world of the sinful nature. Light and darkness abound. They are in conflict with each other. As a result, the believer has to combat the gravitational pull of the sinful nature. At salvation, a believer receives the Holy Spirit and is made fit for heaven. However, the believer retains the sinful nature and must daily crucify the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Have you been combating the cravings of the flesh? Have you noticed that your sinful nature is addicted to sin? However, you must daily crucify the flesh. “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24 NIV). In Christ, you must starve the flesh. Whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve dies. Feed the Spirit living in you and starve the cravings of your sinful nature. Do not be a slave to sin. Choose to be a slave to righteousness. Pray with me: Father, thank You for redeeming me from my sin. You have rescued me from this body of death. You have brought me out of the kingdom of darkness and placed me in the kingdom of Light. Help me to crucify the sinful nature and to live by the Spirit. Enable me to live the Christ-centered life in the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to finish strong for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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I Am Accepted
“For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.” Rom 8:3-4 (NIV) What fallen mankind could not do under the Old Covenant, God did under the New Covenant through Jesus. God did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. Jesus became the substitutionary atonement for our sin. Our sin has been forgiven and our unrighteousness has been replaced with the righteousness of Christ. Reality #3: In Christ, I am accepted. “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.” Heb 2:17 (NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV) “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV) In Christ, you are accepted. There is nothing you can do to cause God to love you more and there is nothing you can do to cause God to love you any less. God accepts you completely, not based on your human effort, but based on the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Have you accepted God’s acceptance of you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” Rom 8:1-2 (NIV) Have you ever walked through a season of bondage? In those times, you begin to feel an overwhelming sense of defeat and your view of the future is constricted by the lingering darkness. Sometimes the bondage is connected to trying to persevere through the fangs of health challenges. Sometimes the bondage comes in the form of financial pressure and fear of the future. One of the tools used by Satan to generate bondage is to get you fixated on your past mistakes. Perhaps you look into the rear view mirror of life and constantly punish yourself for poor decisions made. The enemy will lodge a truckload of guilt your way to seek to immobilize your passion and to paralyze your joy. He thrives in drawing you into his barricade of bondage. As a child of God, you are not designed for bondage. You are created to know and enjoy the freedom God provides through a saving relationship with Jesus. You are not made for occupying the barrel of bondage. You have been set free from the law of sin and death through Christ Jesus by the activity of the Holy Spirit. The operation of sin and death have no jurisdiction in your life. Reality #2: In Christ, I am set free. Identify the strategy Satan uses to slide you into bondage. Ask God to help you identify the enemy’s savvy ploy to pull you off of the freeway of freedom and to empower you to stay above the fray. In Christ, you are set free! You are a child of the living God! No weapon formed against you shall prosper! Enjoy your freedom. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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I Am Not Condemned
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Rom 8:1 (NIV) The Bible presents the bad news of condemnation for sin. We are born in sin and bear the marks of the sin nature that can be traced throughout our family tree all the way back to our beloved relative, Adam. Every human being is a descendant of Adam and has inherited Adam’s fallen nature. Because of sin the unregenerate have no future to look forward to except separation from God and eternal damnation in hell. Thankfully, just as the Bible presents the bad news of condemnation for sin, it also presents the good news of salvation from sin. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23 NIV). As a result of the gift of God provided to every child of God, the bad news of our sin is replaced with the good news of eternal life found in Jesus Christ. When you come into union with Jesus Christ, you are blessed with the realities of that personal and eternal relationship. Your union with Christ generates some realities that profoundly impact your present and future. Reality #1: In Christ, I am not condemned. In Christ, you no longer operate your life under the cloud of shame and guilt. The penalty for your sin has been paid in full. “Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men” (Romans 5:18 NIV). You are no longer condemned. Jesus took your place by completing the atoning work on the cross for your sin. Don’t allow the enemy to drag you back under the cloud of condemnation. Since you are not condemned, you can remove the grave clothes. You have been brought from death to life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Romans 12:17-18 (NIV) God values harmony in His family. Disunity grieves the heart of God and erodes the fellowship of God’s children. Satan cannot attack God, so he chooses to attack God’s family. One of the weapons of Satan’s warfare is disharmony. God has a solution to Satan’s pollution. Ponder the consequences of retaliation. Instead of repaying evil for evil when someone offends you, choose to be kind. Extend the love of Christ and be a shining example of what it means to continue the ministry of Jesus. “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23 NIV). Let’s do what Jesus did. Retain the pursuit of righteousness. Be attentive and do what is right in the eyes of everybody. Live a life of love, a life of moral purity, and a life of impeccable integrity. Your Christian conduct should always honor God and benefit others. Your Christian conduct should honor God both in private and in public. Your lifestyle matters. Why does it matter? How you live affects your level of intimacy with God and your influence with others. When you embrace the “I don’t care what others think” attitude, you are underestimating your role as an ambassador for Christ. Address the impediments to harmony. Do your part. Keep your side of the court clean. Serve the ball by doing everything you can to live at peace with everyone. You can’t change people, but you can control how you respond to their treatment. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Tools God Uses
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:29 (NIV) God saved you to become like Christ. Your sin has been forgiven and your eternal destiny has been secured. In Christ, you are adopted into God’s family and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Now you are in the process of becoming who you are in Christ. God predestined that you be conformed to the image of Christ. You get to participate in the process of that transformation. What are some of the tools God uses to conform us to the likeness of Christ? Sometimes God uses the hammer of adversity and the chisel of suffering to bring us into conformity with the character of Christ. Other times, God may use seasons of silence to test our faith and to prove our devotion. God allows fully yielded and fully devoted followers of Christ to come into our path to model likeness of Christ. They give us a portrait of what we can become as we mature in our faith. Assess your current reality? How is God conforming you to the likeness of Christ? Are you being responsive to His prompting? Allow God to chip off anything in your life that does not bring honor to Christ. Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal any area of your life that distracts from your spiritual progress. Daily surrender to the Lordship of Christ and seek His face in prayer. Embrace the reality of God’s will. God desires that you become more and more like Christ each day. God uses various tools to conform you into the image of Christ so that you can be an effective tool for His glory on the earth. Your life matters to God. Every detail matters to Him. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8:29 (NIV) How did we make it into the family tree of Christ? We are products of the grace of God. The only way in is through the doorway of God’s grace. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV). Are you thankful that God made a way for us to know Him personally and intimately? You are in the Royal Family through the grace of God as evidenced in your faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Now that you have been adopted into His family, God wants you to become like Christ. The process of sanctification follows salvation. Once you are saved, God places you on a path to be conformed to the likeness of Christ. We have the wonderful privilege of participating with God in the process of conformity. God seeks to remove anything in us that doesn’t look like Jesus. Sometimes God will use the chisel of adversity and sometimes God will use the hammer of silence. God will allow us to go through seasons of uncertainty to conform us into the likeness of Christ. Reflect for a few moments on the level of Christ-likeness that has been attained in your journey thus far. What behavior and attitudes do you exhibit currently that just don’t line up with Christ-likeness? Will you participate with God in the process of conformity? Spend time studying the life of Christ and emulating His life. You have received His imputed righteousness. Now work out what He has worked in. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Trust God’s Heart
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28 (NIV) Consider all the moving parts that are featured in one single day in your life. The complexities of life are painted upon the canvas of our existence. One constant in life is the perpetual movement of God’s working all things together for your good and His glory. You love God and you are called according to His purpose. God invited you into His redemptive story. God initiated the love relationship you enjoy with Him each day. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12 (NIV) “However, as it is written: ‘No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.’” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV) God has designed you for His glory. In this life, you will experience seasons of uncertainty. Trust God’s heart even when you can’t trace God’s hand. The events of your life are orchestrated by God to bring you into intimate fellowship with Jesus in spite of your circumstances. You can walk in the assurance of God’s heart for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Commit Romans 8:28 to memory and pray through this wonderful promise of God. You are never more secure than when you are operating in the promises of God. Take God at His Word and trust His heart. You matter to God and your future is in His care. Is there anything you need to entrust to God’s care? Are there any burdens you are bearing? In all things God works. You can trust God’s heart. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“And we know…” Romans 8:28a (NIV) What do you do when your world is falling apart? Sometimes you are surprised by the circumstances of life. Living in a fallen world generates unpredictable situations that require your response. How will you respond? Remember that God is working. God is always at work in the midst of your circumstances. There is nothing beyond His reach and nothing beyond His compassion. God cares about you and everything you face in this life. Turn interruptions into opportunities to experience the fullness of God’s grace. When life catches you by surprise, you are positioned for a special encounter of God’s grace. The grace of God always matches the depth of your need. Find comfort in God’s omniscience. God is not surprised by your surprises. Before the circumstances were formulated before you, God was at work to navigate your path to be drawn close to His heart. Draw near to God and enjoy the proximity of uninhibited intimacy. God can take the mess of our lives and make a masterpiece. God can convert the trauma in our lives into something triumphant. If God allows something to come into your life, He will use it for your good and His glory. As you travel the terrain of life, rest in the assurance of God’s activity. Be affirmed of God’s Presence and His consistent release of comfort and strength. God will provide you with everything you need for doing life His way. How are you currently responding to the interruptions that come into your life? Seize the opportunity to experience the fullness of God’s grace. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Keeps on Aligning
“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 8:27 (NIV) Your body is a house of prayer. When you became a follower of Jesus Christ, you were adopted into God’s family and your body became the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Indwelling Holy Spirit intercedes for you in alignment with God’s will. As a child of God, you can affirm that Someone is always praying in you and for you. The Holy Spirit keeps on praying and keeps on aligning your prayers with the purposes of God. God created you for His glory and He searches your heart. “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD” (Psalm 139:1-4 NIV). God knows you intimately and He intimately knows the mind of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings your needs before God. Sometimes you don’t know what to pray and sometimes you may pray about something unwisely. The Holy Spirit edits your prayers and brings them into alignment with God’s plan. Thank God for the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who intercedes to bring the purposes of God to fruition. You are not designed by God to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth in your own strength. God has chosen to take up residence inside of you through the Person of the Holy Spirit. Your constant Companion is the loving and interceding Holy Spirit. You are never alone. Keep joining the sacred communication known as prayer. Be thankful for the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit living inside you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Keeps on Filling in the Gaps
“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Romans 8:26b (NIV) This past summer I had the privilege of serving as a chaperon for some of the fifth grade boys for our annual preteen camp. One of the highlights was free time. All the third, fourth, and fifth graders got to enjoy the zip line, the swimming pool, the water slide, the train, dodge-ball, paddle-boats, and the most amazing go-carts. Once the gate opened for my crew to get into the go-cart action, a few of my guys couldn’t reach the gas pedal. Fortunately, the attendant came to the rescue by inserting a cushion between the rider and the rear portion of the seat. The cushion filled in the gap and enabled each of my guys to enjoy the fun on the track. Then of course, I got to race them! When it comes to prayer, we experience a gap between our being finite and God being infinite. Because of our finiteness and fallibility we cannot perceive fully what God would desire. Therefore, we do not grasp fully what is appropriate in prayer. We are weak in that we do not know what to pray for, since the totality of God’s will is somewhat hidden from us. The Spirit fills this lack through the ministry of intercession. Our deficiency is compensated by His sufficiency. When we don’t know what to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in ways that are beyond our human comprehension. The gap created by our humanity is filled by the intercessory ministry of the Holy Spirit. He keeps on filling in the gap for us. When you pray, the Holy Spirit edits your prayers to bring your petitions before our Holy God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Keeps on Helping
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” Romans 8:26a (NIV) Have you ever wondered what to say when you don’t know what to pray? Here’s some wonderful news from God’s Word. The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We are finite and have limitations that keep us from always knowing what to pray. The Spirit keeps on helping you carry the load. Living in a fallen world creates stress and distress and discouragement. You need outside help. You need the assistance the Holy Spirit provides. In this life, you combat the weaknesses found in the human condition and you combat the perpetual susceptibility to sin. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 (NIV) The Person of the Holy Spirit living inside of you is your Counselor. The Spirit of truth lives in you and empowers you to live in victory and enables you to overcome adversity. He is your Comforter. When you are unsure of the path God wants you to take, the Holy Spirit living in you, illuminates the path. When you are hurting and feeling down, the Holy Spirit comforts you. He is your constant Companion. You are never alone. You are never without help and without hope. The Spirit of truth equips you to operate in the center of God’s will. He helps you carry the load produced during this earthly existence. Where do you feel weak? Where do you need the Spirit’s help right now? Yield fully to the Spirit’s control. Enjoy the journey God has for you by submitting to the work of the Holy Spirit living in you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 (NIV) The enemy seeks to distort our identity by infusing insecurity. When insecurity infiltrates the life of a believer, fear is produced. God rescues us by affirming the reality of our new identity in Christ. God’s affirmation is dispensed through the intentional testimony of the Spirit living in us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and He confirms His abiding Presence in us. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are clearly and securely God’s children. The distinct assurance made available to us by God was also delivered to Jesus at His baptism and His transfiguration. The Son of God was affirmed by our Heavenly Father. “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:16-17 (NIV) “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” Matthew 17:5 (NIV) As an adopted child of God, you have the indwelling Holy Spirit as your divine resource continually offering distinct assurance to your true identity in Christ. Do you detect His affirmation of your adoption into the family of God? The Spirit of God bears witness with your spirit. Walk in the security of your new identity in Christ! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
“Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Romans 8:14-15 (NIV) In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were led by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. God made His direction clear to them by making His Presence known to them. As children of God, we are led by the Spirit and we are given access to His Presence. Our relationship with Him is both intimate & permanent. You become a child of God by being born again. The divine transaction that takes place at the moment of your conversion replaces the spirit of fear with the Spirit of sonship. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” John 1:12-13 (NIV) “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Ti 1:7 (NIV) One of the hallmarks of the Holy Spirit’s habitation in you is the reality of your direct access. Now that you are a child of God, you are led by the Spirit of God and you have direct access to the Presence of God. Being led by the Spirit of God demonstrates your full surrender to the Spirit’s leadership in your life. Now that you have the Spirit of sonship, enjoy unbroken fellowship with God. You are a child of the King! What will you do with the direct access you have been granted? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Divine Assistance
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” Romans 8:13 (NIV) Have you noticed the two roads available to you? One road aligns with your sinful nature and seeks to gratify the desires resident within that nature, yet produces spiritual death. The other road available to you is less traveled and is supernatural. Access to this road is granted by the Spirit and produces life. You cannot fulfill God’s plan without God’s power. The sinful nature must be put to death in order for you to experience the life God has for you. Jesus won the victory over sin on the cross. As John Phillips wrote, “In order to enjoy this victory, the believer must cooperate with God and determine that by God’s grace sin shall not be sovereign.” God has provided everything needed for a life of victory. 2 Pt 1:3-4 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living in you. He is in you! Does He have all of you? A hallmark of His habitation is divine assistance. The Holy Spirit has you completely when you choose to depend on His power to deliberately choose to crucify the cravings of the sinful nature. Scottish Theologian David Brown remarked, “If you don’t kill sin, sin will kill you.” Fully yielded to the Spirit, you can put to death the misdeeds of the body. By the Spirit, you can live a life of victory! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
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Does He Have You?
“Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it.” Romans 8:12 (NIV) Think back to the moment of your conversion. Where were you and how did you come to know Jesus personally? In that moment, a divine transaction took place that changed your forever. In that moment you received the Holy Spirit and you received ALL of Him. Yes! He is in you! Since the moment of your conversion, you have been on a journey of growing as a follower of Jesus Christ. You have been in the process of giving Him ALL of you. In other words, you ALWAYS have ALL of Him, but He may not ALWAYS have ALL of you. So the question is, “Does He have you?” One hallmark of His habitation is decisive action. If you are fully surrendered to the Holy Spirit living inside of you, then you will take decisive action when it comes to the cravings of the sinful nature. In Christ, you are no longer obligated to be loyal to the sinful nature. Surrendered to the Spirit’s control, you choose to not live according to the sinful nature. When a believer starts living according to the sinful nature it immediately produces spiritual death. You cannot be married to Christ and court the cravings of the sinful nature without experiencing spiritual death. You don’t lose your salvation, but you fracture your faith, fetter your fruit, and forfeit your fellowship with God. Your intimacy with the Lord will be devastatingly diminished if you succumb to the desires of the flesh. How do you know when the Holy Spirit has you? He has you when you deliberately choose to NOT live according to the sinful nature. Take decisive action! As Dr. Adrian Rogers used to say, “Don’t give the devil a club to hit you with.” Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell