Category: Salvation

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I am sayings Salvation Security

Be Secure

Because He is the door, I am secure. “So Jesus again said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.‘” John 10:7 (ESV) My security in Christ is not based on my feelings. There are days when my emotional security may be threatened. There are days when I just don’t feel safe and secure. Fortunately, my security is not anchored to my feelings. My eternal security is found in Jesus completely. “‘I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.’“ John 10:9-10 (ESV) Because He is the door, you are secure. After placing your trust in the completed work of Jesus on the cross, you are completely saved. Your eternal security is not based on your daily performance, but on the finished work of Jesus on the cross. You didn’t earn salvation and you cannot lose your salvation. The same One who saved you is the One who keeps you. As a believer, if you choose to sin, you will face consequences. You don’t lose your salvation, but your fellowship with Jesus will be strained and your ability to bear the fruit of the Spirit will be inhibited. Confess your sin now. Specifically agree with God concerning your sin. Remember what you were saved from! Now walk with Jesus and He will help you find pasture. Jesus will help you develop authentic relationships with other believers and He will help you develop spiritual disciplines to nurture His life in you. Jesus will help you build intentional relationships with unsaved people so that you can shine His light and share His love with them. Following Jesus Every Day, Stephen Trammell

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Moses Numbers Salvation

Look to the Healer

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” Numbers 21:8-9 (ESV) Have you ever seen the medical profession logo that features a snake wrapped around a pole? That image serves as the icon for the medical arena. You can trace the origin of that image to the instruction God gave Moses. The people of Israel spoke against God and Moses in their frustration generated by their wandering in the wilderness. They longed to return to Egypt where they had served as slaves. God judged them for their grumbling by sending fiery serpents among the people to bite them. Many of the people died. The survivors came to Moses to plead for intercession and intervention. Moses prayed for the people. God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent and to set it on a pole. God gave further instructions that anyone bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live. God’s grace was clearly evident by His response to their willful disobedience. Jesus made reference to this experience during his conversation with Nicodemus. “‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life’” (John 3:14-15 ESV). Just as the people of Israel were healed by looking to the bronze serpent lifted up on the pole, so all believers today can be delivered from the sickness of sin by looking to the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has been lifted up on the cross to bring forth our ultimate healing! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Faith Salvation Seeking God

Make the Call

“And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.’ To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.” Genesis 4:25-26 (ESV) God pursued Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and demonstrated His love for them by providing a sacrifice for their sin. God killed an animal in order to provide garments of skins to cloth them. His redeeming love flowed in the garden to rescue Adam and Eve from their sin. A pivotal moment takes place in Scripture during the time of Adam and Eve’s son, Seth, and grandson, Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord. God’s pursuit is reciprocated. People began to call on His Name. The thread of God’s redemptive activity can be traced throughout the Bible. When we move into the New Testament and walk through the Gospels to embrace the obedience of Christ on the cross, we can then rejoice in His bodily resurrection and ascension. God came to our rescue! He has made it possible for us to call on His Name! “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:12-13 (ESV) What are you doing with the precious gift God has given you to call upon His Name? Are you maximizing the gift by pursuing Him daily and by practicing His Presence moment-by-moment? Call upon the Lord. Seek Him diligently and focus your life on His agenda. Remove distractions. Eliminate idols. Run to Jesus. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Holy Spirit Salvation

Drawing You to Himself

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44 (ESV) Salvation is an event followed by an ongoing process. What happens before the event of salvation? Our Heavenly Father draws people to Himself. God is always at work pursuing us with His redeeming love. No one can come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ unless the Father draws that individual into the relationship. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin and convinces individuals of their need for a Savior. Sin separates us from God and our only hope is for divine intervention. The bad news is that we deserve to be eternally separated from God. The Good News is that we don’t have to go to hell, we can go to heaven. The Good News is that we don’t have to live as an enemy of God, we can become a friend of God by being reconciled to Him by receiving His gift of eternal life. Think about the people in your life right now. Is there anyone who has not experienced the event of salvation? Pray that God will continue to draw them to Himself by the convicting and convincing work of the Holy Spirit. Pray that they will be responsive to the redemptive activity of God. Join God in His redemptive activity by praying for their salvation. Consider inviting them to church. Make deposits in their life through being a godly influence and by sharing the Good News of Jesus with them. Provide them with a Bible if they don’t have one. Give them a devotional book that has blessed your life. Email them or text them Bible verses that have encouraged you in your journey with God. God is drawing them to Himself. Pray for their receptivity to His activity! Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Atonement Faith Salvation

Divine Transaction

“You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” James 2:19 (ESV) Believing in God will not get you to heaven. God has revealed Himself generally through nature and specifically through the incarnate Word, Jesus. To say that you believe in God is not sufficient for salvation. James asserts that even the demons believe there is one God. Their monotheism is not enough. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity embrace monotheism. However, believing in one God does not produce salvation. “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” Rom. 1:20 (ESV) “‘And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.’” Acts 4:12 (ESV) God has revealed Himself to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. The question is: What will you do with Jesus? The atoning work of Jesus on the cross is sufficient to save anyone, but effective only for those who trust in Christ alone for salvation. The gift of eternal life doesn’t become a gift to you until you personally receive it. Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son? Do you believe that Jesus died to pay your sin debt in full? Do you believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven? Have you received the gift of eternal life? Trace the spiritual markers in your life. Spend a moment reflecting on the most important spiritual marker that changed your forever. Revisit the moment you experienced the divine transaction of transferring your trust from yourself to Jesus alone for salvation. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Children Prayer Salvation

Pray for Your Children

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) God has made it possible for everyone to come to repentance. The redemptive work of Christ on the cross is sufficient to save everyone who responds by faith to God’s offer of salvation. Jesus paid our sin debt in full. Jesus has taken the full wrath of God for our sin. The gift of eternal life is available to all and beneficial for everyone who repents of his or her sin and confesses Christ. My wife and I prayed for our children’s salvation before they were born. Once they were born, we asked God to reveal Himself to them in His perfect timing and to enable us to live out our faith before them. When our daughter was ready to receive the gift of eternal life, we knelt down by our couch together as she prayed to God and invited Jesus to become her Lord and Savior. A few years later, our son made it known to us that he was ready to surrender his life to Christ and become a follower of Jesus. We knelt down together in our family room and he trusted Christ as his Savior and Lord. What a blessing to have both of our children’s names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life! We continue to pray for our children specifically for their purity and their spiritual maturity. We want them to continue to be fully devoted followers of Christ and to live lives of moral purity. We have also been praying for their future mate’s salvation, purity, and spiritual maturity. If you do not have children, consider praying for your niece or nephew. You may want to begin praying for the children of someone you work with or go to church with. Pray for their salvation, their purity, and their spiritual maturity. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Holy Spirit Salvation Soulwinning

No Greater Task

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4 (ESV) God empowers us for participation in His redemptive activity. We cannot operate in God’s kingdom economy without God’s kingdom resources. God’s agenda can only be fulfilled by God’s enabling. Without God’s power, we cannot fulfill God’s mission. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit indwelt the believers and enabled them to speak forth the Gospel. Everyone heard the Good News in their own heart language. This miraculous communication of the Gospel was God’s demonstration that the Gospel is for everyone! What is your spiritual story? How did you come to know Christ personally? What has your life been like since being filled with the Holy Spirit? What does God’s Word say about how a person can be saved? If you have experienced the Gospel firsthand, then you are now ready to witness to Christ’s saving power. You are now ready to share your faith with others. Read Romans 3:23, 5:8, 6:23, 10:9-10, and 10:13. God has reconciled you to Himself so that you can join God in reconciling others to Himself. Build bridges to those who don’t know Jesus so that they can have the saving relationship that you enjoy in Christ. There’s no greater task on planet earth! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Obedience Salvation Sanctification

Living the Redeemed Life

“’And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?’” Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (ESV) What does the redeemed life look like in practical day-by-day living? Once a person becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, how does that new identity translate into daily living? God reveals His expectations for the redeemed life. Revere supremely. When you experience God’s redemption, your response to that redemption is a life of reverencing God. To revere God is to esteem Him and to give Him the rightful place He deserves in your life. Live righteously. The redeemed life results in a righteous lifestyle. Godliness replaces worldliness. Selflessness replaces selfishness. Instead of allowing the world to influence your behavior, you influence the culture with the character of Christ in you. Love completely. God loves you and demonstrated His love for you by allowing Jesus to die on the cross to pay the penalty of your sin. Love God completely by giving your heart to Him in full surrender. Express your love to Him in private and corporate worship. Serve passionately. Now that you have been redeemed, serve God by continuing the ministry of Jesus. Serve God by spreading the fragrance of Christ through random acts of kindness. Find a need and meet it. Obey instantly. Love what God loves and hate what God hates. “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17 ESV). Choose to obey God. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Repentance Salvation Servitude

Transformation and Anticipation

“For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 (ESV) Before you were saved, you were running to sin and running from God. Now that you are saved, you run to God and run from sin. In Christ, you experience an authentic transformation whereby your sins are removed, you are reconciled to God, and you receive the imputed righteousness of Christ. Your appetite for sin is replaced with an appetite for righteousness. You hunger and thirst for God. There are no substitutes for a vibrant love relationship with the Lord. Nothing else will ever satisfy. The orientation of your life is centered on serving the living and true God. The witness of the Thessalonian believers was widespread. Their authentic transformation reverberated throughout Macedonia and Achaia. Their contagious faith had become known everywhere. Turning to God from idols, they embodied the servitude of Christ and served the living and true God. They became an irresistible influence for the Lord. When you experience the transformation Christ provides, you embrace a life of anticipation. You wait expectantly for the return of Christ from heaven. You live in light of His resurrection and His rescue. There is no one else who can rescue you from the coming wrath. God will judge sin. Those who have rejected God’s plan of salvation will spend eternity separated from God. Rejoice! Your transformation in Christ changes your eternal destiny. Hell is not your destination. The transformation you experienced in Christ assures your ultimate destination in heaven. Jesus will come for His church prior to the Tribulation. Jesus will come with His church after the Tribulation to establish His millennial reign upon the earth. Live in light of His return! Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Faith Obedience Salvation

Saving Faith

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” James 2:14 (NIV) What does it take for a person to be saved? Is it possible to have saving faith without deeds? Will my faith be demonstrated by my deeds? So many have embraced an “easy believism” theology that can produce a false sense of security. You can spend your entire life on the earth thinking that you are saved and in reality, be lost. You can profess Christ and not possess Christ. “‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’” Matt. 7:21 (NIV) “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Pet. 1:10-11 (NIV) Your eternal destiny is determined by how you respond to God’s offer of salvation found in Christ alone. Knowing about Christ is not sufficient for salvation. You must know Christ personally through faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Take inventory of your spiritual condition. Don’t rely on feelings. Trace your steps and identify the moment you had a life-changing experience. Clarify your conversion experience. When did you come to realize your sin and your need for God’s forgiveness? When you did acknowledge that Jesus is God’s Son and the only way to heaven? When did you receive God’s gift of eternal life? Celebrate the gift of eternal life and the saving faith you possess! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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End Times Jesus Salvation

I’ll Be Back

“‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’” John 14:3 (NIV) God has so much more in store for you than what you have currently in view. There’s so much more on the other shore. God is growing you and grooming you in this life in preparation for the life to come. God’s nature is that of integrity. God keeps His word. He is the real Promise Keeper. As a follower of Christ, you will go to heaven either through the doorway of death or the reality of the Rapture. You will either go to Jesus upon your death or Jesus will come to you via the Rapture of the church. If you live, Christ lives with you. If you die, you live with Christ. As a believer, it is a win-win! You will experience the ultimate reunion with Christ and your believing loved ones who have gone before you. The ultimate trade-in will occur as you trade-in your current body for the glorified body that God has for you. There will be no more cancer, no more arthritis, no more heart disease, no more diabetes, no more multiple sclerosis, no more Alzheimer’s, no more macular degeneration, no more mosquitoes, and no more humidity. Jesus has prepared a place for you. There isn’t a place on earth to compare to the glorious mansion Jesus has built for you in Heaven. Jesus has also provided the way for you to get to Heaven. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Are you ready for Jesus to come back? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Nature Patience Salvation

God Is Patient

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Have you ever lost your patience? Waiting in a fast food line for an extended period of time has a way of testing your capacity to embrace patience. In our instant gratification saturated society, we just don’t wait well. Our lifestyles have been conditioned through advancing technology to expect everything to come to fruition in a matter of seconds. Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with us? God has graciously given us time to respond to His salvation love gift. God has been patient with us in the process of our spiritual development. In the midst of our sins of omission and sins of commission, God patiently conforms us into the image of Christ. God forgives us of our sins and cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God’s patience means salvation! The heart of God is for everyone to come into a vibrant love relationship with Him through Christ. God does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell. God wants everyone to come to repentance. Yet, God has given us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. God did not create us to be robotic, but rather to be relational. Will some perish and experience eternal separation from God? Yes! Those who fail to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will spend eternity in hell (Rom. 10:9-10). God has provided the way for those who believe in Jesus to not perish (John 3:16). Have you come to repentance? Will you invest the rest of your life helping others come into a growing relationship with Jesus? Remember to be patient with others just as God has been patient with you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Eternal life Eternal security Salvation

Greatest Exclusion

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28 (NIV) God loves you so much that He initiated a love relationship with you. Before you were formed in your mother’s womb, God knew you (Jer. 1:5). Long before you knew anything about God or His love, God chose to do something for you that no other person could ever accomplish. God provided you with the opportunity to leave the broad road leading to destruction so that you could enter through the narrow gate and travel the road that leads to life (Matt 7:13-14). You don’t have to perish. You don’t have to go to hell. You don’t have to live eternally separated from God. You can come into a personal intimate love with relationship with God through Christ. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9 NIV). Be the recipient of the greatest exclusion. Be excluded from hell by receiving the gift of eternal life. If you already benefited from the greatest exclusion, commit to bring others into that saving reality. If you have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and placed in the kingdom of light, then invest the rest of your life sharing the love of God and shining the light of Jesus. May multitudes experience the greatest exclusion because of the faithful witness of your life. Are you excluded from damnation? Have you been delivered from eternal punishment by placing your faith in Jesus alone for salvation? In Christ, you shall never perish and no one can snatch you out of His hand. In Christ, you are eternally secure and personally blessed with the gift of eternal life. Now share the gift you have received with others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith Response Salvation

Greatest Simplicity

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) Life can get so complicated at times. In the midst of a life of complexity, the greatest simplicity is knowing the way to respond to God’s offer of salvation. God has given you His very best, Jesus, to become the Lord and Savior of your life. God gave His Son to be the sacrifice for your sin and to purchase your salvation. He has paved the way for you to come into an abiding relationship with Jesus. “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”   1 John 5:11-12 (NIV) “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 The gift of eternal life has been made available to you. Now it is time for you to receive what God has provided for you. The greatest simplicity involves the decision to place your faith in Jesus alone for salvation. To believe in Jesus is to place your total confidence in His redemptive work on the cross and to believe that He was raised from the dead. Have you responded to the simplicity of the gospel by turning from your sin and trusting in Jesus alone for salvation? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Faith God's Will Salvation

Greatest Invitation

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 (NIV) Of all the invitations you will receive in a lifetime, there is no invitation that comes close to the significance and magnitude of the greatest invitation extended to you by God. His invitation affects your level of living on earth and your eternal destiny. Your response to the greatest invitation will determine where you spend eternity. “Whoever believes” includes you. “Yet to all who did receive 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) “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Pet. 3:9 (NIV) To believe in Jesus is to place your total confidence and trust in His redemptive work. Jesus lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death, experienced a miraculous resurrection, and ascended to heaven. What will you do with what He has done for you? How will you respond to the greatest invitation? Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to this broken planet in order to provide you with the greatest invitation to come into a personal relationship with the Savior of the world. I responded to the greatest invitation on March 28, 1979, by transferring my trust from myself to Jesus alone for salvation. In that moment, I became a child of God, filled with His Spirit, and adopted into His forever family. Have you made peace with God by responding to the greatest invitation? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Belief Lost Salvation

Greatest Number

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) God so loved the world. John used world (Greek: kosmos) 78 times in his Gospel and 24 times in his letters. The world refers to the realm of humanity arrayed in opposition to God. Jesus entered our world in His incarnation, knowing that hostility would result and that sacrifice would be needed to redeem the world. The world God came to rescue is filled with people who embrace darkness habitually. Humanity is fallen and flawed. The human condition is hopeless and helpless without divine intervention. God took the initiative to become like us so that we could become like Him. God came to rescue people groups who embody distinction culturally. There are currently over 12,500 people groups on the earth. The current world population exceeds 6.8 billion people. Two-thousand years ago, God provided for the salvation of our souls. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and purchased our salvation. Every person on the planet can be saved, but every person on the planet will not be saved unless each individual receives the gift of eternal life by faith. The world God came to rescue is filled with people who experience or escape damnation individually. For God so loved the fallen world that He gave His one and only Son to rescue those living in darkness so that they could become citizens in the kingdom of light. Each person must individually place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation. As followers of Jesus Christ and recipients of His grace, we have the awesome privilege and responsibility to make Jesus known throughout the earth. How many people will be in heaven because of you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Will Patience Salvation

God Is Patient

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Have you ever lost your patience? Waiting in a fast food line for an extended period of time has a way of testing your capacity to embrace patience. In our instant gratification saturated society, we just don’t wait well. Our lifestyles have been conditioned through advancing technology to expect everything to come to fruition in a matter of seconds. Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with us? God has graciously given us time to respond to His salvation love gift. God has been patient with us in the process of our spiritual development. In the midst of our sins of omission and sins of commission, God patiently conforms us into the image of Christ. God forgives us of our sins and cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God’s patience means salvation! The heart of God is for everyone to come into a vibrant love relationship with Him through Christ. God does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell. God wants everyone to come to repentance. Yet, God has given us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. God did not create us to be robotic, but rather to be relational. Will some perish and experience eternal separation from God? Yes! Those who fail to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will spend eternity in hell (Rom. 10:9-10). God has provided the way for those who believe in Jesus to not perish (John 3:16). Have you come to repentance? Will you invest the rest of your life helping others come into a growing relationship with Jesus? Remember to be patient with others just as God has been patient with you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Incarnation Rescue Salvation

Rescue

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.” 1 Tim 1:15 (NIV) Remember the reason Jesus descended. Don’t lose sight of the reason Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to the earth. Jesus embarked on the ultimate mission trip when He chose to leave the glorious environment of angels worshiping at His feet to enter our messy world of rebellion, ridicule, and rejection. No one else was sufficient to accomplish what Jesus completed by coming into the world. No one else qualified to remove our sin and to impute righteousness. When I think about the mission trip Jesus took for my benefit, I am overwhelmed with the thought that He knew what He was coming to. Jesus knew exactly what He was coming to, and He still came! Jesus knew every sin I would commit, every command I would omit, and He still came! Jesus knew my proclivity to drift from His path of righteousness, my propensity to swim in the sea of selfishness, and He still came! Paul clarified for Timothy that the reason Jesus came was to save sinners. Jesus was on mission to rescue the perishing and to care for the dying. Paul quickly acknowledged that he was the worst of sinners. In others words, if “sinning” was an Olympic event, Paul would have won the gold medal. Jesus came into the world to save gold medalist sinners like you and me. What a refreshing revelation! There is no one beyond the reach of God’s grace. There is not a person on earth whom the Lord cannot save. Regardless of their past rebellion, their present sinfulness, and their perpetual spiritual apathy, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). When people experience the salvation Jesus provides, they receive His nature to live a life that brings honor to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Moses Numbers Salvation

Look to the Healer

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.’ 9 So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.” Numbers 21:8-9 (ESV) Have you ever seen the medical profession logo that features a snake wrapped around a pole? That image serves as the icon for the medical arena. You can trace the origin of that image to the instruction God gave Moses. The people of Israel spoke against God and Moses in their frustration generated by their wandering in the wilderness. They longed to return to Egypt where they had served as slaves. God judged them for their grumbling by sending fiery serpents among the people to bite them. Many of the people died. The survivors came to Moses to plead for intercession and intervention. Moses prayed for the people. God instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent and to set it on a pole. God gave further instructions that anyone bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live. God’s grace was clearly evident by His response to their willful disobedience. Jesus made reference to this experience during his conversation with Nicodemus. “‘And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life’” (John 3:14-15 ESV). Just as the people of Israel were healed by looking to the bronze serpent lifted up on the pole, so all believers today can be delivered from the sickness of sin by looking to the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Jesus has been lifted up on the cross to bring forth our ultimate healing! Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 63:  Numbers 21-22) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Faith Salvation Seeking God

Make the Call

“And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.’ 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.” Genesis 4:25-26 (ESV) God pursued Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden and demonstrated His love for them by providing a sacrifice for their sin. God killed an animal in order to provide garments of skins to cloth them. His redeeming love flowed in the garden to rescue Adam and Eve from their sin. A pivotal moment takes place in Scripture during the time of Adam and Eve’s son, Seth, and grandson, Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord. God’s pursuit is reciprocated. People began to call on His Name. The thread of God’s redemptive activity can be traced throughout the Bible. When we move into the New Testament and walk through the Gospels to embrace the obedience of Christ on the cross, we can then rejoice in His bodily resurrection and ascension. God came to our rescue! He has made it possible for us to call on His Name! “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:12-13 (ESV) What are you doing with the precious gift God has given you to call upon His Name? Are you maximizing the gift by pursuing Him daily and by practicing His Presence moment-by-moment? Call upon the Lord. Seek Him diligently and focus your life on His agenda. Remove distractions. Eliminate idols. Run to Jesus. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 2: Genesis 4-7) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith Obedience Salvation

Saving Faith

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?” James 2:14 (NIV) What does it take for a person to be saved? Is it possible to have saving faith without deeds? Will my faith be demonstrated by my deeds? So many have embraced an “easy believism” theology that can produce a false sense of security. You can spend your entire life on the earth thinking that you are saved and in reality, be lost. You can profess Christ and not possess Christ. “‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.’” Matt 7:21 (NIV) “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10-11 (NIV) Your eternal destiny is determined by how you respond to God’s offer of salvation found in Christ alone. Knowing about Christ is not sufficient for salvation. You must know Christ personally through faith in the completed work of Jesus on the cross. Take inventory of your spiritual condition. Don’t rely on feelings. Trace your steps and identify the moment you had a life-changing experience. Clarify your conversion experience. When did you come to realize your sin and your need for God’s forgiveness? When you did acknowledge that Jesus is God’s Son and the only way to heaven? When did you receive God’s gift of eternal life? Celebrate the gift of eternal life and the saving faith you possess! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
End Times Jesus Salvation

I’ll Be Back

“‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.’” John 14:3 (NIV) God has so much more in store for you than what you have currently in view. There’s so much more on the other shore. God is growing you and grooming you in this life in preparation for the life to come. God’s nature is that of integrity. God keeps His word. He is the real Promise Keeper. As a follower of Christ, you will go to heaven either through the doorway of death or the reality of the Rapture. You will either go to Jesus upon your death or Jesus will come to you via the Rapture of the church. If you live, Christ lives with you. If you die, you live with Christ. As a believer, it is a win-win! You will experience the ultimate reunion with Christ and your believing loved ones who have gone before you. The ultimate trade-in will occur as you trade-in your current body for the glorified body that God has for you. There will be no more cancer, no more arthritis, no more heart disease, no more diabetes, no more multiple sclerosis, no more Alzheimer’s, no more macular degeneration, no more mosquitoes, and no more humidity. Jesus has prepared a place for you. There isn’t a place on earth to compare to the glorious mansion Jesus has built for you in Heaven. Jesus has also provided the way for you to get to Heaven. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Are you ready for Jesus to come back? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Nature Patience Salvation

God Is Patient

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Have you ever lost your patience? Waiting in a fast food line for an extended period of time has a way of testing your capacity to embrace patience. In our instant gratification saturated society, we just don’t wait well. Our lifestyles have been conditioned through advancing technology to expect everything to come to fruition in a matter of seconds. Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with us? God has graciously given us time to respond to His salvation love gift. God has been patient with us in the process of our spiritual development. In the midst of our sins of omission and sins of commission, God patiently conforms us into the image of Christ. God forgives us of our sins and cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God’s patience means salvation! The heart of God is for everyone to come into a vibrant love relationship with Him through Christ. God does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell. God wants everyone to come to repentance. Yet, God has given us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. God did not create us to be robotic, but rather to be relational. Will some perish and experience eternal separation from God? Yes! Those who fail to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will spend eternity in hell (Rom. 10:9-10). God has provided the way for those who believe in Jesus to not perish (John 3:16). Have you come to repentance? Will you invest the rest of your life helping others come into a growing relationship with Jesus? Remember to be patient with others just as God has been patient with you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Eternal life Eternal security Salvation

Greatest Exclusion

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.” John 10:28 (NIV) God loves you so much that He initiated a love relationship with you. Before you were formed in your mother’s womb, God knew you (Jer. 1:5). Long before you knew anything about God or His love, God chose to do something for you that no other person could ever accomplish. God provided you with the opportunity to leave the broad road leading to destruction so that you could enter through the narrow gate and travel the road that leads to life (Matt 7:13-14). You don’t have to perish. You don’t have to go to hell. You don’t have to live eternally separated from God. You can come into a personal intimate love with relationship with God through Christ. “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9 NIV). Be the recipient of the greatest exclusion. Be excluded from hell by receiving the gift of eternal life. If you already benefited from the greatest exclusion, commit to bring others into that saving reality. If you have been rescued from the kingdom of darkness and placed in the kingdom of light, then invest the rest of your life sharing the love of God and shining the light of Jesus. May multitudes experience the greatest exclusion because of the faithful witness of your life. Are you excluded from damnation? Have you been delivered from eternal punishment by placing your faith in Jesus alone for salvation? In Christ, you shall never perish and no one can snatch you out of His hand. In Christ, you are eternally secure and personally blessed with the gift of eternal life. Now share the gift you have received with others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith Response Salvation

Greatest Simplicity

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 (NIV) Life can get so complicated at times. In the midst of a life of complexity, the greatest simplicity is knowing the way to respond to God’s offer of salvation. God has given you His very best, Jesus, to become the Lord and Savior of your life. God gave His Son to be the sacrifice for your sin and to purchase your salvation. He has paved the way for you to come into an abiding relationship with Jesus. “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12 (NIV) “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13 The gift of eternal life has been made available to you. Now it is time for you to receive what God has provided for you. The greatest simplicity involves the decision to place your faith in Jesus alone for salvation. To believe in Jesus is to place your total confidence in His redemptive work on the cross and to believe that He was raised from the dead. Have you responded to the simplicity of the gospel by turning from your sin and trusting in Jesus alone for salvation? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Faith God's Will Salvation

Greatest Invitation

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20 (NIV) Of all the invitations you will receive in a lifetime, there is no invitation that comes close to the significance and magnitude of the greatest invitation extended to you by God. His invitation affects your level of living on earth and your eternal destiny. Your response to the greatest invitation will determine where you spend eternity. “Whoever believes” includes you. “Yet to all who did receive 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) “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) To believe in Jesus is to place your total confidence and trust in His redemptive work. Jesus lived a sinless life, died a substitutionary death, experienced a miraculous resurrection, and ascended to heaven. What will you do with what He has done for you? How will you respond to the greatest invitation? Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to this broken planet in order to provide you with the greatest invitation to come into a personal relationship with the Savior of the world. I responded to the greatest invitation on March 28, 1979, by transferring my trust from myself to Jesus alone for salvation. In that moment, I became a child of God, filled with His Spirit, and adopted into His forever family. Have you made peace with God by responding to the greatest invitation? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Belief Lost Salvation

Greatest Number

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV) God so loved the world. John used world (Greek: kosmos) 78 times in his Gospel and 24 times in his letters. The world refers to the realm of humanity arrayed in opposition to God. Jesus entered our world in His incarnation, knowing that hostility would result and that sacrifice would be needed to redeem the world. The world God came to rescue is filled with people who embrace darkness habitually. Humanity is fallen and flawed. The human condition is hopeless and helpless without divine intervention. God took the initiative to become like us so that we could become like Him. God came to rescue people groups who embody distinction culturally. There are currently over 12,500 people groups on the earth. The current world population exceeds 6.8 billion people. Two-thousand years ago, God provided for the salvation of our souls. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin and purchased our salvation. Every person on the planet can be saved, but every person on the planet will not be saved unless each individual receives the gift of eternal life by faith. The world God came to rescue is filled with people who experience or escape damnation individually. For God so loved the fallen world that He gave His one and only Son to rescue those living in darkness so that they could become citizens in the kingdom of light. Each person must individually place their faith in Jesus alone for salvation. As followers of Jesus Christ and recipients of His grace, we have the awesome privilege and responsibility to make Jesus known throughout the earth. How many people will be in heaven because of you? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Will Patience Salvation

God Is Patient

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) Have you ever lost your patience? Waiting in a fast food line for an extended period of time has a way of testing your capacity to embrace patience. In our instant gratification saturated society, we just don’t wait well. Our lifestyles have been conditioned through advancing technology to expect everything to come to fruition in a matter of seconds. Aren’t you thankful that God is patient with us? God has graciously given us time to respond to His salvation love gift. God has been patient with us in the process of our spiritual development. In the midst of our sins of omission and sins of commission, God patiently conforms us into the image of Christ. God forgives us of our sins and cleanses us of our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). God’s patience means salvation! The heart of God is for everyone to come into a vibrant love relationship with Him through Christ. God does not want anyone to spend eternity in hell. God wants everyone to come to repentance. Yet, God has given us the freedom to choose Him or to reject Him. God did not create us to be robotic, but rather to be relational. Will some perish and experience eternal separation from God? Yes! Those who fail to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in their heart that God raised Jesus from the dead will spend eternity in hell (Rom. 10:9-10). God has provided the way for those who believe in Jesus to not perish (John 3:16). Have you come to repentance? Will you invest the rest of your life helping others come into a growing relationship with Jesus? Remember to be patient with others just as God has been patient with you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Rescue Salvation

Rescue

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.” 1 Tim 1:15 (NIV) Remember the reason Jesus descended. Don’t lose sight of the reason Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to the earth. Jesus embarked on the ultimate mission trip when He chose to leave the glorious environment of angels worshiping at His feet to enter our messy world of rebellion, ridicule, and rejection. No one else was sufficient to accomplish what Jesus completed by coming into the world. No one else qualified to remove our sin and to impute righteousness. When I think about the mission trip Jesus took for my benefit, I am overwhelmed with the thought that He knew what He was coming to. Jesus knew exactly what He was coming to, and He still came! Jesus knew every sin I would commit, every command I would omit, and He still came! Jesus knew my proclivity to drift from His path of righteousness, my propensity to swim in the sea of selfishness, and He still came! Paul clarified for Timothy that the reason Jesus came was to save sinners. Jesus was on mission to rescue the perishing and to care for the dying. Paul quickly acknowledged that he was the worst of sinners. In others words, if “sinning” was an Olympic event, Paul would have won the gold medal. Jesus came into the world to save gold medalist sinners like you and me. What a refreshing revelation! There is no one beyond the reach of God’s grace. There is not a person on earth whom the Lord cannot save. Regardless of their past rebellion, their present sinfulness, and their perpetual spiritual apathy, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). When people experience the salvation Jesus provides, they receive His nature to live a life that brings honor to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Atonement Faith Salvation

Divine Transaction

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that–and shudder.” James 2:19 (NIV) Believing in God will not get you to heaven. God has revealed Himself generally through nature and specifically through the incarnate Word, Jesus. To say that you believe in God is not sufficient for salvation. James asserts that even the demons believe there is one God. Their monotheism is not enough. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity embrace monotheism. However, believing in one God does not produce salvation. “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities–his eternal power and divine nature–have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 (NIV) “‘Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.’” Acts 4:12 (NIV) God has revealed Himself to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. The question is: What will you do with Jesus? The atoning work of Jesus on the cross is sufficient to save anyone, but effective only for those who trust in Christ alone for salvation. The gift of eternal life doesn’t become a gift to you until you personally receive it. Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son? Do you believe that Jesus died to pay your sin debt in full? Do you believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven? Have you received the gift of eternal life? Trace the spiritual markers in your life. Spend a moment reflecting on the most important spiritual marker that changed your forever. Revisit the moment you experienced the divine transaction of transferring your trust from yourself to Jesus alone for salvation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell