Category: Ten Commandments

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God's Timing Moses Ten Commandments

God Delivers

“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” Exodus 20:2 (ESV) Moses spent forty years in the palace, forty years in the desert, and then forty years as the deliverer of the children of Israel. God was strategically developing Moses for the special assignment of leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Before delivering The Ten Commandments, God reminded them of His provision of bringing them out of the land of slavery. God graciously got them out of Egypt, now He was getting Egypt out of them. God is a God of Relationship. He initiated the love relationship we enjoy with Him. God chose to become like us so that we could become like Him. God took the initiative to develop us in Christ, as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to Him. Being adopted into His forever family did not come into fruition because of our human effort, but as a result of God’s redemptive activity. If you ever question your value in God’s eyes, just look to the cross. God took the initiative to build the ultimate love bridge to you so that you could have harmony with Him and enjoy eternal life. When did you respond to God’s offer of salvation? When did you become a follower of Jesus Christ and a recipient of God’s unconditional love? God has delivered you from your sin and brought you into the land of Promise. Now take the initiative to share the gift of eternal life with others. Shine His light and share His love so that others can have the personal and eternal relationship you enjoy with Jesus. Riding HIS Wave, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell  

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Generosity Greed Ten Commandments

Unleash Generosity

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 1 Timothy 6:18 (NIV) Another way to control the desire to acquire is by unleashing generosity. Jesus is our model to follow. Teaching, preaching, casting out demons, praying, and extending personal touch ministry marked Jesus’ life on earth. Jesus maintained a balanced life centered on doing God’s will. Loving God and loving others was the central focus of His life. Jesus came to our planet to reconcile us to God. He willingly gave His life as the sinless sacrifice for our redemption (Col. 1:20). Jesus lived, died, was buried, rose on the third day, and forty days later ascended to heaven. Sitting at the right hand of the Father, Jesus intercedes on our behalf (Rom. 8:34). Your purpose in this life is to unleash generosity by continuing the ministry of Jesus. You have been saved by grace alone through faith alone to join God in His redemptive activity. God has entrusted every moment of your day to you for careful stewardship. How are you responding to the opportunities God places before you to generously continue the ministry of Jesus? Be rich in good deeds. Invest your life by adding value to others. Serve others from a heart of purity seasoned by daily intimacy with Christ. If you are going to continue the ministry of Jesus, then you must operate in His power. Adding value to others will require spiritual nourishment and spiritual energy. Maintain a living connection with Christ through feeding on God’s Word and seeking His face daily. To do what Jesus did mandates that you nurture your love relationship with God. The outflow of your living connection with Christ will be doing good, being generous, and willing to share. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Gratitude Ten Commandments Thankfulness

Cultivate Gratitude

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” Psalm 105:1 (NIV) How do you control the desire to acquire? Embrace this healthy habit: Cultivate gratitude. Put gratitude in your attitude. Consider Jim Elliot’s insight, “One of the greatest blessings of heaven is the appreciation of heaven on earth.” Be thankful. Be appreciative. Be grateful. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Gal. 3:16-17  (NIV) “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Eph. 5:19-20 (NIV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6 (NIV) “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thes. 5:18 As you cultivate gratitude, you will notice that your perspective on life will become healthier. Your interaction with others will be seasoned with grace. Instead of being critical of others, you will become compassionate towards others. Gratitude will enable you to enjoy what God has given you and will enable you to appreciate the blessings God has lavished on you. Cultivating gratitude will unleash God’s love in you and through you. Be thankful for what God has done to reconcile you to Himself. Be appreciative of God’s invitation for you to join Him in His activity. Be grateful for the opportunities God gives you to spread the fragrance of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Covet Desire Ten Commandments

Control the Desire to Acquire

“‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.’” Exodus 20:17 (NIV) I remember hearing a powerful statement made by Andy Stanley that I would like to share with you. He said, “Your appetites are never fully and finally satisfied.” Think about that for a moment in relation to the Tenth Commandment. When you covet, you are feeding an inward desire for something that God says is sinful. God gives you the desire to acquire and to fulfill your God-given appetites. However, when you choose to go beyond the guardrails God has established, it produces sin. Greed is the seed that converts a want into a need. The Israelites were not to long for, desire earnestly, or lust after what legitimately belonged to others. Greed has a way of inflaming the desire to acquire. God established this particular guardrail to preserve unity and morality in the covenant community. Control the desire to acquire. When your desire to acquire catches on fire, you begin to worry. The more you have the more you have to take care of and worry about. When the desire to acquire is ignited, there is a tendency to spend more than you make and then the mountain of debt escalates. The desire to acquire can lead you into perpetual disappointment and dissatisfaction. You will feel like it is never enough. When the desire to acquire catches fire you become weary in trying to keep up with others. Don’t fertilize the seed of greed. Ask the Lord to help you live a life that honors Him and benefits others. Surrender to the Lordship of Christ and yield to His control. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Lying Ten Commandments Truth

Tell the Truth

“‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.‘” Exodus 20:15 (NIV) The court system of a nation depends on the honesty of its people. Lying misrepresents God, misleads others, & mutilates your testimony. Tell the truth by presenting the truth accurately. Don’t falsify information. “Do not spread false reports” (Exod. 22:1 NIV). Don’t exaggerate information. Don’t withhold information. “Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.” Prov. 25:18 NIV “A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.” Prov. 14:24 (NIV) “If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.” Lev. 5:1 (NIV) THINK before your speak. Ask these questions: Is it True? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? Be a truth bearer by speaking words of integrity and honesty. Reflect the character of Christ by being truthful and telling the truth. Do not misrepresent Christ by stretching the truth. Commit to speak words that are in alignment with the truth of God’s Word. Speak words that feature accuracy, unity, and a sense of community. The way you speak to others demonstrates how much you value people. When you give false testimony about others, you are demeaning the people Jesus died for. Speak words of life and words of instruction and words of encouragement. Choose to leverage your vocabulary to bring others to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Influence Stewardship Ten Commandments

Maximize Your Influence

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (NIV) What kind of impact are you making on the lives of others? What are you doing to maximize your influence? Choose to maximize your influence by winning the respect of outsiders. How do you do that? You win the respect of outsiders by leading a quiet life, minding your own business, and working with your hands. Demonstrating a strong work ethic and living a life of personal responsibility elevates your influence. You can also maximize your influence by sharing with those in need. Being generous towards others releases your influence and emulates the heart of Christ. You are never more like Jesus than when you are giving. God has created you to honor Him and to benefit others. Find a need and meet it. Choose to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth. Another way to maximize your influence is by making God’s Word attractive. “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:9-10 NIV). A contemporary application of these two verses is to seek to please your employer and to be respectful towards them and show that you can be fully trusted. By being a model employee, you are making God’s Word attractive. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Deception Integrity Ten Commandments

Maintain Your Integrity

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10 (NIV) Maintain your integrity. My favorite definition of integrity is: when the tongue in your mouth lines up with the tongue in your shoe. To be a person of integrity means that you are unmixed and unadulterated. With integrity, your walk and your talk are synonymous. There is no disparity and no duplicity. A person of integrity is not divided. For the person of integrity, the public life matches the private life. Be trustworthy and honest. God rewards obedience. God values trustworthiness and honesty. If God can trust you with very little, then God can trust you with much. What are you doing with all that God has entrusted to your care? What kind of lifestyle are you embracing? Are you being trustworthy? Whenever there is a gap in your integrity. Close the gap by making restitution. Make things right between you and God. Be vigilant in making things right with others. Resolve to make personal adjustments in your life to close the gap. Remove harmful habits and embrace healthy patterns to build a bridge of reconciliation to others. Zacchaeus had a life-changing experience that resulted in his willingness to make restitution. He had financed his selfish lifestyle at the expense of others. “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” Luke 19:8 (NIV) Investigate your integrity. How’s your private life? How does your private life line up with your public life? Is there a gap? With the Lord’s help, address your duplicity and close the gap by God’s grace. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Deception Stealing Ten Commandments

Delete Deception

“‘You shall not steal.’” Exodus 20:15 (NIV) The Eighth Commandment connects with me on a deeper level as a result of our family vehicle being stolen during my son’s baseball tournament in May of 2010. When something is stolen from you it makes you feel violated and reminds you how vulnerable you really are to the fragments of living in a fallen world. Stealing dishonors God, deceives others, and defiles your testimony. The Eighth Commandment teaches us to delete deception. One way to delete deception is by being honest with our financial resources. God expects us to be good stewards of all that He has blessed us with. Biblical stewardship includes tithing our income. Giving ten percent of our income to the Lord’s work brings honor to God and benefits others. Tithing demonstrates our trust in God’s provision and is a reflection of our submission to His Lordship. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Mal. 3:10 (NIV) “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Cor. 9:6 (NIV) Test God by tithing your income and trust God to meet your needs according to His riches in glory. Be a good steward of what God has given you and respect what God has given to others. Sow into the Lord’s work so that others can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ around the world. Delete deception by being a generous giver for the global glory of God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Adultery Confession Ten Commandments

Uncovering Adultery

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) In our society, sexual temptation is prevalent. Christians are not immune to adultery. What if you have gone beyond your spouse for romance? What do you do when you violate the seventh Commandment by committing adultery? You can choose to continue to walk in deception or you can repent by doing what is right in God’s eyes. Step 1:  Confess your sin. Living in sin will never produce the righteous life God desires. Be honest before God about your willful disobedience. In brokenness and humility, confess your sin instantly and specifically before the Lord. God wants you to say the same thing about your sin that He says about your sin. I am reminded of a statement by Dr. Johnny Hunt, “Whatever you cover, God will uncover. Whatever you uncover, God will cover!” Step 2:  Confront your participant. Go directly to the person you are having an affair with and completely sever the relationship. This calls for drastic and fervent action. Amputate the limbs of lust and lies that connect you to this person. Do not leave a glimpse of hope for future interaction. Inform your participant that you have confessed your sin before God and that you will not continue living in disobedience to the Lord. Boldly and courageously announce, “It’s over!” Step 3:  Comfort your spouse by becoming trustworthy. Once you have gone before the Lord to confess your sin and to receive His forgiveness, and after you have confronted your participant to end the relationship, in brokenness and humility, inform your spouse of the affair. Be prepared for an array of emotions to cascade from your spouse such as anger, hurt, devastation, revenge, and insecurity. You have violated your covenant relationship with your spouse. This is a big deal! In order for your spouse to ever trust you again, you will have to become trustworthy. Consider incorporating a Christian counselor into your plan of restoration. Commit to never go beyond your spouse for romance. By God’s grace, do all you can to comfort your spouse by becoming worthy of trust. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Commitment Marriage Ten Commandments

Honor God and Finish Together

“However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.” Ephesians 5:33 (NIV) Be the most amazing and fulfilling source of romance for your spouse. Stay spiritually fit and physically fit. Learn your spouse’s primary love language by reading Dr. Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages. Make intentional deposits into your spouse’s emotional love tank. Communicate understanding. Resolve conflict. Place his or her needs before your own. “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Phil. 2:4 NIV). In his book, His Needs, Her Needs: Building an Affair-Proof Marriage, Dr. Willard Harley identifies the top five needs of men as: sexual fulfillment, recreational companionship, an attractive spouse, domestic support, and admiration. The top fives needs of women are: affection, conversation, honesty and openness, financial support, and family commitment. Dr. Willard Harley has found that marriages that fail to meet a spouse’s needs are more vulnerable to an extramarital affair. Next time you are tempted to look beyond your spouse for romance, ask yourself this question, “Will this decision honor God and benefit my family and our future?” Another good question to ask, “Will this decision allow us to finish together?” “Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.” Prov. 4:25 (NIV) “Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Prov. 4:26-27 (NIV) Extend the love you have received from God to your spouse. Choose to extend the grace you have received from God to your spouse. Celebrate your differences. Honor God and finish together. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Adultery Marriage Ten Commandments

Avoiding Adultery

“‘You shall not commit adultery.’” Exodus 20:14 (NIV) Is it possible to fall in love, get married, stay married, and finish together? Is longevity a possible reality in marriage? I imagine you have wondered why the success rate is so low. The Bible teaches that God values marital fidelity. God is pro-marriage and pro-family. However, nothing destroys a family faster than adultery. Adultery happens in the mind before it happens in the bed. Adultery violates God’s plan for the marriage relationship. God has given you a drive called sex. Properly controlled and expressed within the confines of marriage, it is beautiful and fantastic and brings honor to God. Outside of marriage, sex is destructive and detrimental. God designed sex for procreation and pleasure intended to nurture intimate love. The Bible says that sex is for marriage only – not before marriage, not outside of marriage. What is God’s guardrail for marital fidelity? Do not commit adultery! Avoid adultery. Don’t cheat. Be faithful. Honor your marriage vow. “Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.” Prov. 5:15 (NIV) “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Heb. 13:4 (NIV) Your spouse is the only legitimate source of romance in your life. Dr. Adrian Rogers used to say, “In temptation, Satan seeks to get you to meet a legitimate need in an illegitimate way.” Satan seeks to get the two who have become one, two again. Guard your heart. Confess sin instantly. Walk in the Spirit. Yield to the Lordship of Christ. Don’t look beyond your spouse. Submit to one another. Serve one another. Honor God with your life, your lips, and your loyaty. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Anger Restoration Ten Commandments

Restore Ruptured Relationships

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’” Luke 15:28-30 (NIV) Restore ruptured relationships. Life is fragile. Relationships are vital. Peace and harmony bring pleasure to God and reflect His nature and character. Maintain a right relationship with God and maintain a right relationship with others. Tend your relationships and prevent the weeds of dysfunction and suspicion from gaining ground. When the prodigal son returned home after a season of flagrant rebellion and unconscionable self-indulgence, the father responded with open arms and a receptive heart. The father exemplified unconditional love and extended gracious acceptance to the repentant son. The older brother was enraged. Anger had been simmering and reached the volcanic eruption. The older brother did not bask in the radiance of the prodigal’s return. Instead, he allowed personal anger to expand within and evaporate the potential for celebration. The father sought to interpret the depth of meaning behind the prodigal’s arrival. “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’” Luke 15: 31-32 (NIV) Consider the people God has brought into your life. Measure the relational opportunities along the parade of people God has placed before you. Are there any relationships that are ruptured? Honor God by restoring those ruptured relationships. Life is a gift from God. Value life! Protect life! Choose life! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Anger Murder Ten Commandments

Diffuse Anger

“This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous…Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” 1 John 3:11-12, 15 (NIV) The first murder in the Bible was over worship (Gen. 4:1-8). Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable to God and Cain’s sacrifice was unacceptable. Infused with anger, Cain chose to murder his brother. Consequences ensued as God confronted Cain. Diffuse anger. Don’t allow the root of bitterness and resentment germinate into anger. Anger will erode your peace and quench the flow of the Holy Spirit in your life. Anger will not produce the righteous life that brings honor to God. “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Eph. 4:26-27 (NIV) “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”  Jas. 1:19-20 (NIV) Diffuse anger by confronting the source of your anger. What is producing the poison of anger in your life? What is generating those intense feelings and internal thoughts within you? Move beyond the symptoms and excavate the depth of your soul. Isolate the pulsating source of your anger. Confront your feelings and renew your mind. Release bitterness and resentment through the avenue of forgiveness. Extend forgiveness. Receive forgiveness. Be compassionate. Be gentle. Be kind. Be understanding. Be responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Make necessary adjustments to conform to the likeness of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Anger Murder Ten Commandments

Value Life

“‘You shall not murder.’” Exodus 20:13 (NIV) The sixth commandment was designed to help preserve society. Perhaps you wrestle with defining the boundaries between murder and permissible killing. In the sixth commandment, God is saying no to abortion, no to suicide, and no to euthanasia. God expects us to punish criminals and to preserve and to protect our Country’s freedom. This commandment refers to any type of killing that God disallows. Murder is the unauthorized taking of human life. Let’s affirm the sanctity of human life. Human life is sacred! Place the same value on life that God does. Moses had to confront the reality of his actions. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and Moses chose to kill the Egyptian and then hid him in the sand. The sixth commandment had to hit Moses on a personal level. “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Deut. 30:19-20 (NIV) What does it mean to place the same value on others that God does? See others the way God sees them. Consider what God has done for you and for others when He sent Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. The value God places on you and others has been established by His redemptive activity on the cross. There’s no greater love and there’s no greater value anyone could establish. Value life by loving what God loves and hating what God hates! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Obedience Respect Ten Commandments

Respect Your Parents

“‘Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.‘” Exodus 20:12 (NIV) As we continue exploring the Ten Commandments, we notice that the first four commandments are vertical in nature whereas the remaining six commandments are horizontal in nature. The first four commandments are “Godward,” and the remaining six are “manward.” The fifth commandment is the first commandment with a promise. Respect your parents by obeying them. In God’s covenant community, obedience and submission to parents is vital.  The family unit is built on mutual trust and mutual submission.  To disobey your parents is to bring chaos to the family and society. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (Eph. 6:1 NIV). Respect your parents by appreciating them. Appreciating your parents brings honor to God and produces a healthy atmosphere where peace reigns. Appreciation is demonstrated by recognizing their effort & sacrifice. Your parents are doing the best they can with what they have. Your parents are sacrificing personal ambitions, time, energy, & money. Respect your parents by caring for them. Meeting their needs and serving them throughout their lifetime is a mark of spiritual maturity and an indicator of respect. “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God” (1 Tim. 5:4 NIV). Respect your parents by providing for them and helping them to finish strong. Respect your parents by forgiving them. Perhaps you have father-wounds or mother-wounds. Don’t be imprisoned by unforgiveness. Choose to forgive your parents. Extend forgiveness to them just as God has extended forgiveness to you. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Rest Sabbath Ten Commandments

Recharge and Refocus

“‘Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates.  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.’” Exodus 20:8-11 (NIV) How do you recharge and refocus? In the Fourth Commandment, God reveals the guardrails that prevent burnout in life and in ministry. Here a few essentials to help you embrace the Sabbath God has designed for you. Essential #1: Assess your pace. One day a safari guide instructed his group, “We are going to rest today so our souls can catch up with our bodies.” Can you relate? It is possible to have so many irons in the fire that you put the fire out. Busyness becomes a tool in the hand of the enemy to distract you from God’s best and to deplete your energy meant for accomplishing God’s will. Is your current pace sustainable? Essential #2: Build life-giving relationships and enjoy life-giving activities. Seek out relationships that add value to your life and boast your energy. Build relationships with people who bring out the best in you. Carve out time for life-giving activities. What activities replenish you? Refresh you? Renew you? Exercise consistently, eat healthy, and sleep amply. Essential #3: Disconnect in order to reconnect with God. What do you need to disconnect from? What is your plan for creating space in your schedule to allow God to put you back together emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually? Learn to practice solitude. God invites you into His rest more fully so that you can know Him more deeply in light of eternity. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Obedience Revering God Ten Commandments

Steps to Revering God

“But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.” Malachi 4:2 (NIV) Revering God is a mandate from heaven. We esteem God and revere Him by living life His way. Let’s examine a few steps to revering God. Step 1: Express your love to God in worship privately and publicly. “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name’” (Matt. 6:9 NIV). Honor God’s Name as you commune with Him daily through your daily quiet time. Your private worship is a sacred time of expressing your love to God. Bring your private worship with you to the corporate experience of worship in your local church. Your public worship is a witness. Step 2: Maintain character and integrity. “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (Jas. 1:27 NIV). Stay close and clean as you cling to God and His Word. Let the character of Christ be formed in you and be a person of integrity. Step 3: Align practically with who you are positionally. “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Phil. 2:12-13 NIV). You are chosen, redeemed, forgiven, included, and sealed. Now work out what God has worked in. Step 4: Hate what God hates and love what God loves. Read Proverbs 6:16-19 and uncover what God hates. Revere God by investing your life in hating what God hates and loving what God loves. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Name Reverence Ten Commandments

Reverence God’s Name

“‘You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.’” Exodus 20:7 (NIV) God’s Name represents His nature and His character. God is holy, immutable, eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. God was never born and He will never die. God is love, compassion, mercy, grace, justice, perfection, and righteousness. When Abraham encountered God, he fell facedown (Gen. 17:1-3). When Moses encountered God, he hid his face (Exod. 3:1-6). Joshua fell facedown when he encountered God (Josh. 5:13-15). Ezekiel fell facedown when he encountered God (Ezek. 1:25-28). While in exile on the island of Patmos, John encountered the Lord and fell at His feet as though dead (Rev. 1:17). The Third Commandment is a guardrail to help us maintain a right relationship with God. Our view of God is demonstrated by our thoughts, our conversation, and our conduct. The lifestyle we embrace is a direct reflection of our view of God. Reverencing God’s Name includes how we make decisions, how we treat others, and how we invest our time. Your life will either honor God or dishonor God. The choices you make dictate the direction of your life and the trajectory of your love for God. When you choose to drift from God, you are choosing to misuse the name of the Lord. When you choose to live in the flesh rather than walking in the Spirit, you misuse the name of the Lord. What will others learn about God by viewing your life? Does your life radiate reverence for God? Will others be drawn to God by your devotion and loyalty to Him? Reverence God’s Name by living up to the Name you bear. You are a child of the Living God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Idolatry Ten Commandments Worship

Eliminate Idolatry

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” Exodus 20:4-6 (NIV) What is an idol? Whatever you value more than God is an idol. The American idols include money, prestige, material possessions, fame, and power. We are approval addicts and admiration stations. We long to be noticed and to be affirmed to the level of becoming our own idol. We are made to worship. There is a tendency to bypass worshiping our Creator and choose instead to worship creation. God’s uniqueness requires unique devotion. The desire to fashion God in our own image produces a distorted view of God and confuses our created purpose. Moses was instructed to engage in conflict resolution as a result of Israel’s rebellion: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt’” (Exod. 32:7-8 NIV). Eliminate idolatry! Eliminate those things you love more than God. God demands and deserves your loyalty. You demonstrate loyalty through Lordship. Who occupies the throne of your life? Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Lordship Priorities Ten Commandments

Put God First

“‘You shall have no other gods beforeme.’” Exodus 20:3 (NIV) Israel had a tendency to worship the idols of other nations, which eventually resulted in their being exiled to Assyria and Babylonia. Turning away from one’s primary object of devotion, namely God, is to worship other gods. God is a jealous God and demands undivided loyalty and devotion. God created us for Himself and does not honor our proclivity to divert our devotion. Joshua combated this tendency and boldly declared his radical devotion to the Lord, “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Josh. 24:15 NIV). In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus clarified the truth behind our perpetual dilemma, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Matt. 6:24 NIV). Put God first in your finances. Honor God by tithing your income. Give ten percent, save ten percent, and then spend the remaining eighty percent in a way that blesses God and benefits others. Put God first in your schedule. Start each day with God. Spend unhurried time alone with Him in Bible reading and prayer. Grow in your love relationship by nurturing the life of Christ in you. Guard your daily intimacy with the Lord. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (Jas. 4:8). Put God first in your relationships. Make room in your life to build meaningful relationships with others. Make it obvious in your relationships that Jesus is your top priority. Demonstrate His Lordship in all of your relationships. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Provision Initiative Ten Commandments

God Initiates

“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.’” Exodus 20:2 (NIV) Moses spent forty years in the palace, forty years in the desert, and then forty years as the deliverer of the children of Israel. God was strategically developing Moses for the special assignment of leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Before delivering The Ten Commandments, God reminded them of His provision of bringing them out of the land of slavery. God graciously got them out of Egypt, now He was getting Egypt out of them. God is a God of Relationship. He initiated the love relationship we enjoy with Him. God chose to become like us so that we could become like Him. God took the initiative to develop us in Christ, as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to Him. Being adopted into His forever family did not come into fruition because of our human effort, but as a result of God’s redemptive activity. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom. 5:8 (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) If you ever question your value in God’s eyes, just look to the cross. God took the initiative to build the ultimate love bridge to you so that you could have harmony with Him and enjoy eternal life. When did you respond to God’s offer of salvation? When did you become a follower of Jesus Christ and a recipient of God’s unconditional love? Now take the initiative to share the gift of eternal life with others. Shine His light and share His love so that others can have the personal and eternal relationship you enjoy with Jesus. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Communication Revelation Ten Commandments

God Communicates

“And God spoke all these words.” Exodus 20:1 (NIV) God speaks! God communicates His plan and articulates His passion for us to know His will so that we can do His will. God reveals Himself so that we can orient our lives around His revelation. As Henry Blackaby says, “God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.” The Ten Commandments are not designed to punish us, but to protect us. They are not intended to harm, but to help. As we explore the Decalogue, we will discover that God has provided these guardrails to help us do life God’s way. Consider the Ten Commandments as boundaries that benefit and bless. The first four commandments are boundaries that benefit your relationship with God. The remaining six commandments are boundaries that benefit your relationship with others. You cannot have a right relationship with God without having a right relationship with others. Also, you cannot have a right relationship with others without having a right relationship with God. The Ten Commandments provide clear guidelines on how to reverence God and to respect others. Let the vertical beam on the cross represent your relationship with God. Remember, that God chose to communicate His love to you by extending His grace to you through the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. In Christ, you become the recipient of God’s revealed plan of salvation. Now consider the horizontal beam of the cross and allow it to represent your relationship with others. God has reconciled you to Himself in Christ so that you can join Him in bringing others into a saving relationship with Jesus. Your relationship with others matters to God. God chose to speak into your life so that you can communicate His love to others. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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God's Timing Moses Ten Commandments

God Delivers

“‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” Exodus 20:2 (ESV) Moses spent forty years in the palace, forty years in the desert, and then forty years as the deliverer of the children of Israel. God was strategically developing Moses for the special assignment of leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Before delivering The Ten Commandments, God reminded them of His provision of bringing them out of the land of slavery. God graciously got them out of Egypt, now He was getting Egypt out of them. God is a God of Relationship. He initiated the love relationship we enjoy with Him. God chose to become like us so that we could become like Him. God took the initiative to develop us in Christ, as a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people belonging to Him. Being adopted into His forever family did not come into fruition because of our human effort, but as a result of God’s redemptive activity. If you ever question your value in God’s eyes, just look to the cross. God took the initiative to build the ultimate love bridge to you so that you could have harmony with Him and enjoy eternal life. When did you respond to God’s offer of salvation? When did you become a follower of Jesus Christ and a recipient of God’s unconditional love? God has delivered you from your sin and brought you into the land of Promise. Now take the initiative to share the gift of eternal life with others. Shine His light and share His love so that others can have the personal and eternal relationship you enjoy with Jesus. Chronological Bible Reading Plan: (Day 36:  Exodus 19-21) Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Generosity Greed Ten Commandments

Unleash Generosity

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 1 Tim 6:18 (NIV) Another way to control the desire to acquire is by unleashing generosity. Jesus is our model to follow. Teaching, preaching, casting out demons, praying, and extending personal touch ministry marked Jesus’ life on earth. Jesus maintained a balanced life centered on doing God’s will. Loving God and loving others was the central focus of His life. Jesus came to our planet to reconcile us to God. He willingly gave His life as the sinless sacrifice for our redemption (Col. 1:20). Jesus lived, died, was buried, rose on the third day, and forty days later ascended to heaven. Sitting at the right hand of the Father, Jesus intercedes on our behalf (Rm. 8:34). Your purpose in this life is to unleash generosity by continuing the ministry of Jesus. You have been saved by grace alone through faith alone to join God in His redemptive activity. God has entrusted every moment of your day to you for careful stewardship. How are you responding to the opportunities God places before you to generously continue the ministry of Jesus? Be rich in good deeds. Invest your life by adding value to others. Serve others from a heart of purity seasoned by daily intimacy with Christ. If you are going to continue the ministry of Jesus, then you must operate in His power. Adding value to others will require spiritual nourishment and spiritual energy. Maintain a living connection with Christ through feeding on God’s Word and seeking His face daily. To do what Jesus did mandates that you nurture your love relationship with God. The outflow of your living connection with Christ will be doing good, being generous, and willing to share. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Gratitude Ten Commandments Thankfulness

Cultivate Gratitude

“Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” Psalm 105:1 (NIV) How do you control the desire to acquire? Embrace this healthy habit: Cultivate gratitude. Put gratitude in your attitude. Consider Jim Elliot’s insight, “One of the greatest blessings of heaven is the appreciation of heaven on earth.” Be thankful. Be appreciative. Be grateful. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Gal. 3:16-17  (NIV) “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Eph. 5:19-20 (NIV) “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Php. 4:6 (NIV) “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thes. 5:18 As you cultivate gratitude, you will notice that your perspective on life will become healthier. Your interaction with others will be seasoned with grace. Instead of being critical of others, you will become compassionate towards others. Gratitude will enable you to enjoy what God has given you and will enable you to appreciate the blessings God has lavished on you. Cultivating gratitude will unleash God’s love in you and through you. Be thankful for what God has done to reconcile you to Himself. Be appreciative of God’s invitation for you to join Him in His activity. Be grateful for the opportunities God gives you to spread the fragrance of Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Covet Desire Ten Commandments

Control the Desire to Acquire

“‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.’” Exodus 20:17 (NIV) I remember hearing a powerful statement made by Andy Stanley that I would like to share with you. He said, “Your appetites are never fully and finally satisfied.” Think about that for a moment in relation to the Tenth Commandment. When you covet, you are feeding an inward desire for something that God says is sinful. God gives you the desire to acquire and to fulfill your God-given appetites. However, when you choose to go beyond the guardrails God has established, it produces sin. Greed is the seed that converts a want into a need. The Israelites were not to long for, desire earnestly, or lust after what legitimately belonged to others. Greed has a way of inflaming the desire to acquire. God established this particular guardrail to preserve unity and morality in the covenant community. Control the desire to acquire. When your desire to acquire catches on fire, you begin to worry. The more you have the more you have to take care of and worry about. When the desire to acquire is ignited, there is a tendency to spend more than you make and then the mountain of debt escalates. The desire to acquire can lead you into perpetual disappointment and dissatisfaction. You will feel like it is never enough. When the desire to acquire catches fire you become weary in trying to keep up with others. Don’t fertilize the seed of greed. Ask the Lord to help you live a life that honors Him and benefits others. Surrender to the Lordship of Christ and yield to His control. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Lying Ten Commandments Truth

Tell the Truth

“‘You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.‘” Exodus 20:15 (NIV) The court system of a nation depends on the honesty of its people. Lying misrepresents God, misleads others, & mutilates your testimony. Tell the truth by presenting the truth accurately. Don’t falsify information. “Do not spread false reports” (Exodus 22:1 NIV). Don’t exaggerate information. Don’t withhold information. “Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.” Prv 25:18 NIV “A truthful witness saves lives, but a false witness is deceitful.” Prv 14:24 (NIV) “If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.” Lev 5:1 (NIV) THINK before your speak. Ask these questions: Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind? Be a truth bearer by speaking words of integrity and honesty. Reflect the character of Christ by being truthful and telling the truth. Do not misrepresent Christ by stretching the truth. Commit to speak words that are in alignment with the truth of God’s Word. Speak words that feature accuracy, unity, and a sense of community. The way you speak to others demonstrates how much you value people. When you give false testimony about others, you are demeaning the people Jesus died for. Speak words of life and words of instruction and words of encouragement. Choose to leverage your vocabulary to bring others to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Influence Stewardship Ten Commandments

Maximize Your Influence

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.” 1 Thes. 4:11-12 (NIV) What kind of impact are you making on the lives of others? What are you doing to maximize your influence? Choose to maximize your influence by winning the respect of outsiders. How do you do that? You win the respect of outsiders by leading a quiet life, minding your own business, and working with your hands. Demonstrating a strong work ethic and living a life of personal responsibility elevates your influence. You can also maximize your influence by sharing with those in need. Being generous towards others releases your influence and emulates the heart of Christ. You are never more like Jesus than when you are giving. God has created you to honor Him and to benefit others. Find a need and meet it. Choose to continue the ministry of Jesus on the earth. Another way to maximize your influence is by making God’s Word attractive. “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:9-10 NIV). A contemporary application of these two verses is to seek to please your employer and to be respectful towards them and show that you can be fully trusted. By being a model employee, you are making God’s Word attractive. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Deception Integrity Ten Commandments

Maintain Your Integrity

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10 (NIV) Maintain your integrity. My favorite definition of integrity is: when the tongue in your mouth lines up with the tongue in your shoe. To be a person of integrity means that you are unmixed and unadulterated. With integrity, your walk and your talk are synonymous. There is no disparity and no duplicity. A person of integrity is not divided. For the person of integrity, the public life matches the private life. Be trustworthy and honest. God rewards obedience. God values trustworthiness and honesty. If God can trust you with very little, then God can trust you with much. What are you doing with all that God has entrusted to your care? What kind of lifestyle are you embracing? Are you being trustworthy? Whenever there is a gap in your integrity. Close the gap by making restitution. Make things right between you and God. Be vigilant in making things right with others. Resolve to make personal adjustments in your life to close the gap. Remove harmful habits and embrace healthy patterns to build a bridge of reconciliation to others. Zacchaeus had a life-changing experience that resulted in his willingness to make restitution. He had financed his selfish lifestyle at the expense of others. “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’” Luke 19:8 (NIV) Investigate your integrity. How’s your private life? How does your private life line up with your public life? Is there a gap? With the Lord’s help, address your duplicity and close the gap by God’s grace. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

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Deception Stealing Ten Commandments

Delete Deception

“‘You shall not steal.’” Exodus 20:15 (NIV) The Eighth Commandment connects with me on a deeper level as a result of our family vehicle being stolen during my son’s baseball tournament in May of 2010. When something is stolen from you it makes you feel violated and reminds you how vulnerable you really are to the fragments of living in a fallen world. Stealing dishonors God, deceives other, and defiles your testimony. The Eighth Commandment teaches us to delete deception. One way to delete deception is by being honest with our financial resources. God expects us to be good stewards of all that He has blessed us with. Biblical stewardship includes tithing our income. Giving ten percent of our income to the Lord’s work brings honor to God and benefits others. Tithing demonstrates our trust in God’s provision and is a reflection of our submission to His Lordship. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10 (NIV) “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” 2 Cor 9:6 (NIV) Test God by tithing your income and trust God to meet your needs according to His riches in glory. Be a good steward of what God has given you and respect what God has given to others. Sow into the Lord’s work so that others can come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ around the world. Delete deception by being a generous giver for the global glory of God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell