Archive for the ‘Servitude’ Category
April 12th, 2010
“‘The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.’” John 12:25-26 (NIV)
Why did you wake up this morning? What are you giving your life to today? Who are you living for? God is working all things together for His glory and for your good.
Today matters! God desires to conform you into the image of Christ. Christlikeness does not come without your willingness to fully surrender your life to the Holy Spirit’s control. As you choose to lose your life, the life of Christ becomes more evident in you.
Consider embracing the attitude of servitude. Allow Jesus to live His life in you and through you. There’s room only for one to take the reins to your life. Will you give Jesus His rightful place in your life? You cannot live the life God has for you apart from Christ in you. Even on your best day, you will come up short of God’s perfection.
- “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Gal 2:20 (NIV)
Live by faith in the Son of God. Christ is in you and He is the hope of glory. Surrender to the Lordship of Christ and continue to follow His lead. Victory in this life comes through daily surrender to the One who gave His life for you. Align your life to serve your Heavenly Father in full surrender.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
April 1st, 2010
“And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, ‘Surely this man was the Son of God!’” Mark 15:39 (NIV)
What was it about the final hours of Jesus’ life that made an eternal impact on the centurion who approved of the crucifixion of Jesus? What were the features of Jesus’ death that convinced the centurion that Jesus was the Son of God? I wonder how many crucifixions this centurion had witnessed before he even knew Jesus existed. Perhaps the centurion had personally witnessed hundreds or thousands of these executions.
There was something about the way Jesus died that changed everything for this centurion. Maybe the centurion overheard the conversation between Jesus and the thief on the cross who said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom”(Luke 23:42 NIV). Jesus responded to the thief, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”(Luke 23:43 NIV). Perhaps the centurion saw the grace of God in action as Jesus put the needs of someone else before His own.
The centurion could have been standing close enough to overhear Jesus say to His mother, “Dear woman, here is your son” and to the disciple whom Jesus loved, “Here is your mother”(John 19:26-27 NIV). Maybe the centurion detected the deep love that Jesus had for His mother and the compassion Jesus extended from the cross. In the midst of extreme adversity, Jesus made sure His mother’s needs would be met. Of all the crucifixions the centurion assisted in, perhaps he had never seen such love.
Adversity creates unique opportunities to show the love of Jesus as you serve others. Jesus exemplified servitude in the midst of extreme adversity. Are you watching for opportunities to serve others while you navigate the terrain of adversity?
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
February 5th, 2010
“They tell 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 rescues us from the coming wrath.” 1 Thess 1:9-10 (NIV)
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!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
November 30th, 2008
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Gal 5:13 (NIV)
You are free! You have the freedom to serve and the freedom to choose not to serve. The freedom is yours to turn inward and become self-focused and self-absorbed. However, the freedom is yours also to turn outward and become other-focused. You can embrace the freedom you have in Christ and unleash that freedom to serve God and to serve to benefit others.
Freedom can be abused. You can embrace your freedom to feed your flesh. As you feed the cravings of your sinful nature, your fleshly appetite will increase. Indulgence is a natural byproduct of our fallen nature. It is possible to drift into selfishness and self worship. Idolatry is simply the perversion of freedom.
What if you captured your freedom in Christ like a sail capturing the wind in order to serve one another? Your mobility and your maneuverability for the Lord would be catalytic. Operating in the freedom that you have in Christ removes the curtain of darkness over the horizon. You have been set free by the shed blood of Jesus to pursue God and to participate in His Kingdom agenda. Serve one another in love. Impart to others the same unconditional love you have graciously received from God in Christ.
It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
November 29th, 2008
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25 (NIV)
What motivates you to serve God? What motivates you to serve to benefit others? It’s not our natural proclivity to serve. Serving is the result of an abiding relationship with Jesus. Selfishness flows like a river in the human race. Selflessness flows from the life of Christ through a believer fully yielded to Christ.
- “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.” Romans 7:6 (NIV)
- “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” Heb 9:14 (NIV)
Jesus took the initiative to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could die to sin and live for righteousness. As sheep, we follow our Shepherd’s lead. Jesus was willing to serve to benefit us immediately and eternally. We have been released from the law that once bound us in order to serve in the way of the Spirit. We have been empowered to live the Christ-centered life by the Indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus has provided the way for us to serve the living God!
What is keeping you from serving God with full surrender and absolute devotion? What is keeping you from serving to benefit others in power of the Holy Spirit?
It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
November 28th, 2008
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 (NIV)
God has called you to serve. You were rescued by God and reconciled to God in order to serve God by serving to benefit others. Your life purpose on the earth is to be Jesus beginning in your Jerusalem. Jesus has demonstrated what a life yielded to God’s purpose looks like. Jesus, though He was the master, chose to become the servant and wash His disciples’ feet. The lowly task of touching and washing dirty feet was the portrait of servitude exhibited by Jesus.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, you are not asked to do anything Jesus has not already done. To learn how to love God and how to love people, simply examine the life of Christ. To learn how to serve God and how to serve people, fasten your focus on Jesus.
- “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Heb 12:2 (NIV)
- “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21 (NIV)
Do as Jesus has done for you. Serve others as Jesus has served you by giving His life for you. Benefit others as Jesus has benefited you by bringing you into a right relationship with God.
It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
November 27th, 2008
“When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord.” Acts 9:26-28 (NIV)
Imagine the New Testament without Barnabas. What if Barnabas was unwilling to step up and stand in the gap for Saul (Paul)? What if Paul would not have been accepted by the apostles in the church at Jerusalem? Barnabas chose to serve Paul by befriending him and establishing him within the church at Jerusalem. As a result, Paul went on three missionary journeys and gave birth to many churches. Because Barnabas was willing to serve to benefit others, Paul was able to write what is now half of our New Testament. Remove Barnabas and we lose Paul. If we lose Paul, we lose half of the New Testament. Do you think that Barnabas made an eternal impact by serving to benefit others?
What a wonderful example of serving! Barnabas is such a great example of what God can do with a person who is willing to serve to benefit others. Live to be a blessing! Choose to serve to benefit others!
It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
November 26th, 2008
“Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:36-37 (NIV)
We are introduced to Barnabas in the flow of the movement of God known as the Jerusalem church. There were no needy people among the flock because the church family willingly sold some of their houses and land and brought the proceeds to the apostles for distribution. Barnabas embraced the “others-first” lifestyle. He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.
His real name was Joseph, but the apostles called him Barnabas. The name Barnabas means Son of Encouragement. Barnabas lived in such a way as to add value to the lives of others. He was the kind of believer who would draw out the best in others.
- “The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” Prov 20:5 (NIV)
Are you serving to benefit others? What if you sought to draw out the best in others? Think about the people God has placed in your sphere of influence. Think about your family, your friends, and your frequent acquaintances. What if you chose to serve to benefit them?
Live in such a way as to add value to others. It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
November 25th, 2008
Consumerism dominates our cultural landscape. We easily slide into a “what have you done for me lately” mindset. In the natural, being served by others has instant appeal. We crave being served. Scratch my back and then I will let you scratch my back again.
In God’s kingdom economy, the focus shifts from selfishness to selflessness. As God’s kingdom citizens, we are to move away from a “me-first” mentality in order to embrace the “others-first” lifestyle.
- “‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” Mark 10:45 (NIV)
Jesus consistently lived the “others-first” lifestyle. As the Son of God, He had every right to be served, yet He chose to serve to benefit others. Jesus is our model to follow. Jesus is the ultimate example for us to emulate. We will never find a more accurate portrait of servitude than the One who gave His life for us.
Who will benefit from your life today? Ask God to elevate your sensitivity to each opportunity to serve to benefit others.
It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
November 24th, 2008
The situation looked bleak as the disciples tried to figure out a way to feed the five thousand men. When you add in the women and children, the need to feed triples in number. Philip quickly responded to Jesus that it would take more than eight months’ wages to provide each person with a bite. Then Andrew brings a little boy with a sack lunch to Jesus.
- “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ‘Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?’” John 6:8-9 (NIV).
We do not know the boy’s name, but we know something about his heart. This little boy was willing to serve to benefit others. He was willing to give up his lunch so that others could eat. Jesus maximized this little boy’s generosity and multiplied the blessing to meet all the needs. Not only did the little boy get to eat, but the multitudes ate as much as they wanted. Miraculously, the leftovers filled twelve baskets (John 6:13).
What if we chose to serve to benefit others? How would Jesus use us to spread His love if we consistently put the needs of others before our own?
It’s your serve!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor