August 29th, 2010
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matt 5:38-39 (NIV)
The religious leaders Jesus confronted during His earthly ministry had perverted the Mosaic Law. They inflamed the law of retaliation, known as the lex talionis, for their personal benefit. The law was intended to control excess and to ensure that the punishment would not exceed the offense (Ex. 21:22-25; Lev. 24:19-20). It was intended to prevent people from employing personal revenge. The religious leaders leveraged the law as a minimum. You would be expected to retaliate by punishing your offender at the same level of their offense to start with and then add to that revenge.
Jesus inverted their perversion by portraying the law of retaliation as a maximum. Revenge and retaliation would not be the proper response for the follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus presented the life-giving response of choosing to see the evil person as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. When someone strikes you on the cheek physically or through verbal assault, the fully yielded follower of Christ is to not retaliate based on his natural proclivity.
Turning the other cheek becomes the choice whereby you respond to the offense in the power of the Holy Spirit rather than reacting in the flesh. Instead of striking back by executing personal revenge, the believer is to respond with the grace and mercy of Christ.
You cannot redefine retaliation without operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. Your natural response will be to unleash revenge. Jesus ushers in a new response that blesses your offender and brings honor to God!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 28th, 2010
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47 (NIV)
God’s team is made up of those who have been saved by His grace. God’s team members wear the Jesus jersey and play for His glory. His team is characterized by unity, community, selflessness, generosity, compassion, loyalty, fellowship, gladness, sincerity, evangelism, and growth.
Doing church first involves being the church. Our doing flows out of our being. It is possible to become so busy doing church that you bypass the relational aspect of being the church. God has called us, the church, to an abiding relationship with Christ.
- “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” Eph 2:19-20 (NIV)
As a member of God’s household, you are called to abide in Christ. Your perpetual connection to Christ and His resources will result in bearing fruit. However, don’t focus on bearing fruit. Focus on abiding. As you abide in Christ, fruit will be born. Apart from Christ, you can do nothing. His is your Source and He is your Life! As you abide in Christ, you will instantly add more value to the team, the Body of Christ.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 27th, 2010
“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41 (NIV)
Wow! On the day of Pentecost, three thousand were adopted into God’s family. Three thousand were delivered from the clutches of hell and placed on the path that leads to heaven. Three thousand were saved by God and for God. They became followers of Jesus Christ and were added to His Body, the church. An eternal transaction took place!
What’s next? Now that the three thousand are in Christ, how are they to function as a community of Christ-followers? What will be different about their conversation and their conduct? Do they go back to business as usual or do they embrace a new way of living?
- “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.” Acts 2:42-43 (NIV)
Notice how their lifestyle radically changed. On this side of their salvation, the three thousand along with the other 120 believers start doing life together. They begin to operate as a community of believers. They are walking together in unity. Their priorities have shifted and their time allocation reflects the heart of God.
Take a moment to examine your life in light of Acts 2:42-43. Are you devoted to the reading, study, hearing, and application of God’s Word? Are you in fellowship with a group of believers you can do life with? Are you consistently embracing the privilege of prayer? Are you in awe of the redemptive activity of God?
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 26th, 2010
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
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!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 25th, 2010
“‘I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’” Luke 24:49 (NIV)
Jesus instructed the believers to wait in Jerusalem until they had received what His Father had promised, namely, power from on high. Jesus had to ascend back to the Father so that He could send the Counselor, the promised Holy Spirit (John 16:7). Yet, Jesus did not give them an exact time or date for the Holy Spirit’s arrival. They had to wait!
- “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’” Acts 1:4-5 (NIV)
The 120 believers waited ten days to be clothed with power from on high (Acts 1:15). Have you ever wondered why it took ten days? During that time, they replaced Judas by adding Matthias to the eleven apostles (Acts 1:26). But why did it take ten days? Perhaps the 120 believers had some internal issues to resolve. Maybe they had to confess sin and remove jealously, bitterness, and envy. Maybe it took ten days to come to the place of complete unity as a community of Christ-followers.
Are you currently waiting for God to reveal His next step for your life? Is there anything in your life that God wants you to deal with before He shows you what’s next? Ask the Lord to search your heart (Ps. 139:23).
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 24th, 2010
“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Matt 16:18 (NIV)
God ordained marriage and God ordained the church. We are married to Christ and our union is expressed through His Body, the church. Peter confessed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus affirmed that He would build His church on that reality.
In order to become a follower of Jesus Christ and become a member of His Body, the church, a person must confess Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. This profession of our faith is essential to salvation (Rom. 10:9-10). Jesus builds His church by adopting us into His family (Eph. 1:5). Only those who are born again enter into His Kingdom (John 3:3).
Jesus builds His church. Our job is to be the church. Jesus saves people from their sin. Our job is to share the Good News of Jesus so that others can know Jesus personally and eternally. Jesus saves us, not to sit, but to serve. Our role in the Body of Christ, the church, is to empty hell and to populate heaven.
The church is not the physical building. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are the church. We are the church gathered in worship and the church scattered on mission during the week. God wants us to be the church so that the world will have the opportunity to come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Express your union with Christ. May others be drawn to Christ through your witness. Testify of His redeeming love and share your spiritual story.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 23rd, 2010
“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Acts 16:25 (NIV)
Think about where you sit each Sunday when you attend the worship service at your local church. Maybe you like sitting in the rear of the worship center, or maybe the front, or perhaps on the side. Find your place and think about what you do during that time of worship. This is your weekly experience of joining other believers in public worship of the One who lived, died, and rose again to bring you life eternal.
Your worship is a witness. Did you realize that the way you express your worship to Almighty God is a witness to others. Your worship matters to God and impacts others. Consider your worship the past few Sundays. Were others inspired by your worship? Was it evident to others that Christ is your life? Did you express your love to God in such a way that others nearby where convinced of your devotion?
Paul and Silas were in prison for preaching the gospel. In the middle of the night, they were praying and singing hymns to God. That must have been an unusual sight for the other prisoners to behold. You see, the other prisoners were listening. Paul and Silas’ midnight expression of worship was a witness. God showed up in His power and delivered Paul and Silas from their confinement. God also brought salvation to the jailer and his entire household. The prisoners had never seen anything like that before.
What king of witness is your worship to others? The way you focus in worship each week is so important. Expressing your love to God in public worship has the capacity to influence others. Bring your passion to corporate worship this upcoming weekend and be intentional about your worship being a witness.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 22nd, 2010
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Psalm 100:2 (NIV)
What are you passionate about? Perhaps you get excited about engaging in life-giving activities such as playing golf, fishing, shopping, scrap-booking, or painting. Maybe your passion is decorating your home or working in the yard. It would take less than thirty seconds to discover your passion. Whatever you are passionate about will surface rather quickly as you interact with people.
God wants you to bring your passion to public worship. Whenever you assemble with other believers in a corporate setting to worship God, you can choose to engage or to totally disengage. God gives you the freedom to passionately pursue Him in public worship. God desires your passionate worship and God deserves your passionate worship.
It is so easy to direct our passion toward so many other things in life and then bring God the leftovers when we come to a worship service with other believers. We can enter a beautiful worship center filled with fellow believers and drift into a dormant posture for worship. Instead of giving God our best, we can so easily be distracted by the tugs of this life. It it possible to worship our work and fail to work at our worship designed to express our love to God.
Do you worship the Lord with gladness? Is there passion in your expression of worship? Come into His presence with joyful songs. If you have been delivered from the flames of hell and placed on the road that leads to life, then you have a song to sing. If you have been saved by the grace of God and become a citizen of heaven, then you have a song to sing. Bring your passion to worship. Sing with appreciation in your heart for all that God has brought you through. Passionately express your worship to the One who gave you eternal life!
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 21st, 2010
“God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” 1 Cor 1:9 (NIV)
Every believer is called by God and for God. The highest calling on a believer’s life is not to become a preacher or an international missionary. The highest calling on a believer’s life is to live in unbroken fellowship with Jesus Christ. What we do vocationally and relationally flows out of that calling to perpetually fellowship with Jesus. Being united with Christ and nurturing His life in us is our ongoing assignment.
God is faithful! You can anchor your faith to His faithfulness. God created you for intimacy with His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. You have been chosen by God to enter into the most dynamic, meaningful, and purpose driven relationship ever established. The redemptive work of Christ on the cross has given you access to the one relationship that will change your forever. Your life will never operate in the center of God’s will until you come into fellowship with Jesus.
Now that you are in Christ, grow in your love relationship with Him. Enjoy daily intimacy with the Lord through having a daily quiet time. Make a standing appointment with the Lord each day. Give Him your undivided attention. Spend unhurried time alone with Him as you read His Word and sit at His feet. Encounter His abiding presence as you pour out your heart in prayer. Share your fears, frustrations, and failures. Express your appreciation for all that Jesus has done to set you free and to empower you to live in victory.
Fellowship with Jesus is not only a specific amount of time carved out to have a daily devotion, but also an ongoing relationship. You can walk with Jesus moment-by-moment in full awareness of His presence. You can talk to Jesus throughout the day. Invite Jesus to live His life through you.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell
August 20th, 2010
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:4-5 (NIV)
God has placed within us the abiding desire to belong. We were not created to live in isolation. God created us to live in authentic community with other believers. God designed the Body of Christ to function in community. Once you are adopted into God’s spiritual family, you immediately belong to every believer on the planet. You are eternally linked with millions of believers.
Now that you are in Christ, you are a member of His global body. You are connected to every believer who has ever lived. Though we are many, we form one body and belong to each other. Being connected to the body of believers has an immediate and local implication. You are to express your spiritual gifts by serving through the local body of believers. That’s why it is vital that you connect to a Christ-centered, Bible believing, and soul conscious church.
God wants you to connect with other believers in a local church. Don’t try to live the Christian life in isolation. God does not want you to be a closet Christian. God wants you to go public with your faith and He wants you to get connected to a thriving local church so you can worship, grow, and serve.
Your function in the local church is part of God’s master plan. Your contribution to the life and ministry of the local church has immediate and eternal implications. God has saved you and adopted you into His forever family so that you can participate with Him in bringing others into His family. Do you long to belong?
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor
Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell