NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper – The Boy Who Gave Up His Lunch

Ryan Hoffer on June 10, 2025

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

John 6:9

THE BOY WHO GAVE UP HIS LUNCH

John’s Gospel is the only account to mention that the five loaves and two fish Jesus multiplied were provided by a young boy—a detail not in contradiction, but one of added distinction (the other accounts simply do not disclose the origin of the food). In verse 9, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, says, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish.” Of course, we are not privy to the negotiation that took place between the disciples and the boy, but one can only imagine that the miracle was initiated with a charitable spirit on his part. The boy was willing to part with his food.

The story brings me back to a day when I was shopping with my 9-year-old son. As we walked through the toy aisle, he was contemplating buying something with his own money but vacillating on whether or not to do it. Knowing that he is generally conservative with his spending, I encouraged him—just this once—to go ahead and buy it. Suddenly, worry crept in, and he confessed that he wanted to, but didn’t want to lose his money. I recall telling him, “That money came from me, and I’m capable of giving you more.”

Now, I have found on more than one occasion that the Lord activates the principles of His Word in the parenting relationship with my children. Instantly, I was struck with deep conviction. My son cheerfully grabbed his toy, while I stood recovering from the existential moment in the aisle of Wal-Mart. Lesson learned.

Today, remember the boy who gave up his lunch in John 6. Not only did 5,000 people eat “as much as they wanted” (v. 11), but there were twelve baskets of food left over. Maybe it’s time we give the Lord our resources—whatever they may be—and let Him put them to work to do immeasurably more than they are currently doing.

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Take Inventory

Ryan Hoffer on June 9, 2025

Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

John 6:5

TAKE INVENTORY

I always find it pleasantly ironic when Jesus asks questions. How could He, who is omniscient, gain new understanding from our response? The fact is, He does not—and it is a grace, even, that the Creator would bend His ear to consider the suggestion of the created.

Such is the case in John 6:5, when Jesus asks Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” The author of the Gospel subsequently discloses our Savior’s motive in verse 6: “He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.” Therefore, the disciples are prompted to take inventory—which always seems to be the result when the Lord asks questions of us.

Philip, almost scoffing at the challenge, responds with an incredulous, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” To put it in perspective, a denarius was a day’s wage for a worker in Jesus’ day (Matthew 20:2). In other words, “Lord, over half a year’s salary wouldn’t be enough!”

Going one step further, Andrew finds a boy with five barley loaves and two fish, but—like Philip—remains unconvinced that anything can be done. It is after this inventory, when the disciples have noted the distance between what Jesus wants to accomplish and what they lack, that He is able to demonstrate His super-abundance.

Has the Lord asked you a question recently? In a sense, He’s asking you to take inventory—perhaps of your resources or your spiritual condition. Not that He needs to know how little or how much you have; He doesn’t. He needs you to know. In the knowing, the conditions will be met for Him to work the miracle.

Remember, “he himself knew what he would do” (v. 6).

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper: Your Story Could be the Spark

Larry Grays on June 6, 2025

This miraculous sign at Cana… was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

John 2:11 (NLT)

YOUR STORY COULD BE THE SPARK

In the late 1800s, Edward Kimball, a quiet Sunday School teacher, felt burdened to talk to a teenage boy in his class about Jesus. Nervously, he visited the young man at the shoe store where he worked. That simple, obedient conversation led to the boy’s salvation. His name? Dwight L. Moody became one of the most influential evangelists of the 19th century, preaching to over 100 million people. But the story didn’t stop there. Moody’s ministry influenced F.B. Meyer, who impacted Wilbur Chapman, who led Billy Sunday to Christ. Sunday’s preaching later influenced Mordecai Ham—who preached the message that brought Billy Graham to faith. One quiet act of obedience—by a forgotten shoe store visitor—set off a chain reaction that changed millions of lives (Culbertson, Moody: A Biography).

John 2:11 shows us how Jesus’ glory was revealed not through a loud sermon but through faithful obedience at a wedding. It was behind the scenes, in the shadows—but it led to belief. What you do may not look like a miracle. But when you obey, God uses your actions to point others to Him. It might be your kindness, your consistency, your courage, or your compassion. You never know who’s watching—or how God might use you to light someone’s path to Jesus.

Reflection Questions:

Is there someone around you who might see Jesus through your obedience?
How can you live with eternity in mind today?

Prayer:

Lord, help me remember that no act of faith is wasted. Use my life, my choices, and even my small steps to reveal Your glory and lead others to believe. Amen.

Dr. Larry Grays is the father of four and lives in the Canton area. Larry consults with churches, schools, city governments, and businesses nationwide. He’s been a member of the NorthStar family for over 20 years.

Digging Deeper: God’s Timing > Our Timing

Larry Grays on June 5, 2025

Dear woman, that’s not our problem… My time has not yet come.

John 2:4 (NLT)

GOD’S TIMING > OUR TIMING

In 2000, Pastor Mark Batterson and a small team began praying around Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., asking God to open doors for ministry. They felt called to launch a church—but nothing seemed to move quickly. For months, they walked and prayed with no building, no congregation, and no budget. Years later, God led them to purchase and renovate a dilapidated 1930s movie theater called The Miracle Theatre. That location became the heart of National Community Church—one of the most influential churches in D.C. today. Batterson later wrote, “God’s delays are not His denials. They’re a test of our trust” (Draw the Circle).

Jesus told Mary His time had not yet come. To us, that might sound like a “no.” But it wasn’t a refusal—it was a reminder that the when matters as much as the what. We often want a microwave miracle, but God is more of a slow-roast Savior. His timing is tied to His glory.

You may be waiting on an answer, a breakthrough, or direction. Take heart: God’s clock is never late. He’s always working behind the scenes—even when it feels like He’s holding back. God’s best comes in God’s time.

Reflection Questions:

What is one area where you’re struggling to wait on God?
How can you stay faithful while you wait?

Prayer:
Father, teach me to trust Your timing. Even when I don’t see progress, help me believe You’re preparing the best. I surrender my schedule to Your sovereignty. Amen.

Digging Deeper: Obedience Unblocks Blessings

Larry Grays on June 4, 2025

Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” … So the servants followed his instructions.

John 2:7-9 (NLT)

OBEDIENCE UNBLOCKS BLESSINGS

Have you ever tried to bake cookies without following the recipe? “Flour, sugar, eggs… what could go wrong?” But what if you forget the sugar? The result? Chocolate chip biscuits that taste like drywall. The right outcome requires the right obedience!

In John 2, Jesus gives the servants a curious command: fill the jars with water. Not wine. Not grape juice concentrate. Just plain water. But here’s the key—they did it anyway. They didn’t argue. They didn’t ask for a better plan. They followed His instructions, even when it didn’t make sense.

Obedience is where many of us get stuck. We want Jesus to work, but we hesitate to obey. We want the wine without the water jars. But faith doesn’t work that way. God often asks for our obedience before He reveals the outcome. The servants filled the jars—and filled them to the brim. That’s not halfway obedience. That’s all in. And what came next? Transformation. The water turned to wine. The ordinary became a blessing.

God’s not looking for perfect people. He’s looking for obedient ones. When we trust Him enough to do the simple thing—go, serve, forgive, give, pray—He shows up with supernatural power.

Reflection Questions:

Is there a simple act of obedience you’ve been putting off?
How can you obey God wholeheartedly, not halfway?

Prayer:
Lord, help me trust You even when I don’t understand. Give me the faith to obey, even in the small things, knowing You bring the transformation. Amen.

Love that is Unconditional

Kevin Burrell on June 4, 2025

God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”

1 John 4:9-10

LOVE THAT IS UNCONDITIONAL

There are days—or even weeks—when we feel like we’re soaring: prayers are answered, plans are thriving, and there are more wins than losses. We sense that God’s presence is near.
And then there are days when nothing goes as planned—we stumble, we fall, we fail, or we feel far from God, wondering if He could possibly still love us.

However, God’s Word (the Bible) is crystal clear. Do not miss this truth:

“God’s love for us is not based on our performance, but on His character.”

Don’t misinterpret that. This does not give us a license to live however we want. There are always consequences to disobedience.

In 1 John 4:9–10, we see love in its purest form—real love. Authentic love. Genuine love. Not a love we earn, or one based on our performance, but a love freely given. God didn’t wait for us to get our act together. He loved us first, and He proved it by sending Jesus, His only Son, to willingly lay down His life so we could have a right relationship with God the Father.

God’s love is constant—on your best days and your worst days. His love is not based on who we are, but on who He is. It’s not based on what we do or how well we perform, but on what Jesus has already done.

Listen closely: Even when you blow it—when guilt weighs heavy and shame whispers that you’re unlovable—God’s love remains. It doesn’t retreat. It doesn’t relent. It doesn’t hesitate. It embraces you.

The cross of Christ is eternal proof that “nothing can separate you from God’s love.”
(Romans 8:38–39)

You were made by God and for God—and until you understand that, life will never make sense.

Love is God’s nature. He created the universe and everything in it just so He could love it. And He created you so He could love you.

Embrace His love. Be captured by it.

Take a deep breath. Let go of the need to prove yourself. Whether today feels like a spiritual victory or a valley of failure, remember this:

You are deeply, fully, unconditionally, and forever loved by God.

Love God. Love People. Live Sent.

Be Worth Being.

Kevin

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 44 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.

Digging Deeper: Listen Up

Larry Grays on June 3, 2025

The wine supply ran out… His mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

John 2:3-5 (NLT)

LISTEN UP

A guy once tried to fix his garbage disposal using advice from the internet. He jammed a wooden spoon in the drain and blew a fuse in the whole house. Why? Because he followed some instructions—but not the right ones. Listening matters!

This story of Jesus at the wedding reveals another layer of His character. Not only is He present, but He is speaking. Mary, His mother, understood this. She didn’t panic. She didn’t call Costco. She turned to the only One who could solve the problem and simply said, “Do whatever He tells you.”

It’s one thing to want to hear from God. It’s another to be willing to do what He says. And often, the real issue isn’t that God is silent—the problem is that we’re not listening, or at least not listening with a willingness to obey.

When Jesus says, “My time has not yet come,” He’s reminding Mary—and us—that He operates on a divine timeline. But that didn’t stop Mary from trusting that something good was about to happen. She gave the servants the best wedding advice anyone could give: “Do whatever He tells you.”

Are you willing to take that same advice today? Sometimes, God’s instructions don’t make sense at first glance. They may sound inconvenient, uncomfortable, or even illogical. But obedience always precedes the blessing.

Reflection Questions:

Have you been ignoring any prompts from God lately?
What would doing “whatever He tells you” look like this week?

Prayer:
Father, I want to be a better listener. Give me ears to hear and a heart ready to obey. Help me trust that Your instructions lead to life. Amen.

Digging Deeper: Jesus is Closer than You Think

Larry Grays on June 2, 2025

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration.

John 2:1-2 (NLT)

JESUS IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

At first glance, this passage feels like a simple RSVP—Jesus attended a wedding. But tucked inside these two verses is a profound truth: God cares about the everyday moments of our lives. He doesn’t just show up in crises, but at celebrations, dinners, soccer games, and graduation parties.

There is something deeply comforting about knowing Jesus didn’t distance Himself from community. He wasn’t just about miracles and messages—He was about moments. And this moment at Cana reminds us that He isn’t limited to the sacred. He steps into the social.

Jesus’ presence at the wedding redefines how we see God. He’s not distant. He’s not disengaged. He’s invited. But here’s the catch—He doesn’t crash the party. You’ve got to invite Him in.

You and I often compartmentalize faith: “This is church time. This is work time. This is family time.” But Jesus doesn’t work within our categories. He wants access to all of it. Whether you’re planning a wedding or folding laundry, His presence makes the ordinary extraordinary. If He showed up in Cana, He can show up in Acworth. The question isn’t whether He’s willing—it’s whether we invite Him into the details.

Reflection Questions:

Where in your daily routine have you unintentionally left Jesus out?
What’s one area you can intentionally invite Him into this week?

Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for showing up in ordinary places. Remind me that You care about the details of my life. Help me to see You in my everyday, and give me the courage to invite You into every part of my story. Amen.

Digging Deeper: Process Over Results

Lee Wilson on May 30, 2025

¹⁰But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

Daniel 6:10 (NLT)

PROCESS OVER RESULTS

College football is always a big deal—especially down here in the South. This past season was a bit different, though, without Nick Saban patrolling the sidelines in Tuscaloosa. Coach Saban retired with a career record of 292-71-1 and seven national championships.

Many people regard him as one of—if not the—best college football coaches of all time. Though I, like Bulldog fans everywhere, won’t miss him on the other sideline, I am in awe of all he has accomplished.

A hallmark phrase for Saban and his former players is the idea often referred to as “the process.” Essentially, it refers to the mindset of focusing on daily improvement—getting better every single day—regardless of the results on the field. The concept of being process-oriented rather than outcome-oriented is the crux of the philosophy.

Conceptually, the idea is this: if your goal is to win a championship or beat a particular rival, what happens once you accomplish that goal? What will continue to motivate you? How will you keep growing if your sole focus is the outcome? Trusting the process is paramount to finding lasting success.

This week, we’ve studied Daniel in the lion’s den. This famous encounter tells of a faithful man sent to certain doom, only to have God intervene to protect and preserve his life. There are many lessons to be gleaned from this passage—many of them applicable to our daily lives.

It’s important, though, that we don’t focus solely on the outcome. History is rich with stories of people who faced peril and prayed—and yet were not delivered this side of heaven. So, the outcome of Daniel’s story isn’t the sole focus for us as readers. Rather, it is the fact that Daniel trusted the process, regardless of the outcome.

Pastor John MacArthur, in a sermon, said it like this:

“Believing in God doesn’t mean that the lions aren’t going to eat you. There have been martyrs throughout all the history of God’s dealing with men that have believed God—and they’ve died. The issue is that we accept God’s will. If it is to live, it is to live. If it is to die, it is to die. But in either case, we’re never defeated.”

Daniel knew what his fate would be if he were caught praying—and yet he did it anyway. His faithfulness to God was more important than the outcome these men intended for him. Did Daniel know he would be saved or protected? We have no evidence to suggest that. Did he accept his fate? Yes!

Our faith can’t be outcome-driven. We are not God, and we don’t determine all the outcomes. But if we believe His Word to be true, then we know we can trust Him and His process—just as Daniel did. May we all walk with such faithfulness!

Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

Digging Deeper: Mission Impossible

Lee Wilson on May 29, 2025

¹⁶So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”

Daniel 6:16 (NLT)

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

How dangerous is an African lion? Well, according to the stats—pretty dangerous. CNN reports that they kill roughly 250 humans a year. That’s more than sharks, bears, and tigers—combined.

Lions can weigh up to 550 pounds and stand around four feet tall on all fours. They have a bite force approaching 1,000 PSI, can run in short bursts up to 50 miles per hour, and can leap up to 36 feet.

They also have retractable claws capable of shredding through skin, bark, or nearly any other material they choose. Their sense of smell is excellent, and their vision—especially in low light—is exceptional.

In other words, there’s no running, no fighting, no hiding. If you are trapped in a cold, dark cave with a hungry lion, survival is unlikely—if not impossible. At least, without divine intervention.
Such intervention is exactly what happened to Daniel when he was forced into the lion’s den and emerged the following morning unharmed. Why didn’t the lions attack? Because God protected him.

We have a tendency to view our problems through a humanistic lens. This is normal—after all, we are human. However, there are biblical examples that teach us never to lose our capacity to accept unexplainable mystery and to develop a palate for miracles. Jesus Himself tells us that the things impossible for man are possible with God (Luke 18:27; Matthew 19:26).

We serve a God who created the heavens and the earth, who knows the bounds of a limitless universe, who sparked the very inception of life itself—and I have the audacity to try and understand Him? Who do I think I am?

Our God exists outside the confines of nature itself. How did Daniel emerge from the lion’s den without a scratch? Because the Creator of lions was the one who was with him. Paul writes,

“For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16)

God’s sovereignty over all is something we, as believers, can take refuge in. I don’t know what lion’s den you are walking into, but I do know that we serve a God who has dominion over every inch of it. Don’t try to rationalize or worry. Instead, stand in awe of our God—and allow yourself to trust in the Savior whom even the “wind and the waves obey” (Mark 4:35).