NorthStar Church Blog

 

⁶ On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. ⁷ And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. ⁸ But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. ⁹ And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” ¹⁰ And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Luke 6:6-11 (ESV)

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WHAT IS WORK?

 

In 1920, the number one dream job for a young child was to be a cowboy. Frankly, I don’t really understand how cowboys made money. Most of my knowledge on the subject comes from Looney Tunes cartoons and the movie Tombstone. The remaining top five dream jobs, in order, were:

1. Cowboy
2. Firefighter
3. President
4. Police Officer
5. Explorer

If I asked you to guess what they are today, you’d be right to assume they’re completely different. Not a single one is the same. In 2026, kids’ dream jobs were:

1. YouTuber
2. Professional Athlete
3. Superhero
4. AI Engineer
5. Programmer

If I’m being honest, with the exception of a handful of influencers like Mr. Beast, I’m not sure YouTubers have figured out the income thing much better than cowboys did.

But whether the dream job is wrangling cattle or chasing subscribers, the point is the same: work looks completely different today than it did even a generation ago, let alone in the days of Israel.

Which brings up a question:

What is work?

It’s not exactly clear.

You could define work as something tied to economic benefit, but then again, unpaid activities such as volunteering seem like work too. Jesus appears to be asking this very question when He asks, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm?”

Another question we might ask is this: Must an activity be revitalizing or restful in order to not be considered work?

Jesus certainly thought it was acceptable to heal on the Sabbath—or to pull your ox out of a ditch. So perhaps the answer is no. Abstaining from work does not necessarily mean engaging only in activities that are restful or rejuvenating.

I have a family member who serves every single weekend at MUST Ministries. I worked the pickup line back in May and was utterly exhausted after just one shift.

She has a very different personality than I do, though. She is an extremely sociable person—the type of person you want greeting guests at church. What I find exhausting, she finds revitalizing.

In fact, as I think about Jesus’ healings, perhaps He too was revitalized by serving others.

The point is this: don’t get hung up on what counts as work for you personally. There may be all sorts of activities—serving, creating, helping others—that would drain someone else but are perfectly life-giving for you.

Don’t let someone else’s definition of work or rest become your rule.

What depletes others might be exactly what fills you up.

Ask Yourself:

• Think about something you do—serving, creating, or helping others—that most people would call “work” but that actually energizes you. What does that reveal about how God uniquely wired you?

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 

¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Exodus 20:11 (ESV)

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SUGAR DAY

 

I had just finished paying the monthly bills at work when I got a call from my wife. She had been at the dentist for the past several hours with our two young boys.

It was not good news.

Each one had several cavities, and the bills were massive. It seemed that every trip to the dentist resulted in cavities these days, no matter how much we focused on brushing.

I hit something of a breaking point.

That evening, I announced to the family that there would be no more sugar. We were now a completely sugar-free family.

It went over about as well as if I had announced that the family dog was being given away.

My wife spoke with me that evening and asked if we could maybe soften the rule. She wasn’t opposed to limiting sugar, but could we perhaps have ONE day when the kids were allowed to eat it?

And thus, Sugar Day was born.

We picked Saturday as the family’s Sugar Day. Six days of meats, vegetables, and carbs; one day of cake, ice cream, and candy.

And voilà—the cavities went away.

The word holy means “to separate” or “to set apart.” Essentially, if you want the Sabbath to be holy, it needs to look and feel different from the other six days of the week.

That’s going to look very different for each person. It may even look different for the same person at different points in life.

What I liked about Sugar Day was that it got the entire family looking forward to the Sabbath. I remember showing up in the morning with a box of donuts and watching the kids go wild. It created natural launching points for conversations about what the Sabbath is and about who God is.

To answer Isaiah’s question, we delighted in the day.

The obvious caveat is that I’m not promoting sin. I’m not saying it’s okay to get drunk on the Sabbath. Rather, there are all sorts of activities that require discipline, effort, or willpower that we can choose to schedule around the Sabbath.

I have a friend who thoroughly enjoys running. For some people, running six days a week and not having to get out of bed on the seventh would be rejuvenating. For him, it would be the opposite.

Think through the following as possible starting points:

Would my ideal Sabbath include:

• More technology or less?

• Stimulation or relaxation?

• Sleeping in or getting out?

• More people or fewer people?

• Noise or silence?

• Indoors or outdoors?

• Familiar or new?

• Scheduled or unstructured?

• Spiritual discipline or spiritual spontaneity?

The list is endless.

The point isn’t to get the Sabbath right. The point is to get it started.

God didn’t bless the seventh day because it was perfect. He blessed it because He set it apart. Your job is simply to do the same.

Pick something. Try it. See if it draws you toward rest, toward people, and toward Him. You can always adjust.

After all, the day was made for you.

Ask Yourself:

• If you designed your ideal Sabbath starting this week, what would be the first thing on it and the first thing off it?

• What does your soul reach for when it has nothing to do?

 

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 

³ Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.

Leviticus 23:3 (ESV)

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BLUE INK

 

During its heyday, and before it was bought out by corporate interests, I listened to every single BiggerPockets podcast. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s an online resource for all things real estate. I’ve said this many times, but despite having a degree in real estate from the Terry College of Business at UGA, I learned a hundred times more from that podcast than I ever did from my degree.

The cohosts would interview a guest—sometimes a firefighter flipping houses on the side, sometimes a commercial developer with decades of experience—and then dig for insights. At the end of each episode was their “Famous Four”: four questions they asked every guest.

1. What is your favorite real estate book?
2. What is your favorite business book?
3. What are your hobbies?
4. What sets apart successful investors from those who give up, fail, or never get started?

I don’t think it was ever officially tallied, but the book most often cited was generally agreed to be Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. However, I believe the second most-cited book was probably The One Thing by Gary Keller, co-founder of Keller Williams.

Keller’s main thesis was to identify “the ONE thing” and focus on it relentlessly until it was accomplished. When starting a business, most people worry about business cards, designing a logo, or attending networking events. But what if the ONE thing most likely to make everything else easier—or unnecessary—was simply making sales calls?

Keller’s point was that by focusing first on your most important task, even at the expense of everything else, the other things would either become easier or irrelevant.

He even had a color-coded system for his calendar. The ONE thing was written in red ink, leisure was blue ink, and meetings, busywork, and other routine tasks were black ink. I still have three gel pens in those colors clipped to my paper calendar to this day.

And he was very clear about the order in which those colors should hit the page.

He insisted that the very first color to fill your calendar should be:

BLUE INK

The leisure color. The vacations. The downtime.

The founder of the largest real estate company on the planet—and Mr. Focus himself—suggested time-blocking your rest before anything else.

What if we did that with our Sabbaths?

Using a paper-based calendar forces you to realize that time is limited. What goes on first pushes out what goes on second.

When I began blocking off days with the word SABBATH, I quickly noticed a problem. I had scheduled it on Sunday, which was also the day we hosted our couples group. Much of the day was spent cleaning, preparing materials, and cooking food. I quickly realized that by the end of the day, it hardly felt as though we had rested or been refreshed.

This is probably similar for many church staff members whose Sundays are filled with responsibilities from morning until evening.

So, we made the decision to observe the Sabbath on Saturday.

I’m aware that the Sabbath was originally observed on Saturday and that the early church shifted corporate worship to Sunday to celebrate the resurrection. That seemed like a good and appropriate decision for the early church. But if they had the freedom to make that adjustment corporately, I don’t see why I couldn’t do so individually if it meant I would actually observe the Sabbath.

Regardless, that’s not the point.

The point is that the first step toward making a day of rest real and effective is to put it on your calendar. Just as eliminating time spent on business cards in order to make sales calls requires telling ourselves “no,” blocking out a full day for Sabbath requires the same thing.

The Hebrew calendar refers to the Sabbath as a מוֹעֵד (moed), meaning an “appointed time.” God essentially put it on His calendar and invited Israel to show up.

The implication is simple: if it’s not on your calendar, you’ve declined the appointment.

Ask Yourself:

• What would happen if I wrote the word SABBATH in all caps on one day of my calendar every week?

• How strong is my ability to say “no”? Is it harder to tell myself “no” or to tell others “no”? Which obligations would be the most difficult to decline, and how could I do so politely but firmly?

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 

Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day.

Isaiah 58:13a (NLT)

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MISSING OUT

 

I once had lunch with a friend who serves as a pastor at another church. The church was doing well, and people were being saved. I’ve never been on a church staff myself, but I have known many who have. Ministry has been described to me as one of the most difficult jobs you never want to quit. Every person I’ve known in ministry has been an extremely hard worker, and this friend was no exception.

There was just one problem as our conversation continued.

He was utterly exhausted.

I mean the kind of exhaustion you can see on someone’s face. It prompted me to ask him a simple question:

“How is your Sabbath?”

“Terrible,” he replied.

I’ll share with you over the next week what I shared with him, but there’s one overarching theme to my view of the Sabbath:

If you’re not observing the Sabbath, you’re missing out.

It isn’t another checkbox to mark off each week; it’s the complete opposite. It’s the absence of checkboxes. If the Sabbath is meant to be enjoyed and was designed for man—not man for the Sabbath—then why wouldn’t you want to keep it? You may need to change some settings on your phone, decline a few appointments, or let the house get a little dusty. It may feel like work is piling up for 24 hours, but you can accomplish more with six days and God than with seven days on your own.

One disclaimer: while some teachings about the Sabbath seem clear, others are not quite so obvious. “Do not work” seems fairly straightforward, but “What counts as work?” may not be. We need to approach different people and situations with humility and grace. So, if I describe ways that my family and I have found helpful in observing the Sabbath, feel free to adapt them—or disregard them entirely. After all, the moment you create a definitive list of do’s and don’ts surrounding the Sabbath, you begin to sound an awful lot like the Pharisees and their traditions.

Having said that, let’s make sure you don’t miss out.

Ask Yourself:

• Do I observe the Sabbath? Do I view it as another checkbox or as the absence of checkboxes?

• Do I enjoy the Sabbath? If it came up in conversation, would I describe it as a “delight” the way Isaiah did?

 

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Curt Bowen is a husband, father, and group leader who loves engaging in apologetics, theology, and good BBQ. A thrill-seeker at heart, he enjoys roller coasters and has an appreciation for snakes—just not the conversational type.

 

 
The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
    the righteous man runs into it and is safe.

Proverbs 18:10 (ESV)

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THE POWER OF HIS NAME

 

The term “God” is used by many religions and denominations, but when God Himself was asked what His name was, He responded, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

In the original Hebrew Bible, however, God’s name appears more than 7,000 times as YHWH (Hebrew was originally written without vowels). Some scholars suggest the name YHWH may have origins in Midian and may be derived from an Arabic root associated with love, desire, or passion. Later, out of reverence for God, the Jewish people substituted Adonai (translated “Lord”) because they felt YHWH was too sacred to pronounce aloud. In most English translations, whenever you see the word LORD in all capital letters, it is referring to God’s covenant name, YHWH.

As we wrap up our week-long examination of the Third Commandment—”Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (KJV)—we need to revisit the notion that this all boils down to one thing: relationship.

If we are in a right relationship with the Lord, His name carries weight. If we don’t know God, or if our relationship with Him is broken, His name will lose significance to us (though never to Him!).

Modern Bible scholar Dr. Bob Utley once exclaimed, “There’s no power in God’s name until you know Him!” But let’s not stop there. You could also say, “There’s no power in Jesus’ name until you know Him!”

The Apostle Paul was convinced of this—especially after his life-changing encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. Consider what he wrote in his letter to the Philippians:

“Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor
and gave Him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9–11 NLT)

As we conclude this week, I’d encourage you to reflect on your personal relationship with Jesus. If you know Him and walk with Him, you have access to the power of His name through the Holy Spirit. If you know Him but have drifted far from Him, you can still call on His name and restore that relationship through confession and repentance.

And if you don’t yet know Him, He is actively pursuing you and desires nothing more than to show you the power—and peace—that are available through a relationship with Him.

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C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy.

 
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”

Exodus 20:7 (ESV)

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MORE THAN WORDS

 

Several years ago, I read an article that discussed the topic of biblical knowledge among today’s Christians. In essence, the majority of believers interviewed by the author candidly shared that they didn’t feel they knew enough of the Bible. That’s actually quite common. Shoot, I’ve been a Christian for more than 45 years, and I still don’t come anywhere close to knowing enough!

But the article didn’t stop there. Interestingly, through more in-depth conversations with these men and women, the author discovered that the largest gap didn’t exist between what they knew and didn’t know about the Bible. The widest chasm was between what they knew and how they lived. Let that sink in for a moment.

For instance, let’s say I know only a couple of Bible verses and can perhaps paraphrase one or two of Jesus’ parables. My biblical knowledge may be limited, but it’s still enough to point my moral and spiritual compass toward Christ. The problem is that I don’t apply the little knowledge I have. My feet don’t move in the direction my knowledge is trying to guide me.

Likewise, when we read the Third Commandment—where the Lord tells us not to take His name in vain—we discover that it’s more of a lifestyle issue than a knowledge issue. We can get caught up in legalism and think to ourselves, “Well, I didn’t curse using God’s name, and I didn’t say His name in a flippant way,” and assume we’re doing fine. Meanwhile, we flipped someone off on the way to work, spoke harshly to an umpire at our child’s game, and left a $3 tip on a $50 dinner bill.

Some have said, “You’re the only ‘Jesus’ some people may ever see.” That’s true, and it should sober us to realize that a lost world is watching Christians closely.

Dr. Bob Utley, one of the most respected Bible teachers of our time, shared some valuable insight regarding the Third Commandment. Utley says that taking the Lord’s name in vain is akin to “cheapening His name by godless living.” In his commentary on the subject, he goes on to ask, “Have you impugned the name of God by your life?”

The truth is, we all have at one time or another. This is where repentance (turning away from sin and turning toward God) and a contrite (soft, humble, and remorseful) heart become critical to keeping us in step with the Lord.

When we honor Him—with both our words and our lifestyle—He blesses us.

“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 (NLT)

 

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C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy.

 

“These people praise me with their words,
but they never really think about me.
They worship me by repeating
    rules made up by humans.”

Isaiah 29:13 (CEV)

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WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND?

 

We wrapped up yesterday’s devotional with the realization that our hearts typically determine our lifestyle—how we act, how we spend our time, and with whom we spend it. And all of that certainly bleeds over into how we speak.

I remember a time very early in my tenure on staff at NorthStar Church. I was talking with a volunteer one Sunday morning when, out of the blue, I was lambasted. This man—who was a well-liked, highly esteemed volunteer and church leader—suddenly went on a tirade and made me feel small. I was so taken aback and discouraged that I sought counsel from one of our staff leaders that very day. I remember his advice well.

“This isn’t about that,” he said.

In other words, whatever this man was getting on me about wasn’t really the issue. There was something deeper going on beneath the surface that erupted in that moment, and I had the misfortune of being the recipient of his angst.

Jesus spoke openly about this issue:

“Good people do good things because of the good in their hearts, but bad people do bad things because of the evil in their hearts. Your words show what is in your heart.” Luke 6:45 (CEV)

So, if my heart determines my words and actions, how do I align it with Jesus? Great question. It begins with rewiring another part of our anatomy: our minds.

How we think, what we think about, and whom we think about all work in concert to propel us forward—or backward. As you’ve heard before, “Junk in, junk out.” So if we replace the junk with good things—truly good things—nearly every area of our lives will be enriched. Paul says as much in his letter to the Romans:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NLT)

The Apostle Paul emphasizes the power of our thoughts:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

This doesn’t happen naturally. It takes effort, discipline, and a deep desire to honor the Lord with our lives – which includes the words we use. Transform your thought life, then your heart, hands & feet, and mouth will follow!

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C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy.

 

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”

Exodus 20:7 (ESV)

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WHAT DOES ‘IN VAIN’ MEAN, ANYWAY?

 

For those of us who grew up reading and hearing the King James Version of the Bible, we are familiar with the commandment not to “take the Lord’s name in vain.” For the longest time, I thought this referred only to the misuse of His name through expressions such as:

• “Oh my God” (I still say, “Oh my goodness” or “Oh my gosh.”)

• “Jesus Christ” (or any variation thereof)

• “G.D.” (not “gosh darn”)

Even today, when I hear someone use one of these phrases, it bothers me. However, the Third Commandment is far more far-reaching than simply avoiding certain words or expressions of exasperation.

Let’s look at some wisdom from the writer of Ecclesiastes to gain a clearer understanding of what “in vain” encompasses:

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2 ESV)

“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 12:8 ESV)

“So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 2:9–11 ESV)

There are many more examples throughout Ecclesiastes, as the writer wrestles with the purpose and meaning of life. “All is vanity,” he concludes, even after pursuing pleasure, comfort, success, and riches.

When we look at the New Living Translation, the word “vanity” is often translated as “meaningless.” This brings the Third Commandment into sharper focus. Not only should we avoid misusing the Lord’s name; we should also avoid using it in a meaningless, careless, trivial, or insignificant way.

Again, the Lord is speaking to believers here. He expects more from His children. He calls us to be different from the world.

Go back and read Exodus 20:7, and don’t miss this: “The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”

If you are a Christian and you use God’s name in a flippant manner, that is serious business.

Consider Isaiah 29:13:

“And so the Lord says,

‘These people say they are Mine.
They honor Me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from Me.
And their worship of Me
is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.'” (NLT)

Ultimately, this is a heart issue. Tomorrow, we’ll dive a little deeper into how we can align our hearts with His.

 

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C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy.

 

“You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.”

Exodus 20:7 (NLT)

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TREASURE HIS NAME

 

Have you ever given much thought to the significance of your name? Your parents likely spent a great deal of time, prayer, and debate coming up with the two or three words that precede your surname.

While you know me as C.A., my full name is Charles Alfred Phillips III. I was named after my dad, who was named after his dad—a man he never met because his father passed away in a chemical explosion two months before he was born. It was my grandmother who suggested to my parents that I be called “C.A.” And what do you know? It stuck!

Names tend to carry emotional weight for us—but only if we have a relationship with the person who bears that name. When you hear the name David, you likely know a David, and images and feelings enter your mind. If you have a close friend or relative named David, the name means even more to you. Names aren’t just words—they create deep connections.

Now think about how you would feel if someone cursed the name of your child or a loved one. Perhaps they spoke with contempt or falsely accused them. That’s not something we can quickly move past. It lingers. It stings. Our defenses rise. Not because of the name itself, but because of our love and affection for that person.

In the Third Commandment, God is not talking about a loved one. He’s talking about Himself. It’s important to understand that God isn’t addressing these commandments to all people. He’s directing them to His children—the ones with whom He has the most intimate relationship.

Thousands of years later, Jesus echoed this sentiment when He taught His disciples how to pray. In Matthew 6:9, He said:

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name.”

This is how Jesus began the prayer—by emphasizing the holiness of His Father’s name.

We only treasure a name when we have a close bond with the person. If there’s a lesson for us today, it’s that we need to cultivate our relationship with our Heavenly Father by spending time with Him, reading His Word, and listening as He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

When we do this consistently, we develop a deep and meaningful relationship, one that cannot be broken and one that we will honor through our words and actions.

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C.A. Phillips serves as Communications Pastor and Director of Men’s Groups at NorthStar Church. He is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia, and he loves the Dawgs and the Atlanta Braves. He has two (grown) boys and lives in Kennesaw with his wife, Amy.