Digging Deeper – What is God’s Purpose in This?

Avatar photo David Griffith on November 13, 2026

 

And they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard; and yet he would burst his fetters and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And  he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain, and the demons entreated Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out from the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34 And when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35 And the people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36 And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons and gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’ And he went away proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

Luke 8:26-39

 

WHAT IS GOD’S PURPOSE IN THIS?

 

A lot is made of Christians finding their purpose in life. What is my purpose? I just need God to tell me what my purpose is!

I think most of us confuse God’s purpose with our vocational choices.

But back in 1643 (check me, Ryan Hoffer), the Church of England, over a period of 9 years and 1,330 meetings, sought to clarify the church’s position on many doctrinal points, the chief doctrine being, what is our purpose?

It came down to a question in 1647: “What is the chief end of man?”

The answer: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever!”

This was called the Westminster Shorter Confession (WSC), and it stemmed from the church pulling back from a predominantly liturgical stiffness in worship and, instead, moving the church in a more affectual direction. The WSC believed that biblical Christianity was only experienced if there was affection toward Christ in all that we did. The word “enjoy” comes from the Latin gaudium, which means “to take delight in.”

So there it is. Our purpose. To glorify God by taking delight in Him forever.

But how can this be when I am in the midst of a storm or have not been set free by the love of Christ?

Please do not hear what I am not saying. Delighting myself in Him is not the same as delighting myself in difficult circumstances.

But it does mean keeping my eyes on Jesus during those difficult circumstances, knowing that God is glorified when I do. The circumstance can be hard, but God can be glorified as I delight in His Son’s sacrifice through my tears.

Casting Crowns had a fantastic song that I took great comfort in while in the midst of my harshest trials, “I Will Praise You in This Storm.”

If you are in a storm and struggling to find Jesus in the midst of it, I leave you with those lyrics to encourage you the way they encouraged me back then, and still do today!

I was sure by now, God you would have reached down, And wiped our tears away,  Stepped in and saved the day.  But once again, I say amen,  And it’s still raining!
As the thunder rolls. I barely hear your whisper through the rain…I’m with you.  And as your mercy falls,  I raise my hands and praise The God who gives ,and takes away
And I’ll praise you in this storm. And I will lift my hands. That you are who you are, No matter where I am. And every tear I’ve cried, You hold in your hand. You never left my side, And though my heart is torn,
I will praise you in this storm

I remember when, I stumbled in the wind .You heard my cry and you raised me up again. My strength is almost gone, how can I carry on If I can’t find you?
As the thunder rolls I barely hear you whisper through the rain, I’m with you!
And as your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise The God who gives, and takes away

And I’ll praise you in this storm, And I will lift my hands, That you are who you are, No matter where I am, And every tear I’ve cried, You hold in your hand, You never left my side, And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm

I lift my eyes unto the hills, Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, The maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills, Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, The maker of heaven and earth
And I’ll praise you in this storm, And I will lift my hands, That you are who you are, No matter where I am, And every tear I’ve cried, You hold in your hand, You never left my side

And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm
And though my heart is torn
I will praise you in this storm
 

He loves you so much forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – God’s Perfect Sovereignty

Avatar photo David Griffith on November 12, 2026

 

And they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard; and yet he would burst his fetters and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And  he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain, and the demons entreated Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out from the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34 And when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35 And the people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36 And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons and gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’ And he went away proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

Luke 8:26-39

 

GOD’S PERFECT SOVEREIGNTY

 

The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is critical to handling the storms that come into our lives and to loosening the chains that bind us.

Sovereignty, in its simplest form, means “who is in control.” The sovereign in any country was the king or the queen. They were totally in control of their subjects (or citizens). A wicked sovereign made life miserable for the people. A merciful, benevolent ruler made life worth the struggle for those under their rule.

I once heard a very prominent Bible teacher say, “If a single molecule in all of creation is outside of God’s control, then He is not sovereign.” He was saying that if God was not in control of everything, then He was not God. I believe this to be true.

But it can be a hard doctrine to accept.

If God is in control of all things, “Why did my daughter’s husband die so unexpectedly?” (A real incident from our church.) Is God sovereign over this cancer that is killing a friend, or loved one, or me? Is God in my child’s recent rebellion? Why did my husband or wife of so many years suddenly decide our marriage was over?

All questions being asked in our NorthStar family right now.

If God is indeed in control of every molecule in the universe, including the cancerous ones, then how can He be a good God?

Well, the answer is hard, and this may not help, but looking back on my own questions born out of great pain and fear, I can truthfully say that God is indeed GOOD, in spite of the decades of heartache and fear.

He was preparing my heart, originally, and then year after year, to produce the crop He wanted me to produce. He was with me in the storms (and I mean hurricane-force at some points), just waiting for me to call out to Him for rescue; and in His time, He calmed the wind and the waves.

He came out of His way to cast out my demons and to set me free from him who had shackled me with sin so that I would sit at His feet and worship. He clothed my nakedness, brought me back from the desert, and has prepared a mansion for me in His home; no more tombs for me!

Paul, writing to the Romans, said it best in chapter 5, verses 3-5:

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts (soil) through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

God is sovereignly in the soil prep of our hearts! God is in the storms that threaten to drown us and cripple us with fear! God is actively involved in rescuing us from the control of the enemy!

GOD IS IN CONTROL!

But He will ask us the same question He asked the disciples after He had calmed the storm: “Where is your faith?” Or He will ask us the same questions He asked of Job in chapters 38-41: “Who are you to question Me?”

Does the Father mind when we ask Him difficult questions? Of course not! In fact, I believe He expects them, and He encourages them!

But if they are asked outside the bounds of faith, then He will chastise us appropriately. If we ask in an accusatory way, like the disciples did, then we will feel the weight of His authority and tremble, and rightly so.

So, if the heart is hard and dry, but you recognize His plow, succumb to it. If the storm is raging around you, cry out to Him earlier rather than later.

And if He has freed you from your demons, then sit at His feet and worship until He tells you what He wants you to do. Then go do it!

Tomorrow, we wrap up this journey with Purpose!

He loves you so much forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – For My Good and His Glory

Avatar photo David Griffith on November 11, 2026

 

And they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard; and yet he would burst his fetters and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And  he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain, and the demons entreated Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out from the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34 And when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35 And the people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36 And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons and gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’ And he went away proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

Luke 8:26-39

 

FOR MY GOOD AND HIS GLORY

 

Do you think that you are a good person? If you are a good person, then there was no need for Jesus to die to pay the penalty for your lack of goodness (sin). Right?

I am confident that the demoniac was considered to be a good person at some point in his life. After all, he had a house to go home to; the townspeople were making every effort to keep him from harming himself; they knew him in a personal way. He must not have always been demon-possessed! But he found himself in this state of uncontrollable rage brought on by Satan’s minions, meaning brought on by Satan!

So I ask again, are you a good person apart from what Jesus has done in your life personally to make God the Father see you as good, to see you as He sees His Son?

If you think you are good, the Word of God (seed) begs to differ with you.

Romans 3:10-12:

“There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.” (See also Psalm 53:1-3.)

In my personal experience, when I have thought of myself as being “good,” when difficult times came, I sent up a compulsory prayer and then went to work.

Just like I believe the disciples did when the storm came upon them on the Sea of Galilee!

They probably thought, “This is not good, and Jesus could probably help, but we have professional fishermen on this boat, and Jesus is exhausted, so we can handle this storm ourselves.”

Who knows how long they strained at the oars and bailed water until the fear of nature (or the enemy, which are sometimes the same thing) took over and they cried out to Jesus for help?

I mean, Jesus was in a DEEP sleep, so it must have been a while that they struggled (unless Jesus slept like my wife sleeps; “Good night,” and she is out like a light; but I digress, and I am NOT bitter about it).

Bottom line, the disciples thought they were good enough to handle the storm without God’s help. The ship was literally sinking by the time they woke Jesus up and asked Him the most incredible question, found in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 4, verse 38:

“And He Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’”

I mean, who would ask such a question of God the Father, or His Son, or the Holy Spirit, for that matter? I mean, who would do that? Of course God cares, right?

I would, and I have, and I know Him fairly well. They would, and they did, and they knew Him VERY well!

FEAR makes even believing people do stupid things.

And there are different kinds of fear, aren’t there? There is fear of loss (life, position, possessions, relationships), and there is fear of consequences or of authority.

In the parable of Jesus calming the sea, we see the disciples’ fear of death, or loss, AND the fear of authority. In the story of the healing of the demoniac, we see the fear of God’s authority.

But God’s authority can bring either peace or fear, and it changes us.

The demoniac had a healthy fear of Jesus’ authority over his life, and it brought him so much peace that he wanted to follow Jesus.

The townspeople had great fear of what they had seen Jesus do, a true miracle, but the fear made them want Jesus to leave. They were not changed at all.

Fear does not always change us for the better; in fact, sometimes I think it can make us bitter.

The bottom line is this: IT IS GOD ALONE THAT CHANGES A HEART!

In fact, we have no ability in and of ourselves to understand the things of God apart from His Spirit allowing us to. (Remember Ephesians 2 from yesterday.)

1 Corinthians 2:14 says it best:

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

So once again, if you are feeling the hand of God on your life; if He is tilling the soil of your heart; if He is exorcising your demons; then you are His, and He will use you for your good and His glory.

Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7), and you will be changed.

Tomorrow, we will look at God’s perfect sovereignty!

He loves you so much forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – The State of Our Heart

Avatar photo David Griffith on November 10, 2026

 

And they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard; and yet he would burst his fetters and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And  he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain, and the demons entreated Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out from the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34 And when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35 And the people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36 And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons and gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’ And he went away proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

Luke 8:26-39

 

THE STATE OF OUR HEART

 

It’s story time, boys and girls, so get your coffee and settle in because this will be a humdinger for sure!

When I was 12, my parents purchased a farm near Salem, MO, to retire. My dad was in the military for 25 years. Well, the farm was a really good deal because it had belonged to an aged couple and had been let go maintenance-wise.

We had a lot of work to do, starting with the hay fields. We had to start on the fields before the house or the barns because the hay seed needed to be planted in March if we were going to have any hay to cut that summer and fall for our cattle. The house and barns could wait until the crop was planted.

Only one problem: the fields were overgrown with weeds, small oaks, cedar trees, and multiflora rose bushes. It was very rocky soil and had no calcium or nitrogen. The field we needed to plant our seed in was not ready.

So, what did we do? We went to work preparing the soil to receive the seed we intended to plant (fescue mixed with lespedeza, for you farmers reading).

We used tractors and hand tools and elbow grease to prepare that soil for seed. God uses life experiences and trials and storms and sleepless nights to prepare our hearts for His Word.

The analogy holds. Soil does not prepare itself for planting; that is the job of the farmer (God). In a way, the soil of our fields was “dead soil,” the same way we find our hearts before God goes to work on us.

Ephesians 2:1-2 says it this way:

“For you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.”

Does this sound familiar? Does it sound like the demon-possessed man from Luke 8? Does it sound like your heart before He prepared it for His Word? Does it sound like your heart in its hardened and unprepared state?

Preparing soil is not easy work (though God CAN do it in an instant if He wants to).

We first cut all of the weeds with a bush hog behind our tractor. Then we came in and pulled up all of the scrub oaks and cedar and wild rose bushes by the roots and burned them. Then we went to work on the rocks…thousands of rocks, thrown into the bed of a dump trailer to be hauled up and separated for use on the house.

Only then could we put down nutrients for the soil that would soak in when it rained. Then we were ready to disc and plant the seed.

God does the same thing with us. He cuts, and He pulls, and He removes all of the obstructions to the seed He soon will plant.

And it hurts, doesn’t it? Because all of those obstructions are the sin which so easily entangles us (see Hebrews 12:1-3).

Jesus did the hard work! The painful work of preparing our hearts for the truth, so that when the seed was sown, it WOULD be received, implanted, and yield the crop that was intended when He started the process.

Ephesians 2:10:

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

If you are feeling Jesus working on your heart, Christian or not, that means He has plans for you, and His plans will come to fruition.

Do not resist the Farmer’s hand as He prepares you for His purposes. It is what you were made for before the foundation of the world.

Tomorrow, we will look at how God promises to change us!

He loves you so much forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – God Knows Me!

Avatar photo David Griffith on November 9, 2026

 

And they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He had come out onto the land, He was met by a certain man from the city who was possessed with demons; and who had not put on any clothing for a long time, and was not living in a house, but in the tombs. 28 And seeing Jesus, he cried out and fell before Him, and said in a loud voice, “What do I have to do with You, Jesus, Son of the most High God? I beg You, do not torment me.” For He had been commanding the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had seized him many times; and he was bound with chains and shackles and kept under guard; and yet he would burst his fetters and be driven by the demon into the desert. 30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And  he said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 And they were entreating Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now there was a herd of many swine feeding there on the mountain, and the demons entreated Him to permit them to enter the swine. And He gave them permission. 33 And the demons came out from the man and entered the swine; and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake, and were drowned. 34 And when the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran away and reported it in the city and out in the country.  35 And the people went out to see what had happened; and they came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting down at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind; and they became frightened. 36 And those who had seen it reported to them how the man who was demon-possessed had been made well. 37 And all the people of the country of the Gerasenes and the surrounding district asked Him to depart from them for they were gripped with great fear; and He got into a boat, and returned. 38 But the man from whom the demons and gone out was begging Him that he might accompany Him; but He sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your house and describe what great things God has done for you.’ And he went away proclaiming throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him. 

Luke 8:26-39

 

GOD KNOWS ME!

 

This week, we are going to take a trip from the farm, to the sea, to the other side of the tracks (sea). The trip is necessary for us to understand what Jesus is teaching us through these events and parables. You see, sometimes Jesus told stories, and sometimes Jesus just worked, and the people were amazed. It is like the adage, “Truth is mostly caught, not taught!” Well, Jesus did both.

These three events are related in that it is Jesus who is responsible for each outcome. Jesus prepares our hearts! Jesus calmed the storm! Jesus set the demoniac free. It is always 100% Jesus.

This week, Mike spoke about the demoniac who was set free from his sin (demon possession). So, here is the summary of the parable, the sea voyage, and the miracle of the cleansing of the demoniac.

GOD KNEW THE DEMON-POSSESSED MAN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (see Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9; Jeremiah 1:5; and Psalm 139:13-16 for support).

And Jesus has known you and me from before the world began, too!

And if God knew the man before the world began, then He also knew that he would be demon-possessed and tormented…and Jesus made a point of sailing through a potentially deadly storm (that I believe was created by Satan to kill the Son of God; see Job 1:18-19, where Satan shows he has control of the weather) in order to intentionally set the man free from his shackles.

JESUS WENT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE, WHERE GOOD JEWS NEVER TRAVELED, IN ORDER TO SAVE THIS MAN! (Not uncommon for Jesus; remember the Samaritan Woman in John 4.)

The demon-possessed man did not BREAK FREE from his sin; no, Jesus SET HIM FREE!

And let’s spend a minute on what it means to be enslaved to our sin.

The chains of sin make us:

  1. Less sensitive to the feelings of those around us and to propriety itself (nakedness).

  2. Our sin can make us feel dead inside, resulting in a lack of desire to accomplish the “good” (living amongst the tombs).

  3. Our sin can make us want to isolate ourselves from those who care about us and want our best (driven to the desert).

Jesus knew it all and had been using all of it to prepare this man’s heart (his soil) since before he was born; and He did it for me, and He did it for you if you are His.

If you are not, and this message and Mike’s sermon are gnawing at your soul, then God is drawing you (actually, the word for “draws” in John 6:44 is “to drag”) to Himself, so give in and take up a place at the feet of the saver of your life. It is the best place in the world to spend your time.

Then go home to your people and tell them what God has done for you!

Tomorrow, we will take a deeper dive into the state of our hearts (the soil of our farm)!

He loves you so much forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – Conditional Response?

Avatar photo David Griffith on October 2, 2026

 

But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:6-8

 

CONDITIONAL RESPONSE?

 

Remember when I said that James was the most Jewish of all the writers of the New Testament? He was the most like the Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings we find in the early church. What were the Old Testament writers known for? That’s right, the law. James is laying down the “law” as it relates to the trials we face, the position we take, the help we seek, and the condition of our hearts and minds when we seek God’s help. But is God conditional, or is James just being pragmatic?

If our position in Christ is that of one of God’s elect only, and we have not willfully placed ourselves at Jesus’ feet in servant submission, then we will most likely ask with some doubt as to whether God will give us the wisdom we seek. We will ask for relief, not growth. Read the verse again, slowly; meaningfully. James is telling the Jewish believers that wisdom is available to them from a generous God, but they must submit to Him as James has submitted to Him if they expect to get a response. Slaves do not doubt an all-powerful master when it comes to his provision for their needs. And wisdom in time of trial is a need.

What does it mean to “ask in faith”? What is faith?

Hebrews 11 gives us a synopsis and then a lot of examples of faith lived out in the lives of the Old Testament saints. Vs. 1: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

A slave in spirit has both hope and assurance in his master. It was only by faith that these men and women of old gained approval from God. It is only by faith that we New Testament saints can gain His approval as well. Faith is a gift from God. It is not something that we can manufacture when we need it; it comes from God Himself (Ephesians 2:8-9). Faith is as available to us as wisdom is. We must only ask for it when it is needed, and God will supply abundantly. It is the same with all of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and the gifts of the Spirit (I Cor. 12 and 14). They are all given for our good and His glory!

And what is the purpose of a servant of God? I believe that God has only one purpose for his slaves; slaves He has placed in every walk of life, vocation, circumstance, and situation: TO KNOW HIM, AND TO MAKE HIM KNOWN! At North Star Church, we say: Love God (Know Him), Love People, Live Sent (Make Him Known).

I will be honest with you, as a SAVED person, I have not always fulfilled God’s purpose for me. I have, on many occasions, gone through the motions, or worse yet, I have not even recognized the opportunities the Holy Spirit has placed before me! Sound familiar, or is it just me?

But as a SLAVED person, I have almost always fulfilled that purpose.

The choice, as His child, is always mine. Do I submit to my joyful slave state and accomplish God’s amazing will in the place He has put me to serve Him? Or do I drift through this world, saved, but not used?

I love Jesus because He first loved me, so the choice is easy; and being His doulos is the most freeing place to BE!

I choose more and more to serve my Lord as He would choose to use me. I pray that you will as well so we can serve together 🙂

He loves you so much, forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – Our Response to Trials

Avatar photo David Griffith on October 1, 2026

 

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

James 1:5

 

OUR RESPONSE TO TRIALS

 

This is a great coffee mug verse that we like to pull out when we need some Godly advice or direction for life. But context in studying the scriptures is important, so let’s remember the context: IF YOU LACK WISDOM REGARDING THIS TRIAL THAT GOD HAS YOU IN TO DEVELOP YOUR ENDURANCE, ASK GOD FOR THAT WISDOM, AND HE WILL GIVE IT TO YOU, AND HE WON’T MOCK YOU FOR ASKING (Dave’s version).

I have to continually remind myself that Jesus came to earth as a man and endured more than He will ever ask me to endure. He knows that life is hard, trials are relentless, the enemy is real, and I am made of dust (Ps. 103:14), so you and I need some help when the road seems all uphill and full of ruts. For crying out loud, Jesus went to His Father relentlessly to seek His counsel. Why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t you?

God WILL answer our prayers when we are tired and weary, and He will give us all that we need to endure and to come out the other side closer to Him and looking more like His Son, Jesus!

Just an aside, who of us DOES NOT LACK WISDOM? If you did not say, I DO, then you lack wisdom! All of us lack wisdom, especially in a trial or a difficult situation. The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, was asked by God what he wanted from the Lord, and Solomon, in complete humility, asked for wisdom. That is how he became so wise. God granted Solomon his request AND gave him wealth as well (1 Kings 3).

Why did the King ask for wisdom and not peace or might or riches? Because he had a posture of a slave. He willfully occupied a position of humility.

I asked my son many years ago, when he was going through a very intense trial that almost wrecked him, how I could pray for him. In brokenness and in all humility, he asked me to pray that God would give him wisdom. He was in a state of absolute surrender to his Lord, and all he wanted to do was hear from heaven. Not as to what he should do necessarily, but as to who he should be. I look at him now, still enduring various trials (not that one, thank God), as we all do, but a wise younger man full of joy and hope. It is one of the stone pillars (Joshua 4 for reference) I look back to when I am in a trial and I need a reminder of God’s goodness.

If you are in the midst of a trial, and you have submitted yourself to Jesus’ Lordship over your life, cry out to God for wisdom; search the scriptures for answers; He promises to give them to you with compassion, not judgment.

Tomorrow we will look at the conditions, not conditional love, of our Lord!

He loves you so much, forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – The Result of Endurance

Avatar photo David Griffith on September 30, 2026

 

And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:4

 

THE RESULT OF ENDURANCE

 

James is speaking from the perspective of a bond-slave. Let the trials come because they are producing in me character that can endure. James wanted to be like his big brother, PERFECT AND COMPLETE, LACKING IN NOTHING!

Paul, in His letter to the Romans, states the following in chapter 5 verses 1-5: Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Paul was a bond-slave as well :), through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, BUT WE ALSO EXULT IN OUR TRIBULATIONS, KNOWING THAT TRIBULATIONS BRINGS ABOUT PERSEVERANCE; AND PERSEVERANCE, PROVEN CHARACTER; AND PROVEN CHARACTER, HOPE; AND HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT, BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD HAS BEEN POURED OUT WITHIN OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO WAS GIVEN TO US!

Our God and Father uses trials to perfect us. In His letter to the Philippians, Paul reminds them of this fact when he says in 1:6: For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Do I have a bond-servant mentality? Do you?  Am I willing to lose everything for the surpassing value of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord? (Phil. 3:7-8). Am I willing to submit myself completely and totally to Jesus, laying down my do’s and don’ts, my service, my righteousness and exchange them for the righteousness of KNOWING Jesus by faith alone. 

Do I long to know Jesus intimately by bowing my soul at His feet? Am I willing to suffer for His sake and my sanctification like the Thessalonian believers did?
2 Thessalonians 1:4-5 …therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering.

Becoming perfect and complete, lacking in nothing, is only attained by walking the Via Delarosa, The Way of Suffering, that our Jesus walked. Though we may never be made to carry His cross, we will most certainly be made to carry OUR cross. And it will lead to the same place if we submit our will to that of Jesus. 

Midway through this week, I am asking you and I am asking me, ARE WE WILLING TO BE HIS SLAVE AND ENDURE WITH JOY THE PATH HE HAS LAID OUT BEFORE US?
 
Tomorrow we will look at what God calls us to do during the trial!
He loves you so much, forever!

 

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – Trials Will Come, Be Joyful!

Avatar photo David Griffith on September 29, 2026

 

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 

James 1:2-3

 

TRIALS WILL COME, BE JOYFUL

 

I don’t know about you, but I have faced many trials in my 64 years on this planet! I have faced, am facing, and will face many more before the Lord takes me home to be with Him. I can tell you that I have faced those trials as a child of God, saved by grace and grace alone, and the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of His Spirit, has brought me through them. Praise God! But the anxiety and worry that plagued me during those trials were excruciating. Can I get a witness?

I have also faced different trials from a different posture/perspective of God and as the Lord Jesus Christ’s servant. The trials themselves were really no different when I look back on them. The difference was my expectation as to what the outcome should be. As a child of God, I expected my Heavenly Father to just “take care of it” – take it away and restore my comfort. It took a while because He had work to do in my heart. But as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, I expected to suffer, knowing that the suffering would be good for my soul. In verse 3, James calls this testing of my faith GOOD because it produces endurance. I can attest, and you probably can too, that when the test was complete, I was closer to Jesus than I was before the trial began. It may have taken just as long, but the trial did not feel as oppressive.

What does it mean to “have joy in the midst of a trial”? (My paraphrase). Is joy the same as happiness? Is joy always humanly pleasant? Not at all, but joy is fruitful. Joy is a sign that the Holy Spirit is working within me to make me more like Jesus!

Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Living as a slave to Christ begets the qualities that Jesus exemplified on earth and exemplifies now in our hearts. Galatians 5:25 sums it up perfectly, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Living by the Spirit is a given if we have been saved because the Holy Spirit lives inside of us. But walking by the Spirit is a different matter entirely. In order to walk by the Spirit, we have to take the posture of a doulos, a willing servant of our Lord Who allowed our trials for His glory and our good! What is your posture before Him when trials come?

Tomorrow we will look at the result of endurance!

He loves you so much, forever!

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!

Digging Deeper – Who Am I, Really?

Avatar photo David Griffith on September 28, 2026

 

James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…

James 1:1

 

WHO AM I, REALLY?

 

No one is quite sure who actually wrote the book of James. Well, we know it was JAMES, but which James? Most scholars believe that it was the half-brother of Jesus who penned the letter because he was the most Jewish of the church leadership in Jerusalem, and it was written to all of the Jewish believers scattered throughout the known world. Jesus’ half-brother did not believe that He was the Messiah during Jesus’ earthly life. James grew up with Jesus and probably did not like Him very much because Jesus never got in trouble. He was “the perfect child,” and no one likes the parent’s pet, do they? No, James did not come to a saving knowledge of Jesus as Savior and Lord until after Jesus arose from the grave. James had always been known as the brother of Jesus, but at the forefront of this very important letter, James introduces himself in a totally different way, and this introduction is important for me and for you in our own lives. WHO ARE WE, REALLY?

Are we “saved,” meaning one who trusts in Jesus for our eternal security? Someone who the Holy Spirit has made alive in Christ? Are we simply born again and have newness of life? All good things; all amazing ways to describe ourselves if we have actually been saved by the blood of Jesus! But is just being saved God’s plan for us?

James was/is the half-brother of the Savior of the world, yet he does not say that when he introduces himself to believing Jews all over the known world. No, James does not name-drop, as he certainly could have. After all, it was true! Instead, James introduces himself as: JAMES, A BOND-SERVANT OF GOD, AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST,…

James introduces himself as a SLAVE! The word in the Greek is: doulos, which is translated: bond-servant, slave. It denotes one whose debt has been paid in full and is now in willful subjection to the one who paid the debt. James is introducing himself as an indentured servant, and he is happy about it.

So here is the question for me and the question for you: ARE YOU SIMPLY SAVED…OR ARE YOU SLAVED?

Our answers are important to how we read and interpret the next seven verses, the Bible as a whole, and ultimately how we live out our calling. The answer to this question determines how we face life’s trials!

So hang tight over the next four days as we discuss the trials of life and what to do about them from the perspective of whether we consider ourselves saved or we consider ourselves slaves of Christ, our Lord and Savior!

He loves you so much, forever!

 

 

Quite simply, Dave Griffith loves getting to know Jesus better by studying His Word daily and is passionate about teaching his siblings in Christ how to study His Word as well. He is passionately in love and like with his helpmate, Jackie; and is most fulfilled when he is hanging with his 10 kids (3 of his, 2 of Jackie’s, 3 are married, 2 more spiritually adopted) and 9 grandkids. He is a small group leader and a men’s group leader. He is a serial entrepreneur owning or having owned numerous businesses. He also enjoys naps!