Digging Deeper – Saved to Serve

Avatar photo Steve Roach on August 8, 2024

 

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.”

Romans 12:4-6 (NLT)

 

SAVED TO SERVE

 

In Sunday’s message, Mike discussed how God has placed us in the body of Christ at NorthStar to serve one another. Today and tomorrow we will examine what God’s Word tells us about serving and using our Spiritual gifts.

Let’s begin by looking at Hebrews 10:24: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” What is implied here by the writer? When we spend time together with other believers, we sharpen one another. We become more loving as we interact with and serve each other. We are better together! Left to ourselves, we will tend to serve ourselves and our own interests. Even Mother Teresa couldn’t do it alone.  She had her team, the Missionaries of Charity, to work alongside her. Even Jesus called twelve disciples to assist Him in serving the physical and spiritual needs of the people. If they needed others to accomplish their purpose, so do we!

Some of us think that we don’t have anything to offer or aren’t good at anything when it comes to helping at the church. Nothing could be further from the truth if you have the Holy Spirit residing in you!  Once you place your faith in Jesus, you are uniquely equipped with a spiritual gift. The Holy Spirit living in you gives you a special ability to do certain tasks well within the body of Christ, the church. On a scale of 1-10, God made you a “10” at something! If you don’t serve, your contribution to the body of Christ will be missed!

Sir Michael Costa was a great orchestral Conductor of the 19th Century. One day, he was conducting a rehearsal in which a great choir joined the orchestra. Midway through the session, the piccolo player stopped playing. After all, it seemed innocent enough. Who would miss the tiny piccolo amidst the great mass of instruments blazing away? Suddenly, Sir Michael stopped the entire orchestra and choir. “Stop! Stop! Where’s the piccolo? What’s happened to the piccolo?” We may sometimes feel like that piccolo player – that we don’t have much to offer, that if we stopped our ministry, no one would notice anyway. Yet the Great Conductor notices and needs us to complete his orchestral masterpiece! If you’re not already signed up to serve as a volunteer at NorthStar, go on our website and do that right now – CLICK HERE.

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – Created to Know God

Avatar photo Steve Roach on August 7, 2024

 

“And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”

John 17:3 (NLT)

 

CREATED TO KNOW GOD

 

Augustine, an ancient Christian theologian, said this: “You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.” God designed us so that we would want to know Him—and then He guaranteed we wouldn’t be happy unless He Himself fills the emptiness within. This brings us face-to-face with the famous statement that a “God-shaped vacuum” exists inside each person. We can turn to God, or we can fill the vacuum with idols of our own making. Something in us drives us to seek ultimate meaning. That “something” is put there by God. Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV) says God “has put eternity into man’s heart.”

The key to knowing God is trusting in Jesus, the eternal Son of God. Jesus is “God incarnate,” that is, God clothed with human flesh. When Jesus walked on the earth, He was the God-man, fully God and fully man simultaneously. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, died a sacrificial death for our sins, and was raised to life, proving that He had accomplished His mission to reconcile us to God.

John 17:3 (NLT) says, “And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.” Jeremiah 9:23–24 (NLT) says, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the Lord, have spoken!’” Do you know Him, not just about Him? There’s a huge difference!

If you were a big fan of a popular music artist like Taylor Swift, and I asked you where she grew up, the names of her albums, who she is dating, and what kind of pets she has, you could probably answer those questions correctly. You would demonstrate that you know all about her. You might have even attended her concerts and sang along with her so loud that you lost your voice. But here’s a deeper question: Do you know her personally? Does she know you personally? What might happen if you showed up at one of her houses, rang the front gate buzzer, and said your name and that you were there to spend time with Taylor? Her security team would tell you that she doesn’t know you. They would escort you off the property and warn you that if you showed up again, they would have you arrested for trespassing. There’s a huge difference between knowing ABOUT Taylor Swift and KNOWING Taylor Swift.

Here’s the deal. We can know all about God, sing about God, score a 100 on a Bible quiz, attend church regularly, go on a mission trip, walk an aisle, raise a hand, get baptized, and join a church, but NONE of that means that you KNOW God personally. You were created not just to know about God but to KNOW GOD! And knowing God happens when we turn from our sinful self and turn to Jesus in faith to forgive us and make us a new creation. Have you come to know God through a personal relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ? If not, trust Him today!

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – Created for God

Avatar photo Steve Roach on August 6, 2024

 

“For by him (Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.”

Colossians 1:16 (ESV)

 

CREATED FOR GOD

 

Look at the last two words of Colossians 1:16, “for Him.” You are created for God. God designed us for His purposes. Why were all things created for Jesus? Did he need another waterfall, an extra million stars, or a thundering herd of buffalo storming across an empty continent? No, the purpose of Creation is to point to Jesus. All of it, in its created glory, is a testimony to the power, the wonder, and the incredible beauty of our Savior.

Pastor and Theologian John Piper said, “Our salvation is for God’s sake. He created us to display his glory.” First Corinthians 10:31 (NLT) says: “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Our life purpose is not ultimately for us but for God. The problem is that we are all fundamentally bent toward seeking our glory. But here’s the problem: we should seek the glory of the One who is most glorious, in whom is the most joy and who is most worthy, and we are not Him. We are a far cry from Him. The Bible makes it clear that we should do all things to the glory of God because HE is all of these things and more. The bottom line for today is that we should live to make much of God and not ourselves.

During the 1920s, a running back for Notre Dame kept a scrapbook of newspaper clippings of his highlights and achievements on the football field. He was particularly obnoxious about how great a football player he was and his ability to get free and score. One Monday morning, after a particularly good game, he bragged about how great he was. During the first play of practice, the team lined up to run a play. When the ball was snapped, the offensive line, which typically blocked for him, stood aside and let the defense in. The defense buried him for a loss. His blockers shouted, “They can’t do that! Show them your clippings!” That self-centered player may be why Notre Dame football players don’t have names on the back of their jerseys to this day. The idea is that no player plays for himself but rather for the good and success of the team. It’s not about the player’s name on the back of the jersey but the team’s name on the front.

In the same way, God did not create us to lead self-centered lives that are all about us. That is not why He created us. He created us to make much of His name and to fulfill His purposes.

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – Created by God

Avatar photo Steve Roach on August 5, 2024


“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good
things he planned for us long ago.”

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

 

CREATED BY GOD

 

Yesterday, Mike started our Playmakers series by showing us how to get into the game and use our gifts to serve one another at NorthStar. This week in our time with the Lord, we will look at some foundational truths that we all need to have settled in our minds and hearts as we consider how God wants to use us to serve in His church. Then, we will finish the week by looking at spiritual gifts and God’s design for them in the church.

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why am I here on Earth?” This is one of the most important questions you can ask. Without a purpose, life becomes motion without meaning; trivial, petty, pointless, and chasing after the latest “must have” material thing or “must do” activity. The famous author Mark Twain said the two most important days in your life are “The day you are born, and the day you find out why.”

We all want to make a difference. We want to feel like our lives matter. So, where do we begin? Understanding our purpose starts with our Creator. God determined our purpose in the world way before we were born. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT) says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” The Apostle Paul goes on to say, “For by him (Christ) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16, ESV).

Let this truth sink into your soul: You are not here by accident but because God wanted you to be here. He didn’t create us to blend into the background of humanity and live insignificant lives. Instead, He created each of us with great purpose.

Only our Creator has the right to determine our purpose. Let’s say Aunt Matilda has just baked a cake. The nutrition scientists can tell you the number of calories and the cake’s nutritional value; the biochemists can tell you the structure of the proteins, fats, etc.; the chemists can tell you the elements involved and their bonding; the physicists can tell you the cake’s fundamental particles; the mathematicians can give you a set of elegant equations to describe the behavior of those particles. In other words, they can give you an exhaustive description of the cake. Suppose I now ask the assembled group of experts: “Why was the cake made?” The world’s nutrition scientists, biochemists, chemists, physicists, and mathematicians will not be able to answer the question. The only way we will ever get the answer is if Aunt Matilda reveals it to us. Our universe has a Maker, just like Aunt Matilda’s cake, and only the Maker can tell us why we’re here. And He has gifted us uniquely to serve within His church to serve His purposes. We’ll take a closer look at that later this week.

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – A Question for the Ages

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on August 2, 2024


The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Luke 17:5-6 (ESV)

 

A QUESTION FOR THE AGES

 

As I read the scripture above, I sit in silence, wrestling with this exchange. The Twelve have been with Jesus for a couple of years. They’ve witnessed more miracles than can be recorded; they’ve had a front-row seat in a Master Class in Ministry 101 from the greatest Instructor ever to walk the earth. A few even saw Jesus in His purest form as He was transfigured before them on the mountain. And yet, it seems true faith eludes them.

So, I ask myself, “If the guys who spent three years with Jesus are imploring Him to increase their faith, what hope is there for me?”

At the same time, another thought occurs to me: if these guys were that close to Jesus and “didn’t get it,” there may be hope for me yet!

All believers struggle with faith. ALL of us. And I truly believe that we all want to increase our faith! We want to believe – just like Abraham did! So, the question is this: How Can I Increase My Faith?

There’s no easy answer, but here is some food for thought:

  • It Begins with the Gospel
    “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (ESV)
    We first gain faith through hearing the Good News about Jesus, and that message is most clearly found in the Word of God.

  • Faith (Belief) Alone is Incomplete – It Must Involve Action
    “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 (ESV)

  • Adversity is a Blessing – Our Faith Must Be Tested
    “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” James 1:2-4 (NLT)

  • Faith’s Greatest Partner is Prayer
    “Never stop praying.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT)
    “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
    First, prayer is critical because Jesus modeled it. He often withdrew to pray and got up very early in the morning to spend time alone with the Father. We can only grow in our relationship with the Lord by spending time with Him.

  • Faith Grows in Community with Others
    “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25 (NLT)
    We are not designed to live in isolation. Your faith grows when you dig into God’s word with other believers. Remember, as Rick Warren opens The Purpose-Driven Life: It’s not about you! Your faith can build others up, and vice versa.

 

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, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Leading a Legacy of Faith

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on August 1, 2024


2 The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. 3 Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. 4 I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 5 I will do this because Abraham listened to me and obeyed all my requirements, commands, decrees, and instructions.”

Genesis 26:2-5 (NLT)

 

LEADING A LEGACY OF FAITH

 

We have explored much of Abraham’s life these past several weeks, and we can agree that his absolute confidence in the Lord’s sovereignty is what separated him as the man whose faith God credited as righteousness. He very well could have been the inspiration for Journey’s hit, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Abraham’s faith – great as it was – could have ended when he perished at the ripe old age of 175. However, it lived on (and on and on and on… a la Steve Perry). How so? Because he lived – and believed – in such a way that it profoundly influenced his son, Isaac. He passed his faith baton, and Isaac continued to run with it in hand.

Isaac had seen God come through plenty on his own, no doubt. After all, he was at least a teenager when God spared him from death by his father’s hand on the mountain, providing the ram for the sacrifice. He also received God’s blessing through his father’s efforts in securing a bride for him – Rebekah, who was not only beautiful but would bear him two sons of his own after being barren for the first 20 years of their marriage.

Incredibly – by God’s providence – Abraham’s legacy lives on even today. Obviously, Abraham could not have seen thousands of years into the future. But, as we discussed earlier this week, he had absolute confidence in the covenant God had made with him – that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. And it’s the same promise God gave Isaac – because “Abraham listened… and obeyed.”

Let’s personalize this for a moment. If you are a parent, how are you doing in this area? Are you living your life with purpose and intentionality in a way that is attractive to your kids? Ask yourself two questions: (1) If I was to leave this earth today, what would my legacy be? (2) What legacy do I hope to leave?

If there’s a gap between those two responses, you have some work ahead of you. The good news is that you still have time while you are breathing to change the course of history.

As Stephen Covey shared in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, begin with the end in mind. It’s often by looking ahead to our preferred future – or our kids’ futures – that we glean wisdom and live our best life.

 

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, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Tested Faith Leads to Stronger Faith

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on July 31, 2024

17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18 even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)

 

TESTED FAITH LEADS TO STRONGER FAITH

 

We looked yesterday at the chinks in Abram’s armor that led to some detours for him and Sarai as they awaited God’s promised son. But we learned that God’s ultimate goal for Abraham was to build his faith muscles by showing Himself trustworthy. And it’s His primary goal for us as well. Faith trumps everything else in God’s economy.

So, if faith is paramount, how do we attain it?

The author of Hebrews defined faith. In fact, it’s the only place we can find a definition of faith in Scripture:

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Read that a few times. Marinate on it. Assurance and conviction – these are not arbitrary words. Here’s what the footnote says in my study Bible:

“The author indicates that biblical faith is not vague hope grounded in imaginary, wishful thinking. Instead, faith is a settled confidence that something in the future – something that is not yet seen but has been promised by God – will actually come to pass because God will bring it about.”

I love that explanation. But it doesn’t make faith any easier just to know what it means. The only thing that makes it easier is for God to test it. Repeatedly.

God has a track record. Sure, we can read all about it and see how He delivered time and again in the lives of some of the greatest men and women in Scripture: David, Daniel, Esther, Nehemiah, Joseph, and Paul. But we don’t develop faith by reading about it. My faith only develops by living it out, particularly amid challenging circumstances.

God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice Isaac. Yes, the same (and only) son he and Sarah waited 25 years for! Yet, Abraham was obedient. How could he possibly have known that God would spare Isaac? Because over the course of more than a century, Abraham had seen God come through in countless ways. He didn’t know exactly how it would play out, but he knew God wasn’t a liar. And, if God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would be more numerous than the stars, Isaac would live.

Faith isn’t knowing exactly how things are going to work out. It’s not seeing the finished product. It’s trusting the One who holds you in the palm of His hand. It begins with trusting Him with your heart. It grows as we are refined through adversity, leaning on Him when we can’t see what lies ahead.

 

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, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Faith of the Flawed

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on July 30, 2024

So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal.

Genesis 16:2 (NLT)

 

FAITH OF THE FLAWED

 

We’ve reached the end of Abraham’s story – and boy, did he live a full 175 years! When surveying the incredible ways God worked in and through him, it seems so strange looking back on the misstep he and Sarai made in taking God’s promise into their own hands. Don’t you think Abram was elated that his story didn’t end with the foolish decision they made in attempting to short-cut God’s plan?

We have the benefit of knowing how God came through time after time when we read the stories of His faithfulness. We know Abram will become Abraham and will have a son at the age of 100. But at the age of 75, when God made this covenant with him, Abram had no idea he’d have to wait 25 years for the birth of Isaac! He had to learn to trust, just like we do!

And while Abraham and Sarah had to deal with the ramifications of their sin (and those consequences are still felt today), it’s comforting to know that despite this egregious error in judgment, God still delivered, and He also still used Abraham. In fact, Abraham is regarded as the ultimate Hero of the Faith! Not only do we see this unfold throughout his story outlined in Genesis, but also throughout the New Testament, as the Apostle Paul and the writer of Hebrews emphasize his belief over his actions!

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this, he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises. And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.” Romans 4:20-22 (NLT)

Abraham did some outlandish things that give us pause. He was deceitful at times, and he tried to bargain with God by using God’s goodness “against Him” to spare lives. But God, being God, saw past this. Instead of hammering Abraham about his mistakes, the Lord commends him for his faith – his willingness to go “all in” on the promises to come – most of which he would never see for himself!

Just like Abraham, you and I are flawed. Sin does that. We make some really poor decisions, even some catastrophic ones. But, also like Abraham, we have the opportunity to put our faith in the One who holds everything in His hands! In the end, we are not given eternal life based on what we did right or did wrong. It’s based on one thing: whether we have accepted Jesus as God’s Son and believe He died and rose again to give us new life!

We’ll never have perfect faith. That’s why we must place our faith in the Perfect One!

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, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper – Love Obeys

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on July 29, 2024

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8 (NLT)

 

LOVE OBEYS

 

Moms and dads out there know this well: parenting is tough! So much of our time as parents in those early years is spent being “the bad guy.” In fact, if we’re doing our job well, our kids won’t be fooled into thinking we are their friends as they grow up.

My wise friend and former co-worker, Eddie Bishop, shared the key to being a great parent many years ago. He said, “I told my kids when they were growing up that I was not their friend. Instead, I wanted to parent in such a way that I’d want to be their friend later, when they were adults.”

Good parents understand the painful and arduous process of laying the necessary groundwork for kids to grow and develop into respectful, God-honoring young men and women. And the most important quality – the one moms and dads emphasize above all others – is obedience. At the end of the day, parents want kids to do as they are asked (or told).

We, as believers, take that cue from Jesus, who stated plainly on many occasions where he stands on this topic:

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them… All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.” John 14:21, 23-24 (NLT)

What does obedience demonstrate? Love. Not belief. Not intentions. Not even “being nice.” Obedience trumps everything. But which commandments is Jesus referring to? Sure, you can point to the Covenant handed down through Moses to God’s people (the Ten Commandments); but Jesus raises the bar further and makes it personal when talking to his 12 closest friends:

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” John 15:12 (NLT)

Jesus was obedient to the point of death on the cross. Why? His love for God the Father, and his love for his friends (and for you and me). Jesus said these are the two greatest commandments!

Obedience isn’t easy. It requires faith and trust, which can only be developed through a relationship. If you’re finding obedience is not central to your walk with the Lord, my prayer for you is that you’ll make some time to spend with Him today to have a real conversation. Lay it all at His feet. The more time you spend with Him, the more you’ll love Him. And your obedience will follow!

 

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, and their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper: Posture of Obedience

Avatar photo Bridget Turner on July 26, 2024

 

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT)

 

POSTURE OF OBEDIENCE

 

My small group just finished a study on the book of Numbers, where the Israelites constantly complain and bring their issues to Moses. Each time, Moses falls on his face and seeks God’s guidance and direction (see Numbers 14, 16, and 27). Bible teacher Jackie Hill Perry talked about this on social media recently. She pondered Moses’ consistent restraint to not respond first by asking, “Have you ever wondered how our responses to things would change if we just prayed quicker? We might pray eventually, but not immediately. How would that change the way we show up in the circumstance?” Perry adds, “I think it would give us a level of compassion, grace, and wisdom that a delayed prayer would not.”

We see this same posture in the servant found in Genesis 24. He asks God for very specific things to ensure he knows who Isaac’s wife will be. When God answers those prayers by bringing Rebekah to the well, verse 26 says, “The man bowed low and worshiped the Lord.” The posture of Moses and the servant is telling of their heart for God. Certainly, they would have thoughts and advice on the needs, but they bow in humility and surrender to seek God’s purpose and plan.

Asking others to pray for us is another posture of prayer. The vulnerability it requires may feel awkward, and it might be difficult to share our needs with others. However, it is very encouraging when you know someone else is praying specifically for you. We have an amazing online Prayer Wall at NorthStar Church, and our team would be honored to pray with you.

Here is how the process works:

  • Leave your request on our Prayer Wall at www.northstarchurch.org/prayer.
  • The team will be praying over the requests daily.
  • You will get an email every time someone prays for your request.
  • You can also pray for other requests on the page and send those folks an email too.

As we wrap up this week seeking God’s guidance, may we pray first, believe His promises, and trust His providence to lead us in the way that glorifies Him.

 

Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.