Digging Deeper – Page 21 – NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper: Finding Courage in God’s Promises

Sarah Jefferson on June 3, 2024

“After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.”

Genesis 15:1 (CSB)

FINDING COURAGE IN GOD’S PROMISES

Imagine the scene: Abram is chosen by God for a special purpose and stands at a pivotal moment in his journey of faith. God has promised to make him a great nation, yet there is no baby. Knowing Abram’s feelings of uncertainty, anxiousness, and fear about his reality, God speaks into his doubts.

First, God tells Abram not to fear. Sometimes, God calls us to follow Him into the unknown. There won’t be a glance at the playbook, a list of guarantees, or a pain-to-benefit ratio explanation. Often, the calling leaves us full of uncertainties, fears, and doubts. God understands our human frailties and acknowledges our need for courage and boldness to walk out His calling on our lives.

Next, God declares Himself Abram’s shield. In ancient wartime, a shield was vital for protection in battle, deflecting the arrows and attacks of the enemy. Similarly, God promises to shield us from enemy attacks as we follow His calling on our lives. With God as our shield, we can begin to move confidently, knowing He is our great defender.

Finally, God promises Abram a great reward. While his reward would ultimately be fulfilled through the birth of Isaac and the establishment of a great nation, the greatest blessing was the fulfillment of God’s redemption plan for all mankind.

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Hebrews 11:11

Regardless of what God calls us to, even though we might be surrounded by a fog of uncertainty, let’s be a people known by our obedience. Our lives are not our own. We were made to display His glory in whatever He calls us to. Don’t miss the beauty of walking with Jesus!

Sarah Jefferson is married to Curtis and the mother to Grey, Sanders and Collins. She is a rare Atlanta native, currently living in Acworth. Sarah began her career in public relations in the sports industry. Now, she writes web content for a variety of companies and ministries. When she’s not writing or blogging, you can find her running or hiking the beautiful trails of north Georgia and spending time with her busy family.

Digging Deeper: Express Your Faith Through Your Worship

Larry Grays on May 31, 2024

8 From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord.

Genesis 12:8 (ESV)

EXPRESS YOUR FAITH THROUGH YOUR WORSHIP

A church had a man in the choir who couldn’t sing. Others tried to help him find other places of ministry in the church, but he insisted on being in the choir. The choir director became so desperate that he went to the pastor. “Pastor, you have to do something with brother Jones. If you can’t persuade him to leave the choir, then I quit and most of the choir will quit too. Help us!” The pastor went to the man and suggested that he leave the choir. “Why should I leave?” he asked. “Several people have told me you can’t sing,” the pastor replied. “That’s nothing.” he responded. “Fifty have told me you can’t preach and you are still here.” (Source Unknown).

Worship does not depend on your ability to sing well. Worship is how we respond to God’s greatness and how we express our faith in Him. The first evidence of a living faith is a changed life. The second evidence of a living faith is true worship. Twice in this short passage, we are told that Abram built an altar to the LORD. Warren Wiersbe notes that “Wherever Abraham went in the land of Canaan, he was marked by his tent and his altar (Gen. 12:7–8; 13:3–4, 18). The tent marked him as a ‘stranger and pilgrim’ who did not belong to this world (Heb. 11:9–16; 1 Peter 2:11), and the altar marked him as a citizen of heaven who worshiped the true and living God.”

Reflection

One of my favorite definitions of worship is “all that I am rightly responding to all that God is.” Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” What are some ways you worship God with your entire life?

Prayer/Praise

Thank God for all the mercy and love He has shown to you. Take some time to worship God by singing along with some of your favorite worship songs. Offer God your body to be used by Him however He wants.

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

Digging Deeper: Express Your Faith Through Your Witness

Larry Grays on May 30, 2024

Genesis 12:8 (ESV)

EXPRESS YOUR FAITH THROUGH YOUR WITNESS

Abram lived out his faith and others could see the impact it made on his daily choices. Abram pitched his tent between Bethel and Ai. The word Bethel means “House of God.” Bethel is the symbol of communion with God. It was at Bethel that the patriarch Jacob would later meet God one lonely night (Gen. 28). The name Ai means “A Heap of Ruins”. Ai is the symbol of the world. It was here that Israel would later learn a valuable lesson about faith, obedience, and the destructive power of sin. As Abraham journeyed, he seemed to be moving away from “A Heap of Ruins” toward the “House of God.” This symbolizes the fact that Abraham was moving away from what he used to be, toward that which God desired for him to be! That’s what happens when a person sets out to walk with the Lord!

In 1893, engineer George Ferris built a machine that bears his name-the Ferris wheel. When it was finished, he invited a newspaper reporter to accompany him and his wife for the inaugural ride. It was a windy July day, so a stiff breeze struck the wheel with great force as it slowly began its rotation. Despite the wind, the wheel turned flawlessly. After one revolution, Ferris called for the machine to be stopped so that he, his wife, and the reporter could step out. In braving that one revolution on the windblown Ferris wheel, each occupant demonstrated genuine faith. Mr. Ferris began with the scientific knowledge that the machine would work and that it would be safe. Mrs. Ferris and the reporter believed the machine would work on the basis of what the inventor had said. But only after the ride could it be said of all three that they had personal, experiential faith. (Source unknown).

Reflection

God does not intend for you to live your faith in private. Genuine faith shows up in our daily lives and brings light to dark places. Where is your faith most obvious, and where is your faith most hidden?

Praise/Prayer

Praise God for the dark places He has placed you so you can be a light for Him. Ask God to show you someone who needs to see and hear about the difference Jesus can make in their life.

Digging Deeper: Place Your Faith in More Than Earthly Prosperity

Larry Grays on May 29, 2024

Genesis 12:8 (ESV)

PLACE YOUR FAITH IN MORE THAN EARTHLY PROSPERITY

Imagine that you are out in the middle of a lake and there are two rowboats and you are standing with one foot in each boat. One boat, however, is filled with holes and is sinking fast. It is obvious that unless you do something you will soon be in the lake. The boat with the holes represents ourselves with all of the leaks caused by sin. The boat without holes represents Christ. It should be obvious that with one foot in each boat, we shall end up in the same place that we would have ended up in had we had both feet in the boat marked “self.” The only safe place to be is to have both feet firmly planted in the boat marked “Christ.” (C. Spurgeon)

We were reminded on Sunday that “our faith is greater than our square footage.” In Genesis 12:8 the only piece of Promised Land that Abram actually owned was his burial plot. Everything else was in a tent. A tent is not a permanent dwelling. However, Abram’s hope and faith weren’t in temporary material possessions; they were in the Lord. Hebrews 11:10 reminds us Abram “was looking for that city whose architect and builder is God.”

Reflection

What are some ways that living in a tent symbolizes the foolishness of trusting in material things? What are some eternal things that you are investing in and in what ways?

Praise/Prayer

Praise God for the eternal hope you have in Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any earthly possessions you may be clinging too tightly to.

Digging Deeper: Your Faith Requires Trust, Not Complete Clarity

Larry Grays on May 28, 2024

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Hebrews 11:8 (ESV)

YOUR FAITH REQUIRES TRUST, NOT COMPLETE CLARITY

During a baseball game in the summer of 2006, Boston Red Sox centerfielder Coco Crisp made a spectacular play. David Wright of the New York Mets hit a ball toward left-center field. The ball was moving away from Crisp as he raced after it. Just as it began to fall to the ground, Crisp dove headlong toward it. With his body flying through the air, he stretched his gloved hand as far as possible—and caught the ball. Some called it the best catch they had ever seen. What were his thoughts as the ball sliced through the air? Crisp said, “I didn’t think I could get there. I decided to go for it. I took a leap of faith.” (Our Daily Bread)

When Abram left his hometown of Ur he took a leap of faith. In Hebrews 11:8, the Bible says, “he left not knowing where he was going.” In Genesis 12:1, God promised to eventually show Abram where He was leading him. But when Abram left he did not have clarity about his final destination. He only had trust that God would not lead him astray. God doesn’t always tell us where He is leading us. He simply wants us to trust and follow Him.

Reflection

Can you think of a time when God did not give you clarity but He asked you to trust Him to not lead you astray? Is there something God is asking you to let go of now and trust Him to provide?

Prayer

Praise God for His perfect timing. Thank Him for bringing clarity when it’s time. Ask God to help you learn to wait on Him.

Digging Deeper: Stepping Out in Faith

Larry Grays on May 27, 2024

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3 (ESV)

STEPPING OUT IN FAITH

We learned on Sunday that God had a blessing in store for Abram, but to receive the blessing, Abram had to trust God’s Word, step out in faith, and leave all that was comfortable to him. This required a lot of faith because he was a successful businessman with established relationships and connections. God’s call was a call to separate himself from the corruption around him, and Abraham obeyed by faith. His faith opened the door to God’s blessings.

Imagine two letters that are sent to the post office. One letter is typed beautifully by a word processor. It is typed on exquisite, expensive stationery. There is not a word misspelled. It is beautifully framed. Everything is perfect, not a smudge, not a smear. It is perfectly addressed and it’s placed in the mail.

Another letter is written. This letter is written on common notepaper like a yellow legal pad. It’s stuffed into an envelope. It is written in pencil. It is full of grammatical errors. It is smudged and dirty. It has erasures on it. But there’s a difference in the two letters. The first letter, so beautifully written, has no stamp on it. The second letter, written in pencil, with smudges and smears, has a stamp on it. Question: Which letter will be delivered?

Faith is the stamp that gets your letter on through—faith. Some people may pray beautiful prayers; I mean they are eloquent, and they may be right, and the content may be good, but there is no stamp on the letter. (Adrian Rogers)

Bible scholar, Warren Wiersbe, writes, “The life of Abraham is an example for all Christians who want to walk by faith. Abraham was saved by faith (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:1–5; Gal. 3:6–14) and lived by faith (Heb. 11:8–19), and his obedience was the evidence of his faith (James 2:14–26).”

Reflection

Obedient faith hears what God’s Word is saying to me and responds with appropriate action. What did you hear from God’s Word in the sermon this week? What was God saying to you? How did you respond?

Prayer

Praise God for His faithfulness to keep the promises in His Word. Ask God to grow your faith to step out and trust His promises.

Digging Deeper – Dressed to Love

Chris Boggess on May 24, 2024

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

DRESSED TO LOVE

Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Albert Einstein all shared something in common. They often would be seen wearing the same outfit. Every day, they would get up and put on the same outfit as the day before, or one so similar that no one would know the difference. The idea is that this is a choice that you need to make every morning, so rather than spending time choosing their daily look, they would wear the same thing every day, so they would have more brainpower to put into the tasks that matter.

Paul encourages his readers to clothe themselves in the same outfit each day. Read the passage above and imagine how clothing yourself in mercy, kindness, humility, and patience would look in your daily life. How would making this your daily routine change your life and the people around you?

I have heard of people praying through the armor of God. They mention each piece of armor and imagine putting it on. What if we did the same thing with this passage, clothing ourselves for the day in love and forgiveness? We could pray through each attribute, consciously adding it to our daily ensemble. Then, if you are one of those who put on the armor of God daily, add that on top. After all, armor without clothing under it would be much less effective.

Take a moment and pray through Colossians 3:12-14. Ask God to clothe you in the attributes it lists. Ask him to prepare you to show love today. Pray that all who see you will see the love of God in all you do and say.

Chris Boggess is the Next Generation/Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Digging Deeper – The Only Way to Win

Chris Boggess on May 23, 2024

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (NLT)

THE ONLY WAY TO WIN

There is a scene in the movie Elf (if you will indulge a Christmas movie reference here on the cusp of summer) where Buddy, the protagonist of the movie, is walking around New York City when he sees a neon sign in a window that reads “World’s Best Cup of Coffee.” Buddy immediately turns back, walks into the diner, and says, “Congratulations, you did it!” while everyone in the restaurant stares blankly at him. In Buddy’s childlike perception, he believes the sign, but we know it is just an advertising ploy.

We live in a world where winning matters. Everyone wants to be the best at whatever they are doing. I play games with middle schoolers often; they want to win no matter what we are playing! I have heard serious arguments over a foul ball in a kickball game where the only prize was winning, and for them and many of us, winning matters!

In the passage above, Paul describes someone the world would say is a winner by any measurement. The person is an intellectual polyglot who can speak with angels. They know what God is planning. They can perform miraculous acts. They give things to people in need and will do whatever for others. If you need an organ, they are your donors! This person scores on every measurement. But Paul explains that the final score needs one more calculation. Add all these things together and subtract love, and your final answer is zero, nothing! Anything minus love becomes valueless. Just doing things without loving the people is like putting a sign in the window that says “World’s best cup of coffee.” It’s meaningless – or worse – it is deceptive. Love is what gives our actions meaning.

Take time to pray and ask God to show you the area in your life where everyone would say you are “winning,” but you have missed out on the love. Ask God for help injecting his love into everything you do.

Digging Deeper – Where Should We Love?

Chris Boggess on May 22, 2024

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ²And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,^[^a^] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;^[^b^] ⁶it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 (ESV)

WHERE SHOULD WE LOVE?

There are places where I am not good at showing love. One is my truck. It’s just that there are so many people on the road who are actively making themselves difficult to love! My dashcam proves it! They cut me off, change lanes without their blinker, or turn on their blinker and start coming into my lane even though I am here next to them in my bright red truck, which has somehow been rendered temporarily invisible. It’s easy to write people off whom you don’t know and who are separated from you by a wall of glass and steel.

But really, the truck is just a symptom. To tell the truth, I am not very loving in many places, and you probably aren’t either. Look at the list above in verses 4-7. We love that list. We read it at weddings and hold it up as an example, but it is a mirror. It shows us how far we are from being loving people.

If you don’t think that’s true, just put your name in place of love and see how far you get before you feel a bit convicted. “Chris is patient and kind; Chris does not envy or boast; he is not arrogant or rude. He doesn’t insist on his own way…” You get it, right? It gets tricky in verse 7 because of that recurring phrase “all things.” That includes the times when things don’t go your way. This passage shows us the ideal and how far we miss the loving mark.

Take time now to pray through the first verses of 1 Corinthians 13. Ask God to show you where you are falling short, and ask him to make you more loving. Ask God to show you (or perhaps you already know) the places where you tend to be less loving and ask him to help you change that.

Digging Deeper – Who Should We Love?

Chris Boggess on May 21, 2024

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)

WHO SHOULD WE LOVE?

Commander Mitsuo Fuchida was a Japanese pilot during World War 2. He was a leader in the attack on Pearl Harbor that started the war and was active throughout. He devoted his life to the warrior culture that permeated the Japanese military. Revenge and honor were the two things that drove him. He survived the war with several near misses on his life.

After the war, many Japanese went on trial for war crimes because of the mistreatment of American POWs. Fuchida assumed that the U.S. had treated the Japanese POWs just as severely. When he spoke to a friend who had been a prisoner, his friend relayed a story of the kindness of an American woman, Peggy Covell, whose missionary parents were killed by Japanese soldiers. She showed compassion instead of taking revenge on these men who were her enemies.

Fuchida became interested in Christianity because of the actions of this one woman and eventually became a believer, preaching around the world and leading many to Christ.

Most of us are mindful of the passage above from Mark 12. After all, we hear it every Sunday, “Love God, love people, live sent.” But Jesus had a more difficult call than just loving our neighbor. The “love people” part of our challenge includes people who are actively opposed to us. God calls us to love our enemies because that is not the world’s culture. Loving our enemies stands out.

Take a moment to pray and ask God to show you who you need to love, not just your neighbor and those who are easy to love, but also the tough ones. Maybe it is someone you work with or perhaps someone from a different political party. Maybe it’s a family member who gossips behind your back or someone whose lifestyle differs from yours. It will be difficult, but it is not beyond what the Holy Spirit can do in your life, as Jesus says at the end of the passage in Matthew, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Pray that God will perfect your love.