Category: Digging Deeper

⁴ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, ⁵ for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.

¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.

Matthew 24:4-5, 11 (NLT)

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LIVING A PRAYERFUL LIFE

 

Prayer is a powerful tool in our walk with Christ that brings great depth and authenticity to our relationship with God. A prayerful life often times seems to be the most difficult for Christians to grasp, especially those new to their journey with the Lord. We can find ourselves at a loss of what to say or even intimidated by the thought of it, especially when asked to pray out loud. Prayer can be so many things: praise, reflection, lamentation, petition, intercession, even just silencing our minds in His presence. In my opinion, one of the best ways to approach prayer is to view it as companionship with God. We are drawing our hearts closer to His in prayer- getting to know Him more as we share our hearts with Him. Prayer meets the needs of our souls.

 

When most of us think of prayer, we view it as a way to ask God for things; for instance, healing or direction. Don’t get me wrong- God WANTS us to bring our desires before Him! Even Jesus asked the Father for many things. BUT prayer includes so much more. When prayer becomes a lifestyle for us, it becomes a meeting of hearts- a rest found in His presence. Oswald Chambers says, “The point of prayer is not to get answers from God, but to have oneness with Him. If we pray only because we want answers, we will become irritated and angry with God.”

 

When we live a life filled with prayer, similarly to reading the Word, we understand who God is and what His voice sounds like more. We are less likely to be deceived by false teachings or false prophets when we have created intimacy with the Lord. Let us use prayer to become intimate with the Lord and fight against the deception that is to come.

 

Resources – Some of my favorite books on prayer and how to pray:

When the Soul Listens by Jan Johnson

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller

A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie

The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson

Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer

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Courtney Miller is the Special Needs ministry Director at NorthStar Church. She was born a Texas girl, but has lived in Georgia the majority of her life (Go Dawgs!). She married her husband, Chris, in 2012. They have two children with a third on the way. 

⁴ Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, ⁵ for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.

¹¹ And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.

Matthew 24:4-5, 11 (NLT)

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STAYING IN THE WORD

 

One way of fighting the deception to come is by immersing yourself in the truth of the Holy Word of God. The more time we spend with someone, the better we know who they are. The more time we spend studying for a test, the better we understand the material. The same concept applies here. When we create the habit of rooting ourselves in the Word, we build up our character, becoming more and more like Christ. We understand Him more as we grow closer to Him and become more like Him. It will be easier to identify false prophets and false teachings because we will know and understand better the intricacies of who He is and how He works and what His voice sounds like.

 

The author E. Stanley Jones put it this way, “…we have to have the revelation of God through the Word. It is God interpreting himself to us. His interpretation of himself is Jesus. When you expose your thinking to him, you expose yourself to God.”

In my experience, the more I expose myself to God through His Word, the more my desire to continue the habit grows. As we learn more about our Creator through His Word, our desire to respond to what He has done for us grows. As we fall deeper in love with God, we spend more time meditating on Him. We don’t spend time studying His Word out of obligation. We do not read His Word out of the guilt that comes from not doing so, but out of the desire to know Him more.

 

Application:

What are some practical ways we can study God’s Word and expose ourselves to Him more? There are so many different methods of reading the Bible, digging deeper, and studying Scripture. One of my favorite ways is through my study Bible. It has Bible study notes, cross references, and even articles. These can help you dig in deeper to what you are reading. Another great way is to join a Bible study. Finding a great study on a specific book of the Bible is a phenomenal way to dig deeper into Scripture. There are also many methods to reading scripture like the SOAP method (S-Scripture O-Observation A- Application and P-Prayer). If you’re having trouble getting started, don’t be afraid to reach out!

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Courtney Miller is the Special Needs ministry Director at NorthStar Church. She was born a Texas girl, but has lived in Georgia the majority of her life (Go Dawgs!). She married her husband, Chris, in 2012. They have two children with a third on the way. 

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. ² But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

³ Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”

Matthew 24:1-3 (NLT)

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WE SERVE A GOD WHO WILL RETURN

 

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of his spirit, washed in his blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.

 

As I sat in prayer this morning, the Lord kept bringing me back to this hymn familiar to my childhood. Blessed assurance- the hope we have found in salvation through Christ. The meaning in this hymn, as I interpret it, reminds us of what is promised to us. We are given assurance in our salvation. What a rich word! We are given assurance that we are heirs of God’s inheritance. It reminds us that we are to live in this hope and in expectation of His promises- that we are to delight in them and praise Him for them. We are to watch and wait –  looking above to Him, submitting to Him, and expecting His return.

 

Luke 21:27 says, “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” Hebrews 9:28 tells us that Jesus “will appear a second time.” We see reference to His coming again in Revelation 1. And, of course, we see Jesus Himself speaking of His return in Matthew. These are prophecies not yet fulfilled but promised. How do we know that we can have assurance in these promises?

 

According to different scholars, the coming of Jesus and His time here on earth fulfilled somewhere around 300 prophecies foretold in the Old Testament. A prophecy is a God-given message or knowledge of a future event. What confidence that gives me, that a message straight from the mouth of Jesus Himself will surely be fulfilled. Therefore, we can have assurance in the great number of prophecies already fulfilled. Not only that, but many of us can look at our own lives, or the testimonies of those we know, to have assurance of the promises of God. So many times in my life, the Lord has graciously fulfilled promises, though not always in the way I expected. Most notably to me, would be through my children.

I dreamed of being a mother as a child. It was then, and is still, one of the greatest passions of my life. When my husband and I married, we immediately wanted children. Little did I know that this passion and promise the Lord had placed on my life would be such a journey. I clung to Luke 1:45 throughout my infertility journey, “And blessed is she who believes that the Lord will fulfill His promises to her.” It took time, but I began to understand that even if that promise didn’t look exactly how I pictured it with children in my home, that somehow the Lord WOULD fulfill that promise. Here we are 11 years later with two children and a third due in just over a month. Our journey even to this third has not been easy, but I know with great confidence that the Lord DOES indeed fulfill His promises. And I look ahead with great expectation to the return of my Lord and Savior!

Reflection: Reflect this morning on promises the Lord has fulfilled in your life or someone near to you. Thank the Lord that we are given assurance in our salvation and what He did on the cross for us.

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Courtney Miller is the Special Needs ministry Director at NorthStar Church. She was born a Texas girl, but has lived in Georgia the majority of her life (Go Dawgs!). She married her husband, Chris, in 2012. They have two children with a third on the way. 

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Colossians 3:17 (ESV)

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I MUST DO ALL IN THE NAME OF CHRIST

 

Disney’s movie The Lion King features a young lion named Simba who is destined to rule the jungle but finds himself “on the outs.” As the story opens, his father, Mufasa, takes him to Pride Rock and shows him his inheritance… he would rule as far as his eyes could see; everywhere the sun placed its light. Soon afterward an evil plot is set afoot and Simba’s father is murdered. Simba flees. He runs from his destiny due to guilt and fear. You see, Simba did not fully grasp who he was or what power and authority he possessed.

 

Then there is a scene where Simba sees a mirage of his father. Mufasa tells Simba, “Remember who you are.” Once Simba realized who he was, what he possessed, and his role in the society of the Savannah, he returned, drove the hyenas from Pride Rock, took His place as king, and restored peace and beauty to the land.

 

In Colossians 3:17, the Apostle Paul reminds the church of who they are. They are members of God’s Kingdom and they represent Jesus in the world. They operate based on the authority and power of Jesus Christ. When the church does things in Jesus’ name to bring glory to Him they are backed by God’s power and presence.

 

Reflection

Many of you proudly wear team jerseys and apparel that reflect which team you support and proudly represent. Years ago, WWJD bracelets were reminders to ask ourselves, “What Would Jesus Do?” It was intended to cause us to pause and ask how Jesus would respond to the daily situations of life. Is there anything in your lifestyle that Jesus would not be pleased with?

 

Prayer/Praise

Thank God for the opportunity to be named as one of His followers and wear the name Christian. Ask God what areas of your life He would like for you to use for His glory where you currently are not.

 

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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.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16 (ESV)

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I MUST PRIORITIZE THE WORD OF CHRIST

 

Two construction workers were eating lunch one day. One of them says, “I hope I don’t have another meatloaf sandwich. I’m getting tired of meatloaf.” The next day the construction worker opens his sandwich for lunch and says, “Meatloaf sandwich again – I hate this stuff!” The third day this guy opens his lunch and says “Oh meatloaf again! I’m getting tired of this every day.” The guy who’s been eating lunch with him every day gets tired of hearing him complain and says, “Hey man, why don’t you just get your wife to fix you a different kind of sandwich for lunch?” The first guy replies, “My wife? What are you talking about? I’m not married, I make my own lunch.”

 

Some of us just seem to be wired to complain. However, Christ wants to rewire us to live lives of gratitude. In Colossians 3:16 we learn that we must prioritize God’s Word, and that eventually leads to praise and a heart of gratitude. God doesn’t owe us anything, not even meatloaf sandwiches. When we believe that truth we can find it easier to be grateful. However, when we feel entitled we are more likely to be discouraged and hopeless.

 

Reflection

As children, we learned, “garbage in, garbage out.” The idea is that whatever we put in our minds will eventually come out. If that’s true, it means, “Bible in, Bible out.” If you look at your lifestyle, what does it seem you have been putting a lot of in lately?

 

Praise/Prayer

Praise God for the hope and peace that He offers you through His Word. Ask God to help you make consistent Bible study a part of your everyday life.

 

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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.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…

Colossians 3:15 (ESV)

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I MUST RECEIVE THE PEACE OF CHRIST

 

During a famous battle between baseball’s Babes, Babe Pinelli was the plate umpire and Babe Ruth the batter. Pinelli called the legendary batter out on strikes. Ruth would have none of it. Babe Ruth said, “There are 40,000 people here who know that the last one was a ball, tomato head.” “Maybe so,” umpire Pinelli said, “but mine is the only opinion that counts.”

 

The original picture of “rule” in Colossians 3:15 is that of an umpire deciding the outcome of an athletic contest. The umpire would preside over the athletic games so popular in the Greek culture and distribute the coveted prize to the winner. The verse is, in effect, saying, “let peace win the trophy in your heart.” God’s peace is the opposite of worry. Worry means to pull apart and peace means to hold together. Colossians reminds us to let Jesus’ ability to hold our lives together win in our hearts.

 

Reflection

Unfortunately, some of us are allowing worry to make the calls in our lives. The way we let peace rule is by praying. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, CSB) Instead of worrying we are reminded to pray.

 

Praise/Prayer

Jesus is called the “Prince of Peace.” Praise God for this title and the promise of peace we can claim because of who Jesus is and what He does for us. Spend some time praying about anything that has you worried right now. Ask God for His peace to guard your heart and your mind.

 

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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.

14 Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: 15 “Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”

John 12:14-15 (NLT)

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JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM: RIDING ON A DONKEY

 

Tom Barnard writes, “The crowd was clueless. They never got it right. They shouted praises. He wept. They looked for a warrior-king riding a white stallion. They got a carpenter riding a donkey. They wanted hype. They got a healer. They wanted a prophet. They got One who fulfilled prophecy. They wanted a scepter. They got a Savior. They got nothing they asked for but everything they needed. Only they never got it. They were clueless. Jesus was the only One there who really knew what was happening on that first Palm Sunday.

 

In the culture of their day, a king would ride into town on a horse if he wanted the people to know that he was ready for war and that he was their warrior king. However, when a king rode into town on a donkey, that symbolized the time of peace was at hand. Jesus chose a donkey to show that the time for peace and love had come. The people were awaiting the king, but most of them thought the king would be an earthly king who would readily protect Jerusalem from all enemies. Jesus, however, came as a king of peace.

 

Reflection

Jesus would come to die for our sins so we could have this peace with God. Tom Barnard said, “The crowd was clueless.” In what ways have you felt clueless in your faith? When have you asked God to do something and later realized you were asking for the wrong thing?

 

Prayer

Thank God for being patient with you. Praise Jesus for starting with bringing peace to your heart. Pray God would open your eyes to misconceptions you have about Jesus.

 

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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.

12 The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors 13 took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hail to the King of Israel!”

John 12:12-13 (NLT)

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JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM: PALM SUNDAY

 

“The palm branches! Where are the palm branches?” the Donkey shouted. “Yesterday, you threw palm branches!” Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother.  “Foolish child,” she said gently. “Don’t you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey?”

 

John records the beginning of what has traditionally been called “Passion Week.” Beginning with Palm Sunday (named this because the people spread palm branches out before Jesus during His so-called Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem). Spreading their coats on the road, as well as freshly cut branches, it was their version of rolling out the red carpet.

 

Praise God, also translated Hosanna, was originally a prayer addressed to God, meaning “O save us now” (Ps. 118:25a). Later it came to be used as a shout of praise (like “Hallelujah!”) and then as an enthusiastic welcome to pilgrims or a famous Rabbi.

 

This week started with praise but was filled with unpleasant interactions with Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, culminating in Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion. The people misunderstood the type of Kingdom Jesus had come to establish.

 

Reflection

What are some misconceptions you believe society in general has about Jesus? What are some misconceptions you have had about Jesus that have changed since you became a Christian?

 

Prayer

Praise Jesus as the King of all Kings. Ask God to show you any areas of your life where you have misunderstood His place in your life.

 

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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.

“Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves.”

Luke 10:3

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COYOTES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

 

I saw a coyote in my neighborhood. I pulled out of my driveway early one morning, and as I slowly moved down the street, he came out of the trees like a ghost. He was a big boy. Not a wolf, but I wouldn’t want to meet that creature in the dark. He was slightly bigger than a German Shepherd (some of that might be the bulk of his winter coat). His long snout and loping stride gave away his wildness. He was not a dog or someone’s pet. He glided across the road through the beams of my headlights and disappeared into a tree-filled space by a creek that ran through our neighborhood.

Seeing him has caused me to think a little differently. I know he isn’t interested in me as prey, but seeing that lupine form in all his fluid grace made me a little warier when I take the trash out at night to the lightless lower side of our house, the side closest to the woods.

Wolves are made to hunt. And in their own territory, they are extremely dangerous. A full-grown ram would have his horns full with wolves around, but a lamb would be easy prey. So, when Jesus tells those he sends that they will be like lambs among wolves, that is a dire warning.

How does a lamb protect itself against wolves? First, keep the flock nearby. Having other believers around you to lift you up is essential. And it is even better when you give them the license to correct you when you stray. Accountability gives you protection from the wolves in your life.

Second, Keep the shepherd in sight. We must take time each day to “lock eyes with Jesus.” In my personal life, I can tell the difference between when I take the time to get myself into the right relationship with the Good Shepherd and when I don’t. It makes the difference. If you don’t take time to run to him, then you might just spend your day running from wolves.

What are the wolves in your life? The things that are too big to handle on your own? Lift them up to Jesus and share them with other believers you trust.

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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.

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, ⁶⁹ and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

John 6:66-69 (NLT)

“Now go; I’m sending you out like lambs among wolves.”

Luke 10:3

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TRUTH SEEKERS

 

The Barna Group is a company that does interviews and compiles data on many topics related to faith and Christianity. I was reading a recent study that polled Christians, non-Christians, and Pastors, and the results were fascinating. When asked what might make them doubt the Christian faith, the Christians said “human suffering” gave them some doubts. But when non-Christians were polled, almost half of them said that the thing that makes them doubt Christianity is the hypocrisy of religious people.

Along those same lines, when the question was, “What are you looking for spiritually?” Christians and non-Christians agreed that “inner peace” and “hope” are in their top three. But Christians rounded out the top choices with “forgiveness,” while the non-Christians said “truth.”

Paul says, “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15). This is something I think we can all identify with. It is probably also why Christians round out their top three with forgiveness and may also be why the non-Christians polled were quick to think of Christians as hypocrites. We know that we have these struggles with sin. When we try to constantly hide this struggle and put up a front of perfection, we set ourselves up for a fall. Then, we end up being the obstacle for non-Christians. They see us as hypocrites.

The people around us don’t need to see perfection. They need to know that we are not perfect but striving to live the best we can, not because we want to earn heaven, but because we are thankful that heaven has already been given to us.

Jesus said to Thomas, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). He offered the inner peace we crave by saying he is “the Way.” The best way to inner peace is to live in this world as a follower of the way Jesus showed us. Jesus fulfills the need for hope by offering “life.” He says his life is more abundant (John 10:10) and leads to eternity (John 10:27-28). And finally, he lets us know he embodies the absolute truth; not the subjective truth of our modern world (as if truth could be subjective), but eternal truth.

So, as we “live sent” in the world, let’s not live behind a mask of perfection, pretending we are always right and always alright. Instead, let’s live in the way of Jesus and let people see the truth of who he is through our lives, and when we fall short, acknowledge it and seek forgiveness. By living that way, we can show the forgiveness and hope he offers in the way we live our lives.

 

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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.