Category: Digging Deeper

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.

James 5:7 (NLT)

 

Shortcuts make long delays. – J.R.R. Tolkien

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AVOID SHORTCUTS

 

Though we have focused on waiting for God to act, let’s take a minute and look at the alternative: being impatient.

There was a famous experiment from the 70’s called the marshmallow test. In the test, preschool children were asked to pick from two treats: a marshmallow or a pretzel. Then they were told that if they waited while the adult left the room, they could have the treat they wanted when the adult re-entered the room. They also had the choice to ring a bell, call the adult back earlier, and get the second choice treat instead. Most of the kids didn’t wait. They were fine with the second choice if they could have it now. Their wait times were also significantly shorter when the treats were in view. When they saw it, they couldn’t wait to have it.

Sometimes, we think of the need for instant gratification as a modern thing, but modernity just makes it more possible for us to have things immediately. Our satisfaction is just a click and a credit card away. We may be more programmed to be impatient now, but when we look at the people in the Bible, we see time and again people who were not willing to wait for God, but instead tried to take a shortcut. From Abraham to Moses and even in the fall in the Garden of Eden, we see people taking shortcuts to get what they want, and it always ends with a setback in their spiritual growth.

There is a passage in Matthew’s gospel that says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)

I love the way The Message paraphrases this passage: Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.

Too often, we are like the children in the marshmallow test. We will settle for less than the best to get it now. C.S. Lewis said we are “far too easily pleased” because we really haven’t tried to grasp what God has for us. Therefore, we settle for our earthly desires instead of God’s infinite joy through salvation in Christ.

When you find yourself impatient and looking for a quick fix, take a moment and meditate on what God has for you if you’ll wait on him.

 

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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.

We give great honor to those who endure suffering. For instance, you know about Job, a man of great endurance. You can see how the Lord was kind to him at the end, for the Lord is full of tenderness and mercy.

James 5:11 (NLT)

 

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, ⁴ and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, ⁵ and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

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THANKFUL FOR SUFFERING

 

Think back to times in your life that were difficult. As painful as they were, they probably were not as difficult as what Job endured. In case you aren’t familiar with his story, Job lost everything: his children, his wealth, his livelihood, and his health. Then, after he wallows in self-pity, he finally hears from God, and everything is restored.

Now, think back to the difficult times that you have been through. Even though they are nothing like what Job endured, it can seem like it will never end when we are going through things and waiting for God to come through.

Take a minute to reflect on the times that God has come through, even though you may have had to wait. With those times in your life in mind, look at Psalm 40:1-3:

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
² He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
    a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
    and put their trust in the Lord.

Remember that even though we might have to wait for God to act in some situations, we must realize that God’s acting is purely for his glory. So, when he acts, we should, like the psalmist, put a song of praise in our mouth and let other people know how God has come through for us.

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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.

For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

James 5:10 (NLT)

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OTHER PEOPLE CAN DO IT

 

I remember the summer before junior high school like it was yesterday. I remember that I was highly anxious about walking the halls of McKinley Jr. High – and not anxious in a good way. How will I find my classes? Who will I be in class with? Will people make fun of my huge ears? (They weren’t abnormally large, but I was convinced they were). But even as I was facing all these fears, I remember going over the same mantra in my head. Over and over, as I fell asleep that August with 7^th grade looming in my future, I would repeat, “Other people have made it through this, and I can too.” I leaned into the idea that no matter how hard it would be, if other people could do it, I could make it through, too.

I find myself repeating that idea over and over in my life. When faced with difficult circumstances, I return to that 7^th-grade reassurance, “Other people did it, so I can too.”

I think that is why the writer of Hebrews in Chapter 11 recounts the hall of famers in the Old Testament. He brings out all the big names, from Abel to Abraham and Moses to Samson. Then, the writer shares how each lived by faith. They all encountered stumbling blocks, but they kept moving forward, and they gave testimony to what God can do in the lives of everyday, flawed humans.

Then comes the opening of Chapter 12: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV).

He is saying all those others made it, and you can too. So, don’t give up. I don’t know what is looming over your life or what struggle you are facing, but I know that the testimony of scripture is that we can have faith that God is doing something, and because of that, we can have “patience in suffering,” even when we don’t know what is coming next.

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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.

You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near. Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!

James 5:8-9 (NLT)

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ON CAMERA

 

One of my guilty pleasures is to watch videos on YouTube. But not just any videos. I love dashcam videos. In these videos, people are not expecting cameras, so they often misbehave, thinking there is no accountability. They cut people off and make rude hand gestures. Sometimes, they even jump out of their cars to confront other drivers. The road rage is wild in some videos! The funny thing is that sometimes a driver will be raging, and the person in the car with the camera will point to the device. When the other driver sees it, their demeanor changes. It’s as if they are suddenly replaying everything they just did and don’t like what they see.

It is the realization that they are being seen that changes them. In today’s world, it seems like we should always expect to be on camera. There are cameras in stores, on streets, in doorbells, and on the dashboards of cars on the road around us.

The verse above says, “Don’t grumble about each other, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. For look—the Judge is standing at the door!” I get the picture from this of being back in elementary school, and the teacher leaves the room for a minute.  There is always a kid or two that will use the opportunity to misbehave. But sometimes, the teacher comes in quietly, and the kid acting up doesn’t see. That moment of realization that they have been caught is what I get from this verse.

How would we act differently if we were more aware that we are seen by God? It should change everything about our day. And based on the verse, it should significantly impact how we treat others.

Live today like Jesus is watching.

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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.

Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the Spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen.

James 5:7 (NLT)

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ARE WE THERE YET?

“Are we there yet?” That cry is the bane of every parent’s existence. How do children know this phrase? It seems pre-loaded in their juvenile brains and programmed to activate once they have been in a moving vehicle for at least 15 minutes.

And how many parents throw the answers back to the query? “Are we still moving?” “Does it look like we are there?” “Time will pass faster if you quit asking.” That last one is untrue, but we’ll do anything to stop the question!

I remember yelling that question from the back of the LTD Country Squire on our frequent trips to North Carolina to visit cousins, or on the drive to a fun destination like King’s Island. It was a sincere question, even though it was annoying to my parents and logically pointless (because we were obviously NOT there).

For a child, everything seems to take forever. A road trip seems to be never-ending, and Christmas always seems so far away. And now, as adults, we lose that intense anticipation.

In James’s passage, we are called to be patient while waiting for Christ’s return. Can you imagine the anticipation of those first-century Christians, some of whom had seen Jesus face to face, had witnessed his resurrection, or had seen him taken into heaven? Knowing he was coming back would be a shadow over every day they lived.

Now, 2000 years later, I think perhaps we are too patient. When was the last time you woke in the morning and thought, “Maybe Jesus is coming back today!” I think for many of us, verse 7 has lost its impact. We go about our day as if the world will last forever.

His coming is as inevitable as the rains in the Fall and the Spring. So this week, take the time to get excited about the fact that we serve a risen Savior who has promised to return. And may our response to that promise be the same as what we find in the next to last verse in our Bible, Revelation 22:20:

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

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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.

You have spent your years here on earth having fun, satisfying your every whim, and now your fat hearts are ready for the slaughter.

James 5:5 (TLB)

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THE GOD POCKET

In a video sermon series I watched years ago, the speaker talked about how we are put on this earth to be a conduit of God’s love for other people. Instead of me trying to manufacture human feelings towards others, God wants to love my wife, children, friends, co-workers – through me! And he wants to love ME through THEM! This notion raises the bar and re-frames our purpose for existence! The problem is, I’m not very good at it.

I’m sure you can’t relate, but most of my time is spent thinking about how I can make life easier for myself, not how I can bless others. James had some tough words for people like me. Just re-read the verse for today, James 5:5. Ouch.

The good news is I have consistently placed other people around me to wrestle with these harsh realities. They are known as my men’s small group. Not long ago, we went through a book by pastor and author Bruce Wilkinson entitled, You Were Born for This. In a nutshell, Dr. Wilkinson reemphasized the same idea I touched on earlier: we were put here to be a blessing to others. Some of the stories he shares are modern-day miracles that will give you chills. He also shares some practical ways you and I can begin to open our hearts to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to lead us in this area. Enter the “God Pocket.”

For those of you who still carry a wallet (think: George Costanza), the God Pocket is the hidden compartment deep within the folds, where only Blockbuster Video membership cards and voter precinct cards can be found. Dr. Wilkinson encourages us to pray to the Lord and ask for guidance on a certain dollar amount we can place in the God Pocket. Then, we wait.

What are we waiting on, exactly? For the Holy Spirit to nudge us and guide us in how we should bless someone with the money in the God Pocket! And, while we need to be patient to hear from the Lord, once we get that “gut feeling,” we’d better act! The moment is often fleeting!

What do we do when the God Pocket is empty? We start again – pray and obey!

I wouldn’t mind having a “Fat Heart.” But not fat from self-indulgence. I want my fat heart to be overly stuffed with the things of God, and ready to bless another when I have the chance.

• Pray this week how God can love someone through you!
• Ask God to help you find your “God Pocket” and seek His guidance on an amount that could bless someone in need.

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

And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:18-25 (ESV)

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MISPLACED HOPE

It’s so easy to read the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18 with an air of superiority and self-righteousness. I’ve caught myself judging this Pharisee, wondering how he can be so blind to what Jesus has to offer. And, then I come to a harsh and painful realization: I am just like him.

Most of us would likely agree that Jesus offers more than we could ever hope for, and infinitely more than we deserve. Yet, we are still lured by worldly treasures and prefer to engage in perception management (fooling others into believing something about us) rather than being ALL IN on God’s agenda.

This man was all about “checking the box.” He was so confident that he had followed the Ten Commandments to a tee; ironically, he was oblivious to the fact he hadn’t made it past the First one: “You shall have no other gods before me.” And yet, something still prompted him to ask Jesus how he could find eternal life.

Jesus shares with him the key to finding true joy: by removing the barrier to discovering True Life – i.e., selling all his possessions, giving them to the poor, and following Him! The man walks away dejected, hoping there would be a way he could hold onto all he had – all that had a hold on him – and still find salvation. But Jesus says it’s not possible:

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24-26 (ESV)

How about you? What are you holding onto that has its talons gripping you even more firmly? What do you need to surrender to discover God’s best? When heaven becomes your focus, earthly riches will loosen their grip on your heart!

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

“Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Luke 12:15 (NLT)

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THE FOOL’S AMBITION

On Tuesday, I shared some sobering statistics about the self-storage industry in the United States. What you may not have realized is that the self-storage industry has existed for more than 2,000 years!

On one occasion, the crowds had begun pressing in as Jesus was teaching. A man in the crowd implored Jesus to tell his brother to divide his inheritance with him. Jesus responded as he often did – with a parable. He shared the story of a wealthy man whose land had produced an incredible harvest. The man wondered what he should do because he didn’t have the space to store all his crops. So, he devised a plan:

“Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ Luke 12:18-19 (NLT)

What a novel idea! I’ll build bigger storehouses for all my stuff! I’ll have it made, and I can party like it’s 1999!”

How did the Lord respond to this man’s plan?

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” (v. 20-21 ESV)

This is a warning you and I need to heed! God always provides enough for us, but we often desire more. And there are times when God blesses us far above even our desires – and it is in these moments our hearts are put to the test! Will we look for ways to bless others, or will we search for ways to stockpile our riches?

I don’t ever want God to call me a fool! Let’s keep our hearts tender and be on the lookout for ways we keep our focus on building a firm foundation on Christ.

 

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

Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.

James 5:2-3 (NLT)

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TREASURES IN HEAVEN

There have been a couple times during our marriage when Amy and I rented a temporary self-storage unit. Both times, we had put our home on the market, and we needed to stage it to make a more positive impression upon potential buyers. In other words, we needed to de-clutter and “open it up” a bit more.

What you may not realize is how vast the self-storage industry has become in the U.S. These numbers are astonishing:

• There are now more than 1.7 billion square feet of self-storage space in the U.S. (as of 2022)
• Another 53 million square feet of self-storage space is being added to that figure in 2023
• 1 in 5 Americans currently use self-storage

Yesterday, we talked about contentment. Well, this is a further indictment on this same subject. We think more will satisfy, but it simply doesn’t.

Even 2,000 years ago, long before Beverly Hills, Lamborghini, and Rolex – Jesus knew the pitfalls of accumulating worldly riches:

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:19-21

Even if we’re not bound to be featured on an upcoming episode of Hoarders, you and I can likely do better at heeding Jesus’ sage advice. Here are some questions for us to ponder today, as we wrestle with the tension we create in our own minds of “Not Having Enough vs. Having More Than Enough.”

• What do you think Jesus means by “Treasure in Heaven”?
• What’s one step you can take personally to begin to build up treasure in heaven?

 

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

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

James 5:1 (NLT)

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CONTENTMENT: SATISFIED WITH WHAT I ALREADY HAVE

Through the years, I have taken many a personality assessment: Meyers-Briggs, DISC, True Colors, and the one you have likely heard about in recent years, Enneagram. In short, I am an Enneagram 1: Perfectionist. I like to control the outcome and plan ahead. While this can be advantageous when planning a vacation, it can be detrimental if I place my heart’s focus on the wrong things.

For example, if I have my sights set on the perfect outcome (in any situation) and try to control and manipulate all the variables at the expense of someone else, I’ve not only caused damage to another person; I’ve damaged my relationships, as well as my witness. I can easily lose sight of the bigger picture if I am determined to find a more comfortable path for myself.

James is imploring his audience – the wealthy landowners and businesspeople of his day – to stop putting their hope in material possessions, which they accumulated by cheating workers out of fair wages. James isn’t just talking about earthly troubles that await these people; he is referring to God’s final judgment – the true misery that awaits those who put their faith and hope in anything other than Jesus Christ!

It’s no easier today to cease putting our hope into material possessions. Digital media and social media have compounded this problem, making it far easier to compare ourselves to others.

Essentially, this is about contentment. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the church at Caesarea Philippi, wrote, “I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

Today, instead of thinking about all the ways your life could be better with a newer/better ______, meditate on the blessings God has already provided. Like Paul, you very well may realize the Giver far outshines the gift!

 

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