Category: Digging Deeper

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.

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

James 4:17 (NLT)

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No Excuses

In the Bible, there are sins of commission where we willfully engage in behavior that we know is wrong. There are also sins of omission. We commit these sins when we know the right thing to do but don’t do it. In almost every case, we have a “perfectly good excuse” for not doing the good we should have. A car insurance company provided some excuses drivers have given for getting into accidents where it was clearly their fault:

“The other car collided with mine without warning of its intentions.”

“A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.”

“Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.”

“I glanced at my mother-in-law and headed over the embankment.”

“The pedestrian had no idea which direction to run, so I ran over him.”

While these excuses are humorous, they show how prone we are to evade responsibility for our wrong actions. James tells us that, like errant drivers, Christians who do not obey the Bible are full of excuses. But no good reason exists for doing something wrong when you know what is right.

PRAY:

Lord, help me do the good that I ought when the situation and circumstance arises. Don’t let me give in to procrastination or think someone else will do it. Amen.

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Steve Roach serves as Pastor of Spiritual Growth for NorthStar Church. He lives in Acworth, Ga., with his wife, Amy, and his four children.

Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

James 4:16 (NLT)

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Pride Before the Fall

Two geese were headed south on their annual autumn migration when they were begged by a boastful frog to take him along. The geese were willing to carry him if a means of transportation could be devised. The quick-witted frog produced a long stalk of grass and told the two geese to hold one end while he clung to the middle with his mouth. The three friends were soaring along, enjoying their journey, when some men noticed them from below. The men shouted their admiration for the device and called out, “Who was clever enough to figure that out?” When the boastful frog opened his mouth to say, “It was me!” he lost his hold, fell to the earth, and met his demise.

The entire Bible is filled with Scriptures that warn against pride and promote humility. Moses taught it, the Old Testament prophets proclaimed it, the psalmists sang it, Jesus exemplified it, and the apostles preached it. Let’s approach our future with humility and dependence on the One who holds our future.

PRAY:

Lord, give me wisdom and insight into the areas of my heart that do not please You. Help me to be humble and not proud. If I boast, let it be in You and Your goodness. Amen.

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Steve Roach serves as Pastor of Spiritual Growth for NorthStar Church. He lives in Acworth, Ga., with his wife, Amy, and his four children.

What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.”

James 4:15 (NLT)

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Infuse Prayer in Your Plans

In James 4:13-17, we find that it is unwise to make plans without asking God to reveal His plan to us. Some of us are scared to pray, “Your will be done,” because we are afraid God will want us to go to Africa or some faraway place to do difficult things in harsh conditions. The problem with this fear is that it comes from a misunderstanding about the nature of God. We have a Heavenly Father who only wants to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:9-11).

Philippians 2:13 (NLT) says this: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” If God wanted to send you to Africa, He would put that desire in you so strong that nothing would keep you from wanting to go.  Although we may not always know God’s specific will, we can always know His heart.

 

PRAY:

Lord, I praise You that Your plans are always good. Show me Your good and perfect will for my life and help me obey You. Amen.

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Steve Roach serves as Pastor of Spiritual Growth for NorthStar Church. He lives in Acworth, Ga., with his wife, Amy, and his four children.

 

How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.

James 4:14 (NLT)

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Make the Most of Today

It’s easy to get so preoccupied with the future that we miss the opportunities God gives us each day. Life is fleeting, and death is inevitable for all of us. Despite this, our culture is busy trying to disguise the aging process. We color our hair, inject Botox around our eyes, and look for some miracle potion that will give us a few more years. Some people even go to the extreme and freeze their bodies after they die in hopes that some future medical breakthrough will provide a cure for their particular death-causing disease and enable them to live again. But the reality is that nothing will keep any of us from the ultimate appointment already on God’s calendar.

The Bible says, “In Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:16). If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ and have followed Him faithfully, your appointment with God can be a means of rejoicing, not fear.

PRAY:

Lord, thank you for the gift of life and for every breath that you have gifted to me. Help me make the most of every opportunity for You and your Kingdom.

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Steve Roach serves as Pastor of Spiritual Growth for NorthStar Church. He lives in Acworth, Ga., with his wife, Amy, and his four children.

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” — James 4:13

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Spaced Out

There was a planetarium that needed money, so its director dreamed up a gimmick that preyed upon future-oriented, hopeful, yet gullible people. He printed brochures offering one-thousand-acre lots on Mars for only twenty dollars. “This land still features pink skies, unlimited rock gardens, and not one but two moons. So peaceful, quiet, and romantic—even the natives are friendly,” the literature promised. “At one-sixth the gravity of Earth, your golf game will improve immensely—drives will be six times longer. Mars will provide a world of adventure for the entire family.” The gag was surprisingly successful. People across the country sent in their money for a deed.

James reminds us that making life plans without praying and seeking God is just as foolish as buying land on Mars. I may not know what the future holds, but I know Who holds my future. Because God holds eternity in His hands, isn’t it a good idea to trust Him with all your tomorrows?

 

Father, though I don’t know the future, You do. Help me make wise decisions today to prepare me for whatever the future holds. Amen.

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Steve Roach serves as Pastor of Spiritual Growth for NorthStar Church. He lives in Acworth, Ga., with his wife, Amy, and his four children.