NorthStar Church Blog

¹² The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

¹³ “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living.

Luke 15:12-13 (NLT)

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THE NEED TO ESCAPE

 

Have you ever felt the need to escape? Maybe coming up on the holidays you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or overworked. You’re just ready to get out of the office, out of the house or just out of the current rhythm of your everyday life. I think we all have these seasons, but I encourage you to dig deeper into the reason you’re feeling this way.

Maybe it’s just a healthy need for more work/ life balance.  This is important! God wants us to have rest. He literally shows us what that looks like in Genesis! Sabbath is good, important, and necessary.  Spending time away from everyday life can be healthy for gaining fresh perspective, renewed energy, and God-given inspiration.

But we need to be careful when we find ourselves looking to escape because a lack of reliance on God. Have we failed to trust His plan? Have we avoided spending time with Him, finding rest each day in His presence? Are we leaving Home because we are choosing to follow our own path instead of God’s for our life?

When the Prodigal Son left home, he was wanting his father’s things (his inheritance), but not his father. The relationship between the son and his father was just a means to an end of the son getting what he wanted at that moment (instant gratification). And now he was ready to stray far from home.

The parable of the Prodigal Son could be a more extreme example of escape than what you have experienced in your life, but we all have choices in our lives where we must decide: are we going to follow God’s path, or is the path we can create for ourselves better? Choosing our own path is a tougher, more tiresome road. We will find exhaustion and that “need to escape” much more often.

When we choose to follow the path God has set for us, we can find rest and fulfillment in Him and in knowing that our satisfaction is found in Him alone. We will never find satisfaction apart from God. In fact, the more time we spend with the Lord reading His Word, praying, and digging deeper, the more satisfaction we will find and we’ll see the path before us more clearly.

Our ultimate escape will one day be the plan that God has perfected, the return of Christ– when the world is restored to how God created it to be. Our longing for escape will be satisfied completely. May you find a great desire to be present, find rest, and follow the path God has set forth for you. And may your time that you spend escaping everyday life be filled with healthy rest in the Lord!

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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. 

19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.

James 5:20 (NLT)

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WANDERING AWAY

 

Have you ever strayed from the path you were on and suddenly found yourself off course? Of course! This happens to many of us in causal activity – like shopping or sight-seeing. But James cautions those that wander “away from the truth” (v.19) – a sort of spiritual drift.

 

Most physical wandering is the result of one of two things: 1) a deviation from the proper route or 2) aimlessness. The Psalmist states that the Word of God is “a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). It lays out the proper route for the Christian life. The Westminster Confession of 1646 puts it like this:

The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture.

 

That is to say, the Bible is a sufficient guide for faith and life. Those who have fallen into error started out by neglecting the Word of God. In theology, the term for a deviation from right teaching is “heresy.” Not coincidentally, this term derives from a Greek word meaning “choice.” When we consistently choose our way instead of The Way (the historic name for early Christianity), we are at risk of falling into error. God has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to help guide us along.

 

We can also help others that are prone to drifting. Ecclesiastes 4:10 states, “If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.” To this sentiment James would agree, for he stresses the restorative ability of Christian community.

 

Heed these final words of James. Choose today to stay the course of our Savior and to encourage others that walk alongside you.

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

16 The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16b (NLT)

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UNANSWERED PRAYER

 

James states that “the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” Yet, why is it that some prayers seem to go unanswered or, even worse, unheard? This arises from our misunderstanding of God’s will. It has been stated that God only answers prayer in three ways: yes, no, and not now.

 

How sweet the affirmative answer of God. When our Lord was passing near Jericho, a blind beggar pleaded with him to restore his sight (Lk 18:35-53). This request the Lord granted stating, “Recover your sight, your faith has made you well” (v.42). As a result, he “followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God” (v.43).

 

God sometimes answers our requests with a “no.” Consider that even our Lord Jesus received this response from the Father. On the night that he was betrayed Jesus prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me” (Mt. 26:39).  When our Father answers us in this way, we ought to imitate the submission of the Son stating, “I want your will to be done, not mine” (Mt. 26:39).

 

Sometimes a “no” turns out to be “not now”, although we don’t always understand it in the moment. Zechariah and Elizabeth prayed for a son, but she was barren. When they were “both very old” (Lk 1:7) the angel Gabriel came to tell them “God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John” (Lk 1:13). How long had this God-fearing couple considered their request denied when in fact it was delayed?

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed…

James 5:14-16 (NLT)

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INTERCESSION AND CONFESSION

 

Intercession – the act of saying a prayer on behalf of another person – is an important part of prayer. James touches upon the role of intercession in verses 14-16. Firstly, those that are sick benefit from the healing prayers of others in the church. This ought to be a common grace among a body of believers as such prayers “offered in faith” have the power to heal (v.15).

Paul instructs his companion in ministry, Timothy, to pray for others. In 1 Timothy 2:1 he states, “I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.” Many prayers for healing have been answered in the lives of people at NorthStar. I cannot count the times that I have called on people for whom we were praying and miraculous progress had been made. Or the times I have prayed for those in the throes of addiction who were restored to their former sanity. On interceding for others the Bible says, “this is good and pleases God our Savior” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Confession, likewise, ought to be a frequent practice among faithful Christians – specifically, confession amongst one another. In the years since the Protestant Reformation took place, confession has diminished into something of a relic of Roman Catholicism. This has resulted in an overemphasis on confession taking place internally between God and oneself. It is true that “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). However, James makes clear that confession of one’s sin to another believer has the power to result in healing. This is clear for two reasons: 1) it creates an opportunity for intercession 2) there is a humility involved in confession that is fatal to pride.

 

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

…Are any of you happy? You should sing praises.

James 5:13b (NLT)

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ARE YOU HAPPY? PRAISE GOD!

 

One of the ways we go about expressing our thankfulness is through singing! Did you know that the Bible contains over 180 songs? The Jews celebrated through music; the early church did likewise. The Roman Governor Pliny, writing to the emperor Trajan in 112 A.D., noted that the first Christians “had become accustomed to meeting before daybreak, and to recite a hymn among themselves to Christ…” Thus, the corporate singing of praises has been a vital mode of worship since the inception of the church. James encourages the continuation of that practice as proper for the happy Christian.

It is fitting that this appeal to the cheerful believer follows the previous address to the afflicted, for we are to communicate to our Lord in all seasons – feast and famine. Yet often we forget to give him due praise for seasons of peace. The apostle Paul reminds us “always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances…” (Thessalonians 5:16-18). Are you happy? Praise God! Thanksgiving is as much a part of prayer as our desperate petitions.

Have you given thanks for answered prayers? A good rule of thumb is “if its small enough to pray about its small enough to give thanks about.” Those times that we casually prayed for sunny weather or a favorable outcome ought to be followed up with an expression of gratitude. This will not only cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving, but it will reinforce the precious sovereignty of God in every aspect of our life – big and small.

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray…

James 5:13a (NLT)

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THE POWER OF PRAYER

 

Have you prayed about it? Likely you have heard that remark from a well-intentioned friend after laying your heart bare. The straight-forwardness of it almost offends the sensibilities, although the answer is almost always a resounding “no.”  And yet James – speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – boldly entreats us to consider this most basic principle: pray about it.

The truth of the matter is that we often get so distracted by the pain of affliction that we forget where our strength comes from. But worrying about it is just a form of praying to ourselves. We were not meant to become resigned to the hardships of living the Christian life. In Psalm 50:15, the Lord tells us; “call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Calling upon him is, in essence, the business of prayer. Therefore, if you are suffering hardships, you should pray. He is able to deliver you and in doing so you will bring glory to His name.

Take a moment today to reflect these words of James 5:13. Consider the hardships that you are facing and ask yourself whether you have submitted them to the Lord in prayer, who hears and cares. The apostle Peter, who walked with Jesus, would put it like this: “Cast all of your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” The question is: have you prayed about it?

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Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

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.