NorthStar Church Blog

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to His Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now He loved them to the very end.

John 13:1 (NLT)

JESUS READS THE ROOM

At this point in His ministry, Jesus had now been with his disciples for three years. These men had three years of following Jesus under their belts, listening to His teachings, witnessing His miracles, and seeing His heart. 

The curtain rises in this chapter with John narrating the opening scene of the Passover Supper. “Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to His Father. He had loved His disciples during His earthly ministry, and now He loved them to the very end.” Jesus knew the entire reason He came to earth would soon culminate in the greatest suffering known to mankind. 

Just before this, Jesus had just endured a discussion-turned-argument between these fellas, where they roped Him in like children do with their parents to ask Him who among them was the greatest. Three years, they walked with Jesus and witnessed all the things, and they asked Him who among them was the greatest. Don’t you kind of want to roll your eyes and beg them to read a room?

Jesus didn’t explode because He was stressed and overstimulated, demanding they clear the room so He could just have a moment to get His mind right. He didn’t roll his eyes and spit some clever sarcasm in a belittling, condescending tone. He didn’t turn inward in a silent, passive-aggressive way towards self-preservation, laying down boundaries because they still didn’t get it. No. Jesus read the room and responded with exactly what these imperfect men needed: love. How utterly profound!

You see, these disciples that can’t seem to read a room are you and me – called according to His purpose (2 Tim. 1:9), even as unworthy and unqualified as we are. And that purpose? Follow Jesus’ example (1 Peter 2:21-23) to our spouses and kids. To those whose choices profoundly affected us. And that person who bullied us or our children. They’re our co-workers and that person who just cut you off in traffic. 

Paul says it best in Romans 2:4, “Do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”

Friends, when the heaviness of our present circumstances press in, threatening to wreck our hearts and our lives, Jesus shows us we don’t have to respond in our flesh. We can boldly respond with the determination of David in Psalm 63:3: “My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life.” 

So, how do we do that? Let’s tackle that tomorrow.

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

¹⁴ And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14 (NLT)

MAKING DISCIPLES

In this passage, the days leading up to his death, Jesus tells the disciples that before the end comes, the Good News will be spread to the whole world. Later, after his crucifixion and resurrection, he tells them again in the Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations…” It was one of the last messages he gave to them before his crucifixion, and his very first message to them after his resurrection. It holds great significance to the calling of Believers. If we aren’t spreading the Good News and making disciples, we are not following the mission He has set before us.

So how do we become a disciple maker? At the heart of a disciple is a desire to be more like Christ. And if you haven’t heard it enough this week, the more time we spend with Him, the more we desire to be like Him and know Him more. It’s not surprising that the word disciple and discipline come from the same Latin root word. Becoming a true disciple takes devotion and discipline. It means sacrificing some time and maybe even some sleep. But even the busiest of us have the capability of doing it.

In his book The Spirit of the Disciplines, Dallas Willard writes, “Of course, attitudes that define the disciple cannot be realized today by leaving family and business to accompany Jesus on his travels about the countryside. But discipleship can be made concrete by loving our enemies, blessing those who curse us, walking the second mile with an oppressor—in general, living out the gracious inward transformations of faith, hope, and love. Such acts—carried out by the disciplined person with manifest grace, peace, and joy—make discipleship no less tangible and shocking today than were those desertions of long ago.”

We don’t have to make discipleship difficult. Some of you may be called to greater discipleship like leading a small group, being  a mentor, going on mission, becoming a missionary; but others of you can be disciples in your own homes and neighborhoods. In fact, the season of life my family is in, my biggest discipleship is to my children—and sometimes that simply looks like saying sorry to my kids, wiping snotty noses, praying with and over them, and showering them with grace. You may even find me outside praying over my kids with my eyes wide open as I watch them jump in the pool this summer. My deeper walk with Jesus and growing into a greater disciple doesn’t always have to look like me opening the Bible in a silent room. It can look however my life needs it to in that season. It just requires some intentionality and discipline.

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. 

⁹ “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. ¹⁰ And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 

¹² Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 

Matthew 24:9-10, 12-13 (NLT)

STANDING FIRM IN YOUR FAITH

We hear so many stories of persecution in other countries of those who stood firm in their faith, holding steadfastly to their belief in Jesus. Do you ever wonder what you would do in the same situation? In all honesty, sometimes I find myself wondering, “Would I be strong enough to face death or even torture?” I can only imagine the thoughts that would race through my head in such a moment like that. I’m willing to stand up to criticism and hate, but am I willing to go through persecution and death?

I think it’s an important question to wrestle with. And God is okay with our questions. The important part is how we follow the question. If you conclude that you’re unsure what you’d do, then I challenge you to dig deeper. An authentic faith is an enduring faith. I know my faith is authentic because I can look back at my testimony and see times in my life when I saw the Lord answer prayer in only a way He could. I’ve felt His presence in moments of worship or rest. I’ve seen Him move in the lives of my children. I’ve seen Him move in the lives of others. I’ve heard the testimonies of incredible miracles in the lives of others. I know without a doubt that the God I believe in is real, and I stand firmly on that even if from time to time I have moments of wondering.

Reflection:

Reflect on what the Lord has done in your life. What have you seen Him do in the lives of those around you? Reflect back to the moment you put your trust in the Lord for the first time—do you remember the emotions you felt?

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)

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

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)

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!

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)

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.

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)

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.

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)

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.

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.