NorthStar Church Blog

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48 (NIV)

 

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:28-31 (NIV)

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WHO SHOULD WE LOVE?

Commander Mitsuo Fuchida was a Japanese pilot during World War 2. He was a leader in the attack on Pearl Harbor that started the war and was active throughout. He devoted his life to the warrior culture that permeated the Japanese military. Revenge and honor were the two things that drove him. He survived the war with several near misses on his life.

After the war, many Japanese went on trial for war crimes because of the mistreatment of American POWs. Fuchida assumed that the U.S. had treated the Japanese POWs just as severely. When he spoke to a friend who had been a prisoner, his friend relayed a story of the kindness of an American woman, Peggy Covell, whose missionary parents were killed by Japanese soldiers. She showed compassion instead of taking revenge on these men who were her enemies.

Fuchida became interested in Christianity because of the actions of this one woman and eventually became a believer, preaching around the world and leading many to Christ.

Most of us are mindful of the passage above from Mark 12. After all, we hear it every Sunday, “Love God, love people, live sent.” But Jesus had a more difficult call than just loving our neighbor. The “love people” part of our challenge includes people who are actively opposed to us. God calls us to love our enemies because that is not the world’s culture. Loving our enemies stands out.

Take a moment to pray and ask God to show you who you need to love, not just your neighbor and those who are easy to love, but also the tough ones. Maybe it is someone you work with or perhaps someone from a different political party. Maybe it’s a family member who gossips behind your back or someone whose lifestyle differs from yours. It will be difficult, but it is not beyond what the Holy Spirit can do in your life, as Jesus says at the end of the passage in Matthew, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Pray that God will perfect your love.

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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.

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

1 John 4:7-10 (NLT)

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WHAT IS LOVE?

What is love? This seems like a straightforward question. I mean, we all know what love is, right? I love my wife, I love my job, I love my neighbor, and I love… pizza? We throw around the word love a lot. But what do we mean by love? Pizza isn’t a genuine rival for my affection for my wife. That would be weird. I know what I mean by love in those examples, but if you didn’t know my definition, you might not understand who I am. You need to know what I mean when I say love, and if we want to understand the scriptures above, we need to know what they mean by love.

God wants us to love like he does. In 1 John, we read that God is love. It’s not that He is good at loving or even the best at loving, but he IS love; it’s part of Him. So we can learn to love from Him. The prime example of God’s love is Jesus dying for us.

The verse from Colossians tells us to “clothe ourselves” in love. What we wear is a choice we make, just like the kind of selfless love that Scripture suggests we have toward others. In the same way, earlier in the verse, it tells us that God chose us to be his holy people whom He loves. He loves us, not because we are worthy of love, but because He chooses to love us. Then He calls us to love others similarly, not because they are worthy, but because we choose to love like God.

Take a few minutes to pray and ask God to show you the people today who need to see the love of God through you.

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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.

8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NLT)

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THE GAME GOES ON (FOR NOW)

 

I’ve now completed the baseball life cycle: I was called out and safe by umpires as a player, I yelled at umpires as a coach, and I am now getting my due as an umpire. And with all this talk of anger, patience, and long-suffering this week, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share a relevant umpire story on the matter.

It was just a couple weeks ago. I was behind the plate for a 16U rec game at a local park. In the bottom of the first inning, I had to call “time” and walk out to the mound to speak with the pitcher. He was upset because I wasn’t calling pitches “strikes” to his liking. He let me know this through facial expressions, shaking his head, and waving his arms in protest.

“I don’t expect you to agree with every call I make,” I said. “But you’re not going to continue to act this way when I make a call you don’t agree with. If you don’t like it, that’s fine. But you need to exercise some self-discipline and keep it to yourself. This is a warning.”

Later in the inning, with a 2-2 count on the hitter, the catcher tried to frame what he believed should have been Strike Three. The problem was that it was a foot off the plate and in the other batter’s box. The pitch hit the mitt, and he took a couple steps toward the dugout and was about to roll the ball out the mound, thinking the inning was over. Not hearing anything from me, he looked back over his shoulder.

“Where are you going?” I asked. “Don’t try to pull that stuff with me. Especially on a pitch that far off the plate.”

“I thought it was a strike,” he replied.

“You thought THAT was a strike!?!?” I exclaimed. I then showed him with my foot where the pitch was. “It was way out here in the other batter’s box.”

The catcher didn’t like that I was giving him the business and started mouthing off. I called his coach out and explained what was happening, and that I was doing all I could to keep his catcher in the game. We eventually continued and finished the inning. This was only the beginning.

The next inning, the same pitcher and catcher were out there again for this team. Same thing was happening – pitches missing inside or outside, between 6-12 inches off the plate. The catcher certainly wasn’t helping, as he held the pitch for 2-3 seconds each time.

Finally, one of the assistant coaches had seen enough. “Come on, Blue. You’ve got to give him something!”

I called “time” and held up my hand. “We are NOT arguing balls and strikes. Especially when they are a foot off the plate and in the other batter’s box!”

The assistant coach chimed in again, and once more I stated sternly that we would not be arguing balls and strikes. The head coach then replied, “Well, SOMEONE needs to!”

As you may suspect that coach was ejected from the game. And it only got uglier from there. More arguments, more unkind words from coaches on one team towards parents from the other. It was snow-balling, and I was doing all I could to avoid a melee.

One parent (on the well-behaved team) asked, “Why don’t you just end the game? This is miserable for everyone!”

I replied, “The only reason I haven’t ended the game is for the kids who are doing the right thing out here. They deserve an opportunity to play.”

Some of us wonder the same thing about God: why hasn’t He just ended this “game”? With all the misery, tragedy, and evil in the world, it’s a valid question. On that note, let’s revisit our verse of the day from 2 Peter 3:8-9.

Time as we experience it here and now is not the same as how God views it or experiences it. And, there’s one reason why He is patient with humanity in Jesus’ second coming: He wants everyone to come to know Him!

When you see and feel the pain of this world, remember His plan is perfect, as well as His timing. His love for us all keeps the gates of heaven open and provides an opportunity for the lost to find their way Home!

 

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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.

12 and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us…

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins

Matthew 6:12, 14-15 (NLT)

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ONE ANTIDOTE TO IMPATIENCE

 

We’ve been wrestling with patience and long-suffering this week, and it occurred to me that we often endure these epic struggles far longer than God ever intends. The culprit: unforgiveness.

I journeyed through this topic with my men’s small group a couple years ago, and it was a doozie. Using R.T. Kendall’s Total Forgiveness as our guide, we clashed head-on with this universal struggle and had some memorable – and occasionally fiery – exchanges along the way. Some guys in the group had been dealing with deep hurt that had held them captive for decades. Others carried bitterness and resentment with them because of excruciating pain they had endured as a result of another’s choices.

Kendall shared candidly in his book that he sought the counsel of a trusted friend when he, too, was amid a trial. He confided in someone far removed from the situation – someone who lived in another country, in fact. Hoping to draw a sympathetic ear, Kendall shared the details with his friend.

“Is that all?” the friend asked.

“Yes, that’s it,” Kendall replied.

“You must totally forgive them,” the friend stated.

“I can’t,” said Kendall.

“You can, and you must,” the friend insisted.

Perhaps you get a bit agitated when you read this exchange. After all, Kendall had been wronged and was grieving over it. Certainly, he is justified in his bitterness and resentment!

In the flesh? Absolutely. As a follower of Jesus Christ – quite the contrary!

The Lord’s Prayer even addresses this. Perhaps you recite it from rote memory, and you miss the clear message Jesus shared on this very issue. Take another moment to read the words above from Matthew 6:12, 14-15.

We are asking God to forgive our sins AS WE FORGIVE others’ sins against us! And, if that isn’t enough, Jesus says our Heavenly Father will forgive us to the extent we choose to offer forgiveness to others. It goes both ways!

Not to be confused, Jesus isn’t talking about revoking our salvation if we don’t forgive. What he is saying, however, is that our relationship with God will be broken if we don’t offer forgiveness. Likewise, our relationship with Him is restored when we choose to forgive and place it at His feet.

Does forgiveness always remove the hurt? Of course not. But it prevents us from compounding that hurt by holding ourselves hostage through bitterness, rage, and resentment.

Kendall shares, “Having been on both sides, I can tell you: the peace is better; the bitterness isn’t worth it.”

When we place it in God’s hands, and make the conscious (yet difficult) decision to forgive, we are set free!

 

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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.

Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

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LOVE AND LONG-SUFFERING GO HAND-IN-HAND

 

There are two different types of patience spoken about in Scripture. One is the patience needed in a season of waiting. The other is equally challenging: when we have had our fill of someone’s attitude or behavior; or, in our righteous indignation our fuse has neared its end. This is known as long-suffering.

Webster’s Dictionary defines long-suffering this way: “patiently enduring lasting offense or hardship.”

In the Bible, long-suffering is comprised of two Greek words meaning “long” and “temper.” The Lord is often described as being long-suffering in Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament. Time and again, we see His people (Israel) falling into a vicious cycle: walking with God > pulling away from God > God’s hand of blessing being removed > hardship > repentance > God’s mercy and compassion (REPEAT).

The Lord is a self-proclaimed jealous God! He has our very best in mind, and when we stray, it hurts Him deeply. He will discipline us and allow painful consequences to re-direct our paths, but in his loving-kindness, He will eventually comfort us and restore us if we turn to Him.

If you have ever weathered a storm of life in which a loved one has made a series of poor choices, you know exactly how brutal long-suffering can be. We want so desperately for our family member or friend to get on a healthy path – one with direction, joy, and meaning – one with God at the helm! In the meantime, however, we suffer, not knowing when the pain will end, and if this person will ever make a lasting change.

So, what’s our response in the interim? To love them. As the Apostle Paul wrote in the scripture above, we are to “be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” But we’ve got to take it a step further and ask this question: Why is love the proper response?

In a different letter – one he wrote to the Church at Colossae – Paul explains why we must choose love over anger:

Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. Colossians 3:13-14 (NLT)

It can be tough to reconcile this, but you’re not excusing someone’s actions by loving them! But you are letting them know that love is more powerful than whatever has led them to this difficulty. And, as we read in yet another of Paul’s letters: love never fails.

 

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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 “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NLT)

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PATIENCE OPENS UP ‘A WHOLE NEW WORLD’ OF OPPORTUNITY

 

Perhaps my all-time favorite animated movie is Disney’s Aladdin. I love everything about it: the soundtrack, the story, the characters – particularly Genie, portrayed by the vocal talent of the late comedian Robin Williams. But a great story isn’t the same without villains. In Aladdin, the villains are Jafar, the grand vizier of Agrabah – the sultan’s most trusted advisor – and his cantankerous parrot, Iago.

Jafar is a cold, calculating schemer with his eyes on supplanting Jasmine’s father as Sultan. While Jafar is determined to make his desire for power a reality, he is willing to play the long game. Iago is equally motivated by riches and power but has reached his boiling point. Getting his beak incessantly stuffed with crackers has made him rather salty, and he’s ready for a change in leadership. As Jafar and Iago attempt to gain access to the hidden treasure in the Cave of Wonders, they ultimately come away empty-handed.

Iago is incensed, and goes into a tirade:

“We’re never gonna get a hold of that stupid lamp! Just forget it – look at this, I’m so ticked off I’m molting!”

And then comes Jafar’s famous response: “Patience, Iago. Patience!”

I can’t tell you how many times my wife has uttered these words to me and our sons through the years when we’ve gotten a bit impatient. But, as we see in Iago’s actions, as well as later in the movie, when Jafar is insulted by Aladdin, anger and impatience are closely aligned – and it’s a dangerous pairing.

We’ve all likely heard this marriage advice from friends and family: Don’t go to bed angry. It’s wise counsel for several reasons, but Ephesians 4:26 without 4:27 is incomplete. Why shouldn’t we go to bed angry? Because “anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Another translation says, “Give no opportunity to the devil.”

In our anger, we are unable to think clearly, and the enemy pounces! He only has a few weapons in his arsenal, and chief among them are accusing and lying. In fact, here’s what Jesus had to say about Satan:

“He (Satan) has always been a murderer and a liar. There is nothing truthful about him. He speaks on his own, and everything he says is a lie. Not only is he a liar himself, but he is also the father of all lies.”

 When you’re drawn toward anger (and it very well could be justified), you need to heed these warnings! Instead of allowing the enemy to gain an advantage over you, lean into Christ and remember his love for you, and recall all the times He has forgiven you! You’ll likely drift off to sleep a little quicker when you do!

 

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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.

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

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CREATING MARGIN ALLOWS ME TO CONSIDER OTHERS

 

We’ve all got friends and enemies (or at least people you are less fond of). But there’s a third category: frenemies. A frenemy is someone or something that is of great benefit to you but can also serve as the bane of your existence simultaneously.

My frenemy? WAZE.

[Quick side note – WAZE’s humble roots were first formed in 2006 by an Israeli programmer whose goal was to create a real time interactive map of Israel using community users to crowd-source the digital data that was compiled in the Hebrew language. The initial project was known as FreeMap Israel and was re-named WAZE in 2008 when the founder wanted to commercialize it.]

OK, back to my frenemy.

You should first understand that I abhor traffic. In fact, abhor might not be a strong enough verb to express my disdain for overly congested roadways. When WAZE was first introduced to me, I felt like it was God’s gift to humanity! Now I could circumvent the backups and arrive at each destination in a timelier manner – and with far less frustration! I’ve become so accustomed to popping my destination in on the app that it’s rare that I don’t use it. This dependence on WAZE, and my obsession with timeliness, has led to other issues, however.

After entering my destination, I select my preferred route, and wait for the calculation: my estimated time of arrival (ETA). Now, here’s the problem: I look at this forecast as the LATEST time I should arrive – not an ESTIMATE. I begin to race against the clock! If WAZE spits out that I’m supposed to be at the Buc-ees in Leeds, Alabama at 1:33pm, by golly I will be there at least by that time! But, when I’m stuck at a red light, or if there is congestion on I-20, the clock ticks up a minute or two. Channeling my best Buford T. Justice, I say to myself, “No sir! – “WAZE said 1:33, so 1:36 will not work for me!”

You see where this is going. Instead of appreciating how WAZE helps me to avoid the worst traffic, I now unnecessarily inflate my blood pressure because of my desire to avoid traffic altogether. Honestly, I’m now using WAZE less often because my mind stays calmer without it. When Amy and I are driving somewhere together, and there’s a chance we will get caught in heavier traffic, she will drive (Actually, she insists on driving).

This all stems from a lack of patience. Why is recognizing this so important? Because when I become impatient behind the wheel, my mind becomes so focused on myself that I lose sight of others – some are passengers in the car with me, and some are the drivers in front of, behind, and beside me. They have places to be and loved ones to see as well.

I can’t show others the love and kindness of Christ when I am frantic, hurried, and stressed. Instead, I can give myself more margin in my schedule to account for delays and focus on arriving SAFELY instead of hurriedly.

Otherwise, it’s back to printing MapQuest directions.

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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.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

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HE IS NEAR

 

Thinking about gentleness this week reminded me of a book I received in college as part of a scholarship award. It’s called, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith. In it she says, “The nearer we are to Christ, the more shall we be enabled to exemplify the meekness and gentleness of our Lord, and the more tender will be our consideration for those who are our natural guardians and counselors.”

Christ’s proximity to us never changes. He is always near. How close we will stay to Christ is up to us. The question is what does that look like, and how do we do it?

This nearness of God is found in accepting Him as our Savior. We do that by believing that Christ died for us, covering our sins, once and for all. Then we grow in our faith by cultivating the relationship with God daily. There is no quick fix or easy button. It will require the investment of time and attention. The most beneficial ways to staying near to Christ are by reading His Word, studying, and memorizing scriptures, being in church and surrounding ourselves with other Christians.

When my children were young, I struggled with post-partum depression and hormonal imbalances for a few years. Some days were worse than others, but I would get them ready for bed and say, “Mommy and Daddy love you, but follow hard after the one who loves you the most – Jesus!” Then I would add, “Show me how much Jesus loves you.” They would stretch their little arms out as far as they could. It was such a sweet way to teach them that Jesus was the most important person in their lives. I may not have been very tender or gentle that day, but they knew Jesus was near and that He loved them. He was enough.

Tim Keller, a more contemporary author to Smith, said it like this. “The product of a true, growing, gospel-centered nature is often gentleness.”  

Gentleness is not natural for any of us. Indeed, it is the reflection of God, the one who died for us and now lives in us. If clothing yourself in gentleness seems difficult, please remember to lean into the Holy Spirit. My prayer is that you know God is near and that He not only wants to be gentle with you but through you as well. Press into Him and His Word and He will do it.

 

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Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.

 

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

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A LOVE LIKE NO OTHER

 

Several years ago, I had to drive around interstate 285 to get to and from work. At one point there was a billboard that I passed daily. It was solid black and had white letters that said, “Don’t make me come down there. – God.” Unfortunately, it is not far off from how I think about God sometimes – that He is just waiting to pounce when I mess up.

In contrast, Dane Ortlund in Gentle and Lowly describes Jesus as “Meek. Humble. Gentle. Jesus is not trigger-happy. Not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated. He is the most understanding person in the universe. The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger but open arms.” Jesus’ love for us far surpasses anything we will understand this side of heaven. Genuine love has a tenderness, gentleness to it that is like no other.

We see a glimpse of what this looks like when Jesus appears to the disciples after His resurrection. In John 20 we read, “Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” Thomas was not with them at this point and when the disciples told him about seeing the Lord, he said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

A week later Jesus appears with the disciples again and this time Thomas is present. Jesus says to him specifically, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” This moment with Thomas is so powerful and loving. Jesus knows exactly what Thomas has said and He gently allows him to not only see His scars, but to touch them.

The disciples were Jesus’ closest confidants during His earthly ministry. They had been firsthand witnesses to His teachings and miracles. They should have known who He was, recognized His voice, and yet they doubted it was Him. Jesus did not respond harshly, question them, or point His finger. He fully understood what they needed to believe and gave it to them.

May we all recognize today how incredibly compassionate God is. And just like He was with Thomas, He knows us intimately and gently loves us where we are.

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Bridget Turner serves as the Director of Women’s Groups at NorthStar Church. She and her husband, Steve, live in Powder Springs and have two young adult children, Hannah and Joshua. She enjoys watching football, traveling and reading.