NorthStar Church Blog

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.5 Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

THE DOWNFALLS OF DISTRACTION

Marveling at the wonders of modern technology is easy to do these days. The technology we each hold in our hands, perhaps as you’re reading this, is itself remarkable. The advances in our present age offer limitless entertainment and communication and have given way to new ways of working and completing our daily tasks.

With all of these new gadgets and gizmos comes a bit of trepidation. With each new app, phone, computer, self-driving car, etc., we can become distracted. Routines get altered for convenience and at times we can lose meaningful moments due to our incredible distractions. These distractions often take us away from what matters most, and the warp-speed nature of our modern schedules breeds anxious feelings.

We need to press pause and be intentional about our relationship with Jesus. Paul tells us in Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV).

We have to fight the urge to clutter our schedules and limit our distractions, despite what the world tells us we need. We don’t need to get a new phone, or a new car, or those new Jordans (even though I really want them); we need to renew our minds by spending time with Jesus. Our anxious clutter can be resolved by this intentional erosion of our “busy-ness.”

In the 90’s action movie The Rock, John Mason (played by Sean Connery) is talking about his special forces experience and notes “I was trained by the best, British Intelligence…but in retrospect I would have rather been a poet, or a farmer.”

This simple life he references is something that tugs at our hearts. We weren’t meant to be so distracted and busy. We fill our calendars with meaningful intent, feverishly working in appointments, practices, homework, meals, parties and meetings all in one day, all the while trying not to dirty our superhero capes.

This is how Martha felt when she jumped at the opportunity, along with her sister Mary, to have Jesus and some followers in their home. As Jesus spoke, Martha was hard at work preparing to serve the guests, getting annoyed with her sister for not helping as she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened. Then, when Jesus rebukes her (Luke 10:41) he noted she was “anxious about many things.”

She worried too much! Instead of being distracted and anxious (like Martha), we need to take a deep breath and return to the throne of our King (like Mary). Whatever we have in front of us – worrying us, distracting us, nagging at us – we need to set it aside and sit in the presence of Jesus.

In Colossians 3:2 Paul says to “Set your minds on things above, not things on Earth.” The apostle is pleading with us to have the right perspective on our daily schedules.

Is your heart set on what is above? Are you making a schedule that prioritizes the Lord?

Trust in him and make time for him – DAILY.

Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.5 Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

THE ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY

Anxiety. That word alone carries connotations and emotional responses for all of us when we see it. It has permeated our society at alarming rates, affecting all ages and leaving many to ponder its causes and potential treatments for it. According to one study by the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 31 percent of U.S. Adults experience clinical anxiety in their lifetime. We are all familiar with it, and many of us have experienced it.

We learn that Martha experienced it, too. When Jesus had joined Martha and Mary in their house, we see some angst from Martha. She felt like her share of the serving workload was imbalanced and unfair as Mary sat and listened to Jesus speak. But in Jesus’ response to her request for assistance, He didn’t simply say that Mary was doing the right thing by listening to his words; He first noted that Martha was “anxious and troubled about many things (ESV).”

Anxiety can have that affect on each of us. We lose patience, feel upset or depressed and can even lash out in irrational ways. So, what should we do when we recognize these symptoms in our hearts? From the lips of our Savior himself we are told to do as Mary did: sit and listen to His words.

RC Sproul, when preaching on this passage, said that “while Martha was grousing, and complaining, and feeling annoyed at her sister, Mary was basking in the presence of Christ.”

Sproul also noted that when the Lord rebukes Martha for begrudging her sister, that he did so “in the most tender fashion,” as one dear friend would do to another. When he addresses her “Martha, Martha” that name repetition is a clear sign of Jesus’ affection towards her. He recognizes that what is happening in her heart isn’t about Mary at all, but rather a manifestation of her inner turmoil.

In correcting her, the Lord simply says that Mary has chosen “the good portion.” When you are faced with anxiety, will you choose the good portion? Will you bask in the presence of Christ? That is the only way to truly find peace.

In the gospel of John (14:27), Jesus promises each of us peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

So instead of worrying, instead of begrudging, instead of being overwhelmed, fight with all of your might to bask in the presence of the Lord and his words. He cares about you, and he promises us peace if we will trust in him.

Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

READY:

“Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” 

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)

A SOLID FOUNDATION

SET:

In 2020, when things started to reopen after the shutdown, we decided to build a house. There was so much planning and preparation that went into turning a wooded lot into a livable home. Before we could get to the fun stuff like picking out lighting, floors and paint colors, we had to decide on a floorplan and determine where we wanted the house it sit on the lot. Since we weren’t going to have a basement we decided to build a really big garage (insert all man excitement here). It was important to have plenty room for our vehicles, lawn equipment and space for a shop. Making these changes to this one space of the house that hadn’t ever crossed my mind resulted in lots of extra planning and work for the architect. Once they had the blueprint redrawn, we then had to figure out placement of the house so that we stayed within the lot lines. All in all it took nearly three months after we decided to build before we were ready to get started. As excited as I was to move on to picking out the fun stuff for the livable space it was imperative that we get the foundation right first. 

In today’s passage we read what Matthew recorded from Jesus telling us about another foundation that we need to take the time to get just right. Jesus says that we would be wise to build our house (life) upon His words – that if we do so, when the wind and waves come we will be able to stand strong. He didn’t say IF they come but WHEN because we can be sure difficulties will happen. None of us want to walk through hard times but we are told repeatedly in God’s Word that while we are here on earth we will face difficulties. What we can do is prepare for them before the first sign of a breeze appears by building a firm foundation. We do that by storing up the promises of God in our hearts as we spend time each day with him in his word. Jesus gives us a warning in the person of the foolish man who builds a house on sand. If you’ve ever been to the beach or seen video of the tide going in and out you can understand why sand isn’t the best place to build a house and how it is easily knocked down.  

Just like it took time to get the foundation right four our new home it takes time to build your foundation with Jesus. The wind and waves that come our way look different in different seasons so we have to spend time with him daily to make sure we are prepared for whatever is headed our way. We need not be anxious about the impending hard times because we can trust that we have a firm foundation in our good Shepherd who will not leave our side! 

GO:

• Where is your foundation built? On the sand of self or the Rock of Jesus? 
• How will you be ready for the hard when it inevitably comes your way?

WORKOUT: 

• James 1:22-25 
• Psalm 1:1–2 
• Matthew 7:11 
• Matthew 7:24-27 

OVERTIME: 

Jesus, thank you for being our firm foundation, the rock on which we stand. I think of the song that says “when everything around me is shaken, I’ve never been more glad, that I put my faith in Jesus, because He’s never let me down.” Lord it’s true that even though we face seasons so difficult we aren’t sure how we will ever get through them, we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we will get through them because you are with us.  Father, let us be like the wise man who listens to you and builds a foundation upon you and you alone. In Jesus’ name, Amen.   

Minda Seagraves has been married to her best friend, Russell, for 17 years and is mom to Carson and Maddie. She is also a full-time missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a chaplain to local female high school teams and supports 380 staff across four states in the U.S. and 20 countries in East Africa as the Regional Director of Talent Advancement with FCA. Minda and her family live in Acworth and have been attending NorthStar Church since 2020.

READY:

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.” 

John 15:9-10 (MSG)

WALKING IN LOVE

SET:

So much of God’s word feels like a warm hug, but there is something about today’s passage that makes me feel the tangible love of Jesus wrapped tightly around me. Words have the capability of painting vivid pictures and The Message translation of John 15:10 does just that. 

This week we have unpacked obeying God – both the how to and the why. We have discussed the importance of seeking His will for our lives and explored the courage it sometimes takes to answer in obedience. Today’s look at obedience comes from a different angle than most of us probably ever think to explore. 

It should be no surprise that John, the self-proclaimed “disciple whom Jesus loved” approached the topic of obedience through the lens of love. We obey the Father because we love him and we love him because he first loved us! The original word used here for love is “agapao” which implies being loved dearly or beloved. It’s not an “I love tacos” kind of love John is talking about, but a deep fondness and commitment. We are promised that when we obey our loving Father we will be as close as possible to the feeling and security of that love. We get to experience a love that feels as warm, safe, and cozy as being home when we choose to walk each day out no obedience.

Yes, we have the reassurance that He goes with us, and yes we know that He blesses our path when we walk where He leads us; but we also have the comfort in knowing as we take each wobbly step with Jesus in obedience we are walking deeper into our love relationship with Him! You will never feel the love of Jesus more than when you are walking in obedience with Him! 

GO:

• Can you think of a time that you felt the tangible love of Jesus? 
• How does knowing love and obedience are linked change the way you think about doing what God asks of you? 

WORKOUT: 

• James 1:22-25 
• Psalm 1:1–2 
• Matthew 7:11 
• Matthew 7:24-27 

 
OVERTIME: 

Jesus, thank you for loving us with a deep unending love that is bigger than anything we can fathom! We ask you to meet us wherever we are today in this very moment and let us feel your loving arms wrapping around us as we willingly submit to your best for our life. Give us the patience to wait for you to guide each step we take and the wisdom to not get ahead of you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.    

Minda Seagraves has been married to her best friend, Russell, for 17 years and is mom to Carson and Maddie. She is also a full-time missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a chaplain to local female high school teams and supports 380 staff across four states in the U.S. and 20 countries in East Africa as the Regional Director of Talent Advancement with FCA. Minda and her family live in Acworth and have been attending NorthStar Church since 2020.

READY:

Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 

Joshua 1:7-8 (ESV)

TRUST YOUR TRAINING

SET:

“Coach said.” I would argue that those are the two most important words in all of sports. It’s why athletes at all levels do everything they do in competition. It’s why they run zone instead of man, why they run the ball instead of passing it, why they go for two instead of kicking the extra point. At practice it’s why athletes will push their bodies harder than when they do drills at home. It’s why they watch film instead of bingeing something on Netflix. More often than not what coach says needs to be done is not enjoyable or pleasant, but good athletes will do it anyway because they know there is purpose in the pain. The instruction from a coach is always purposed in getting better, both for the athlete individually and for the team. The goal of competition is to win, and we don’t win while sitting idle doing the easy stuff.  

We have the greatest coach of all! In the above passage God is coaching us up on how to win at life here on earth. We are told to be careful to follow His instruction, not even veering off from it a little bit in any direction. Just like running line drills at practice, staying on the narrow road God calls us to is not always easy; but the more we do it the stronger we become. That strength looks like better clarity in the next step God is calling you to take, and a peace that surpasses understanding when we are in the middle of hard times. We can know what play God is calling us to run by studying His playbook- the Bible! We are instructed to meditate on it day and night and not let our mouths cease from sharing what it says with others. The only way we can obey Him is to know what he is saying, and the only way we are able to know what He says is by spending time with Him in his Word. It takes discipline to stick to training of any kind but as Christians we have the biggest reason to trust the training from the best coach of all time! 

GO:

• How are you turning to the right and left of what God is telling you to do? 

• How can you take steps to follow in closer obedience? 

WORKOUT: 

• James 1:22-25 
• Psalm 1:1–2 
• Matthew 7:11 
• John 15:10–14 

OVERTIME: 

Jesus, thank you that you don’t leave us to figure it out on our own, but instead give us clear directions on how to obey your best plan for our lives. Thank you for your grace as we tend to drift off from that plan, for meeting us where we are and lovingly and gently guiding us back to the path you have purposed for us. Thank you for never growing tired of doing this! Help us Lord to have ears to hear your directions every moment of every day and to have the discipline, courage and boldness to take each step of obedience as we walk along the path you have called us to. In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Minda Seagraves has been married to her best friend, Russell, for 17 years and is mom to Carson and Maddie. She is also a full-time missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a chaplain to local female high school teams and supports 380 staff across four states in the U.S. and 20 countries in East Africa as the Regional Director of Talent Advancement with FCA. Minda and her family live in Acworth and have been attending NorthStar Church since 2020.

READY:

I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. 

Genesis 22:17-17 (ESV)

CONFIDENT OBEDIENCE

SET:

I am 110% NOT an athlete. So, eight years ago, when I felt the Lord calling me into full-time ministry as a missionary to coaches and athletes, I was very confused. What in the world did I have to offer this community of people I had no common thread with?   It took about three months in fervent prayer for me to fully grasp what the Lord was asking me to do, and even then I was very fuzzy on what answering this call to ministry would look like. The one thing, really the only thing, that was crystal clear was that He had given me a clear path to step my foot on. I had no idea what the next step would look like after I took that first one, but I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt I had to take that first step.  

In today’s passage I believe Abraham can relate to that feeling of answering a clear call without fully understanding what comes next. God is clear that he will bless Abraham and even lists out what those blessing will look like, as a direct result of Abraham’s obedience. It would be easy to get lost in the weeds here and think that Abraham’s actions led to a blessing. We know that’s not true because scripture tells us that we cannot earn God’s blessings; they are given to us as gifts, just as parents give gifts to their children. What God is telling Abraham is that these blessings are what he can expect as he steps out into the great unknown of walking where God calls Him. God promised to be with him as he went deep into uncharted waters.  

And He does the same for us! When I answered God’s call in 2015 I had no audible assurance from God of the blessings that were waiting for me, but there have been so many over the last eight years that I cannot even begin to count them all! I can honestly say that I have walked my calling as a missionary out in totally blind faith, trusting Jesus for everything I need and the directions on how to get there. 

No matter where or what Jesus is calling you to, you can take that first fuzzy step in complete confidence that His blessings will follow as you continue on the path that was planned for you before you drew your first breath! 

GO:

• What is God calling you to do that feels unclear or out of your comfort zone? 
• How can you take steps in obedience to that calling? 

WORKOUT: 

• • Joshua 1:7-8 
  • Psalm 1:1–2 
  • Matthew 7:11 
  • John 15:10–14 

OVERTIME: 

Jesus, thank you for the callings you place on our lives. Thank you for the opportunity to see your loving provision as we respond in obedience to your direction. Sometimes you ask us to do hard and scary things, but we know those are the times we will grow even closer to you as we learn moment by moment to be completely and totally reliant on you for everything. We ask that you would give us confidence and clarity as we answer your call on our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Minda Seagraves has been married to her best friend, Russell, for 17 years and is mom to Carson and Maddie. She is also a full-time missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a chaplain to local female high school teams and supports 380 staff across four states in the U.S. and 20 countries in East Africa as the Regional Director of Talent Advancement with FCA. Minda and her family live in Acworth and have been attending NorthStar Church since 2020.

READY:

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other.  Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like. But whoever catches a glimpse of the revealed counsel of God—the free life!—even out of the corner of his eye, and sticks with it, is no distracted scatterbrain but a man or woman of action. That person will find delight and affirmation in the action. 

James 1:22-25 (MSG)

NEW BEGINNINGS

SET:

Happy New Year! 

I love the possibility that comes with new beginnings. I’m one of those outliers that love Mondays because of the potential of a fresh start I see in the week ahead; so, naturally I love the start of a new year for the same reasons. According to Google, 37% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, with 87% of them saying they are very likely to keep it through the year. As you would probably guess most of the top resolutions revolve around finances and wellness. Whether you’re a fan of Mondays and New Year’s resolutions or not, I think we can all benefit from establishing habits that will set us up for success. Without question setting goals for bettering your health and finances are a great idea, but may I suggest that there is one far better? 

In the scripture above James gives us a pretty clear action plan. Other translations tell us to not just listen to the word but to be doers of the word. I love directness of The Message translation above: “Act on what you hear.” What if we made this our true north for 2024? What would it look like to wake up every day and be intentional about acting on what we read in our quiet time with Jesus?

We don’t have to guess because James tells us in verse 24 what we can expect. He says that if we catch even a small glance from the corner of our eye of what God is teaching us and act on it, those actions will be affirmed! How beautiful is that? We don’t have to get the whole picture to get it right. God only wants our attention and obedience. He will fill in the gaps we leave as we walk in the way He calls us, the best we know how. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a goal I want to commit to for 2024!

GO: 

• How can you make time with Jesus every day a priority this year? 
• How can you plan to make the shift from hearing the word to doing the word? 

WORKOUT: 

• Deuteronomy 6:4–9 
• Psalm 1:1–2 
• Matthew 7:24–27 
• John 15:10–14 

OVERTIME: 

Jesus, thank you for the fresh start of a new year! Thank you for the opportunity to meet with you each morning. Thank you that we don’t have to guess what your will is for our lives, that you promise to direct our decisions each day if we will meet with you asking for wisdom and guidance. Thank you for being a patient Father and not expecting us to grasp the whole picture, but allowing us to walk in your blessings because of our pure intentions in obedience to our understanding of Your call on our lives. Give us an abundance of discernment each day and help us to be intentional about acting on every single thing you lovingly direct us to do. In Jesus’ Name,  Amen. 

Minda Seagraves has been married to her best friend, Russell, for 17 years and is mom to Carson and Maddie. She is also a full-time missionary with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as a chaplain to local female high school teams and supports 380 staff across four states in the U.S. and 20 countries in East Africa as the Regional Director of Talent Advancement with FCA. Minda and her family live in Acworth and have been attending NorthStar Church since 2020.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (ESV)

GOD, THE WORLD, AND THE CHURCH

In John 3:16, we have three main characters involved: God (in the persons of God and Jesus, two members of the Trinity); the World; and, the believers (the church universal, not necessarily a specific denomination). Let’s look at the interrelationship between these three entities.

God, through Jesus, created the World (see Hebrews 1:2). The World rebelled, and was now separated from God. God entered the World, in order to facilitate a reconciliation. Some rejected God, and they will be separated from Him forever.

Those who chose to accept Jesus became the church. The body of Christ consists of those who are redeemed by His blood. The Spirit transforms the heart of the believer, leading to an endearing love for and obedience to their Creator. They now have peace with God, and are guided by His Holy Spirit.

The church is in the world, but not of the world. We are not to live as the world lives, nor to “love the world or the things in the world” (1 John 2:15, ESV).  The church is called to take the Word of God to all nations (Matt 28:19, ESV).

This describes a balanced relationship between all three parties. However, take one party out of the equation, and an imbalance will occur. If we have just God and the World, without the church, the proof of God’s love and saving grace is not evident. If we have just God and the church, the body of Christ would be inward-looking, and would lack purpose. Loving our neighbor and sharing the Gospel would be meaningless. Finally, if we have just the church and the World, we would have the modern definition of “spiritual but not religious.” God is now a concept, and transformation and salvation would only be possible through one’s own efforts.

Take time today to thank Jesus that he willingly and lovingly left heaven, was born in a stable, lived a sinless life, died a sinner’s death, and rose again, all so you and I could live with Him for eternity!

This article expounds on the general premise of a commentary on John 3:16 by Wilbert R. Shenk, Professor Emeritus, Fuller Theological Seminary, from the website transformingcommunity.com.

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

John 3:19-21 (ESV)

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:9-12 (ESV)

THE LIGHT AND THE DARKNESS

On day one of creation, God spoke into being the light (day), and the darkness (night) (See Genesis 1). This Christmas season, we celebrate the coming of Jesus into the world. Jesus is called the “true light, which gives light to everyone” (John 1:9, ESV). 

Yet many flee from the light, fearing what the light may reveal (John 3:20, ESV). Another reason people reject the light is pure selfishness. John MacArthur explains that people do not believe in Christ (the light) because, “They love their sin. They don’t want to come near Christ ’cause He shines a light on their sin, exposes their sin. Sinners love sin. It’s not ignorance. It’s not lacking the basic faculties of reason. It’s not misunderstanding. Sinners prefer moral darkness.”  

Should we as believers in Jesus fear the light? We all have things about us that we do not wish to be subjected to the light of day. But we are loved by a God who sent his Son into a dark (and getting darker) world to shine a light into the darkness. This merciful, forgiving God knows all our hidden secrets, yet he chose to send his Son as the perfect sacrificial lamb, to offer an atonement for our sins. We should be drawn to the light, the light of truth, so that our good works can be clearly seen (John 3:21), and we will become children of God (John 1:12).

Phil Meade is a father of three, and grandfather of five. He has a Masters in Theological Studies from Liberty University, and lives in Acworth. He has led various small groups throughout his more than 20 years attending NorthStar Church. He recently retired after 33 years as a pilot for Delta Airlines.