NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper: Come and Have Breakfast

Sellers Hickman on April 11, 2024

⁹When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. ¹⁰Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” ¹¹So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. ¹²Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. ¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

John 21:9-14 (ESV)

COME AND HAVE BREAKFAST

Jesus begins to have breakfast with his disciples, with whom he has shared life with for multiple years. They have had countless meals together, but the last recorded meal between the disciples and Jesus was the Last Supper. What a turn of events to remember Jesus telling them using the bread and wine that His body would be torn and that His blood would be poured out. And now, here they are a few weeks later, sharing fish and bread. Do they flashback to the feeding of the 5,000 or the Last Supper?

Throughout Scripture the phrase “come and _______” carries massive implications. Jesus extends many invitations: come and see (John 1:39), come and rest (Matthew 11:28-29), come and inherit (Matthew 25:34-36), and finally, in our passage today, come and have breakfast. (Personally, I know which of the above I would choose! Who wouldn’t want to share an All-Star Special with Jesus?)

Why is Jesus so caught up with the invitation ‘to come’? Because He is a relational God. Jesus came to the earth so we could come to God. These examples are just his direct commands to come to him. There are many more examples of calling each disciple, inviting the little children, and bringing in the outcast. None of the disciples questioned who this man was. They all knew by this point that it was Jesus resurrected.

Jesus is calling you today as well. Maybe you need the invitation to just come and dine with Him. Friend, there is a feast waiting for you in Heaven. Maybe you are looking for the invitation to come and inherit the kingdom. All you must do is put your trust in Jesus and turn from your sins and you will have an inheritance that this world could not touch. Maybe you are drawn to the invitation of rest. This isn’t an invitation to take a nap, but to allow Jesus to carry the burdens in life that you were not created to carry. Or, maybe today you are reading this and have not put your faith in Jesus. I would urge you to come and see. The disciples in John 1 who are given this original invitation, they would come to know that they “have found the Messiah” (John 1:40). Their seeing led to believing… and then the other invitations to “come” were open to them as well.

Sellers Hickman serves as College Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their one year old, Emery. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.

Digging Deeper: Do You Run to Jesus?

Sellers Hickman on April 10, 2024

⁷That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. ⁸The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

John 21:7-8 (ESV)

DO YOU RUN TO JESUS?

If you’ve been with us over the past few weeks, we have highlighted John’s playful relationship with Peter. In this verse, John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) gets another “one up” on Peter. Peter cut the guard’s ear off, Peter ran to the tomb (but John beat him in the race), and now they are looking at this man on the shore, and John wants us to know that he was the first to recognize Jesus. One more humble brag from the author of this gospel.

Here is where the story turns for Peter. He is always quick to speak, act, or react. In true Peter fashion, he sees all the fish in the boat and knows that it will take a while to get them into the boat and get back to shore, so he jumps in and swims to Jesus! The passage doesn’t tell us what Peter and Jesus talked about, but we know that Peter got extra time with his Lord.

Recalling the state he saw Jesus in weeks ago as he hung on the cross, Peter wanted as much time with Jesus because he knew that he had lost him a few weeks ago. For you, would you be willing to jump in? Do we look at Jesus the same way? Are we willing to inconvenience ourselves, our comfort, and our schedule to spend time with our Savior?

I pray that this past week since Easter has been filled with joy and a new perspective about Jesus. Peter’s time with Jesus had become much more valuable knowing that he had lost him. Jesus cannot be taken from us, but we should have the same joy and excitement to be with Him every day as much as we are on Resurrection Sunday!

As we reflect on Peter’s eagerness to be with Jesus, let’s consider our own eagerness to spend time with Him. May we be like Peter, ready to leap into the presence of our Lord at any opportunity, recognizing the immeasurable value of communion with Him in our daily lives.

I Couldn’t Have Planned it Better Myself

C.A. Phillips on April 10, 2024

You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail.

Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)

I read a fascinating article by David Owen a while back in Golf Digest. Through some thorough research, and a little bit of speculation, Owen shares how the world’s most famous golf course would have differed if things had panned out the way its founders planned from the very beginning. I’m referring to Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters (A Tradition Like No Other – only uttered in Jim Nance’s silky smooth voice). However, as Owen points out, the very name of the club – and the tournament it hosts – almost certainly wouldn’t be what we know and have the privilege of experiencing today.

Here are just a few highlights from Owen’s story:

Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts, the founders of the club, originally wanted to call it Georgia National, not Augusta National.
They wanted two 18-hole golf courses, one for men and one for women.
There were lots earmarked throughout the development for residences overlooking the course.
Course designer Alister MacKenzie wanted a 90-yard 19^th hole to be located between the 18^th green and the No. 1 tee – primarily to give the loser of a golf match an opportunity to win his money back.

We’d all agree that Augusta National Golf Club has done quite well for itself over the last century. In fact, you could say it has far surpassed what the original founders envisioned, despite some very early setbacks which threatened its viability. What it has become could never have been designed or planned for. As Garth Brooks sings, “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.”

Sometimes we get so upset when our plans don’t work out the way we foresee them materializing. This leads us to question God, question ourselves, get frustrated, and give up. But God’s will is not something to be trifled with. His plans will be carried out, and they are always for our benefit. You and I are His children if we have put our faith in Him. Because we belong to Him, we are told He will take care of us. As Matthew wrote,

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So, if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” Matthew 7:9-11 (NLT)

In the moment, we don’t see the detour as a gift. We see it as “less than” whatever we had in mind. But thankfully, God knows more than we do. And sometimes the “Georgia National” we spent all those years preparing for, God disrupts and redesigns into our own “Augusta National.”

Now, about those Masters tickets…

C.A. Phillips has served on staff at NorthStar Church since 2004, and has more than 35 years of baseball experience as a player, coach, and umpire. He and his wife, Amy, have two adult sons and live in Kennesaw with their German Shepherd, Abby.

Digging Deeper: Illogical Obedience

Sellers Hickman on April 9, 2024

⁴Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. ⁵Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” ⁶He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

John 21:4-6 (ESV)

ILLOGICAL OBEDIENCE

These men are skilled fishermen. They have grown up on the water, making their living catching fish. They know every nuance of the trade; from the way the currents move to the subtle signs of a potential catch. Yet, for some reason, they followed this man’s advice. Simply by following him, they went from catching zero fish to not being able to haul all of the fish in.

This is a call back to when Jesus called the first set of disciples in Luke 5. Jesus asks if they have found any fish and they respond with a short “no.” I bet it was said with a cutting tone. “Who is this guy asking about our fish? Who does he think he is?” I almost hear Peter in this moment echoing his words in Luke 5:5, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!” You can hear the exhaustion in his voice, still feeling the emotions of all he had been through the past few weeks as he experienced his rabbi being crucified.

I wonder how reluctant they were to drop their net on the other side? “Sure, we’ll give it a shot, but nothing will come of it! Let’s just drop it in to show him there aren’t any fish.”

Sometimes the commands of Jesus make very little sense in the world we live in. With the pressure to get ahead by any means necessary, to do whatever makes your heart happy, and to prioritize ourselves over anything or anybody else, it can seem as if the commands of Jesus would set us back. Why is obedience important? We must remember that God is not just our Savior, but also our Creator. He designed us and knows how our body best thrives within the parameters of his design.

Proverbs 3:5-8 speaks to the wisdom of trusting the Lord:

⁵“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶In all your ways acknowledge him,
    and he will make straight your paths.
⁷Be not wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
⁸It will be healing to your flesh
    and refreshment to your bones.”

Friends, my hope for you today is this: that we would seek God with all that we have and would see that He is worth it! That we would trust Him even above our own desires. Let’s lean on His wisdom, even when it seems counterintuitive, knowing that His ways lead to true fulfillment and life to the fullest.

Digging Deeper: What Do You Do with Disappointment?

Sellers Hickman on April 8, 2024

¹After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. ²Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. ³Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

John 21:1-3 (ESV)

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH DISAPPOINTMENT?

We all face disappoint, don’t we? Think back to the Easter message… Mary Magdalene’s dreams were shattered, but in the garden, Jesus appeared to her. She wasn’t the only one at the tomb that day. John had seen enough; he believed. Peter, on the other hand, left the tomb that day unsure of what to do with his crucified rabbi.

After appearing to Mary Magdalene, Jesus appears to all the disciples in the room they were hiding inside. He appeared again to Thomas so that he might believe since he wasn’t in the room the first time. Up to this point, all the disciples had laid eyes on their resurrected rabbi; but how did they respond to seeing this risen Savior? Peter… he goes fishing. Not the reaction you’d expect. If I saw a dead person walking, I am finding a camera crew, putting my lucky numbers into the lottery, or preparing for the Walking Dead.

Why did Peter go fishing? I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty, but I believe there are two possible reasons: Either he is resorting back to his comfort and what was familiar, or he is unsure what his life will look like, so he gets to work to make a living.

Neither of these responses are inherently wrong; but, after walking with Jesus and listening to his teaching for three years, why would anybody revert to fishing? In John 20:21 Jesus sends the disciples out to share the good news of what he’s done, but Peter hangs his “gone fishing” sign on the door.

When you face disappointment, do you return to old habits or question God’s goodness? These are typical reactions. We may return to old sin habits, activities that aren’t helpful for our walk, or to try to muster all of our strength to be self-reliant and forget God.

Peter tried to take a hard moment in his life and fix it all with his hands when Jesus had already fixed the situation! Just last chapter, Jesus encourages them to Live Sent and breathes on them the Holy Spirit. There is no better solution than this!

It’s easy to sit on this side of Scripture and think “Peter, get it together! How could this be your response?” But think back in your life; how have you reacted when face with difficult moments? When life’s disappointments hit, do you return to your old ways of seeking comfort and relying on yourself?

I know that this can easily be my response, but it shouldn’t be so.

A famous pastor who faced many hardships in his life, Charles Spurgeon, once said this: “I have learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the Rock of Ages.” Life can always bring difficulties, but I pray that the response of our church is to recognize that the waves of hardship should encourage us to cling closer to the rock of our salvation, Jesus Christ.

Digging Deeper: Jesus Calls Us By Name

Minda Seagraves on April 5, 2024

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

John 20:16 (NLT)

JESUS CALLS US BY NAME

I am horrible with names! Thankfully, in my line of work I can get away with calling almost everyone “Coach,” but it’s not always that easy. There are all sorts of tricks to help you remember someone’s name when you meet them for the first time. The one that works best for me is to link their name to something or someone else. I have come up with some ridiculous things to help me remember names, but usually when I’m intentional about remembering a name it sticks.

There is power in hearing our names spoken aloud. According to seen.io, “being called by our name generally makes us feel recognized and valued, uplifting our mood and self-esteem.” Having a unique name that is usually said wrong, I can attest to that mood boost when I hear my name spoken aloud correctly.

Do you know that Jesus knows your name and calls you by it? In those moments where the sunrise hits you just right or the words to a song speak to you right where you are, those are some of the ways Jesus calls us by name. Mary was weeping and searching for Jesus, and it took just one thing to bring her to the reality of his presence – her name. As we discussed on Wednesday, he spoke her name, then sent her on Holy assignment.

He is doing that for us today. He calls you by name and gives you a Kingdom assignment prepared in advance for you and you alone. He’s calling you specifically to live sent in a unique way.

We may not audibly hear Jesus speak our name but if we lean in close, we will hear him in hundreds of other ways as he speaks to us through creation, music, his Word, and his children- our brothers and sisters in Christ.

After hearing her name Mary got and followed the instructions from Jesus. He is calling you too. Calling you to lean in, to trust him, to rely on him, to seek him first, to walk in the freedom that was blood bought and paid for on the cross. He is calling you by name to live sent!

PRAY

Jesus thank you for being a personal Savior that calls us by name. Thank you that you don’t leave it up to us to figure out what you are calling us to do for your Kingdom. We are your handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which you prepared for us in advance. Father, let us hear you when you call us, let us feel the nearness of your presence and be filled with your holy confidence to walk out in obedience your calling in our lives each and every day. In Jesus’ name I pray- 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.

Digging Deeper: Jesus is there in the Routine

Minda Seagraves on April 4, 2024

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put him.”

John 20:13 (NLT)

JESUS IS THERE IN THE ROUTINE

Have you even been in a season where you felt like you couldn’t find Jesus? We know that He is always there, omnipresent at our side, but there are times when it feels like He is nowhere to be found.

Prayers come back empty, praises fall flat, time in The Word just feels like a bunch of words. What do you do? How do you respond when you’re doing all the “right” things, looking in all the right places for Jesus, but keep coming up empty handed?

I used to think these seasons were an indication that I needed to change it up, stop my Bible-in-a-year plan and start a topical devotion. Stop journaling and start reading more theology books. That maybe my quiet time had become too routine, and I was just checking boxes. So, a fresh plan would be the answer. I was wrong!

It took a couple years of completely getting off track for me to slow down long enough and hear the Lord tell me to stop changing what was working. Yes, routine can get, well routine, and it’s easy to check a box instead of lingering in the presence of Jesus- especially if you’re like me and enjoy crossing things off your list! But what He has taught me is to not stop looking for him in the places I know he has been most visible to me.

Mary was looking for Jesus in the exact spot she last saw him. She didn’t see the empty tomb and run to the next town to find him. She stayed put and didn’t stop searching for him until he revealed himself to her.

Wherever you meet with the Lord and feel His presence best – keep going to that place. In those times that He seems to have disappeared, lean in closer and don’t stop seeking after Him until you find Him.

PRAY

Jesus thank you that even in the times you feel far away we know you are still there. That no matter what we feel we can trust you are with us. Help us to faithfully push through the seasons of searching for you and give us renewed perseverance to lean in closer to you. Let us not rely on a feeling but a knowing- a knowing that you are always with us and let that be the fire that burns within us to be desperate for more of you. Fill us to overflowing with the joy and hope that only comes from you. In Jesus’ name- Amen

Failure Can Be Your Friend – If You Take This Step

C.A. Phillips on April 3, 2024

As a dog returns to its vomit,
so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Proverbs 26:11 (NLT)

If you’ve every failed at anything in life, you’ve likely heard the old adages “Failure is life’s greatest teacher,” or “Every failure is a stepping stone to success.” Don’t get me wrong – these sound like fantastic quotes that lead the one failing to a bright future. But, they are incomplete statements.

What happens when a team is down at halftime? A team with a good coach will make adjustments, causing the opponent to find other ways to create havoc. The best teams will almost always respond to adversity and tighten the gap. They might not always win the game, but by studying the film and changing the game plan or scheme, they put themselves in a far better situation to overcome the deficit.

Failure certainly paves the way for learning opportunities, but not everyone takes advantage of the chances failure affords to grow and improve. We’ve all witnessed others who repeatedly make the same mistakes – whether it’s in a sport, or perhaps in life. Maybe you’ve been there yourself. If you find history repeating itself in a certain area of failure, it’s almost certainly because you haven’t taken the time to truly learn from your mistakes.

Failure alone teaches nothing – it only demonstrates that we’re prone to failure as humans. That can be a sobering reality if you’ve never failed before. But, it’s focused reflection on failure that will open our minds and allow us to learn and grow from it. When we take the time to analyze what went wrong and why it went wrong, we can then change our actions and behaviors and set ourselves up for future victories.

Otherwise, we’ll be just like the dog mentioned in Proverbs 26:11, looking for a choice meal, but ultimately returning to its own vomit.

While failure is painful, it’s not final – unless you allow it to be. Embrace it, reflect on it, and learn from it. And, that’s when you’ll be better for it.

Digging Deeper: Jesus Cleanses Us Completely

Minda Seagraves on April 3, 2024

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned to him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord.”

John 20:16-18 (NLT)

JESUS CLEANSES US COMPLETELY

As I was this the Lord gave me a nudge. He reminded me of how personally special Easter is to me and asked me to share it with you, because maybe you’re where I was on Easter Sunday nine years ago.

I was walking with Jesus and doing the best I could to fully embrace my redemption, but the truth was I was completely shackled by the weight of shame from my past. I wasn’t walking in the sin that had held me captive for so long, but I still felt like I was living a lie. That if anyone really knew who I had been or the things I had done, they’d never talk to me or invite me back to “Godly” things. So I worked hard to avoid anyone from my past and focused on the future. I divided my life into two parts- Before Jesus and After Jesus, and in no way could those two world collide.

I wonder if Mary Magdalene ever felt that way. I wonder if she ever worried that she’d see someone from her “before Jesus” life and they would not believe her transformation was real. Or, if she feared anyone from her “after Jesus” life would find out the deepest, ugliest secrets from her past.

I have to believe she battled those thoughts and fears just like I did, and like so many other believers do. But that’s why this Easter message is so special to me in such a personal way that could only be delivered by Jesus.

He revealed himself first to the one with the most scandalous past. Not only that, but she was the one he charged with telling the first ever complete Gospel story! Talk about a redemption!

On Easter Sunday 2015, as I was dead smack in the middle of one of the hardest physical and emotional battles I have ever walked through, every single chain was broken as I fully understood, accepted, and embraced the forgiveness I had been given.

Just like Mary, I was not defined by my past, nor did it determine my future!

Friend, I don’t know where this finds you, but if you are like I was, struggling to break free of the weight of shame and guilt, I pray now in the mighty name of Jesus that every chain would be broken as you soak in the beauty and redemption of today’s passage!

PRAY

Jesus thank you that by your blood our sin and shame is paid in full! Father, thank you that we are forgiven and free and not defined by our past. Thank you for the cross, for bearing the weight of my punishment so that I can live a transformed live here and now as I await forever with you in Glory. I love you Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray- Amen

Digging Deeper: Turn to Jesus First

Minda Seagraves on April 2, 2024

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

1 Chronicles 16:11 (NLT)

TURN TO JESUS FIRST

Let’s be honest: when things get tough, most of us don’t seek the Lord first. I know my go-to first reaction when the hard rolls in is to freak out. I have a PhD in catastrophizing (insert faceplate emoji here). If it’s an unhappy email from a work colleague, a misunderstanding with someone in my family or abnormal test results from the doctor, the first thing my mind does is go straight to the worst-case scenario. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

Over the years, through lots of prayer and intentionality, I have gotten better at more quickly turning my thoughts to the One who will give peace and bring answers. I have given myself the grace to feel the feelings but quickly ask God what His truths are considering the circumstances. I have a routine each morning when I meet with Jesus that includes affirmations of who He says I am. When I am reminded each day that I am known, seen, loved, cherished, redeemed, held, enough, valued, wanted, called, anointed, appointed, and set apart it helps me to stand more firmly when the wind begins to blow. My mind more quickly shifts from catastrophizing to remembering – who He is, who he says I am, all he has done for me – and I trust that He’s not going to stop now. When the hard hits, let’s be intentional about locking eyes with Jesus first, or at least more quickly, because he is our strength!

PRAY

Jesus thank you that you never tire of us not seeking you first. Thank you for your patience with us when we eventually come to you weary and worn down from the troubles we are facing. You meet us right there in the middle of it, and pick us up and carry us through. Help us to seek you first. Remove in us the tendency to panic or seek resolutions from anything other than you. Set our hearts on fire for more of you Jesus! In your name I pray- Amen