Digging Deeper: A Universal Language

Avatar photo Lee Wilson on July 15, 2024

1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. 2And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.

Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. 20The field and the cave that is in it were made over to Abraham as property for a burying place by the Hittites.

Genesis 23:1-2, 19-20  (NLT)


A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

 

This week, we get to discuss the universal language of grief. There isn’t a person alive who hasn’t felt the painful sting caused by death and experienced the emotional emptiness that it can bring. In fact, as I write this, I have just come from a funeral service for my neighbor. He was in his early 40s with no health complications, and one day got an internal infection out of nowhere and shortly after went home to be with the Lord. He leaves behind his wife and a precious 5-year-old little girl.

Sitting through his service and watching the slideshow of pictures was emotional. We keep pictures from the pinnacle moments in our lives, the moments where we experienced the most joy and the most fun. I saw pictures of him with his family and friends, but the ones that tugged at my heart were the ones of him with his little girl.

The moments of pain and sorrow felt today are only a glimpse of what this family will endure in their life from here on out. Every birthday, Christmas, and joyous moment will always be slightly dimmed by the absence of someone we wish was still there. Yet, in time, we are able to process and accept the pain, and it can become a constructive part of our journey.

We visited Abraham in the middle of his grief this week. After his beloved Sarah passed into eternity, Abraham went in to “mourn and weep for her” (Gen. 23:1-2). Taking the time to grieve is a necessary component for anyone experiencing loss, but it isn’t the same for all of us. From various medical sources, there is no specific time that it takes somebody to grieve. Some say it could take a year, maybe two, but a lot of it is unique to each situation.

The reality is, when we experience loss, a part of us is from that point gone. My daughter was born and passed away in October 2013. Every single day that I am alive, I feel a hole in my heart because of her absence. I won’t get that piece of my heart back until I see her again in eternity. I feel most people who have experienced meaningful loss can relate to that sentiment. Yet, when we experience the loss that only eternity can fill, we must go to the keeper of eternity’s gates to find purpose and hope in our despair.

David was no stranger to pain and grief, and in the Psalms, we sometimes get expressions of the raw emotions he experienced. In Psalm 13, David has a short yet piercing reflection we can relate to—he felt forgotten and wondered if God was there, but he perseveres in hope. It is only six verses:

1 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
4 lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.
5 But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Even in a dark moment of doubt, David holds tightly to the Lord’s steadfast love. When we are shaken with grief and facing moments of doubt, we must remember that the Lord will deal “bountifully” with us, too, and cling tightly to His steadfast love.

 

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.

 

Digging Deeper: Make Heaven Crowded

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on July 12, 2024

 

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Matthew 5:14 (ESV)


MAKE HEAVEN CROWDED

 

Abraham boldly asked God, pleaded with God for the community of Sodom. He didn’t just ask for God to spare his family; he asked Him to spare more. He knew their judgment was coming, and he was pleading for more time.

Who do you need to pray for? Has God laid someone on your heart? If we want to impact our community, we need to start at home, raising our children to know and show how to be an example. We need to be the light in the darkness. We need to show up differently when we are in grocery lines, sitting in traffic, sweating at the ballparks, and holding doors. We need to show who Jesus is by our actions and our words. Even in the mundane, we should consistently show kindness and offer grace. If we truly want to pass on our faith to the next generation and change our community, we need to show them what they are missing. We need to tell them how we would have never made it through without Jesus. Tell them how Jesus changed your story for the good. We need to pray for opportunities, pray for our neighbors, and then pray for God to use us in big, BIG ways.

I pray as you end your work week that you are able to walk confidently through this day, certain that God can and will use you to bring others to Him. Together, we can make heaven more crowded.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Passing Your Faith to the Next Generation

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on July 11, 2024

 

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord , and his might, and the wonders that he has done.

Psalm 78:4 (ESV)


PASSING YOUR FAITH TO THE NEXT GENERATION

 

How can you make an impact in your community just by being you? How do you find moments to share your story with others?

The simple answer: slow down and pay attention. Listen when God nudges you to speak.

My mom was amazing at this. She told me this story several times, and it never got old. One day, when she was checking out at the grocery store, she felt God press on her heart that she needed to ask the boy bagging her groceries if he knew Jesus. She would say, “As crazy as it sounds, I did it.” She didn’t understand the urgency, but she was not going to be the one that didn’t listen when God spoke to her.

As she was checking out, she simply walked over to the boy and asked him if he knew Jesus. She started the conversation and eventually led him in a prayer. There are dozens of other stories similar to this one about my mom’s faith and persistence when she felt led to do something.

If we know our end goal is for everyone to know Jesus, we have to start in our community. We have to share our stories, our testimonies. We have to show others how different we are because of whose we are.

Today, I pray that you are vividly aware of your surroundings and that God would use a piece of your story to start a conversation. I pray that you would be bold to share what God has done through you.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Being Over Doing

Kevin Burrell on July 10, 2024

 

As Jesus was starting out on His way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to Him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must [I do] to inherit eternal life?”  Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” Jesus told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” At this the man’s face fell, and [he went away sad], for he had many possessions.

Mark 10:17, 21-22

 

BEING OVER DOING

 

Buying an airline ticket these days is very expensive, especially if you have to travel at the last minute. You feel as if the airlines want all your money—and your firstborn. For example, suppose I want to fly from Atlanta, Ga., to Dallas, Tex., but I find the cost is too high for my liking. So, I decide to create my own ticket. It looks just like the real thing. It has the correct airline, flight number, gate number, seat number, and departure time on it. In fact, I did everything correctly, but I created my own ticket. However, if I’m foolish enough to present the created ticket to the TSA agent to get through the TSA security checkpoint, it would be rejected as invalid. No amount of trying to persuade the TSA agent will help. I would be left out and likely thrown into jail. In a similar way…

This story in Mark 10 began beautifully. A fine young man, rich and well-educated, came to Jesus, bowed before Him, and asked a very important question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Don’t miss that! Most people came to Jesus to get something, such as healing or food for themselves or help for a friend or loved one. But not this man. This man was different. He was interested in spiritual matters. However, the story ended on a negative note, with the rich young man leaving “sad” by the response of Jesus. You see, this young man did everything right. He kept the law perfectly, and Jesus knew it. He prioritized “doing” over “being.” So Jesus cut to the heart. He knew this man’s crutch—and his crutch was his wealth, his riches, his possessions.

So what was the young man’s problem?

First, he loved his wealth more than he loved God. Possessing wealth is not wrong or sinful in and of itself. However, allowing wealth (or anything else) to stand in the way of complete surrender to God brings spiritual disaster.

Second, and even bigger, the young man misunderstood God’s way of salvation. He believed he was “good enough,” claiming he had always kept the commandments (doing). He wanted Jesus to tell him one more “good work” he could do that would guarantee him a place in heaven. This man was more concerned about “doing” than “being.” When Jesus told him to give up the one thing that was closest to his heart—his wealth—he could not do it. By that one act, the young man showed that he did not see himself as a sinner in need of God’s grace and forgiveness.

Listen closely: it’s been said that many people will miss heaven by 16 inches—the distance between their head and their heart. What’s most disappointing about this story is that the man walked away from Jesus “sad.” But why? Because, like countless others in our world today, the man refused God’s offer of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus alone. Jesus plus nothing! The man is never mentioned again in Scripture.

So, allow me to ask you, what is the one thing in your life that is holding you back from complete and total surrender to following Jesus? Is it your money, material possessions, job, position, or relationship? Or are you consumed with earning favor, acceptance, and approval by God for what you can “do” for Him? Don’t make that grave error. You will never be “good enough.” Always remember…

“Doing” for Jesus always flows out of “being” with Jesus.

Love God.  Love People.  Live Sent.

Be Worth Being,

Kevin

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 43 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.

Digging Deeper: Pleading Bold Prayers

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on July 10, 2024


Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.”

Genesis 18:32 (ESV)


PLEADING BOLD PRAYERS

 

Have you ever pleaded with God for something? Have you ever laid out insanely specific prayers, cries of your own heart, in desperation for an answer?

Several times in my life, I have found myself physically crying out to God. When I was 16, my dad was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer. I only had six days with him from diagnosis to heaven. I begged God to heal him, to give him a miraculous comeback, one that I was certain would be an amazing testimony, only helping further His kingdom. When His answer was to heal him in heaven, my heart was broken. I remember those prayers like I just prayed them yesterday. They were specific, bold, and raw.

In Genesis chapter 18, Abraham could have easily and boldly asked God to spare just his nephew’s family. He could have dismissed the rest of the city and only pleaded on behalf of his family members, but he didn’t. Instead, he pleaded on behalf of the wicked as well.

How’s your heart? When you think about your community, are you more worried about what not to do or where not to go, rather than how you can make an impact and change the story? How do you feel about praying for strangers that you don’t even know?

If you were in Abraham’s shoes, would you selfishly only ask to save your family, or would you be bold and dare to pray for all of your community to be spared?

I pray as you tackle this day that you have a heart that is burdened for others. I pray for the community that you affect and the community that directly affects you, that you would have a fire to make a difference.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Having a Heart for Your Community

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on July 9, 2024

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark 16:15 (NIV)


HAVING A HEART FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

 

I was raised in church. I was there nearly every time the doors were open, every time there was an event, and every time there was a prayer gathering. I was even there on days we woke up late and only made it for the last 20 minutes of the sermon. I lived and breathed church. In my house, nothing was ever more important than being present on Sundays. My church foundation is a gift I don’t take for granted. It’s something that, as a child, I ignorantly thought everyone experienced.

After being in the classroom for more than a decade, I can tell you the sad truth is that many, many kids grow up not hearing the truth about Jesus. There are some who have never visited a church, spent time listening to worship music, or even know anything about the Bible other than what 7th-grade Social Studies standards have ensured them it is.

When I entered the classroom, this is what I envisioned: tiny God-sized moments where I can answer a question and maybe spark a brief conversation that may one day lead to something greater. I pray over those rosters, the seats my students sit in, and I pray over my own thoughts and words constantly. I know my influence in the classroom can directly impact my community, so I find myself constantly looking for those moments.

Have you ever thought about where you can make a difference? A place where you can step in and shine a light, start a spark? If we know our goal is to shamelessly share the gospel, how are you doing?

I pray, as you take on this day, that you listen when God wants you to speak and that you pray for the community you are directly impacting. I pray that you plant some seeds that later reap God-sized moments.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Raising Kids in a Sin-Soaked World

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on July 8, 2024

Train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)


RAISING KIDS IN A SIN-SOAKED WORLD

 

Being a mom is one of my most treasured titles. Having the responsibility to teach two little growing girls about Jesus is something that I do not take lightly. When they were young, it seemed easy. It was all picture books, Bible stories, and coloring sheets. Now, as they have entered their teens, helping them chase after Jesus looks drastically different. It has now become more intentional conversations about how the world says one thing, but we believe another. It’s telling them, “I don’t know how to explain to you that bad things happen to good people. I don’t know how to explain to you why cancer can come back. I don’t understand why people are trafficked. I don’t understand how drugs can be so prevalent, how so many inappropriate things can just be looming outside our four walls.”

When you truly look at the state of the world we are raising our children in, it’s heartbreaking. I miss my childhood days when we fearlessly stayed outside playing capture the flag until the street lights came on and it was time for dinner. I miss the days when we could ride our bikes to school and didn’t fear locking the door right behind us. Now, I find myself constantly trying to lock out and block out the world. From the internet to social media, video games, and books, the world is chasing after our time, our minds, and our souls, and it is saturated in sin.

I want better for my children, for my future grandchildren, and for your children. In order for us to change the community around us, God tells us to train up our own children. Help set their firm foundation in Him. Lead by example; let them see us searching for the answers to life’s problems in the Bible. Let them hear us praying for help, guidance, and protection. Show them what it looks like to exude kindness to others, to be intently present. Show them how to be the light in the middle of the darkness.

If we want to change the current state of our world, a great place to start is by showing our kids how to be like Jesus in our community.

I pray, as you take on this Monday and start your week, that you think about your community. That you pray intently for God to give you wisdom on how you can make an impact and change the story.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: The Better Isaac

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on July 5, 2024

8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”

Genesis 22:8 (ESV)


THE BETTER ISAAC

 

Our country is filled with some incredible signs. Many people will hike up Mount Lee to get close to the Hollywood sign. Anybody traveling through Chicago will take a detour to be photographed in front of the Wrigley Field sign. Then there is the world-renowned sign right in our backyard… the Varsity V sign. Each of these signs are iconic and tell a story, but the story isn’t about the sign. You visit the Hollywood sign to commemorate your trip out to L.A. You take a picture in front of Wrigley Field to show that you saw the Cubs play ball. You take picture of the Varsity V because you have been inspired by some of the kindest words you’ll ever hear, “What’ll you have?”

 

Now let me ask you. What makes these signs so special? Is it the branding or graphic design? Is it the location? Is it the lighting at these locations? No! The sign gains its significance from the object that it points to.

 

Throughout the Old Testament there are many examples of great people, but time and time again their main role was to be a sign pointing to the Messiah that was to come! We can easily get caught up in the faith walked out by these Old Testament heroes, but if you were to interview them today, they would all say that it wasn’t about them. They were just here to point to Jesus.

 

The story of Abraham and Isaac is one of the clearest examples of an Old Testament story foreshadowing what was to come. Let’s review!

 

In this story we see a father being willing to sacrifice his only son whom he loves. This son was the fulfillment to a long-awaited promise. We see the son being willing to carry the wood for the sacrifice up the mountain. The son is then willing placed on the wood without a fight in full submission. There is a confidence that the son will be raised from the dead after the sacrifice. We even see that on the third day the son is delivered.

 

Now let me ask you… as you read that paragraph did you read that through the lens of Abraham and Isaac, or God the Father and God the Son? If you did the former, go back and read it again! The story of Abraham and Isaac was meant to be a sign for us to see the fulfillment of the sacrifice that would come through Jesus.

 

Jesus is the lamb provided on our behalf! It was our sin that caused him to come to this world. It was our sin that placed the cross on his back. It was our sin that caused him to be sacrificed. But it was our God who willingly came. It was our God who willing bore the cross. It was our God who gave of His life to be delivered on the third day.

 

If you have never trusted in God before, cry out to Him today! He is the One who can meet your sin with His love, mercy, and grace! He has already willingly given Himself and defeated sin and death so that you can have right relationships with Him. All you have to do is believe and trust in Him!

 

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: When Obedience Leads to Blessing

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on July 4, 2024

15And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 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, 18 and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Genesis 22:15-19 (ESV)


WHEN OBEDIENCE LEADS TO BLESSING

 

I vividly remember one day in the fifth grade when our teacher passed out our pre-test to see what we knew about the subject. She asked everyone to put their pencil down and to look at her as she began to tell us about good test-taking strategies. She made sure to remind us to read all the questions and then to begin answering them. Now, I was a fast test-taker and loved to finish first so that I could take a five-minute nap with my head down, so I began to frantically answer every question. I probably worked for 20 minutes or so and then arrived at the last question, which said something along the lines of “When you read question 20, please ignore questions 1-19 by leaving them blank so that I know you listened to my instructions. If questions 1-19 have no pencil marks, then you can have one piece of candy at recess.”

 

I failed my test miserably that day and learned a valuable lesson: listen to the person who is giving the instructions. Abraham knew that lesson as well from all of his conversations with God.

 

Because Abraham was willing to obey the Lord’s command, even when it did not make sense, he was blessed. Abraham’s offspring would be multiplied, not just to the number of stars (Genesis 15), but now also to the sand of the seashore. They wouldn’t just be great in number, but in possessions as well. These descendants would be so great that they would bless every nation of the world… all because of the immediate obedience of Abraham.

 

This has been the story of Abraham all throughout Genesis. He rarely knew WHAT he was being called to or HOW he would accomplish it, but he always knew WHO was calling him. His obedience did not come from a fully fleshed out plan, but it was fueled by trusting in the one who had called him.

 

Maybe you feel called to something that doesn’t make sense yet. Are you trusting in the One who called you or are you trusting in your ability to come up with a foolproof plan? I don’t want you to hear that planning is bad. We see many examples in Scripture where a great plan is made while dependence on the Lord is present. My favorite example of balancing faith and planning is the story of Nehemiah. He is in exile serving under King Artaxerxes and begins to pray that the Lord would grant him favor with the king so that he could return to Jerusalem to rebuild the wall. While he is praying and seeking the Lord, he was preparing what he needed to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah prayed and planned.

 

I think each of us are wired to lean one way or the other. For the person reading this who leans toward trusting God but being passive in your walk… God can provide, but Abraham still had to walk to the mountain and build the altar. Faith is active. We should not be passive in the way that we walk in obedience to God’s Word just because we believe that God will work it all out. He will, but that doesn’t mean that we get the free pass on being faithful.

 

For the person reading this who leans toward trying to do everything yourself and then adds God into the plans that you’ve already made… He wants to be included from the beginning. You’ve probably heard it said, “failing to plan is planning to fail.” I want to present an alternative to that. Planning without God makes you the god of your planning. You may be the best long-term planner on the earth today, but without God it is meaningless. Trust God with your plans early.

 

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.

 

The Potter and the Clay

Kevin Burrell on July 3, 2024

 

The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” So I did as the Lord told me and found the potter working at his wheel.

Jeremiah 18:1-3

 

THE POTTER AND THE CLAY


Most people today have never heard of Adelaide Pollard. However, in 1902, at the age of 40, Adelaide Pollard contemplated her situation. She felt, as many do at times in life, that she had reached a point where she was passionate about doing something yet was frustrated by the hurdle in her way. Adelaide sensed a call by God to begin missionary work in Africa; however, she became bitterly disappointed in her drive to raise funds for the needed trip. Through a series of events, Ms. Pollard attended a prayer meeting at a random church one evening, and it was there that an anonymous elderly woman prayed a prayer that germinated deep within Adelaide’s heart and soul, changing her life.

She went home and began writing out a prayer that went on to become a famous gospel hymn. Still today, in 2024, churches all across the world continue singing the hymn Adelaide Pollard wrote:

“Have Thine Own Way.”

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Jeremiah the prophet watched as the potter patiently formed the clay on the wheel. Obviously, he had a goal and purpose in mind for that piece of clay. But some of the clay was resistant and inflexible in the potter’s hands. Therefore, he cast it aside for a lesser purpose.

In a similar way, we are the clay, and God is the potter. He has a plan for each of our lives that is better than anything we have planned for ourselves. We have a choice as to whether we will yield to the will of God for our lives or resist it and become inflexible. Of course, we will have setbacks in life. We will face hardship and tragedy. We will encounter unexpected problems and heartache. However, we have a choice to become bitter or better.

Listen closely: Life is full of surprises. We all know people who had great promise but never reached their potential. Then there are others who did not seem to have much promise, yet God is powerfully using them today. What will you do with the life that God has given you? Will you conform to the will of God, or will you resist Him? Will you surrender to God’s plan and purpose for your life, or will you reject it? Will you say, “God, I want my own way,” or will you say, “God, have Thine own way”? I encourage you, do not be resistant and inflexible.

The choice is yours.

 

Love God.  Love People.  Live Sent.

 

Be Worth Being,

Kevin

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 43 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.