Digging Deeper – God Uses Our Storms to Save Others

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on May 22, 2025

 

15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the LORD’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

Jonah 1:15-16 (NLT)

 

GOD USES OUR STORMS TO SAVE OTHERS

 

This is an often-overlooked part of the story: the sailors on the ship headed to Tarshish came to know the Lord! These men believed in “little g gods.” But despite Jonah’s selfishness and blatant disregard for their safety, God still showed up—not just to claim Jonah, but to reveal Himself to them!

You’ve heard the phrase, “God doesn’t waste anything.” This is proof! In the middle of Jonah’s disobedience, we find a ship full of pagan sailors—men who didn’t know God but were so absolutely amazed by His might that they abandoned their gods and turned to Him.

This should be a sobering wake-up call for us. There are people everywhere—all around us, every day—who don’t believe in God. Or if they do believe there is a God, they certainly don’t have a relationship with Jesus. And get this: He loves them too! So much so that He will reveal Himself to them through someone else’s trials—perhaps even yours!

Let’s be mindful of this! When you are disobedient, you put others in harm’s way. But that also opens the door for the Lord to do His masterful, saving work! And as we see in Jonah’s story, that might just mean you’re thrown overboard in the process.

 

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.

Digging Deeper – The Unseen Cost of Sin

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on May 21, 2025

 

5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” 7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. 8 “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?” 9 Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.” 10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the LORD. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. 11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” 12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” 13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the LORD, Jonah’s God. “O LORD,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O LORD, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” 15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once!

Jonah 1:5-15 (NLT)

 

THE UNSEEN COST OF SIN


It’s one thing to face the consequences of your sin; it’s far worse when others in your wake must endure hardship as a result of your decisions. This is where we find Jonah at this point in the story. Interestingly, he doesn’t seem distressed at all—he’s sleeping like a baby while the sailors aboard the ship are fighting for their lives!

This is, unfortunately, something we all tend to overlook when we choose the path of sinful disobedience. We may rationalize our actions and behaviors, even planning ahead for the time when it catches up with us. However, we don’t have a contingency plan for the havoc we cause in others’ lives. This is nearly always the most painful repercussion we face—seeing others suffer for our wrongdoing.

Amazingly, these sailors—despite knowing Jonah’s defiance is causing their immediate peril—try to find a way to avoid having to throw Jonah overboard! They put themselves in further danger by attempting to row toward land. “But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it.” (v. 13)

Realizing the futility of their efforts to row ashore, they begin to plead with the Lord for their lives! Not only that, but they also ask God not to hold it against them if Jonah dies when they toss him off the boat.

When Jonah high-tailed it as far west as he could get from Nineveh, he was only thinking of himself. He never, for a moment, thought that he would put dozens of innocent people at death’s door because of his disobedience. But that’s what sin does. It only shows us the part of the outcome that appeals to us in the moment. We don’t get a glimpse of the wreckage it causes.

The greatest deterrent to sin is the realization that we create separation from God; we break community with Him. Perhaps the next-best preventative measure is to consider the pain we will cause others when we don’t choose God’s best.

Ultimately, if we live in such a way that we are putting God and others first (the two Greatest Commandments), we win—and we have peace of mind knowing God’s hand will be on us along the way.

 

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.

Distracted by Busyness

Kevin Burrell on May 21, 2025

 

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, Satan. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

1 Peter 5:8

 

DISTRACTED BY BUSYNESS

 

As college baseball teams prepare for their conference tournaments this week, the intensity rises. Coaches and players study game film, analyze statistics and data, and pour over scouting reports. They know their opponents’ tendencies: the pitcher’s put-away pitch, the batter’s hot and cold zones, and the team’s defensive deficiencies. Every strength and every weakness is mapped out—all with the purpose of exploiting any vulnerabilities.

Just as these teams prepare to face their competition, we too have an opponent who knows our tendencies and weaknesses. The Bible describes Satan as a “roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He studies us—not with game film or stat sheets, but with millennia of experience in human behavior. He knows where we are strong, but more importantly, he is well-acquainted with our weaknesses. He strategizes his attacks where we are most vulnerable, when our guard is down, and where temptation can find its mark. Two of his greatest tools in his arsenal are distraction and busyness.

If Satan were holding a conference with his demonic forces, here is a list of distractions and temptations he would likely communicate for them to use against us. Don’t overlook these!

  • Keep them busy with non-essentials.

  • Tempt them to overspend and go into debt.

  • Keep them and their children from going to church by scheduling travel sports tournaments and competitions every weekend.

  • Make them work long hours to maintain empty lifestyles.

  • Discourage them from spending time with family so the home disintegrates.

  • Overstimulate their minds with television, computers, and social media so they can’t hear God speaking to them through His Word, the Bible.

  • Keep them chasing after material things in order to appear successful in the eyes of the world.

  • Stimulate their minds with models and TV personalities so they focus only on outward appearance and become dissatisfied with themselves and their spouses.

  • Make sure married couples are too exhausted for physical intimacy; that way, they’ll be tempted to look elsewhere.

  • Make them self-sufficient. Keep them busy working in their own strength so they’ll never rely on God’s strength and power in their lives.

Listen closely: It’s been said, “If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll just make you busy.” I would add distraction to that quote as well. Sometimes, being “busy” simply means “Being Under Satan’s Yoke.” Don’t allow Satan to distract you and make you so busy that you have no time for God in your life.

Be aware! Stay alert! Your enemy, Satan, seeks only to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).

Remember: If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll just make you busy and distracted.

Keep your dukes up!

Be Worth Being.

Love God.  Love People.  Live Sent.

Kevin

 

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 44 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 – You Can’t Outrun the Storm of Disobedience

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on May 20, 2025

 

But the LORD hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart.

Jonah 1:4 (NLT)

 

YOU CAN’T OUTRUN THE STORM OF DISOBEDIENCE

 

So, Jonah hops on a boat headed in the opposite direction from where God had instructed him to go. Instead of taking a camel to Nineveh, he purchases a one-way ticket to Tarshish. Honestly, we don’t know for sure where Tarshish was located—many historians believe it was in the western Mediterranean. But we do know he was “moving away from the Lord” (or at least he thought he was). And a powerful storm was brewing.

Let’s pause for a moment here. You know, there’s always that interlude between the disobedient act and the punishment being doled out. Many times, we don’t realize we are in for a hurting—we’re just enjoying sowing our wild oats, as they used to say.

I remember one day as a nine- or ten-year-old kid doing something really stupid. My friend and I found a couple of old gallons of paint lying around his house. We had nothing better to do, so we decided to take the paint with us into the wooded lot next door—an area where we would often ride our bikes and hike. But on this day, we decided to add some color to the landscape. We began to paint the trunks of the trees—orange and blue. We didn’t just do one or two; we did dozens of them!

When his mom came home, she didn’t take kindly to this. And she felt obliged to share this with my mom (tattletale).

When I got home, my mom had some choice words for me. She then said she would discuss it with my dad. When he got home from work, she informed him of my artwork and asked what my punishment should be. He said he would have a talk with me and hand down the sentence. So, my dad came into my room to have a chat. He made sure I understood that what I had done was unacceptable. Then he said, “Your mom wants me to punish you. So, you have to stop smoking for a month.”

While the Lord was ultimately loving and compassionate with Jonah, he wasn’t getting away that easily. He sent a violent storm—one so intense that it seemed as though the ship was going to break apart! And as we’ll discuss tomorrow, he wasn’t just bringing these circumstances on himself—others’ lives were now at risk!

Jonah was about to learn an important lesson: when it comes to obedience, God means business!

 

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.

Digging Deeper – The Painful Consequences of Ignoring Instructions

Avatar photo C.A. Phillips on May 19, 2025

 

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)

 

THE PAINFUL CONSEQUENCES OF IGNORING INSTRUCTIONS

 

Exasperation and frustration—that is what I felt, and that is what I caused my wife early in our marriage. Long before IKEA, other retail establishments offered the good old DIY furniture assembly. I can recall purchasing desks, side tables, and chairs from a variety of stores—the kind that also happened to sell groceries, household cleaners, and school supplies.

I’d get home from the store, tear open the box, and begin tackling the project. But no matter what the item was or where it was purchased, it always seemed to end the same way: me, angry and sweaty, with extra washers or bolts in my hand that hadn’t been used. “Why?” you ask. Because I failed to read the instructions!

It’s one thing to ignore the instructions included in a box filled with particleboard, hex screws, and wing nuts. It’s altogether different when God Himself tells you to do something, and you defiantly go in the opposite direction. This is precisely what Jonah did after God told him to go to Nineveh.

Jonah served as “God’s man”—His messenger. As a prophet, he certainly would have known the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament). He also would have known that you can’t hide from God (remember Adam and Eve?). But fear and uncertainty drive us to do some outrageous things, clouding our ability to see and think clearly.

Sometimes I think to myself, They had it much easier back in the Old Testament. God spoke directly to them, and He was present with them much of the time. But clearly, it wasn’t easy. Time and again, we see God’s chosen leaders making grave errors in judgment—or completely disregarding His instructions.

Because we all have doubts. We all get a bit anxious over the unknown. We all like to be comfortable. But, as we’ll see throughout the week, God’s plan will come to fruition. And we’ll have to face the painful consequences of our decisions when we defy Him.

 

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.

Digging Deeper – Steward the Blessing with Gratitude

Avatar photo Steve Roach on May 16, 2025

 

“So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.”

2 Kings 4:5 (NLT)

 

STEWARD THE BLESSING WITH GRATITUDE

After the widow gave Elisha a report on all the oil that God had provided, she received new instructions. Elisha told her what to do with it: pay off the debts, provide for her family, and use it wisely. The oil didn’t just solve her immediate crisis—it created a hopeful future for her and her sons.

The widow didn’t just receive a blessing; she stewarded it. That’s what gratitude looks like in action. Every blessing from God is a chance to demonstrate our trust in Him again. We’re not called to hoard what God gives us; we’re called to manage it in a way that honors Him and blesses others. We are blessed to be a blessing.

After receiving a large inheritance, a couple sat down and prayed before touching any of it. They didn’t rush to upgrade their lifestyle. Instead, they quietly helped cover the adoption fees for a family in their church, started a college fund for a niece, and generously gave to a ministry that had shaped their own marriage years before. They still took a vacation, but they saw the money not as a reward, but as a responsibility.

Has God recently provided for you in some way—whether financially, relationally, or spiritually? Take time today to ask how you can use that blessing to help others or advance His kingdom.

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – Let the Next Generation Witness Your Faith

Avatar photo Steve Roach on May 15, 2025

 

“So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another.”

2 Kings 4:5 (NLT)

 

LET THE NEXT GENERATION WITNESS YOUR FAITH

This moment wasn’t just for the widow—it was for her sons. They didn’t hear about the miracle secondhand; they lived it. They helped collect the jars. They watched their mother obey and trust God in the middle of uncertainty. Their understanding of God was shaped by what they saw, not just what they heard.

Faith is never just about us. It leaves a trail for others to follow. When we live out our faith in front of others—especially our children and younger believers—we’re building their foundation as well as our own.

During the 2008 recession, a father of four unexpectedly lost his job. Instead of hiding his fear, he gathered his family each night and led simple prayers at the dinner table. He said, “We don’t know what’s coming, but we trust the God who’s already there.”

Months later, one of his teenage sons wrote him a note that said, “When I think about trusting God, I think about how you prayed even when we didn’t have enough.”

Who is learning from the way you respond to challenges? Let someone join you in your faith journey this week. Let them see your obedience, even when the outcome isn’t clear.

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

Digging Deeper – Prepare in Faith for What You Can’t Yet See

Avatar photo Steve Roach on May 14, 2025

 

“Elisha said, ‘Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors… Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars…’”

2 Kings 4:3-4 (NLT)

 

PREPARE IN FAITH FOR WHAT YOU CAN’T YET SEE

This was a test of obedience and faith for the widow. The oil hadn’t multiplied yet, but the prophet told her to collect jars as if it would. The miracle didn’t come until after she made space for it. That’s how faith works—it acts before the answer arrives. It moves forward confidently, even when there’s no visible reason to do so.

This widow’s story shows us that God often fills our jars of faith and obedience when we have no visible proof that He is working. We learn from her story that the oil would have stopped sooner if the widow had borrowed only a few jars. The size of her expectation shaped the size of the miracle.

A young woman dreamed of becoming a counselor but couldn’t afford graduate school. Still, she felt led to start the application process. She didn’t have the money or even a laptop. But she filled out every form by hand and prayed over each envelope before mailing it. She even cleared out a corner of her apartment and called it her “study space.”

Three weeks later, a scholarship offer arrived from a school she thought had already rejected her.

What jars do you need to gather in your own life? Where do you need to prepare even before you see the provision? Take one bold step today that says, “I believe God is going to move.”

 

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.

The Power of Invitation

Kevin Burrell on May 14, 2025

 

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they spent that day with Him.

1 John 1:39

 

THE POWER OF INVITATION

 

When Billy Sunday was 18, he was recruited to play for a fire brigade baseball team in Marshalltown, Iowa. Within three years, he was playing professional baseball with the Chicago White Stockings. Then, in 1886, Billy was invited by a friend to a Chicago street corner to listen to an evangelist share the Good News about God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. That invitation made a profound impact on his life. After some time, Billy submitted his life to following Christ. Just three years later, he turned down a lucrative contract with the Philadelphia Phillies to accept a full-time ministry position with the YMCA. From that time on, Billy Sunday committed his life to inviting people to “Come and See” how Jesus could change their lives.

In John, chapter 1, Jesus did the very same thing. He reached out to a group of fishermen with no formal education and invited them to “Come and See.”

There is power in an invitation! Deep within every human heart is a longing for relationship, meaning, purpose, value, and truth. The disciples who followed Jesus weren’t just looking for a teacher; they were searching for meaning. They were simple fishermen but had a desire to be known. In the same way, people today are seeking. Some may not realize it, but their hearts are drawn toward something far greater than themselves. They are searching for a right relationship with God—even if they don’t know it.

People Are Seeking an Invitation!

“Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where Jesus was staying, and they spent that day with Him. (John 1:39)

A simple invitation can change a life for eternity. Jesus didn’t overwhelm these fishermen with arguments or doctrines; He simply invited them to “Come and See.” A word of kindness, a gesture of welcome, or a simple “Come and See” can open the door for someone to encounter Jesus and move from spiritual death to spiritual life.

Listen Closely: It’s easy to think that inviting others to “Come and See” is only reserved for the outgoing, for pastors, priests, or bold personalities. It isn’t! The truth is that obedience to God and love for others are far more powerful than personality traits. Jesus calls each of us to share His love—not based on our ability, but on His authority and our willingness to be faithful.

Who in your life is seeking today? Who is waiting for an invitation from you? Like Andrew and Philip, I encourage you to be bold and loving enough to simply say…

“Come and See.”

Be Worth Being.

Love God.  Love People.  Live Sent.

Kevin

 

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 44 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 – Surrender the Little You Have

Avatar photo Steve Roach on May 13, 2025

 

“Elisha asked her, ‘What do you have in the house?’ ‘Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,’ she replied.”

2 Kings 4:2 (NLT)

 

SURRENDER THE LITTLE YOU HAVE

We tend to think God needs something big from us to do something big. But all throughout Scripture, God starts with what looks like almost nothing—a boy’s lunch, a shepherd’s staff, a mustard seed.

The widow thought she had nothing. Then she remembered a single flask of oil. It wasn’t much, but it was something. That’s what God uses. It’s not about what we wish we had; it’s about what we’re willing to surrender. You don’t have to have a lot—you just have to give what you have. Miracles don’t begin with abundance; they begin with availability.

An older man named Ben had retired after decades in construction. He physically couldn’t get around like he used to. He lived on a fixed income, just enough to pay the bills and meet his basic needs. At church, he heard about a single mom who needed basic home repairs and had been quoted prices she couldn’t afford. Ben offered to help. He spent a few Saturdays fixing broken windows and repairing steps.

A few months later, that young mother gave her life to Christ. She said, “I had stopped believing people cared. But someone I didn’t even know showed up with a hammer and proved me wrong.”

Ask God today, “What do I have that I can surrender?” Offer it to Him and trust that He can use even your smallest gift for something greater than you imagine.

Steve Roach serves as the Pastor of Spiritual Maturity at NorthStar Church. He and his wife, Amy, live in Acworth and have three girls, Olivia, Sydney, and Hayley and one son, Colton.  He enjoys watching sports and spending time with his family.