Clean Eating And Clean Living

“God gave these four young men knowledge and skill in both books and life. In addition, Daniel was gifted in understanding all sorts of visions and dreams. At the end of the time set by the king for their training, the head of the royal staff brought them in to Nebuchadnezzar. When the king interviewed them, he found them far superior to all the other young men. None were a match for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.” – Daniel 1:17-19.

What happens when we face adversity? Are we shaken to the core? Do our core beliefs seem less important? Do we compromise? Daniel had to answer all those questions. His answers are found in Daniel 1:1-21.  

In the beginning of this chapter, we find the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, capturing Jerusalem. During this process, King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his chief of officials to bring some of the royal, Israelite, men into his service. The king wanted young men who were the cream of the crop. They were to be handsome without any physical defect, quick to understand, and knowledgeable. The king gave them a daily amount of food and wine. And he wanted them to be taught the language and books of Babylon (Daniel 1:3-5).

Among the man, were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. In this new place with these new customs, Daniel made a commitment to himself, not to defile his body. He went to the official and asked him if he could eat vegetables and drink water, instead of partaking in the king’s food and wine like the others.The official was reluctant because of the king, but he agreed to Daniel’s request for a 10 day test to see how the Israelites compared to the others eating the King’s food and wine. For 10 days, Daniel and his friends only ate vegetables and drank water. At the end of 10 days, Daniel and his friends looked better than the other men (Daniel 1:11-13). After seeing this, the official took away the king’s royal food and wine and gave everyone vegetables to eat and water to drink (Daniel 1:14-16).

 When we are faced with adversity in our lives, it could be the perfect excuse for us to give up and to do what we want to do, or what others want us to do. Like Daniel, when adversity has the potential to shake our world is when we should press harder and be more committed to God and our faith in Him. When everyone is doing one thing, Daniel stood out from the others because he was willing to do something different and not fall into the norm of everyone around him. What would we do in that situation?

 In our world today, there are so many temptations and opportunities to stray away from God. But, it’s important for us to be committed to God, even in the small things. Like Daniel and his friends we must make up our minds that we are going to follow God and do His will, even when our world is shaken. That is when we need to choose God over compromise as Daniel chose God over captivity. 

In this chapter, we see that even in unfortunate circumstances God is still there with us. He is working on our behalf, even when it seems that He isn’t. God was right there with Daniel in captivity making a way for them, helping them with the official and the king. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Which of the points in Daniel’s story resonated with circumstances you face in your life that need hope verses frustration? How do you overcome frustration in adversity?
  2. Obeying God rather than men doesn’t mean you have to be aggressive and disagreeable. What approach did Daniel use when the overseer wanted them to eat from the King’s table?

Quit Church: For Yourself, Your Church And For Jesus

All this week we have been reviewing a book by Chris Sonksen entitled Quit Church: Because Your Life Would be Better If You Did. In summary, the book is about how the church could be better. The title of the book isn’t necessarily quite what it is made out to be. Instead, Sonksen is encouraging us to look deep within and understand why you are going to church. Go outside of just warming a pew by becoming involved, rekindling your passion for God and His church.

God is passionate about His love for you. Zephaniah 3:17 says, “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” God is so passionate about you that He sent Jesus to save you. And He wants you to be passionate in your love for Him. 

The passion for God was never higher than when you first gave your life to Jesus. There was excitement, a sense of purpose and joy. Then life’s disappointments and difficulties enter the picture. The passion subsides a little. And then a little more until our walk with God became routine and less passionate. In the book, Quit Church,Chris Sonksen warns against dull, routine, passionless Christianity. He talks about how going through religious motions can dull your spiritual senses and blind you to your own condition. But God can open your eyes.

In Quit Church, Chris is not advocating quitting church, but doing more rather then less. And doing it first for you. He writes, “My prayer for you is that you will learn to quit; that you will learn to stop doing, thinking, or behaving in the ways that go against the spiritual practices that God desires for you; that you will realize how much he loves you and how much he wants to bless your life. “

Do it for your church as well: “Your church will win when you decide to quit. Your church will experience a new level of success as you step out and do what God has called you to do. Your pastor needs you, your leadership needs you, and your spiritual family needs you. If you don’t take action, it won’t affect just you; it will affect many others as well. Being a part of a spiritual family means there are family responsibilities. Do your part, and watch what happens.” (Quit Church, Conclusion)

But most of all do it for Jesus. “Jesus is crazy about you. He loves you and is cheering you on. He is leaning in to see how you are going to respond to this challenge. You are his child. He wants you to win. No doubt he will bless and reward you as you step out, but I challenge you to do this for Jesus simply because you love him. Do this not because of what he will do for you (and he will) but because he is the Lord of your life, the Master of your soul, the strength when you are weak, the hope when you feel hopeless, the rock when you feel unstable, and the shield when difficulty surrounds you. Do it simply because of who He is, not because of what He can and will do.” (Quit Church, Conclusion)

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you feel like you take God for granted? Why or why not?
  2. How often are you spending time with God right now?
  3. How much time would you like to be spending with God each week?

Quit Church: Chapter 6: Quit Your Christian Friends

“We make this mistake quite often in our approach to church. It’s an interesting dynamic. Someone says to you, ‘Where do you fellowship?’ Then you mention the church you attend. But let’s be honest, most of us don’t fellowship there—we attend there. Fellowship doesn’t happen when we show up just barely on time for church, hang out in the lobby for a few minutes afterward, head to our cars, drive home, and then do it again the next Sunday. We come to call this group of people that we see in passing once a week our ‘church friends.’ But the relationship we have with them can hardly be called ‘fellowship’ in a biblical sense. These are not the kinds of life-on-life connections we need with each other. God has so much more in mind. We are designed for deep and genuine friendships. The church is meant to be a place of great connection and community with each other.” – Excerpt from Quit Church, by Chris Sonksen 

The Bible places a high emphasis on growing deep, meaningful relationships in church. That is a big part of why we humans were put on this earth not to walk through this life alone, but to be in community, and to walk together in every area of life. Christianity is about relationships. God loves us and wants us to love Him and develop a relationship with Him. God also wants us to form meaningful relationships with others. Church is a place where we can experience the amazing gift of healthy, meaningful relationships and be a part of something significant as we serve the purposes of God’s Kingdom together. “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)

The church should be known as a place where great friendships can be found, and where those relationships can develop and flourish. The question is how well are we connecting with people in the church. Social media and technology can give us the impression that we are connecting with people more than we really are. Growing spiritually doesn’t happen when we know what Jesus says. It happens when we apply what he says. Application happens best within the context of community. To grow spiritually, you have to be connected relationally.

If you haven’t already done so, consider joining a small group. Small groups meet regularly to study and get to know each other.  Or start serving: When people engage in service, it leads to life change. Whether you serve on a ministry team in our church, in our community, or in the world, God calls us to serve one another. 

 Examine your life and the relationships you are engaged in and answer the question: Am I really connecting with people or am I just scratching the surface? The way we answer this question could very well give us some insight into how effectively we serve the risen Savior. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. How many relationships do you have with others in your church? Can you see the difference in your life when you’re in healthy relationships in the church versus when you’re not?
  2. How can you be more effective relationally in your church body?

Quit Church: Chapter 5; Quit Stopping By

“Dependability…the problem is that many people approach church attendance with less and less commitment. When Sunday morning rolls around, if there is a perceived better option than attending church, many people take it. And this puts a lot of pressure on pastors. If your pastors are like many other pastors, they probably deal with the pressure of building a church and creating momentum. Your pastors love the city and want to reach it. They want to create a church that is thriving and growing and that feels alive when people visit. However, they are continually competing with so many other challenges: summertime weather, sunshine, a game on TV, a special event in town, kids’ sporting events, the call of the river or the beach or the mountains. We as pastors want it to be warm enough for you to come to church but not so warm that you go somewhere else and not so cold that you stay home. Funny as this sounds, it is true. I totally understand getting away… but the frequency of church attendance is changing, and it’s not changing for ‘the good.’ Our commitment to the body of Christ is lessening, and it’s not what God intended for His family. He desires for us to be committed to Him and to the spiritual family that we call the local church. He is looking for us to be the type of people who are dependable in this commitment. God rewards and honors our dependability with our worship times together. It may go unnoticed by others, but it never goes unnoticed by God.” – Excerpt from Quit Church, by Chris Sonksen 

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV) says,“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” What does it mean to you when you think of someone as steadfast? The dictionary defines it as “resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering.” Synonyms include committed, devoted, dependable, reliable, stead and faithful to name a few.

Paul is urging us to be steadfast. He is calling on you to be reliable. You need to be steadfast in the roles God has called you to fulfill in His church. God is asking you to be so dependable that people lean on you, counting on the fact that you will always be there to help keep things together. And when events occur that shake up everyone’s world a bit, God wants people to look to you as one who isn’t easily excited, shaken, or affected.

The obvious question is “can God depend on us?” What do you see in your life that others would consider you a faithful person? Are you reliable, trustworthy, dependable and one that others can count on? “Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?” (Proverbs. 20:6) 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Where in your life have you shown dependability, and where do you need to start showing more dependability?
  2. How have you done with being someone your church family can depend on each week?

Quit Church: Chapter 4; Quit Hoping People Will Come

“Hope is a wonderful emotion but a lousy strategy. We can’t simply hope people will show up to church, hope they’ll find Christ, or hope their life will be forever changed by his amazing grace. Some people might think that it’s the church’s responsibility to reach people, but that makes no sense, because, remember, you are the church. Those are all the wrong mind-sets. The right mind-set comes down to this: God has a brilliant strategy to reach your city, and you are it. The strategy isn’t a program or a church building, and it sure isn’t your pastor’s sole responsibility. Jesus cares about the people in your circle of influence, and he is looking for you to reach them. His brilliant strategy is a partnership with you and me. Maybe it’s time we stop and ask ourselves, ‘When was the last time I brought someone to church?’ This Sunday when you go to church, look around: How many people are there because of your efforts to reach them? – Excerpt from Quit Church, by Chris Sonksen 

At Northstar we don’t have to invite the lost, unchurched, or de-churched to join us at church, we get to. There are obstacles we need to overcome such as : “I don’t have all the answers.” “It could risk our relationship.” “They won’t be able to relate and will feel out of place.”

As is so often the case, we can learn from the apostle Paul. In Acts 17:16, Paul is in Athens. He was so disturbed by the widespread idolatry that he goes to the synagogue to talk with them. Then day after day he went to the synagogue and market place and reasoned with anyone and everyone he could. People thought he was just a crazy babbler, but he kept at it. Eventually, he made such an impression that he was invited to come and share the gospel.

Paul didn’t have to drag people out of their comfort zones, he met people where they were. And he did not give up easily, because he understood the value of each life to God. Jesus did the same, and he continues to meet and love people where they are. Most of Jesus’ work was not done inside the walls of the synagogue, but in the streets, the marketplaces, and homes of others.

Let’s make it a point to love people where they are. Let’s resolve to build relationships with our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. And then to use those relationships to invite them to church and to talk about spiritual things. Every effort will not be a success. But it is so worth the effort.

Imagine the day when a friend, or relative, or coworker, or neighbor is worshiping God with their hands in the air as they stand next to you. Can you see their face as they worship the One who saved them, gave them peace, joy, purpose and new life? That picture can be a reality, but it starts with a relationship and an invitation. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you shared your story on how God has changed your life?
  2. What are some of the obstacles to inviting people to church? How can you overcome those obstacles?

Quit Church: Because Your Life Would be Better If You Did

In this week’s devotional, we are looking at a book by Chris Sonksen entitled Quit Church: Because Your Life Would be Better If You Did. In summary, the book is about how the church could be better. We hear sermons about the abundant life Jesus promised, but how many people are actually living it? How many people in our churches are experiencing God’s blessings? Maybe it’s time to call it quits from church. But not as you may think. Chris calls on us to quit our casual, cultural commitment to church as we know it. No more half-hearted attempts to win the favor of God and other people by doing the right thing. No more doing things out of a sense of duty. Instead, Sonksen reveals the spiritual habits that release the blessings of God, both on each individual and on the church.

Chapter 1; Quit Expecting to Wake Up in Heaven

“The reasons for people’s frustration in a church vary. Maybe they are upset because of a style change in the church. Maybe a certain program they love and believe in has ended. Maybe they feel like the decisions being made about finances are not the decisions they would make if they were in charge. Maybe they see a change in leadership that they don’t agree with or don’t understand. Maybe the methods are different than what they would choose. Maybe the church is putting a stronger emphasis on outreach, and in their opinion ignoring discipleship. This list isn’t exhaustive. Not always seeing eye to eye is normal. Having different opinions is normal. But what is sad and breaks the heart of God is that many individuals get frustrated or leave the church…” Excerpt from Quit Church, by Chris Sonksen 

The so-called good-old-days when a person committed to a church, then stuck with it no matter what, have come to an end. Even so, people will commit when they have something worth committing to. There is no perfect local church in this world, but that’s not the issue. There are no perfect pastors, but that’s not the issue either. The basic issue is expectations as Chris Sonksen points out.

Many people enter through the doors of a local church as a consumer. We use many of the same evaluation techniques in “church shopping” we do in other areas of life. We want an effective staff since they will be doing much of the work. The churches worth committing to are the ones where people use their gifts, talents and experiences to serve God, and serve others. It is easy to to complain, point out what’s wrong and observe inconsistencies. What takes real work is agreeing to work toward solutions to the problems that exist in the local church.

Which means the next time we see something that we don’t like, it may be God pointing out how you can use your gifts to solve the problem. When people are part of the solution you won’t create the perfect church, but you will create a healthy church that is worth committing to.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever been around a conversation in your extended church family that left you confused, unsettled, or feeling divided? If so, what was your response? How could you have responded better?
  2. Considering that the church is the bride of Christ, what steps can you take in the future to protect, guard, and honor the church?
  3. What can we do to be part of the solution?

Taking It For Granted

All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is God speaking to you!” –  Malachi 1:12 (MSG).

Staying focused on God in today’s ever changing world is not easy. Life happens so fast in the 21st Century.  We have so much competition for our time reading the Bible that sometimes we wish for “the good old days,” when life was slower and more simple. The truth is that this hectic rush of life we experience isn’t unique to our generation, although it probably seems that way. 

You have good intentions to spend regular time in the Bible, but then there is that project at work that has you stressed, or your daughter walks in to ask you something, or you are having a hard time concentrating because you slept only 4 hours last night. You rub your eyes, refocus on what you are reading in Isaiah and doze off. Upon waking you look at your watch and run toward the shower to get ready for your day. It was not what you intended, but you did have your morning devotional…well kinda.  In today’s fast paced world it is very easy to have other things take precedence, or supersede the time you spend in the Bible. There are days where the Bible sits on the nightstand unopened. It is all too easy to take God and the Bible for granted.   

The Malachi passage above is pointing out that there are things we no longer appreciate as we once did. We treat God as ordinary when we treat Him and our worship of Him as just another activity in our week. And we do this when we make God just another thing on our list of to-dos this week. Nothing should take precedence over spending time with God. Again, it is easy to presume on His love and grace and take it for granted.

Now I don’t think any of us mean to take God for granted. Those of us born and raised in America have come to expect a nice place to live and plenty to eat and drink. Unfortunately when that happens, we begin taking them for granted. That’s just what happens with us and God. When you think about it, God deserves so much more than being taken for granted.  At a time like this it is wise to remember who God is. He is God. He loves us and that is evident in the details.  Jesus wasn’t mildly embarrassed; He was publicly humiliated. He wasn’t teased; He was mocked and scorned. He wasn’t just put up on a cross and left to die; He was brutality beaten within an inch of his life and forced to carry an unbearably heavy piece of wood. Executioners drove stakes into his palms and feet, and He hung there naked as His beloved people mocked Him some more. Finally, his lungs collapsed. He cried out in agony, feeling forsaken and alone.

And yet, because He deeply loved people, and because He is the God of wonder and power and glory, He literally came back to life, and restored us all to the righteousness. I hope we never take what God did for us for granted. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you feel like you take God for granted? Why or why not?
  2. How often are you spending time with God right now?
  3. How much time would you like to be spending with God each week?

Being A Yes Man

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” –  2 Corinthians 1:20

“Yes” and “no” are typically the first words we use when we are small children. And even as adults, we make countless decisions each day stemming from a simple “yes” or “no.” Yes, I will get up and get ready for work. Yes, I will spend time in the word this morning. No, I won’t go over the bridge because there is construction on it. No, I won’t be late for small group tonight. There is a whole lot of choices we make on a daily basis.   

The Bible is often seen as a book of “no’s:” a long list of dos and don’ts, mostly don’ts that prohibit any fun in life. But is that true? Is the Bible a bunch of nos? There are certainly nos in the Bible, but behind every “no” from God is a greater “yes.” God doesn’t just say “no” to selfishness, he also offers us the great “yes” of generosity. God doesn’t create an arbitrary boundary by saying “no” to sex outside of marriage; He offers us the greater “yes” of intimacy. And God doesn’t just say “no” to stressful living; He says “yes” to a fulfilled life.  If you look at it that way, it will revolutionize the way you look at the Bible and the Christian life.

But here is the question: Have you said yes to all of God’s yes’s to you? Or is there some part of God’s yes to you to which you are saying no or maybe next year when things are better. We often find it quite difficult to say yes to God, especially when there is much at risk. God knows that we have our struggles, that we are not perfect. He knows that it’s so hard to say yes to Him at times. After all, saying yes to God usually means saying no to ourselves and to the things we want. But He loves us all the same, and His son, Jesus, calls us to be disciples, saying, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)

This might sound next to impossible to you, but remember that Jesus called ordinary people like you and me to be His disciples, and we can learn from so many different examples of people saying yes to God in the Bible. Moses said yes when God told him to ask Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Mary said yes when the angel asked her to carry Jesus, the only Son of God. The disciples said yes when Jesus asked them to leave everything behind and follow Him. These people were not superheroes with great stamina and strength. They were normal people who suffered, struggled, and cried but still said yes to God.   

So what does saying yes to God give us? More than you can dare to dream. God is sending you a special invitation to a fuller, happier life. He is asking you to share your very unique talents, whatever they may be, for His great glory and for the good of others. If you say yes to God, you are saying to Him, “You are the most important part of my life. I trust you. I love you, and I believe that you have so many wonderful things in store for me.”

Discussion Questions:

  1. What does saying “yes” to God mean to you? 
  2. What can we do going forward to say “yes” to God more often?

Seeing God All Around You

O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures. Here is the ocean, vast and wide, teeming with life of every kind, both large and small.” – Psalm 104:24-25.

How often have you had the experience of stepping back from your busy life and finding yourself on a beach, in the woods, fishing on a lake, or even a quiet stroll through a park and suddenly felt the nearness of God? There’s just something about seeing the beauty, creativity, and complexity of what God has made. There is wonder all around us in all of its shapes and forms. And that wonder of creation is further proof of God’s sovereignty and reliability. 

We need to spend some time in God’s creation. It could be watching sea turtles make their way to the water, or hiking though forests, or visiting the Grand Canyon, or scuba diving in the vast oceans.  Maybe it is watching the spectacle of a thunderstorm or the splendor of a rainbow. We owe it to ourselves to have an appreciation for His creation. Romans 1:19-20 states that “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” And Scripture tells us that God is at work maintaining and facilitating His creation. Psalm 147:8-9 tells us:

“He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures. He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry.”

Nature reaffirms to us that God has and will provide for us all of our days. Nature shows us not to worry because God is both powerful and near. Nature demonstrates to us that God is creative, practical, brilliant, loving, and full of mystery and wonder. 

Whether you live in the city or miles outside a city, look upon God’s creation and listen and feel His presence and hear His voice. Listen to God today and allow your heart to be stirred as you discover his unwavering desire to speak to you through His creation.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What is your best place to experience the presence of God? What are the reasons for that being the best place?
  2. Do you spend much quiet time in nature? Where do you encounter nature in your everyday life?
  3. How often are you silent without the distractions of mobile phones, tablets, computers or TVs?

Tried, Tested, and Trusted

“But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.” – Deuteronomy 18:21-22

We live in the information and disinformation age seemingly at the same time. For every factual story we read there is a story that falls into the “you-don’t-really-believe-that’s-true-do-you” category. The bottom line is that the old adage handed down from generation to generation, “you can’t believe everything you read” still rings true.

So if you can’t believe everything you read, why should you trust the Bible? What do we know about its historical reliability? What is known about its trustworthiness? After all the Bible is a book that claims something extraordinary happened thousands of years ago; something concrete, real, and historical. The Bible claims that a man named Jesus was born to a virgin, claimed to be God, did miracles like walking on water and raising people from the dead, was crucified on a Roman cross, then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Can we conclude confidently these things are true without simply assuming the Bible is “the Word of God”?  The answer is yes. For starters, we can trust the Bible because it is historically accurate.

The Bible is historically accurate: We know that the Bible is historically accurate first, from eyewitness accounts.  The Bible is primarily eyewitness accounts.  That’s why it’s good history. The other test of history by which we know the Bible is accurate is the extreme care with which the Bible was copied. The Old Testament copyists, the scribes, when they would copy these scrolls from one to the other, they would copy like a Xerox copy.  It had to be exact. They had this long list of rules they had to go by to make sure it was exact. In the case of the New Testament, we have thousands of complete manuscripts and multiple thousands more fragments available. There are more than 5,000 copies of the entire New Testament or extensive portions of it. In addition, we have several thousand more fragments or smaller portions of the New Testament. If these numbers don’t seem like a lot, compared to other works of ancient history, the manuscript evidence and copies for the New Testament far outweigh manuscript evidence for other works. So when it comes to manuscript evidence, the New Testament definitely has numbers on its side.

Another proof is in archeology.  Many critics who brush off the Bible as a compilation of folklore and legends, do so overlooking the fact that thousands of archaeological discoveries over the past century have verified the historical reliability of the Bible. No archeological discovery has ever controverted [overturned] a Biblical reference. 

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you have trouble with the Bible being historically accurate? Why or why not?
  2. If the Bible is truly the Word of God and can be trusted, what are we going to do with it?