“Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” –  Romans 8:12-14.

What can we say to someone who asks how they can stop sinning? We very likely have asked this question of ourselves. The short answer is that we cannot stop sinning in this mortal life. If that sounds overly negative, the reality is we all struggle with sin. We prefer not to talk about it. We’d rather ignore it. But eventually, we must confront it. So, how do we deal with sin in our lives?

Before Jesus left the earth, He promised His disciples that He would send them a Helper, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is probably the least understood person of the Trinity. It is vital for the believer to know the Spirit, learn to relate to Him, and understand how He manifests Himself. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to stand firm in the fight against sin and never to give up, no matter how long the temptation continues: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to overcome sin through conviction, guidance, and empowerment, enabling them to resist temptation, live righteously, and grow in holiness. We may think that sin has power over us, but in reality, with God’s Spirit, we have the power over sin.

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, prompting individuals to recognize their need for repentance and forgiveness. The Holy Spirit acts as a guiding conscience, encouraging believers to discern right and wrong and align their actions with God’s will. He helps believers become more sensitive to the presence of sin in their lives and more aware of the consequences of their actions. The Holy Spirit helps transform the mind, leading believers to adopt a new perspective and focus on righteous living. The Holy Spirit illuminates the scriptures, enabling believers to understand and apply God’s will to their lives. The Holy Spirit empowers believers with spiritual gifts that enable them to serve God and others, helping them to overcome sin and live a life pleasing to God.

By relying on the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, believers can progressively overcome sin and grow in their relationship with God. This is a power that only the Holy Spirit can give us. It’s not something we have in ourselves. That’s why we need to go to God to get help. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Hebrews 4:16.).

 Discussion questions:

1. How would you describe the Holy Spirit’s practical work in your life? Where does he show up? How does he impact your daily rhythm?

  “The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. And the best time to love is now.” – Rick Warren.

As we have changed the calendar to a new year, we face the fact that our days on earth are numbered. As the psalmist wrote, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” No thoughtful person can approach New Year’s Day without some introspection. We are reminded of the brevity of time. We also look back over our failures, mistakes, and missed opportunities and vow to make better use of our time during the coming year and be more Christlike. But amid all the New Year’s resolutions, what can we do this year to “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (Ephesians 5:16). The answer is love.

Love is a core principle of Christianity. It is the nature of God: The Bible teaches that Jesus identified two great commandments that relate to love: love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. Love is more than just a sentiment; it’s a call to action. In other words, increasing our love for God and each other.  1 John 4:7 says, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.”

 John tends to be direct and black-and-white in his writings. It would be difficult to be any more clear and concise than John, and that is true about 1 John 4:7. John doesn’t ask us to love based on the character or qualities of other people but urges us to love based on our relationship with God. God’s love displayed in our lives and how we act toward others marks a believer in Jesus Christ.

Love is from God. It originated with Him and is sustained by Him in us – through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. John 3:16 reminds us, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

We can’t earn His love because we already have it. And we can’t lose His love because we don’t deserve it in the first place. God saved us because He loves us. Romans 8:38-39 reveals the magnitude of God’s love for us. “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” But we can reflect that love by loving others.

Loving each other won’t be easier in 2025 than in 2024 or 2023. It requires prayer, forgiveness, self-denial, and sacrifice. While it won’t be easy, it is attainable through the finished work of Christ on our behalf. 1 John 4:19 tells us “We love each other because he loved us first.” Our goal in 2025 is to become increasingly known for our love for one another based on God’s love for us and to display it to a world that needs it.

 Discussion Questions:

1. If love is to be the defining mark of believers, what can you do more of or better to be a “display window” for the love of Christ?

“ I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” – Philippians 3:12-14.

There’s not much we can do about the past. Each of us has regrets, maybe some strong feelings of disappointment about what we failed to do in the past. But can we fix it? The answer is no, but for better or worse, how we lived in the past will most likely determine how we live in the present.  Overcoming the past can seem like a large hurdle.

Paul tells us in Philippians 3 of his desire to grow in Christ and to know Him. Paul emphasizes the importance of leaving the past behind, focusing on the future, and actively pressing on towards becoming more Christ-like, viewing our spiritual journey as a race where we strive to reach the prize of eternal life with God, achieved through our unwavering pursuit of Christ.  Paul readily admits that he has not arrived and has a way to go, and the only way to get there is to press forward toward the goal and prize set by God and not look back to the past.

“… Forgetting the past…” (v. 13). We can look at the past and learn from the past, but we can’t live in the past. We have to give our past to Jesus.  Paul’s advice to us? Forget about it. Don’t dwell on the past. Don’t fix your mind on yesterday — or even past years.  Don’t waste time reliving a past achievement. And don’t beat yourself up for a past mistake when you’ve already sought God’s forgiveness. Move ahead and pursue God. The gospel changes our view of the past, and it changes us. We can let God use our personal history as we cooperate with Him and point others to Jesus.

“…and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (v. 13). This phrase is a mental picture of a runner focused on the finish line. That’s what God wants from us, even though we may be uncomfortable sometimes. The ESV version says, “…straining forward to what lies ahead…” When we stretch ourselves out, strain, reach, fight hard, and do whatever it takes to achieve the goal, we will move forward in our faith and walk with God. Paul would do whatever he had to do to become whatever God wanted him to be.

Our relationship with God is active, not passive. We have to pursue God.  We must become more Christlike and live the life He wants us to live. To do that, we must look forward and press toward the goal of the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

 Discussion Questions:

1. What areas of your past are you still holding onto that might be preventing you from fully embracing the future God has planned for you? 
2. How can you actively “strain” towards your spiritual goals, focusing on what will bring you closer to Christ? 
3. What does it mean to you to consider your life as a race towards a heavenly prize?

 “In this life I can never say, ‘I have arrived; it is finished; look at me—I am holy.’”— Francis Schaeffer, True Spirituality

Life is rarely a smooth journey, and just like a plant needs resistance to grow strong, our spiritual growth often requires navigating through obstacles and challenges. These “roadblocks” can feel daunting, but they are opportunities to deepen our faith and resilience, drawing us closer to God’s transformative power.

“Something’s got to change!” Have you ever said that in January? It’s not for lack of trying that our situations don’t change.  We work hard. We try adding or subtracting things, but the result seems the same. This challenge applies to our spiritual life as well.  We have great ideas on what we want to do for God, and on top of our bucket list is to grow spiritually. But there are some obstacles. What can we do to overcome those obstacles?

There’s a story in the Bible where Jesus told a disciple to change his approach. It happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, as He identified and called His disciples. In Luke 5, Jesus borrowed Simon Peter’s boat to teach the people on the shore. “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear” (Luke 5:4-6).

Peter was probably skeptical. He explains he’s been fishing all night and hasn’t caught anything. And he was probably thinking I am a fisherman, so I know a thing or two about catching fish.

But to Simon’s credit, he obeys Jesus’ unusual request to fish differently. The Scripture records that they caught so many fish that the nets began to break. This story should challenge our status quo. It’s a call to challenge what we do and how we handle spiritual matters. It can change how we both evaluate and solve problems. If we want things to be different next year, we must do things differently.

This passage in scripture confirms what Peter learned: spiritual growth starts with listening to and obeying the voice of Jesus for new directions. It may not be easy; It may be uncomfortable. But God can and will give us some new perspective and help us overcome the obstacles to spiritual growth.  

That day on the lake, Jesus invited Simon Peter to go into the deep waters—a place Simon had been to many times before. But Simon saw amazing results under Jesus’ direction and with a new approach. Can we do the same thing? As we start 2025, we must be willing to listen to the voice of Jesus and trust Jesus even if He takes us into deep waters.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you content with your spiritual growth? Where would you like it to be? What needs to change to get it where you want it to be? 
2. What does the Bible say about spiritual growth? Have you committed specific verses to memory?
3. What method of learning works best for you? How can you use that method to help you grow spiritually?

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day”. – 2 Corinthians 4:16.

We are just a few days away from starting a new year.

The year’s final days are special for several reasons. Christmas, the indescribable wonder of God with us, has passed for another year, so it is time to reflect and prepare for 2025. We’ll continue to pinch ourselves for the next few days, saying, “Is this really another year?” Will 2025 be better? What does the new year hold in store for us?   

Paul’s words to the church of Corinth in 2 Corinthians 4:16 give all of us believers hope in times of transition and change: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.” He was writing to a persecuted church, telling them and us that there is something better coming in Christ regardless of what we are experiencing today. And isn’t that the longing in our hearts as we approach the new year? Whether we are a child, high school or college students, middle-aged or in our golden years, there is a belief that the future will be better. We “are being renewed every day” by God. His mercies are new each morning, and we are able to grow each day in our understanding of Him and our relationships with Him.

We will determine what happens in 2025. If we want to make positive changes, it will take some effort on our part. 2 Peter 1:5-8 says, “ In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”The message is obvious; it is not the same ole, same ole: It requires an intentional effort on our part to be everything God wants us to be. We must remember His sovereignty, power, and presence as we move into a new year.

The new year brings with it the thought of new opportunities. The new year seems the perfect time to make commitments and take action because you will have opportunities.   

Our prayer is that we will embrace the new year. It may be filled with headwinds, transitions, and trials, but for the believer, as we grow more and more into the likeness of Christ, there is such incredible hope and unexplainable joy as we serve Him no matter the circumstances. May this be a new beginning for a new you where you see the Lord move in your life.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you want to pursue in the new year? 
2. How can we be better as followers of Jesus in the new year?

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year – Charles Dickens.

It’s the day after Christmas. The relatives have left. The family get-together is over, and the leftovers are chilling in the fridge. A pile of wrapping paper is in the corner, and the candles have been blown out. Even the colorful, sparkly Christmas tree has been unplugged. The stress of the season is gone, and all the hustle, bustle, and preparation are in the rearview mirror.  Our minds make the transition to “now what?” What’s next to do?” It begs the question of what it would look like for Christmas beyond December.

We often hear stories of people doing wonderful things for others during Christmas.  We collect money for the needy, think about those less fortunate than us, and are encouraged to help them.  We can do that all year long.  We do not have to wait to be generous. We do not have to wait to make peace with others. We do not have to wait until Christmas to serve others by putting their needs ahead of ours, walking around with a smile, joy in our hearts, and a song on our lips.

Christmas may be one day, but it can be a way of life.   We can have the Christmas feeling all year round as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. We can see the world through our Christmas eyes instead of our everyday eyes. So, how can we do that?  We can do it by living our lives as God intends.  We can do it by having faith that God is in control and letting Him be in control. We can do it by looking for opportunities to help others and going out of our way to perform random acts of kindness for people.  We can do it by allowing God’s peace to fill our hearts and demonstrating that peace with others.

Christmas reminds us that the season is ultimately not about us; it’s God. Tim Keller writes: “Christmas is telling you that you could never get to heaven on your own. God had to come to you. It is telling you that people who are saved are not those who have arisen through their own ability to be what God wants them to be. Salvation comes to those willing to admit how weak they are.”

Christmas reminds me that spiritual habits are made possible because of Jesus. The author of Hebrews describes it this way: “ And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Christmas reminds me that our salvation is not rooted in our good works. No matter what good we do in life, God had to come to earth to rescue us from our sins. Remembering this truth of Christmas all year will move us to respond to life with thankfulness and humility instead of pride and self-righteousness.

Discussion Questions:

1. How do we best practice the spirit of Christmas all year round?
2. What are some practical steps we can take to do that?

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture…None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” – Romans 8:31-39 (MSG).

Merry Christmas from the Northstar family. We rejoice with you as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This Christmas, remind yourself and your family that hope is only found in how much Jesus has loved you. It will be tempting to look for hope in the gifts that you receive or in the gifts that you give, or in the people that you celebrate Christmas with. Still, those gifts will get old, your generosity will wrestle with your selfishness, and the people who say they love you will find a way to disappoint you once again. The real hope you have this Christmas is in the perfect love God has for you.

Christmas is a time to marvel in awe and gratitude at the lengths God has gone to show us His love and save us. The Creator came to His creation. The infinite God became an infant son. The God of the universe, who is present everywhere, did not have a room to be born. The Son of God left His throne in heaven, surrounded by the unceasing praise of angels, to come to earth where He would ultimately receive a crown of thorns and hear crowds shouting, “Crucify him!”

The Romans 8 passage reminds us what the Christmas story is all about by defining the glorious result of the birth of Jesus. That glorious result is summarized in the word love. Jesus came to earth in a humble and lowly way. Coming to earth as an infant allowed His life to be more accurately, historically proven, and documented. Secondly, He better understood our human lives–how fragile and weak the flesh truly is.  Jesus deserved to be loved, but he was rejected so that we, who deserve to be rejected, would be eternally loved by the Father. During His life, He dealt with His followers’ fickle and failing love so that we will know the faithful and unfailing love of the Father. He experienced separation from the Father so that nothing could separate us from His love.

On this Christmas Day, remember the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

  “God gives God. That is the gift God always ultimately gives. Because nothing is greater and we have no greater need, God gives God. God gives God, and we only need to slow long enough to unwrap the greatest Gift with our time: time in His Word, time in His presence, time at His feet.” ― Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.

It’s Christmas, and that means gifts. Lots of gifts, some small, some large. TV commercials show a wife presenting her husband with a brand-new car as a gift. It’s a pretty impressive gift if unrealistic for most people. In another commercial, the husband bought a present for himself, a new truck, and a present for his wife, a brand new SUV. his and her new vehicles.  It’s even more impressive and even more unrealistic.

It would be great if you could give such lavish gifts to your spouse or child. But even if you did give such “grand” gifts, it would not come close to being the greatest gift of all time. Giving a gift every time the person needed it would be wonderful. A perfect gift that would bring joy to the person who opened it? That is what God did.

The greatest gift you’ve ever been given wasn’t bought in a store. No cash exchanged hands. It wasn’t even wrapped. Yet it cost the Giver everything. The Bible says God sent His Son to Earth to give you the greatest gift ever. He came to Earth to die—so that you could be made right with God. Romans 3:24-25 says, “Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin” (MSG).

God knew we needed a Savior, Deliverer, Redeemer, Healer, and Friend, so He gave us the greatest gift that no one can afford, no one can earn, and no one but God can give. This gift is Jesus. The babe in the manger. The Savior of the world. And He brought the promise of unconditional love, unending hope, and eternal life to every person who believes in Him. Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. No amount of money on Earth could ever purchase a gift that can measure up to the value of the first Christmas gift.

It is not enough to look at this gift and admire it. This gift must change us. Opening the Scriptures is the way we unwrap our gift. Our gift is Jesus, and the Scriptures unwrap Him for us.

“So God throws open the door of this world—and enters as a baby. As the most vulnerable imaginable. Because He wants unimaginable intimacy with you. What religion ever had a god that wanted such intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us? What God ever came so tender we could touch Him? So fragile that we could break Him? So vulnerable that His bare, beating heart could be hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.” ― Ann Voskamp, The Greatest Gift: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas.

 Discussion Questions:

1. Where do you see areas in your life where you should appreciate the gift of Jesus Christ more?
2. What do we do this week to reflect on receiving the greatest gift ever given?

 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3 (ESV)

A group of people were asked what their wish for Christmas was. The instructions were to develop a “wish” that didn’t affect them individually but would affect all humanity. A large majority said they would wish for “world peace.”

Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. Isaiah refers to Jesus as the “prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Zechariah said that Jesus came “To guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:79).   2 Thessalonians 3:16 says, “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” And Romans 15:13 says, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him….” Jesus reassuringly says, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27).

This title, “Prince of Peace,” presents Jesus as the antidote to the peace we are searching for in the world. His peace doesn’t just have the potential to impact our environments, such as our homes, places of work, or schools. His peace provides peace for our minds.   Even when our circumstances are not peaceful, our hearts and minds can be filled with peace because of Jesus.

The incredible Christmas story of God breaking into this world is true, and it is an incredible story of peace, love, and hope. The peace of Christmas is the idea that Jesus came to bring peace on earth and that the Christmas season is a time to practice that peace. The peace of Christmas is a reminder that people are not alone in facing life’s challenges. With Jesus on their side, people can live with confidence and know that no obstacle is too great for him. Yet, within the chaos of Christmas, we find little peace.

We can blame the stressful circumstances around the holidays, but we need to remember that the first Christmas was very stressful, too. There was an unmarried, pregnant teenager. There was a scared but faithful fiancee. There was no room in the inn. There were smelly animals and scratchy straw. There was an unidentified star in the sky.

Yet God gave the gift of prevailing peace in that story in the same way He longs to give our hearts the gift of peace. How did Mary and Joseph overcome the chaos of their circumstances and embrace peace instead? They trusted God.  When they were given the startling and stressful news of being parents to the Messiah: “Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

Perfect peace isn’t dependent on circumstances. It comes from a steadfast, trusting heart. During this Christmas week and throughout the year, let us find peace by focusing our trust on God, who is faithful. The resulting peace will point to the Savior we’re celebrating during the Christmas season.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we find peace this Christmas season and throughout the year?

“The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.” – John 1:4.

Christmas lights inspire wonder throughout this season. Everywhere you go, you find opportunities to enjoy Christmas lights: lighting Advent candles, stringing colorful bulbs on Christmas trees, visiting holiday light shows, and wandering through neighborhoods looking for creative light displays. Why do lights inspire awe? It’s not just because of their beauty. It’s also because of what they symbolize. They direct our attention to Jesus Christ.

In John’s telling of the Christmas story, he skips the stable and shepherds and goes directly to the one who “brought light to everyone” (John 1:4). When John later writes of a heavenly city, he describes the source of its light. This “city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23). Jesus is eternal light and the source of all light.  “…I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12).

John tells us that Jesus is the light who has come to conquer the darkness. Jesus came to earth to give us the light only He could give. He is our only hope against the darkness. Without Christmas, our world would be in complete and utter darkness. We would be lost and wandering forever. Light is always stronger than darkness. That’s why Christmas is all about the lights—the reminder that Jesus, the light of the world, has come to save us from the dark.

2024 may have been a great year, or it may not have been all that good. But there is a light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. This is the season to let the lights of Jesus shine through us.  Isaiah challenges us, “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance”  (Isaiah 60:1-3).

We are lights to the world insofar as we reflect the character of Jesus. This Christmas season, let’s point people to the great Light of the world, the Savior of all peoples. Let’s also be lights, ourselves, showing the greatness of the character of our Lord by reflecting Him to a world that lives in darkness.

 Discussion Questions:

1. How can we shed a little light into the world this week?