8 Days Later

Imagine the scene if you will – Jesus’s disciples gathered together following his crucifixion and burial, on the third day, having just heard from Mary Magdalene, “I have seen the Lord!”  The doors were locked and yet suddenly Jesus stood before them in the room.  “Peace be with you,” were his first words to them.  Thomas was not with the disciples during this first appearance following the resurrection.  He missed out, missed the amazing encounter with the living Lord.  The interesting thing is, he did not believe the account of his friends, and boldly stated, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” 

In the week that followed, the sweet memory of seeing their Lord face to face and receiving his Blessing and the gift of the Holy Spirit, must have lingered in the disciples’ minds.  But I imagine the only thing that lingered for Thomas was doubt.  (Poor Thomas – forever known as the doubter.)  He wanted proof; he wanted to see the physical evidence for himself that Jesus was alive.  The scripture says 8 days later, Jesus appeared to the group again, and this time Thomas was there.  He told Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side.  Do not disbelieve, but believe.” (John 20:27)

Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God.”  The evidence was clear, and Thomas believed, 8 days later.  Jesus said to him “Have you believed because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:28-29)

In that moment Jesus was blessing you and me, and the millions of others who would never see him face to face on the earth, but would still choose to believe.  What about you, Dear One, have you been hanging back, not willing, or able, to believe like the rest of your family because of some lingering doubt or distrust in the sovereignty of God? Is there hurt somewhere in your past that keeps you from seeing God as a loving Heavenly Father?  Are you perhaps held back by a perceived incongruity between scientific fact and faith?

2nd Corinthians 6:2 says, “Today is the day of salvation.”  In 2 Peter 3:9, the Bible says God “is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” You’re invited to open your eyes and see Him, see his love poured out for you.  See the scars, see the sacrifice, see the body, broken for you.  Seek Him, and in seeking you will find Him, and be forever changed.  Maybe for you, it’s 8 days later.

Written by: Michelle Dowdy

Right At Home

What do you think of when you think of home? I hope at some point in your life you have felt the best things home has to offer - feelings of warmth and joy, of familiarity and belonging, of comfort and compassion. With the upcoming 21st birthday of my youngest child, I find myself getting nostalgic about the years of childhood and the hope that I made our home the kind of place my children will look back on with the same feelings expressed above, despite my shortcomings. Home should be a place where love is multiplied and burdens divided, a place where we can come and rest our weary heads, prop our feet up, and just be “ourselves.” When someone says, “Make yourself at home,” they are expressing the hope that you will feel at ease, that you will experience something of the same comfortableness that you feel in your own home. “I felt right at home,” is one of the highest compliments that can be given.

In John 14:23, Jesus says that He and the Father will “make their home” with us. What an incredible thought! The Maker of Heaven and earth, our Creator and Redeemer will enter in with intimacy and be at home with us. May we rest in this promise today and may our hearts be a place where He can dwell.

By: Michelle Dowdy

Forgotten Stones

For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been exploring the story of Joshua leading the people across the Jordan with the Ark of the Covenant.  In Joshua 4:1-9, the Lord instructed Joshua to take 12 stones and build a memorial, so the people could remember that “the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the Lord’s covenant.”  They were able to walk across on dry ground.  The stones were to help them remember how God had been with them.  If those stones could talk, what would they say?  They would speak of the faithfulness of God. 

The stones were to be a reminder, a marker.  When we see a memorial set up at the site of an accident, we know that family members and friends will never pass that way again without thinking of their loved one.  They can never forget.

On this Memorial Day, are there things which we have forgotten?  What has this day become, and what have we stopped valuing?  Looking back at our “stones,” as a nation, what should we remember? We should remember the price that was paid – the price that was paid for our freedom.  The price required:

­-Faithfulness

-Leadership

-Sacrifice

-Courage

How should we honor those who have paid the ultimate price for that freedom? We should honor them in the way we live, seeking to push back the darkness wherever we find it.  Today, we should follow their example as we seek to:                                       

*Live with Courage

*Live with Sacrifice

*Live with Love for Others

*Live our Values

We should remember that the ultimate Freedom is Freedom in Christ – “So if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36).  This Freedom doesn’t enable us to do what we want; it enables us to do what we should.  May we leave this Legacy to our children, and our children’s children, and always remember. 

Pastor Russ Harbin

Looking for the Kingdom

Looking for the Kingdom

We can learn a lot from minor characters in the Bible.  As I was reading Luke 23 this morning, I zeroed in on something I had not thought about before – the important role of Joseph of Arimethea in the burial of Jesus.  All four gospels mention Joseph and he is described in Matthew as “a rich man and a disciple of Jesus.” The Bible says in Luke 24 that Joseph was a “good and righteous man,” and again in Mark 15 that he was “a respected member of the council.”  In both passages, it says that he was “looking for the Kingdom of God.”

Whatever he had been looking for, He obviously believed he had found in the person of Jesus Christ.  Who knows if he had perhaps heard rumblings of a resurrection story yet to come, or maybe he just wanted to give this Great Teacher a proper burial.  Whatever the reason, he took action.  Mark 15 goes on to say Joseph “…took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”  He asked for the body in order to bury Jesus in his own tomb.  He took action that required some boldness, as he played his role in the greatest story ever told.  He did not sit around and wait for someone else to act, but no doubt asked himself, “What can I do?”

What about us?  Are we “looking for the Kingdom?”  Are we asking, “What can I do?” Are we willing to take bold action, to play our part, to participate in His plan?  In our churches, our families, our communities, I pray we “take courage” and take on the hard things. May we live boldly, love deeply, and follow faithfully, all for His Kingdom’s cause.

Written by: Michelle Dowdy

Reality Just Ahead

Have you ever been talking to someone, and only later found out “who they were?”  Maybe it was someone you were supposed to know, but you didn’t make the connection?  Something similar happened to two followers of Jesus as they were traveling on the road to Emmaus.  In the account in Luke 24, we see Jesus come to them as they were discussing the events of the last few days and arguing with each other on the road.  The Bible says, “Jesus Himself came near and began to walk along with them.  But they were prevented from recognizing Him.”

What are some things we can see from this encounter?

-        Jesus Comforted Them:

Then He asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged. (verse17)

They began to tell Jesus all the events that had happened (to Jesus), and he spoke to them from the Scriptures, “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (verse 27) 

He took the Word, more powerful than a two-edged sword, and spoke to them about the things that had just taken place. 

-        Jesus Corrected Them:

It was clear that the disciples were expecting a Ruler to redeem Israel, to free it from Roman oppression.  …” But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened.” (verse 21)

When Jesus spoke to them about the truth about Himself from the Scriptures, he was correcting their false assumptions, their incorrect view of true freedom.

-Jesus Challenged Them

 He said to them, “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken!  Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?” (verse 25)

He then connected them to His word by going through the Scriptures and “connecting the dots” for them, explaining how He was the fulfillment of the Scriptures. 

-Jesus Convinced Them

 30It was as He reclined at the table with them that He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him, but He disappeared from their sight. 32 So they said to each other, “Weren’t our hearts ablaze within us while He was talking with us on the road and explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, 34 who said, “The Lord has certainly been raised, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. 36 And as they were saying these things, He Himself stood among them. He said to them, “Peace to you!”

It was through the breaking of the bread that their eyes were opened.  Maybe they saw the nail markings on his hands as he handed them the bread, or maybe it was something else that caused their eyes to be opened, but His resurrection became a reality for them at that moment.  They were convinced He was the risen Savior, and they would never be the same. 

What about you?  Have your eyes been opened?  Have you seen Jesus for who he really is?  Do you know the truth, woven throughout Scripture, about His saving power?  Come break the bread and see…

Pastor Russ Harbin

From a Distance

With Holy week coming closer, we’re drawn to the story of the betrayal, death, and resurrection of Jesus.  While we ultimately look to the hope of this season, we can’t forget the events that led to the cross.  The fully human part of our Savior must have felt lonely, isolated, and abandoned by his followers and even those closest to him.  Jesus foretold Peter’s denial of him, before they went to the garden to pray.   When the ultimate betrayer came with a kiss, armed crowds took Jesus away to a Council only too ready to condemn him. 

The Bible says Peter “followed at a distance,” to the place where Jesus would be tried.  I wondered as I read the story this week, is Peter’s story our story as well? How often do we “follow at a distance?” Maybe we experienced salvation, maybe even had some “mountaintop” experiences, but never fully committed to walking day by day in his resurrecting power.  Maybe the message that once caused us to burn with holy fire, with conviction and zeal for the gospel, has grown cold.  Perhaps we, like Peter, saw Jesus face to face and said to him that we would never betray him, yet we find that we now hang back, hesitant to speak grace and truth into the lives of people, or even fully accept his truth for ourselves. 

The good news is, hope is coming, and is in fact here now.  We can determine from this point forward to take up our cross and follow Jesus, walking closely by His side.  He tells us to “abide” in him, as a branch is a part of a vine.  He says apart from Him, we can’t bear fruit, can’t do anything. (John 15:4-5).  Let’s not merely observe him from a distance, but allow his presence, his words, to permeate our thoughts and our actions.   During these days pregnant with the anticipation of new life, come close to the Savior.  Close enough to see his scars, to see his wounds, to feel his heart, broken for you. 

Contributed by: Michelle Dowdy

The Joy Set Before Him

This week we looked at 1st Corinthians 9:24-26 which talks about running the race set before us.  The Scripture tells us the “prize” we are running for is not perishable, but eternal, “…a crown that will not fade.” 

Many of you know I love golf.  I love to play golf and I love to watch golf.  Like so many others, I have been keenly interested in the Master’s Tournament the last several days, golf’s most prestigious contest.  Certainly, all the men in the tournament had their eyes on the prize, and the coveted Green Jacket, but there was only one winner, Scottie Scheffler.  This 25-year-old took 43 days from the start of the season to move into the number 1 spot in the world, and 57 days from the start to win the Master’s Contest.  No doubt his victory represented years of focus and endurance, qualities that will help us too, to attain the prize, the crown, that will never fade away.  What were some of the things Scottie Scheffler had to go through in the 57 days it took him to attain his prize?  Did he experience exhaustion, discouragement, doubt?  Probably these and many other emotions.

During this Holy Week, our minds are drawn to the story we may have heard many times before, to consider with fresh eyes how our Lord must have suffered.  What did he experience in the days leading up to the cross?  What did he endure for “the joy set before Him?” He experienced betrayal with a kiss, denial of his identity by his followers, and the shear horror and agony of a cruel death on a cross.  And why did he do this?  Why did he endure all this? What was the “joy set before him?” It was you and it was me. Because of his great mercy and love for us, while we were yet sinners, he died for us, and because He lives, we also will live.  (Romans 5:8, John 14:19)

So let us run the race, with focus, with endurance, with passion, for the prize that will not fade away.

Pastor Russ Harbin

Live Boldly

Hello Friends,

Welcome to the Live Boldly Blogspot! Meet us in this space for encouragement and synopses of Pastor Russ’s messages as we seek to walk together toward the mission to which he has called us.

Live Boldly by Faith

What does it mean to Live Boldly? I was pondering this as I was thinking about Pastor Russ’s message, challenging us to embrace the mission of our fellowship at Northstar. As odd as it may sound, a little squirrel helped cement it in my mind! I was on our back deck, which is almost as high as the treetops in the wooded area that is our backyard. My eye caught a glimpse of a squirrel in the top branches of a tree, as he scampered across a bare limb to a branch of the tree next to it. My immediate thought was, “What if he falls?” It looked so dangerous! But then I realized, that little squirrel was only doing what came naturally to him, what he was born to do. He had “faith,” so to speak, that he could make it across, and that the limb would hold him.

Those of us who are in Christ have been given a new nature, a nature that should want, desire, and do different things than our old natures. Our natural instinct should be to Live Boldly, to take chances, to attempt things for the Kingdom that seem out of reach. What would it look like if we were to attempt great and “dangerous” things for His glory, things we could never accomplish on our own?

Hebrews 11 is a reminder of some of the people God used throughout scripture to accomplish His purposes, to partner with him in His work on the earth. The writer reminds us that it was “by faith” that each person participated in His miracles. They lived boldly, and they believed, by faith, that He could do what He said he would do.

To Live Boldly is to live by faith, to believe that God is at work in and through us, and to move in whatever direction He leads. So, will we? Will we go “out on a limb,” with the sure knowledge that He can hold us? Are we willing to move, by faith, and partner with Him and each other to fulfill His purposes?

I pray our answer will be, “Yes, Lord” as we seek to do His will.

                Written by: Michelle Dowdy