Pathways Press.com

Written by C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), a British writer, scholar, and Anglican lay theologian. This is an excerpt from his book “Mere Christianity.”

Some writers use the word charity to describe not only Christian love between human beings, but also God’s love for man and man’s love for God. About the second of these two, people are often worried. They are told they ought to love God. They cannot find any such feelings in themselves. What are they to do? The answer is the same as before. Act as if you did. Do not sit trying to manufacture feelings. Ask yourself, “If I were sure that I loved God, what would I do?” When you have found the answer, go and do it.”

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. [Deuteronomy 6:5]

Written by Johannes Vos (1862-1949), a Dutch-American reformed  theologist.  This is an excerpt from his book “The Westminster Larger Catechism: A Commentary.”

True happiness depends on our consciously aiming to serve the purpose for which we were created, namely, to glorify God and enjoy him. Consciously to serve the purpose for which God created him is man’s glory, and apart from a conscious consecration of himself to that purpose, there can be no real, deep, and satisfying happiness. As Augustine said in his Confessions, “Thou hast created us for Thyself, O God, and our heart is restless until it finds repose in Thee.”

 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [Ephesians 2:10]

This prayer was written by the Practicing the Way course developers.

Good Creator, who made our inmost parts, you see more of us than we do, you know us better than we ever will, and yet you call us “beloved.”  Give us courage to see ourselves in the light, to be honest with who we are and what we are not, that in our being fully seen by you, we may be transformed ever more greatly by your love, into your holy image. Amen.

But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. [1 Corinthians 8:3]

Written by Oswald Chambers (1874-1917), an evangelist and teacher aligned with the Holiness Movement.  This is an excerpt from his book “My Utmost for His Highest.”

Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women. The one all–important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell— it is redemption. Redemption is the only reality. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, not the cause of it. If we place our faith in human goodness we will go under when testing comes. Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes are focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption. God cannot deliver or transform me while my interest is merely in my own character.

The Lord’s light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. [Proverbs 20:27]

Written by John Ortberg, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker. This is an excerpt from his book “The Me I Want to Be.”

Many approaches to spiritual growth assume that the same methods will produce the same growth in different people – but they don’t. Because you have been created by God as a unique person, His plan to grow you will not look the same as His plan to grow anyone else. What would grow an orchid would drown a cactus. What would feed a mouse would starve an elephant. All of those entities need light, food, air, and water – but in different amounts and conditions. God’s plan for you will not look exactly like His plan for anyone else, which means it will take freedom and exploration for you to learn how God wants to grow you. Spiritual growth is hand-crafted, not mass-produced. God does not do ‘one-size-fits-all.’

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. [2 Corinthians 3:17]

Written by Mother Alice Kaholuoluna (1888-1957), a Congregational minister of native Hawaiian ancestry and the first woman ordained by the Hawaiian Evangelical Association.

Before the missionaries came, my people used to sit outside their temples for a long time meditating and preparing themselves before entering. Then, they would virtually creep to the altar to offer their petitions and afterwards would again sit a long time outside, this time to “breathe life” into their prayers. The Christians, when they came, just got up, uttered a few sentences, said Amen and were done. For that reason my people called them haoles, “without breath,” or those who failed to breathe life into their prayers.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18]

Written by Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556), a theologian, leader of the English reformation, and Archbishop of Canterbury.  This is from the Book of Common Prayer.

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; Grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of thy holy Word, we may embrace, and ever hold fast, the blessed hope of everlasting life, which thou hast given us in our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever. [1 Peter 1:24-25].

Written by Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), an Indian poet, writer, educator and environmentalist.  This is an excerpt from the book “The Heart of God.”

I threw away my heart in the world; you took it up. I sought for joy and gathered sorrow, you gave me sorrow and I found joy,. My heart was scattered in pieces, you picked them up in your hand and strung them in a thread of love, You let me wander from door to door to show me at last how near you are. Your love plunged me into the deep trouble. When I raised my head I found I was at your door.

As servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses [2 Corinthians 6:4]

This is an excerpt from “The Bible in a Year: A 52-Week Journey Through God’s Word,” written by the Spiral Bible team.

Forgiveness is the decision to release others from the debt of their wrongs against us, reflecting God’s forgiveness of us in Christ. It frees both the forgiver and the forgiven, breaking cycles of bitterness and restoring relationships. Jesus’s sobering words about forgiveness being reciprocal reveal the serious connection between receiving and extending forgiveness. This isn’t about earning God’s forgiveness but about demonstrating that we understand its value. Like a stream that both receives and passes on water, we’re meant to be channels of forgiveness, not reservoirs.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. [Matthew 6:14-15]

Written by Sadhu Sundar Singh (1889-1929), an Indian Christian missionary and sadhu. This is an excerpt from his book “At the Master’s Feet.”

Sin is to cast aside the will of God and to live according to one’s own will, deserting that which is true and lawful in order to satisfy one’s own desires, thinking thus to obtain happiness. Yet in so doing, one does not obtain real happiness or enjoy true pleasure. Sin has no individuality, so that no one can say of it that someone created it. It is simply the name of a state or condition. There is only one Creator and He is good, and a good Creator could not have created a bad thing, for to do so would be against His very nature. And apart from the one Creator there is no other who could have created sin. Satan can only spoil that which has already been created, but he has not the power of creating anything. So, sin is not a part of creation, nor has it independent existence such that it could be created. It is simply a delusive and destructive state of being. For instance, light is something which has real existence, but darkness has not; it is only a state, the absence of light. Thus, sin or evil is not a self-existent thing, but simply the absence or nonexistence of good.

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. [Revelation 22:5]