Pathways Press.com

Written by Margot Wallace from the Village Church

As I watched the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympics, I was so inspired while viewing the French Cauldron rise in the sky! After watching each country sail down the Seine, I realized there appeared no trace of animosity.  Rather, each vessel held smiling faces, waving to others, happy to be present, and eager to perform!  At that moment, I realized that affairs in our world were not as hopeless as predicted.  Instead, here I saw instant comradery!  That unification was symbolized by the French invented hot air balloon floating above. The faith of the world – all the way from ancient Greece – moving forward to a more positive future!

Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind [Philippians 2:2]

Olympic Cauldron 2024 by Margot Wallace

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Written by Garland Vance, a contemporary writer.

Have you ever had the experience of feeling God’s presence? It may have been in a powerful worship service. Or when you saw the Grand Canyon. Or holding your child for the first time. Or when you helped someone in need because you sensed God leading you to do so. Whenever it was, there is nothing more powerful and memorable than when you sense God’s presence. His presence can overtake your whole body and overcome all of your emotions … But there is a danger to this feeling of God’s presence. It can be like a drug. Once you have experienced it, you keep trying to get another fix. Instead of trying to feel God’s presence, learn to rest in the truth and reality of His presence. He is with you whether you feel Him or not. He is with you even when you do not want Him to be. Even when you can’t feel God’s presence, you can rest in the truth and reality that He is with you. Cultivate an awareness of God’s presence. There are dozens of ways to do this. But a few of them are: short prayers throughout the day, silence and solitude, memorization of Scripture, and talking with Him as you take a hike.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. [Matthew 28:20]

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Written by Walter Walker, a contemporary author.

Six Soviet cosmonauts said they witnessed the most awe-inspiring spectacle ever encountered in space: a band of glowing angels with wings as big as jumbo jets. Cosmonauts Vladimir Slolvev, Oleg Atkov, and Leonod Kiaim said that they first saw the celestial beings during their 155^th day aboard Salyat 7 space station. “What we saw were seven giant figures in the shape of humans, but with wings and mist-like halos in the classic depiction of angels. Their faces were round with cherubic smiles.”  Twelve days later the figures returned and were seen by three other Soviet scientists, including cosmonaut Svetlana Asvitskaya. “They were smiling,” she said, “as though they shared a glorious secret.”

But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, [Hebrews 12:22]

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Written by Wayne Jacobsen, a contemporary pastor and writer

God’s presence “feels like” different things to different people, and even different ways in different circumstances. I don’t want to describe it as a feeling, because it goes way beyond that. At its heart, it is a simple knowing that something greater than us is making His presence known in the room. That can be accompanied by supernatural events, a simple inner knowing, or the affirmation of what a number of people are sensing at the same moment…For us at that hospital bed it was a powerful sense of connection with Him and each other. It added a lightness to the room that was more spiritually seen than physically seen. It manifested itself in the lightness of heart and trust that we all sensed afterward, very different from when we went in. But it doesn’t always look like that, which is why I hesitate to define it. I find people recognize Him less when they are burdened down by expectations of what it should look like. Then we are looking for manifestations, rather than simply seeking Him. For many people it isn’t so much that God isn’t making Himself known, it’s that they haven’t yet tuned to His frequency to recognize His voice or His fingerprints in the simple realities around them. I think most of God’s supernatural working appears to be incredibly natural as it unfolds.

Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. [Psalm 51:11]

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Written by Alan Goodman from the Village Church.

As a Christian, I am always amazed when I receive instructions from God to do things for people in pain/grief. I am certainly not a Pastor, but there have been many instances in my life when I felt COMPELLED to pray for the person after I get aware of the anguish and pain that is just in front of me. I know when I get these divine instructions from God. They come through loud and clear to me. I have asked people if they want me to pray for them RIGHT NOW. I have been totally surprised that through the tears and grief, all I have prayed for in a one-on-one setting accepted my prayer offer. When I do these instant prayer sessions, it is amazing to me that my own words just flow – not from me but from God. The people I have prayed for are not the only ones directly affected by these prayers.  Add me to that list of humans overcome with a power greater than I can ever be to even do this kind of thing! I am one Christian that certainly doesn’t understand a lot of things, but I sure know when God uses me for his Kingdom. Praise be to God. I have prayed for God to use me to further his kingdom as a servant. I know that has (and is) being fulfilled.

Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. [Proverbs 8:33]

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Written by Kate Smith, a contemporary church planter and revivalist.

The first time I encountered God, I actually didn’t know what had hit me. It just felt like there was this tangible love that came with a weightiness. It was just so silky smooth… My heart felt so much peace, I just wanted to rest… I didn’t want to move, just stay in it, to rest, to let this love that felt almost liquid come into my soul in every part.  It was like a realization that God was doing something deep within my heart… I was giving Him permission, just saying, ‘God, whatever you have for me, I’m here, just come. I’m so not used to this, but I love it, so would you just keep coming and filling me with that liquid love and presence.’

I will abide in your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of your wings.       [Psalm 61:4]

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

The real problem of Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. [John 10:27]

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Written by Walter Walker, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from the book “Extraordinary Encounters with God” about Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and writer.

On November 23, 1654, Blaise Pascal experienced what is known as his “second conversion,” the first being of the intellect and the second of the heart.  Pascal recorded that from 10:30 in the evening until 12:30 a.m., he had a divine encounter with “the God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not for the philosophers and scholars.” He then made the following resolve: “Total submission to Jesus Christ and to my Director.” … After his death, a servant pulled a parchment written in Pascal’s own hand, with notes taken after his divine encounter…at the top of the sheet of paper stands a cross, with the following notes:  God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers and scholars, certitude, certitude, feeling, joy, peace.  God of Jesus Christ. My God and your God. Thy God will be my God. Forgetfulness of the world and of everything except God. He is to be found only by the way taught in the Gospel. Greatness of the human soul. O righteous Father, the world has not known Thee, but I have known Thee. Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy.  I have been separated from Him. …  Let me not be separated from Him eternally. This is the eternal life, that they know Thee as the only true God, and the one whom Thou has sent, Jesus Christ…I have been separated from Him; I have fled Him, renounced Him, crucified Him. Let me never be separated from Him. He is preserved only by the ways taught in the Gospel. Renunciation, total and sweet. Total submission to Jesus Christ and to my Director. Eternally in joy for a day’s trial on earth. I will not forget Thy Word. Amen.

Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. [Isaiah 12:5]

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Written by Nina Pope from the Village Church

“I have always taken care of you.”  were the exact words God whispered in my mind that day.   I was startled at first at the clarity of the statement and the way it came into my awareness.  We were going through an angst-ridden dilemma about a job transfer out of state that sounded promising in daylight, but which tortured our sleep at night…good in so many ways but somehow just not quite right.  So, there I sat on my garden bench pouring out my malaise when God verbally and unmistakably inserted Himself into my predicament.  The matter was not settled, but my mind was instantly at ease when I answered back acknowledging affirmatively that yes, the Good Shepherd was now as always in charge.  Ultimately, other solutions appeared and we did not make the move.  It is a bit of a blur now but was crystal clear then.  That was somewhere in the 70’s. Fast forward to the 21^st century:  After nearly 2 years of uncharted and often unwanted changes following the sudden death of our beloved husband and father, the Good Shepherd has continued unmistakably leading and guiding our family into new directions.  Guidance comes from an astonishing array of sources ~  among others, family inspiration, wisdom, and support from adult children, church fellowship and studies, ongoing encouragement from friends in countless ways, others helping me enlarge my lackluster financial and computer skillset, images and ideas from God, plus solutions related to the trials and tribulations of downsizing, finding suitable new quarters,  moving (!), and making untold adjustments to daily routines and the re-shuffling of life in general.  It has been a ride.  I continue to lean on the everlasting arms. Our God is both infinite and intimate.  It is beyond understanding to contemplate the scope of God’s managing the universe while minding the details of all His creatures…and we don’t even have the full picture yet! I bow my heart in gratitude for all the ways God makes Himself available to me and all humanity, and especially in this particular season as our Immanuel,  God with us presently and eternally.  Merry Christmas!

Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious hand. [Isaiah 41:10]

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Written by Catherine Marshall (1914-1983), an American author.  This was written in 1944 during a two year confinement with tuberculosis.

In the middle of the night, I was awakened. The room was in total darkness. Instantly sensing something alive, electric in the room, I sat bolt upright in bed. Past all credible belief, suddenly, unaccountably, Christ was there, in person, standing by the right side of my bed. I could see nothing but a deep, velvety blackness around me, but the bedroom was filled with an intensity of power, as if the Dynamo of the universe were there. Every nerve in my body tingled with it, as with a shock of electricity. I knew that Jesus was smiling at me tenderly, lovingly, whimsically—as though a trifle amused at my too intense seriousness about myself. His attitude seemed to say “Relax! There’s not a thing wrong here that I can’t take care of.” His personality held an amazing meld I had never before met in any one person: warm-hearted compassion and the light touch, yet unmistakable authority and kingliness. Instantly my heart wanted to bow before Him in abject adoration. Would He speak to me? I waited in awe for Him to say something momentous, to give me my marching orders. “Go,” He said in reply to my unspoken question, “Go, and tell your mother. That’s easy enough, isn’t it?” I went to where my mother and father were sleeping, woke them and said “I just want to tell you that I’ll be all right now. It seemed important to tell you tonight.”  When I returned to my bedroom, that vivid presence was gone. I found myself more excited than I have ever been before or since and more wide awake. It was not until the first streaks of dawn appeared in the eastern sky that I slept again.  [Within six months the doctors pronounced her completely well.]

Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and let them enjoy abundant peace and security [Jeremiah 33:6]

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