Pathways Press.com

Written by Carl Trueman, a contemporary professor.

The challenge for religious communities—the challenge for the church, the challenge for Christians—is that we need, in the coming generation, to be a community that’s certainly connected to the world. We’re still going to have mortgages, student loans, et cetera, et cetera, but a community that is able to be so strong that it fosters and informs the way that Christians imagine the world to be—that is what will allow them to resist the enticements and the plausibilities of the world around us. What that looks like, I don’t know. It may look different in different circumstances, but I’ll leave you with this thought: I think it looks local. I don’t think it looks national. Not yet, anyway. I think Christianity has been so rapidly disemboweled and so rapidly shunted to the margins of Western society that the hope for a national transformation has to be very small at this point. The place where we can work against this most effectively is in our families, in our churches, and in our local communities.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. [Matthew 5:15-16]

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Written by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), a theologian and philosopher.

People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yet they pass by themselves without wondering.

Let us examine and probe our ways and let us return to the Lord. [Lamentations 3:40]

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Written by Dietrich Bonhoffer (1906-1945), a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and Nazi dissident., This is an excerpt from his book “Life Together.”

Confess your faults to one another. He who is alone with his sin is utterly alone. It may be that Christians, notwithstanding corporate worship, common prayer, and all their fellowship and service, may still be left to their loneliness. The final breakthrough to fellowship does not occur because, although they have fellowship with one another as believers and as devout people, they do not have fellowship as the undevout, as sinners. The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everyone must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We dare not be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is discovered among the righteous.

So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips.” [Isaiah 6:5]

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Written by A.B. Simpson (1843-1919), a Canadian preacher, theologian, and author.

In the old creation, the week began with work and ended with Sabbath rest. The resurrection week begins with the first day-first rest, then labor. So we must first cease from our own works as God did from His, and enter into His rest. And then, with rested hearts, we will work His works with effectual power. But why labor to enter into rest? See that sailing craft — how restfully it glides over the waters, its canvas swelling with the wind and borne without an effort! And yet, look at that man at the helm. See how firmly he holds the rudder, bearing against the wind, and holding her steady to her position. Let him for a moment relax his steady hold and the vessel will fall listlessly along the wind. The sails will flap, the waves will toss the craft at their will, and all rest and power will have gone. It is the fixed helm that brings the steadying power of the wind. The steady will and stayed heart are ours. The keeping is the Lord’s. So let us labor to enter and abide in His rest.

Rest in the Lord [Psalm 37:1-7]

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Written by Ole Hallesby (1879-1961), a Norwegian theologian and author.    This is an excerpt from his book “Prayer.”

Unbelief is something very different from doubt. Unbelief is an attribute of the will, and consists in a man’s refusal to believe, that is, refusal to see his own need, acknowledge his helplessness, go to Jesus, and speak candidly and confidently with him about his sin and distress. Doubt, on the other hand, is an anguish, a pain, a weakness, which at times affects our faith. We could therefore call it Faith Distress: Faith Anguish, Faith Suffering, Faith Tribulation. Such faith illness can be more or less painful and more or less protracted, like all other ailments, but if we can begin to look upon it as suffering that has been laid upon us, it will lose its sting of distress and confusion.

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” [Mark 9:24]

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Written by Richard Foster, a contemporary theologian and author.

May God give you the gift of tears. As you walk on this tired and sad earth, may you have the gift of weeping, of a soft heart.

Jesus wept.  [John 11:35]

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Written by John Ortberg, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker.

When you make a mistake today (and you will), avoid frustration or self-condemnation, and say, “How fascinating!” This shifts your perspective from failure to curiosity. Seek growth, not perfection.Take steps to become a curious learner in your work, relationships, and faith. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re likely not stretching yourself enough.  Don’t avoid difficult situations, lean into them with the expectation that they will make you stronger and wiser. Encourage others. When you see someone else make a mistake, remind them that growth comes through learning. Be a voice of grace and encouragement.   

There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [Romans 8:1]

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Written by the Lead Like Jesus team, an organization founded by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges that promotes a transformational leadership model based on following Jesus

What kinds of words cause you to rise to a challenge? The exact words may differ from person to person, but typically they can be categorized as words of hope, encouragement, and belief. When we hear trusted friends and associates verbalize their faith in us, those words continue to ring deeply in the well of our souls. They echo back to us long past the moment when they were uttered, becoming a source of ongoing encouragement and motivation. Jesus believes in you today; let His voice drown out the voice of discouragement with words of hope. Take courage and be strong!

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.  [Psalm 43:5]

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Written by Doug Webster, a contemporary pastor and founder of Jesuscollege.com.

Jesus offers in the reality of His present Kingdom a good life of a good person who avoids a troubled life as a broken person. He teaches us to live under an open Heaven right here, right now “On Earth as it is in Heaven”. Eternal life starts immediately in the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Blessed salvation is not delayed until life after death.

Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.‘ [Luke 17:20-21]

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Written by A. W. Tozer (1897-1963), a pastor, author, magazine editor, and spiritual mentor. This is an excerpt from his book “The Knowledge of the Holy.”

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God…That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us…Our real idea of God may lie buried under the rubbish of conventional religious notions and may require an intelligent and vigorous search before it is finally unearthed and exposed for what it is. Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God…Low views of God destroy the gospel for all who hold them.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. [2 Peter 3:18]

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