Pathways Press.com

Written by Anne Graham Lotz, a contemporary writer and evangelist.

When I’m tired or busy, I don’t always pay attention to someone who is speaking. And if the person is fairly long-winded, my mind will wander to other things. As a result, I’m disconnected. Distracted. Even though I hear the voice, I don’t know what’s being said because I’m not listening. The same thing is true when it comes to reading my Bible. I can read the words, yet not really hear what God is saying because I’m rushing through my reading, or distracted by wandering thoughts, or focused only on facts and information, or just too tired to concentrate. As a result, my daily time with Him in His Word becomes routine. Drudgery. A “have-to,” not a “want-to” exercise. Learning to listen for God’s voice speaking to me through the pages of my Bible has transformed my daily time with Him. I now approach the time with eager anticipation of what He will say. Perhaps more than any other aspect of my Christian life, it has drawn me closer to Him in an intimate relationship. It has become the very core of who I am. Because, dear friend, God does speak through His Word. I know from experience!

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. [Matthew 15:10]

Read Full Post »

Written by Grace Pouch, a contemporary writer and teacher of spiritual renewal.

Your life includes all of you. Work you. Home you. Church you. Private and public you. A person of integrity is someone whose life is seamless, whose many “yous” are one and the same, who is good, through and through. Becoming a person of integrity means giving Jesus access to all of you. If the soul were a house, this means allowing him into every room of it. It’s possible to happily give Jesus access to some rooms but put little Do Not Enter signs on others. Maybe I’m glad to have Jesus rearrange my relating-to-family room, but I’d prefer he stay out of my finance room. Maybe he’s welcome in my devotional room, but not my political-views room.  Groups of Christians can do this too, posting “Keep Out” signs to block Jesus from entering culturally cherished beliefs, practices, and goals. (Jesus’ original audience included religious groups who identified themselves as God’s people but whose traditions were off-limits to Jesus’ revision; this continues today.) Sometimes we only allow Jesus into certain parts of our lives. Or, to flip it, we only allow certain parts of Jesus into our lives—perhaps his power without his humility or his love for one people group without his love for another. This kind of selective surrender and selective receiving leads to disintegration. Eventually, things fall apart…To enter [Jesus’] covenant is to take the entire cup he offers, bitter and sweet. To trust him is to allow him into every nook and cranny of our personal and communal ways of thinking. Why wouldn’t we? His way is better than our way in every dimension of life. His way is wholeness.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. [1 Corinthians 10:31]

Read Full Post »

Written by Bethany Fox, a contemporary writer and editor.This is an excerpt from the book “A Beautiful Year in the Bible.”

What does it look like to live wisely amidst the cacophony of life’s demands and distractions? We might imagine an angler waiting patiently on still water to catch a fish. Like our quest for wisdom, fishing requires stillness, patience, and a readiness to act when the moment arrives. The angler knows that beneath the calm surface, the waters are teeming with life. Similarly, we are reminded that beneath the regular rhythms of our daily routines lies rich depts of knowledge to be explored. In this stillness and quiet, we find that patience leads to better results than hurried action. When we rush forward without pause, we risk missing the subtle wisdom that invites us to move thoughtfully and purposefully through the world. Pursuing true wisdom isn’t about proving ourselves the smartest or most successful. Rather, to be wise is to follow the path God sets out for us, keeping our eyes fixed on the divine and not getting distracted by the ways of the world.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. [Proverbs 1:7]

Read Full Post »

Written by Keri Eichberger, a contemporary minister and writer.

Can you remember when you weren’t feeling as joyful as you should’ve been? Or found yourself sad for no reason? Or maybe you did have a good reason to be down, but knew you had even more reason to smile and be thankful. I get it. Some days I’m a bit blue and can’t quite understand why. Sometimes it seems to stem from something silly. And then there are moments, like when I was getting ready to have a big surgery and had been struggling through lots of disappointment, but still knew in my heart that God was immensely good and deserving of so much praise. Praise. That is the key. I’ve been down dark roads before, and offering up praise to my good God was always the way out. I just needed that reminder. I needed it then, I need it now, and I’m guessing you might need this reminder too, time and again. There really is so much blessing wrapped up in our praise of the one who deserves it all.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! [Psalm 150:6]

Read Full Post »

Written by J. R. Miller (1840-1912), a pastor, author, and editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publications.

What can puny human strength take by force out of the hand of Omnipotence? Can we wrest blessing by force from God? It is never the violence of willfulness that prevails with God. It is the might of clinging faith, that gets the blessing and the victories. It is not when we press and urge our own will, but when humility and trust unite in saying, “Not my will, but Thine.” We are strong with God only in the degree that self is conquered and is dead. Not by wrestling, but by clinging can we get the blessing.

For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him [Deuteronomy 11:22]

Read Full Post »

Written by Barb Roose, a contemporary writer. This is an excerpt from her book “Matthew: Pray Like This.”

Do you ever wonder if God hears our prayers and laughs because our prayers sound like we’re calling the shots and telling Him what to do? … Too often, our control-loving mindset looks like “do first, pray later,” which explains why we frequently jump into spaces where God has not called us to be, or we’re too impatient to let God work because we’re worried about the outcome. Our control-loving slogan sounds like “Something needs to be done and I need to do it NOW.” If we can’t see God working in a direction we approve, we’ll get to work with our control-loving tools like micromanaging, interfering, enabling, or stonewalling. We make our plans but forget that God is still the good, loving, sovereign captain of S.S. Humanity.

In their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. [Proverbs 16:9]

Read Full Post »

Written by L.B. Cowman (1870-1960), an American writer and author of devotional books. This is an excerpt from her book “Streams of the Desert.”

Years ago there was an old German professor whose beautiful life was a marvel to his students. Some of them resolved to know the secret of it; so one of their number hid in the study where the old professor spent his evenings. It was late when the teacher came in. He was very tired, but he sat down and spent an hour with his Bible. Then he bowed his head in secret prayer; and finally closing the Book of books, he said, “Well, Lord Jesus, we’re on the same old terms.” To know Him is life’s highest attainment; and at all costs, every Christian should strive to be “on the same old terms with Him.” The reality of Jesus comes as a result of secret prayer, and a personal study of the Bible that is devotional and sympathetic. Christ becomes more real to the one who persists in the cultivation of His presence.

I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. [John 15:15]

Read Full Post »

Today’s prayer was offered by House Chaplain, Reverend Edward G. Latch (1901-1993) on July 3, 1974.

Eternal God, stir Thou our minds and stimulate our hearts with a high sense of patriotism as we approach  this Independence Day. May all that this day symbolizes renew our faith in freedom, our devotion to democracy, and redouble our efforts to keep a government of the people, by the people, and for the people truly alive in our world. Grant that we may highly resolve on this great day to dedicate ourselves anew to the task of ushering in an era when good will shall live in the hearts of a free people, justice shall be the light to guide their feet, and peace shall be the goal of humankind: to the glory of Thy holy name and the good of our Nation and of all mankind. Amen.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. [Psalm 33:12]

Read Full Post »

Written by Rich Villodas, a contemporary pastor and writer. This is an excerpt from his book “The Narrow Path.”

Jesus’ beatitudes insist that love is what makes life good. To hunger for justice and righteousness, to be peacemakers, to offer mercy—all these acts are expressions of love. In the kingdom of God, the happiest people are oriented around love, not accruing greater possessions or power. To walk in step with Jesus is to walk in the way of love. A love that seeks to bring reconciliation where there has been fragmentation. A love that rejoices over mercy, not resentment. A love that works to end injustice, refusing to stand by idly. That is, for Jesus, the path toward the life that satisfies our souls.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. [Matthew 5:3-10]

Read Full Post »

Written by Richard Foster, a contemporary theologian and author. This is an excerpt from his book “Prayer.”

God has graciously allowed me to catch a glimpse of his heart, and I want to share with you what I have seen. Today the heart of God is an open wound of love. He aches over our distance and preoccupation. He mourns that we do not draw near to him. He grieves that we have forgotten him. He weeps over our obsession with muchness and manyness. He longs for our presence…And he is inviting you—and me—to come home, to come home to where we belong—his arms are stretched out wide to receive us. His heart is enlarged to take us in.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. [Luke 15:20]

Read Full Post »