Pathways Press.com

Written by Meg Bucher, a contemporary writer.

Reformation Day [October 31] holds profound significance for us as Christians, not only as a historical event but as a call to ongoing transformation. Martin Luther’s quote, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me,” captures the very heart of the Reformation: the Word of God actively working to transform and guide us. Luther and other Reformers sought to expose corruption and reclaim the truth of Scripture in the face of misleading teachings within the church, such as the belief that penance and good works were necessary for salvation. Luther’s deep study of the Bible led him to discover that faith in Jesus alone grants us righteous standing with God—without any work of our own. Reformation, by its very nature, means improvement and liberation from oppression. W. Robert Godfrey echoes this ongoing need for change, stating, “Since Christians are always sinners, the church will always need reform.” Just as the church in Luther’s day needed realignment with Scripture, each of us is called to constant reform—examining our lives, confessing sins, and seeking a closer walk with Christ. Reformation Day, then, is not only a historical commemoration but a reminder of the living Word’s power to free us, transform us, and shape us closer to Christ as we continue toward eternity.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” [Galatians 2:21]

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Written by Kara Stout, a contemporary writer. This is an excerpt from her book “Untroubled Heart.”

God is doing so much behind the scenes that we may never know about or see in this life. John Piper captured this so well when he said, “God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” We cannot even scratch the surface of grasping all that is in His control, both in our lives and the entire universe… In life, God knows the big picture and exactly how all the pieces will perfectly fit together. We are shown only a few pieces, giving us glimpses of the puzzle He is intently and affectionately completing. So pause and ask yourself: Can I be satisfied that only God knows what the final masterpiece is? Can I be content with just seeing a few pieces of the puzzle? Can I make peace with not knowing all He is doing behind the scenes, trusting He is in control of the bigger picture? As His children, we take one day at a time with our Father, abiding in His sovereignty. We cannot see the whole picture, so we seek the guidance and wisdom of the One who does.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. [Proverbs 19:21]

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Written by Anselm (1033-1109), Archbishop of Canterbury.

O Lord Our God, grant us grace to desire you with our whole heart, that so desiring we may seek and find you; and so finding you we may love you; and loving you we may hate those sins from which you have redeemed us; for the sake of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. [John 17:22-23]

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Written by Brian Morykon, a contemporary writer.

The truly good life is a long game. It is a life of continual surrender and returning to Jesus, moment by moment until the moments have made a life worth living. All day long, we’re being pitched substitutes and shortcuts for this life of continual surrender to the one who loved us into being. Don’t buy them. Don’t hold back little parts of yourself for fear of what God will do with them. God will be good to all of you and will resurrect glorified any part of you that needs to be crucified. Maybe you’ve been following Jesus for a long time. Maybe you’re tempted to check out or be on cruise control. Maybe you’re tempted to be on full control—to take by force what God hasn’t seen fit to give you yet. Take a breath. Christ is near. Surrender again. Listen to the quiet voice, and if you can’t hear it listen to the silence. Live as if God is real. Live as if God is capable of taking care of you. Live as if you didn’t have to manage your own safety, security, and reputation. Live as if God thinks you are worth dying for. Don’t take matters into your own hands. Don’t make a deal with the devil to get the good you have coming to you before God wants to give it to you. The good life is a long game. Trust the process. Christ is the process.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. [Psalm 91:1]

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Written by Gary Thomas, a contemporary minister and  author. This is an excerpt from his book “Devotions for a Sacred Marriage.”

The wide, biblical concept of mercy includes forgiveness but also has roots in loyalty. One commentator notes, “This steady, persistent refusal of God to wash His hands of wayward Israel is the essential meaning of the Hebrew word which is translated loving-kindness [or mercy].”This is a loyalty and forgiveness seasoned with graciousness and kindness — particularly to those who don’t deserve it. It is one of the most beautiful words in the English language and certainly one of the most precious truths in the Christian faith. What does it mean to fall in love with mercy? It means I am to become mercy’s biggest fan. Having received mercy from God, I am to walk in assurance and thankfulness, using my own gift of mercy as the lens through which I view anyone else’s sin… Seek to understand what a gift you’ve been given in God’s mercy. And then, from that foundation, explore the riches of extending this same mercy to others.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [1 Peter 1:3]

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

Pay attention to your pain. Instead of reacting with anger or avoidance, pause and offer it to God as a sacrifice of love. When you encounter pain of any kind (physical, emotional, or spiritual) take it as an invitation to pray, ask for help.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. [James 1:2-3]

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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

There may be times when we sense that the task before us is too great for the resources available to us. We may realize that God is our only hope, but we can’t seem to find it in ourselves to pray or to believe that He is hearing our prayers. If you find yourself facing such a time, let the story of the paralytic carried by friends into the presence of Jesus inspire you. Call together trusted friends and ask them to come alongside you, seeking God’s intervention on your behalf.

Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. [Mark 2:3-4]

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Written by Richard Foster, a contemporary theologian and author.

Jesus teaches us with a negative and a positive command:  “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth,” but do  “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:19). The  “treasures” in view here are not just great riches, but all those things that we trust in and cling to. My boys, for example, when they were young, had some very special treasures. When I looked into what those objects were, I was frequently amazed, for they may have been only some shiny stones, or an odd-looking stick, or a pile of rubber bands. But for my children, these were coveted treasures. Jesus is warning us that, no matter what our earthly treasures may be, we have to be very careful about holding too tightly to them, because they are bound to disappoint us and to keep us from living in the kingdom of God in the freedom and power we desire. He knows that we have an almost compulsive need to secure ourselves by means of earthly things but tells us not to do that.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  [Matthew 6:19-20]

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Written by Ray Pritchard, a contemporary pastor, author, and president of Keep Believing Ministries.

Lord, grant me tenacious winsome courage as I go through this day. When I am tempted to give up, help me to keep going. Grant me a cheerful spirit when things don’t go my way. And give me the courage to do whatever needs to be done. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [John 14:17]

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Written by Mark Roberts, a contemporary writer.

Nothing can distract us from our true purpose in life like popularity. Even when we know God has called us to some particular work, we can be tempted to focus our energies on some other venture if that’s what people like. Many pastors, for example, find it easier to preach on what makes people like them rather than on what their people actually need. I surely faced that temptation when I was a parish pastor. Business leaders sometimes work long hours because the praise they get at work is much more gratifying than the day-to-day challenges of family life. Popularity is not necessarily bad, of course. But it can be a poor measure of what God wants us to do with our lives. Jesus did not let his popularity distract him from his true purpose. Rather, he remained faithful to his calling. So, he left behind the adoring and needy crowds in Capernaum in order to preach the good news of the kingdom in other places.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”  [Mark 1:35-38]

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