Pathways Press.com

Written by Peggy Stackle from the Village Church.

A few of us are gathering together to learn how to follow Jesus for life. If you’ve been Christian for a while you probably have some knowledge and experience in this area and may not feel that this is a necessary, course to dive into right now. I think you would be surprised. I have been. Many of you have heard the part of my story that my Dad was the Superintendent of the Sunday School at the Presbyterian Church in Washington DC in the 1930’s. My Mother was the new Sunday School teacher and my Dad thought she was kind of cute so he invited her to lunch. That makes me Presbyterian since before I was the sparkle in my Dad’s eye. I’m also a seminarian and hold a Master of Divinity degree. But I’ve learned a couple of things already from participating in the “How To” experience. We have our Youth group participating and their parents, and a few others, some long-time members, some more recent, and some inquirers. Hold on to your hats. While we hold firmly to our traditional theology and doctrines, there are some new ideas. New, fresh ways of looking at those traditions that make you sit up, take notice and ask Jack. It’s positively refreshing. Then there is my favorite part, the fellowship.  We’re meeting new friends, sharing a meal and engaging in good, old-fashioned conversation. Of course Jack teaches a little as well. There’s still time. Join us.

As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. [Mark 2:14]

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Written by In Touch Ministries, an organization founded by Dr. Charles Stanley to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

Christians often hear that God loves them. This truth is repeated in church, and believers often recite Bible verses on the topic. Yet do we really grasp what it means to be cared for in this way by the Creator of the universe? Let’s explore two aspects of His love. First, God’s love isn’t influenced by anything within or around us, because it is one of God’s unchanging attributes. We know that even while we were still living in sin, Christ died for us. We didn’t do anything to earn His love, and we can’t do anything to hinder it.  Second, divine love is eternal. Believers will never be separated from it. God chose us before the foundation of the world. We know, therefore, that His care for us has always been a fact—and always will be.  We can trust the One who loves us completely. Jesus proved His love by dying in our place to rescue us from sin and its consequences. He promises to stay with us always and redirects us when we stray. Whether or not we feel His presence, His love surrounds and protects us forever. 

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins  [1 John 4:10]

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This paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer was written by Eugene Peterson (1932-2018) in The Message Bible.

Our Father in heaven, reveal who you are.

Set the world right; Do what’s best—as above, so below.

Keep us alive with three square meals.

Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others.

Keep us safe from ourselves and the devil.

You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty!

Yes. Yes. Yes.

This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,” [Matthew 6:9]

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Written by Jacob Boehme (1575-1624), a German philosopher and theologian.

Give me, dear Lord, a pure heart and a wise mind,

that I may carry out my work according to your will.

Save me from all false desires,

from pride, greed, envy and anger,

and let me accept joyfully every task you set before me.

Let me seek to serve the poor

the sad and those unable to work.

Help me to discern honestly my own gifts

that I may do the things of which I am capable,

and happily and humbly leave the rest to others.

Above all, remind me constantly that I have nothing except what you give me, and can do nothing except what you enable me to do.  Amen.

The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God! [Psalm 68:35]

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

Every faculty you have, your power of thinking or of moving your limbs from moment to moment, is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already. So that when we talk of a man doing anything for God or giving anything to God, I will tell you what it is really like. It is like a small child going to its father and saying, “Daddy, give me sixpence to buy you a birthday present.”

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—but my ears you have opened—burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.  Then I said, “Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll.  I desire to do your will, my God;  your law is within my heart.” [Psalm 40:6-8]

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Written by John Baillie (1886-1960) was a Scottish theologian and  a Church of Scotland minister.

Today, O Lord —

let me put right before interest;

let me put others before self;

let me put the things of the spirit before the things of the body;

let me put the attainment of noble ends above the enjoyment of present pleasures;

let me put principle above reputation;

let me put Thee before all else. Amen.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. [Romans 12:3].

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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.

The words of Scripture are nourishment for our souls. The Bible offers opportunities to listen again to the words of Jesus, to read letters written to the early Christians, to relive the stories of men and women of faith, and to discover God’s character as He reveals Himself through the ages. As we allow Scripture and its principles to fill and shape our thinking, we begin to experience spiritual health and vitality. What are you feeding your soul today?

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  [Philippians 4:8]

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Today’s prayer is from the Gallican Sacramentary, an historic Christian liturgy within the Latin church in the 1^st millenium.

O God,

set us on fire with your Spirit.

Strengthen us with your power.

Enlighten us with your splendor.

Fill us with your grace.

Draw us forward with your help.

O Lord, give us

a right faith,

perfect love,

true humility.

O Lord, give us

simple affection, brave patience,

persevering obedience,

perpetual peace,

a pure mind,

a right and clean heart,

a good will,

a sharpened conscience,

spiritual strength,

a life unspotted and blameless.

And having finished the course,

enter your kingdom by your grace. Amen.

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.   [Hebrews 10:22]

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Written by Max Lucado, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker. This is an excerpt from his work “Outlive Your Life.”

Let’s pray, first. Traveling to help the hungry? Be sure to bathe your mission in prayer. Working to disentangle the knots of injustice? Pray. Weary of a world of racism and division? So is God. And he would love to talk to you about it.

Let’s pray, most. Did God call us to preach without ceasing? Or teach without ceasing? Or have committee meetings without ceasing? Or sing without ceasing? No, but he did call us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Did Jesus declare: My house shall be called a house of study? Fellowship? Music? A house of exposition? A house of activities? No, but he did say, “My house will be called a house of prayer” (Mark 11:17).

No other spiritual activity is guaranteed such results. “When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action” (Matthew 18:19). He is moved by the humble, prayerful heart. He is moved by prayer.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. [1 John 5:14]

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Written by Brennan Manning (1934-2013), an American author, laicized priest, and public speaker.  This is an excerpt from his book “The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus.”

Holiness is not a personal achievement. It’s an emptiness you discover in yourself. Instead of resenting it, you accept it and it becomes the free space where the Lord can create anew. To cry out, ‘You alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,’ that is what it means to be pure of heart. And it doesn’t come by your Herculean efforts and threadbare resolutions. … Simply hoard nothing of yourself; sweep the house clean. Sweep out even the attic, even the nagging, painful consciousness of your past. Accept being shipwrecked. Renounce everything that is heavy, even the weight of your sins. See only the compassion, the infinite patience, and the tender love of Christ. Jesus is Lord. That suffices. Your guilt and reproach disappear into the nothingness of non-attention. You are no longer aware of yourself, like the sparrow aloft and free in the azure sky. Even the desire for holiness is transformed into a pure and simple desire for Jesus.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. [Philippians 4:7] 

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