Pathway Weeklies

Jesus’ temptation encounter illustrates that it is not a sin to be tempted. Many believers, however, have not considered the benefit of temptation for their growth in Christ-likeness. Benefit? Temptation, indeed, reminds us not to live independently of God. It spurs us to remain attached closely to the Heavenly Father’s will. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He was tempted by th...

“Surely there can be no greater joy than saving souls,” said Lottie Moon (1840-1912), the missionary to China. Southern Baptists will recognize her name instantly because of the Christmas Offering that bears her name; however, we all too often know nothing about what she said! She firmly believed God said, “Go,” meaning that we should go to the nations. He is not only a saving God, but He sends as...

“To learn strong faith is to endure great trials,” says George Mueller. The Apostle Peter knew the meaning of such Christian resolve as he wrote a letter to the churches in Asia Minor. He has been called the “Apostle of Hope” because he directs the focus of persecuted believers away from their severe trials toward a promised future deliverance. Peter knew about suffering for Christ. He had endured...

Have you ever been challenged by a teacher to put forth better effort to learn and apply your knowledge? The writer of Hebrews issued a similar challenge to the first readers of the book of Hebrews. He has focused his attention on the immaturity of the believers. Their spiritual childishness hindered their “usefulness and skillful performance for God” (Hebrews 5:12-13). The central warning was tha...

“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart,” are the words to one verse in a familiar youth camp song that many of us sang when we were younger. Joy, a fruit of the Spirit and key virtue in Paul’s view, was not only to be felt in one’s heart but to overflow in one’s relationships. “Joy” would be the one-word theme I would place above the entire letter to the Philippians. Let’s see how we ma...

Sometimes it takes a storm to teach us about the peace that Christ provides. This section in Matthew’s gospel elevates divine awareness in both Jesus’ disciples and those who would later read the book. Jesus fed 5000 people, thus showing that He is the “Bread of Life,” and then He calms the wind and waves to show that He is Lord over all nature (15:13-32). Our minds may wonder where God might be a...

Our motivation for Christian service should be the love of Christ. Paul set this standard of living not based upon his lifestyle alone, but Christ’s. Now, that is a tall order, wouldn’t you say? The possessor of the life-changing gift of reconciliation with God will certainly find it a privilege to tell people about the gift of new life wherever we go. “Reconciliation is the removal of human enmit...

“The resurrection is the pivot on which all of Christianity turns and without which none of the other truths would much matter” (John MacArthur). Pastor MacArthur’s claim may seem to be rigid, especially in, what I call a “laissez faire age” for religious belief. You know, the mantra of this age is, “You believe what you want to believe, and I will believe what I choose to believe.” We sing about ...

We all make decisions. None of these choices, however, will be as significant as the one we make about Jesus. It shapes our entire worldview and determines our ultimate relationship with the Heavenly Father. This section of Mark’s gospel focuses on the judgment that people made for and against Jesus (14:1-15:47), and also the judgment God made for His Son (16:1-8). We dare not leave God’s judgment...

Do you pray in advance of taking a journey? Think of Psalm 121 as an early prayer for traveling mercies! My family, when I was a child, always prayed together before taking a journey. We asked God to provide His watch care over us as we traveled. It is a pattern that I have continued throughout my entire adult life. We are not alone in this regard. Pilgrims going to Jerusalem may have sung this pr...