Posts with the category “pathway-devotionals”

Let’s argue! One of Paul’s wonderful attributes, and there were many, was his use of argument. No, not the hair-pulling, veins-popping-out kind that we too often encounter in our current culture. I mean rhetoric! If you want to know where Paul is going with an idea, then all you must do is see from whence the idea was flowing. I follow the verbs. In our focal context, he reaches back to 1 Corinthi...  Read More

We are at war! No, a rogue nation has not crossed a “red line,” but we are engaged in daily conflict. As the comic strip Pogo once famously stated, “We have met the enemy and it is us.” I opened my social media threads this morning and was hit with a barrage of venomous rhetoric in what are often claimed to be trusted news sources. The psalmist reminds us that war does not take place solely on bat...  Read More

“The person who broke you can’t be the one who fixes you” is a popular meme. It holds some truth, but I wish it were as simple as that quote suggests. Sin cripples and leaves us in such disrepair that we have no hope of ever “fixing” ourselves. Gloriously, we meet Hope, who is Jesus Christ, and He changes our hearts forever. We are His from then on, regardless of who we once were. Our value is for...  Read More

Suffering is unbearable if you aren’t certain that God is for you and with you” (Keller, Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering, 58). Job vents his frustration over the pain and suffering he is experiencing, his confusion about God’s place in all of it, and his anger at the meaningless words of his “comforters.” Sometimes we cannot see the forest for the trees when we suffer because our pain ...  Read More

Humans can live for quite some time without food and shelter, but water is essential for survival. Finding, preserving, and using water factored largely into how ancient Israel lived life. Without this life-giving source, their existence would have been impossible. The psalmist reminds us that our chosen way of life is like water. What an amazing metaphor that speaks clearly to our minds. Choose t...  Read More

“Fall on your knees and grow there. There is no burden of the [human] spirit but is lighter by kneeling under it. Prayer means not always talking to Him, but waiting before Him till the dust settles and the stream runs clear” (F.B. Meyer). What a wonderful description of the practice of prayer! The disciples model in this passage the oft-overlooked pathway to making clear choices that bring God’s ...  Read More

Despite the great length of time between Christ’s ministry on earth and His imminent return, we all must be aware that we live within the boundaries of His mercy. Upon His return, those who have not received His forgiveness will face judgment. His teaching in this passage helps us to recognize the moral urgency when we encounter evil and suffering (13:1). We should notice immediately that He embod...  Read More

It is not the giving of the belt around your waist to the poor that comes first; instead, it is what binds your heart to the Father’s that is key. I’ll explain this in a bit, but we see in our focal passage today a clear word about our spiritual health. If our “eye” (spiritual vision) is open to God’s Word/Jesus’ teaching, then our whole body (person) will be healthy (good). It does us well to hav...  Read More

We all have doubts! These questions come in all shapes and sizes. At the end of the day, however, if we are not careful, it causes us to live defeated lives. “Doubt discovers difficulties which it never solves; it creates hesitancy, despondency, despair. Its progress is the decay of comfort, the death of peace. Believe! is the word which speaks life into a man, but doubt nails down his coffin” (Ch...  Read More

Think of the darkest day you have faced in your life. One where you felt entirely alone and could not see your next step. There is a message for you in God’s Word. The Lord can take the darkest moment in your darkest day and cause the sun to rise upon it, so trust Him. The passages we have before us today cover the climax to a time in Judah’s history where their hopes were dashed, and their lives ...  Read More

“For kingship belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations” (22:28). A variety of theorists, however, postulate that nations typically reach their zeniths because they have forged success out of economic, military, and politico-cultural advancements.Do you ever wonder about God’s role in nation-building and thriving? I know that the above trio of reasons for national longevity is stated broa...  Read More

How important is Jesus Christ to global events? John the Apostle opens our understanding to the universal significance of our Lord to our world—in the past, at the present, and in the future. Our focal passage in Revelation 5 serves to remind us of this central truth to make sense of the world and our place in it. Let’s examine carefully this passage today and apply its truth to our lives. Music t...  Read More

Artificial Intelligence has arrived and is here to stay. This set of technologies have been here for quite some time, but what is new for many of us are the applications. A recent media interview was held with the CEO of a digital company and his A.I. clone. It was eerie to view his AI substitute as it answered the interviewer’s questions and to watch the company executive nod each time the answer...  Read More

Court bailiffs announce the entry of a judge with the familiar, “All rise!” This demonstration of respect for the rule of law is a critical part of our legal system in American democracy. However, I watched a video one time of a judge reading a verdict and then the person on trial literally vaulted over the judge’s bench to take revenge upon the judge and her judgment! Some of our rebellion may no...  Read More

The Psalmist writes, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all. (Psalm 34:19). John writes, “So, when he [Jesus] heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (5:6). One wonders if the passages conflict, and if there are times when God does not care for us in our sufferings. Here are the facts: Lazarus is ill, Jesus kn...  Read More

Do you hunger for change? The opening question will likely prompt several types of answers. Responses will likely include desires for changes in health, employment/income, housing, and even relationships. The query indeed holds moral importance in each of these areas, but it also holds spiritual meaning! I recognize this fact whenever I read John 6 and the miraculous feeding of 5000 men and their ...  Read More

“The Only True God Will Deliver and Restore His People” is a covering for the entirety of our lives. It encourages our hearts and reminds us of God’s excellent daily care. The heading in fact provides us with an excellent caption for chapters 40-55 in Isaiah. This section of the prophecy answers a key question in Israel’s history: Is God powerful enough to defeat all foreign gods (cf. NAC, EBC)? T...  Read More

The great Reformation leader, John Calvin, once wrote, “We can only be Christians if we are brethren” (EBC). I witnessed and received much love from numerous Christian brothers and sisters over the course of last week in Lagos, Nigeria. Friendships built over the years have remained strong through the power of the Holy Spirit. I am glad that today’s New Testament reading is in Hebrews 13 because t...  Read More

God does not lose those souls He has saved (1 Peter 1:4, “kept in heaven”). There can be no more powerful statement than the one with which I have begun this devotional because the readers of Hebrews needed to remain steadfast in their commitment to Christ. This chapter has created libraries full of interpretation based upon a flawed interpretation of verse 6 and the phrase “have fallen away.” The...  Read More

Endurance runners are elite athletes who train themselves to overcome severe obstacles and fatigue to reach their goals as the end of races. One of the hindrances is when their minds tell them to quit once the pain in their bodies reaches their brains! Come to think of it, suffering as we follow Christ will occur at times throughout our Christian race (cf. 2 Timothy 4:7b and Paul’s use of “race” a...  Read More

“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart.” The psalmist knew this when he cried out, “You are my God!” This psalm is the only one associated with King David in the third book of Psalms. He pours out an individual lament to God and, while we do not know the specific circumstance, his cry involves need, affliction, and even enemies (86:1, 7, 16 &17). All thre...  Read More

Shockwaves sounded throughout the American church in recent days as two high profile pastors have stepped down from their positions due to moral failures. Sadly, these are the most recent cases of what has become an epidemic of pastoral and leadership failure. I am reminded, yet again, of Paul’s words that qualifications for leadership tie directly to character. A short list of typical outward lea...  Read More

The famous “Round Toit” expression has become synonymous with procrastination. I wondered where the term originated, and one source states that it predates ancient Egypt. I even discovered an address in North Carolina on Rountoit Road! I would hesitate to bid on the purchase of that home because, as the name suggests, it likely would be a long and frustrating process to reach the final sale! Paul ...  Read More

“All is vanity” represents one of the most recognized claims in the Scriptures and one of the most pervasive worldviews throughout history. Oddly, people know that Solomon pens these words in Ecclesiastes, but do not search further to understand their meaning and find the answer to meaninglessness. “Everything is transitory and therefore of no lasting value. People are caught in the trap of the ab...  Read More

We should live with “thus” in mind. I open this devotional with one single word that Paul writes in Romans 14, verse 18. We all know the importance of serving Christ, but we all too often attempt a vice-like control over those to whom we offer our service. Plainly, we need to consider the hard truth that we may be determining the way we want to live the Cross-life! Paul writes “whoever thus serves...  Read More

Does your baptism reflect turning over a new leaf or the effects of receiving a new life? Christ’s baptism symbolizes for us a radical change in our lives, so much so that it has been characterized as “new life.” The implications of this life change are to affect all that we say and do. Pack this thought away in your heart today as we examine more carefully the critical importance of living a “bap...  Read More

“It is impossible to be truly converted to God without being thereby converted to our neighbor” (John Stott). There is something akin to this double accountability in what we have before us today. Paul may have been responding to his critics in this extended passage, but notice how he does so (2:1-12). He practices accountability by turning the evaluation of his ministry over to those he had serve...  Read More

Piety, not cavalry, saves the king! Two keys to victory in any battle include devotion to God and reliance upon His power, according to the psalmist. I believe we may apply the same principle to the daily challenges we face. Surely, God knows our battles and He is more than able to help. He provides strength for the challenge when we worship Him, despite our trials, and rely upon His power. I know...  Read More

Accessing many of the most beautiful and meaningful places on earth requires getting into a boat and riding there. I liken the chapters that include and follow Matthew 16 to a boat ride on increasingly stormy seas. The aim is to reach the place of ultimate meaning, which is eternal life. I view this section as metaphorical “stormy seas,” filled with the choppy waves of increased challenges and que...  Read More

Sometimes we miss important messages because we have screened the call! If you are like me, then you will often not take a phone call because it appears to be “spam.” This one statement could begin a paragraph of discussion on a variety of conversations! The consequences of screening such a call depends upon the context. I have missed, on occasion, some important messages about helpful resources b...  Read More

It is not always the devil in the bush that should cause us worry, but the evil in our own hearts that is the concern. I have long believed that the tempter is certainly intent on scandalizing our Christian name, but he often begins by tempting us in our own areas of weakness. The good news is that temptations provide us with crucial preparation for service to the Lord. Have you ever viewed tempta...  Read More

“The main measure of your devotion to God is not your devotional life. It is simply your life.” (John Ortberg). We no doubt have heard sermons preached and lessons taught on the necessity for undivided devotion to God, but we are oftentimes unsure about how this dedication is demonstrated. Paul does state that devotion and purity are prerequisites for a continuing relationship to Christ, so let’s ...  Read More

“I’m going, but I’m going in the name of the Lord,” were some of the last words of a 1920s famous Blues singer. What would you write, if you were called upon to pen a statement that would be your last written words? Hannah was not an author but the last words we ever hear/read from her lips are recorded in 1 Samuel 2, and they speak to this very day! Her thoughts are world-changing in style and co...  Read More

One of the most precious lives I have ever known gave me an opportunity to share my heart about faith in Jesus Christ. This person listened carefully to all I said and responded with her belief that Jesus was a good teacher, but not a risen Savior and Lord. I replied tenderly, “He has changed my life.” Facts about Jesus are critical for understanding how God has worked out His salvation for us. Ne...  Read More

J. Vernon McGee once said, “There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers.” Sadly, this type of fellowship is not always the case as our focal passage shows us today. “Deep and wide, deep and wide” are words from an old camp chorus that reminded young people of God’s fountain ...  Read More

“There is more safety with Christ in the tempest than without Christ in the calmest waters” (Alexander Grosse). Sadly, we all too often permit deep waters amid life’s deluges and the tall mountains of trials to cause us doubt, rather than trusting God’s providential care. Psalm 40 will change this attitude if we will allow it to minister to our hesitations! It will cause us to praise God for His g...  Read More

Christ will have no person or nation supplant His authority. This opening statement to today’s culture seems provocative, but it is filled with urgent purpose. I penned the words because I want us to consider them carefully as we enter this Easter season. Christ presents a parable in Mark 12:1-11 where the chief theme may be summed up in our focal verses. Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22-23 in the passag...  Read More

“God bestows His blessing without discrimination. The followers of Jesus are children of God, and they should manifest the family likeness by doing good to all, even to those who deserve the opposite” (F.F. Bruce, italics mine). Professor Bruce clearly understood a Christian’s call to virtue, which meant to love God and love one’s neighbor. The Corinthians were a bit slow to arrive at this same un...  Read More

I hear Christians in recent years express the fear that God has abandoned them in their difficulty. J.I. Packer has said, “God has not abandoned us any more than he abandoned Job. He never abandons anyone on whom he has set his love; nor does Christ, the good shepherd, ever lose track of his sheep.” We may trust the Lord, our Shepherd. Psalm 23, often termed a “song of confidence,” points us to th...  Read More

Were Paul to have a life statement, this would be it! In fact, he similarly writes, “To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain,” in Philippians 1:21. My first childhood pastor penned this exact verse in my Bible. I opened my Bible to that page on countless occasions and wondered why he had hung that statement above his life and ministry. I understand better now, at this stage in my life, his rea...  Read More