There are men and women that I have studied that lift me up from within, when I think of their faith and courage.  We have read of them.  We know of their names.  We are familiar with their stories. 

Yet, comparatively little is said of the ordinary saints whose prayers, lives, and instruction shaped these men and women so mightily used of God. We admire the flowers and forget the roots. Mothers often play a formative role in the lives of great men: Hannah stands behind Samuel, Elizabeth behind John the Baptist, Eunice behind Timothy, and on and on. Their praying, weeping, and pleading gave birth to lions for the kingdom of God.  But, then, so do fathers.

In this week’s edition of PathLight, we will be reminded that although God may not call us to accomplish mighty works, He may allow us to train someone who will.  This week’s program is entitled “Knowing Your Father’s God.”

Near the start of Jesus’ public ministry, He says these words: “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (John 4:34). As Jesus ministry continued it becomes evident that the work of the Father is wrapped up with His death on the cross. 

In John’s Gospel particularly the chief reason that Jesus completes this work is because it will bring glory to the Father: “for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name” (John 12:27-28); “Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” (John 17:1). And, of course, the agony of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane brings out the same concern for His Father: “Not my will but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). 

I always find it moving to see those times in the Gospels when Jesus resolutely sets out to Jerusalem knowing what awaited Him. And it is easy to focus on the fact that He is motivated to do that by love for me. But a true reflection of the New Testament will ALSO have in mind that He is motivated by a desire to obey, please, and glorify the Father that He loves. 

For this year’s PathLight Father’s Day message you are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington as he discusses the Love our Lord had for His Father 

There is something in the American air today that most of us have never smelled before.  For example, just a few years ago, almost everyone understood that males use the men’s room, females the women’s. Now, confusion is in the air.  An evil conspiracy is afloat, as those with questionable morals breathe together a noxious odor; yet finding it enjoyable.

Today, facts are no longer important; narrative is all the rage. Subjective narrative replaces the hard truth of reality. At one time, the society was able to recognize truth. We knew when something didn’t smell just right.  Today, we are blind to truth. God continues to reveal it, but we are insensible to that revelation. It would appear we are no longer able to sniff out the truth.  The modern press sure seems incapable of discovering truth.

Perhaps that is because truth is no longer defined by our Creator.  We have created a new world, a world free of facts, morals, and free of God Himself.  As people suppress the truth of God’s existence, they also reject the hard facts of the reality, He has created.

In this week’s edition of PathLight, we will be reminded that God’s people have one-book, so it should be easy to speak with one-voice, but apparently it is not.  This book tells us how to be wise in a foolish world.  This book tells us what should smell noxious to us.  This is the standard, and when applied, it will keep us from smelling bad and looking dumb in the eyes of the righteous.

We live in a hedonistic society.  This is defined as a society where most people spend most of their time seeking their own pleasure and satisfaction.  They may not always find the pleasure and satisfaction they seek, but it is always at the forefront of their minds.  It is usually pictured as a bad thing.

We might think of Las Vegas as being a hedonistic city.  In a sense, Disney World is that way.  Actually, our vacation may might be termed a bit hedonistic according to the general definition.  I might could say that I am hedonistic about coming to church, because I find it satisfying and pleasureful.  So, the negative or positive nature of the term, depends a lot on the character of the individual. 

For the unsaved, I know you are seeking for pleasure, for there is none that on their own seek after God.  I do hope you will allow the Holy Spirit to convince you that you will find the pleasure you seek in Christ and Christ alone.

But for Christians, I don’t believe you are to seek for pleasure.  You and I seek to obey God and seek first the Kingdom.  Indeed, we seek His pleasure, not ours.  Yet, in so doing, we will secure for ourselves the greatest pleasure and satisfaction available to man.

A smart phone can be a valuable tool.  So is your tablet, laptop, or desktop.  It is a phone, a watch, map, camera, and dozens of other things that help us in our daily lives.  Of course, it is also a toy.  I can use it to play games, enjoy pictures, videos, or music, engage in hours of useless and trivial conversations or internet searches.  But, it can also be an idol; something that leads us away from better things, robs us of our time, and sometimes leads us down dark roads, best not traveled.

In this week’s PathLight program, Dr. Worthington will remind us to beware.  As precious time can be wasted and spiritual decline may set in. Relationship problems might arise in the home, the church, and the place of work – all because the respectable cell phone, tablet, or computer has been turned into an idol—masquerading as a tool…or even an innocent toy.

Never has a society been more offended or insulted by other people’s ideas than in this modern era.  People, including many Christians, are always mad at someone because of some offense.

Of course, there is a modern-day innocence to it all.  We don’t usually go out into the streets and have a shoot-out—at least in most cases.  Yet, there is something deeper and dangerous going on with all the offense being taken.

Choosing to allow ourselves to be offended is a double-edged sword, one that cuts both internally and externally. The outside is the easiest to see, especially now that social media has given us a front row seat to so many people’s wrath. But, beneath the outward disdain is a dangerously unrealistic internal assumption that warps our ability to view others correctly.

Are you easily offended or are others walking on eggshells around you?  If so, the offense you are taking is a trap that may destroy your testimony, your friendships, and maybe even your closest relationships.  It is also going to hurt your walk with God.  In this week’s PathLight, we will be reminded to keep a humble, realistic view of our own ideas, motivations and opinions. 

It is easy to see how children sin against their parents.  Sometimes it is a little more clouded about how parents might sin again their children.  In this week’s edition of PathLight we are reminded of the story of Joseph.  At one point in the story, Reuben rebuked his brothers for their mistreatment of Joseph some 22 years earlier. He said, "Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required" (Genesis 42:22). The concept of "sinning against the child" should catch our attention. There are many ways parents can be guilty of sinning against their children. Of course, some are pretty obvious.

Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that our children are a sacred inheritance from the Lord. As with any stewardship, we must be faithful to the Lord with that which has been entrusted to us. Failure to do this will cost us severely, not only throughout eternity, but even in this life. The wise man wrote, "A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother (Proverbs 10:1) . . . He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy" (Proverbs 17:21). To guard ourselves from this earthly sorrow, let us not "sin against the child.”