PathLight

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.”

Unlike what most people assume, being nice and being kind are two different things.  They may share a few common attributes, but not many.  Being nice involves doing something that is pleasing or agreeable. On the other hand, kindness is doing something that is helpful to others.  It comes from a place of genuine concern and benevolence.  Therefore, as strange as it may seem, you can be kind without always being nice.  A person who is really kind sometimes will not nice, because the truly kind response won't always be pleasing to the other person. In many situations, being nice is not necessarily kind at all.  Niceness can be dangerous for the Christian.  When we pretend not to see the sin or error, then before long we tend to stop seeing altogether; we don't have to pretend anymore.  Niceness can fold a gentle cloth over our eyes so we no longer see sin clearly.  We become all things to all people, not to win them to Christ, but just because we want to be accepted.  Of course, eventually you will begin to assume that everyone else is as fake as you are. In this week's PathLight, we will be reminded that if our relationships are just nice, no one will tell us the truth, and therefore no one can really be trusted. Niceness lures us in with the promise of being liked, maybe even loved, then leaves us with hollow relationships, that lack authenticity.  You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's program.

In our world there are many reports that are fake news, and because of that, there are many who also discount true news. By the same token, there are reports that some label conspiracies that turn out to be true. Just as there are “so-called true” reports that turn out to be false. In short, since the world fell by believing Satan's Lie, we have lived in a world of lies, half-truths, conspiracies, and fake news. And in that world, the people of the truth must learn not just how to tell the truth, but how to spot a lie.Christians certainly know that it is a sin to go around telling lies, but not so many know that it is also a sin to believe a lie.  Of from time-to-time we are all guilty of this, and for me, the lies we were told about COVID proves just how vulnerable we are to accept falsehood.  In this week's PathLight, we will be reminded that discerning truth from error in the things we hear, believe, and pass on, is a Christian virtue we might need to brush up on.   Please join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's program.

Have you noticed that God seldom gives you the whole plan at one time?  There are a lot of things that God wants you to figure out as you go along.  Perhaps we couldn't handle it all at one time.  Perhaps we have to gradually prepare ourselves for what is coming.  Perhaps God is teaching us the virtues of faith, patience, dependence, and maybe even the art of improvision.Since the life we are living seldom has all the answers, it appears that as we learn to trust in the Lord we may also need to learn to improvise. In this week's PathLight we will see that improvising is not a free-for-all or a care-less attitude.  Actually, it involves deep listening, looking for new pathways, drawing from history, experience, and the examples of others.  It involves holing your life open so God can write His own story.  Please join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's message.

Every step to the cross Jesus echoed the words: “My Father is of infinite worth.  His will, His pleasure, His holiness, and His justice are the reality of life.”  And every hammer blow driving the nails into His hands and feet on the cross echoed through the universe: “My Father is of infinite value.  What He has purposed, is all that matters.”   The Father delighted in His Son.  His Son delighted in Him.  And the Son, and the Father delighted in us out of mere grace.  The Easter Season represents greatness and power to me.  The greatest forgiveness was given, the greatest love was displayed (Son to the Father), the greatest sacrifice was made (blood of Christ), and the greatest worship was given.  We worship God when we sacrifice, thus the greatest act of worship would have to be linked to the greatest sacrifice. (We might also say that it was the greatest defeat, the greatest debt was paid, greatest victory, etc.)You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  This week, you will be reminded how God was pleased to give His Son to die in our place and how glorious God is in His love and grace.

There really is no middle ground. Either Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, or He wasn't. If He was, how is it that the Jewish people by and large didn't recognize him when He came 2000 years ago?  Our text in Isaiah 53 tells us that almost no one believed what He had to say.  Jesus came as the Messiah, but Israel wanted nothing to do with Him. We know that for a time Jesus had a powerful and growing ministry, especially in Galilee. Thousands flocked to hear Him speak and watch Him heal the sick. Yet, in the end they concluded that Jesus simply could not be the Messiah.  In this week's PathLight we are reminded that you can be wrong about many things and still go to heaven, but you can't be wrong about Jesus. That's the reality of unbelief then and now. Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that Jesus died for sinners. Are you a sinner? Then come near to the cross of Jesus. Look upon the Saviour. See His arms outstretched in love for you. Look, and believe, and receive the free gift of eternal life.  To those who receive Him He gives the right to become the children of God.  What will you do with Jesus?

There is a direct connection between the resurrection of Jesus and our future hope.  There is also a direct connection between the resurrection of Jesus and our present rest and security. This is hope that can stand in the middle of the deepest difficulties of life; hope that won't fade in the face of disappointment and discouragement; hope that doesn't die in the face of pain and loss and it is only found at the empty tomb of the Lord Jesus Christ. There we find our future hope; there we find our present rest; He is our future; He is our King; He is risen, and His name is Jesus.In this week's PathLight, we are reminded that Jesus is defeating one enemy after another right now.  He is empowering you to defeat every enemy that comes against you.  Yet, He is saving the enemy of death for last.  Why?  Because death poses no real threat for you and I.  Death has no sting and  the grave has no victory.  We want Jesus to destroy that enemy now, but in His wisdom, He knows you have bigger enemies than death to overcome.  That's why…death…can wait.

We all walk closer to the edge than we think. There is a thin line between disaster and prosperity, joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, life and death.Let a car pull out in front of you.  Let a tiny switch malfunction and the whole plane crashes.  Let the train jump the tracks.  Let the brakes give away.  Let a tiny virus enter our system.  Let the lightning flash and in just a moment we are gone.So much teaches us that we're not in control of our own destiny.  Who can understand the mysteries of the universe? Why are you alive today and someone else is dead? Why have we been to many funerals and no one has been to ours–yet!  That leads me to make the following point: As bad as things are, if it weren't for God, things would be much worse. That seems obvious, and perhaps it is, but we need to hear it again. If it weren't for God, no matter how bad things are in your life right now, they would be much worse without the Lord.  You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  Our message is entitled “Astonishing Gratefulness.”

If you are not actively fighting against it, you are a self-centered person; and so am I!  The human nature, due to the corruption of the original sin, is deeply curved in on itself.  Self comes first!  Sometimes it is so bent that we can even become prideful about the gifts of God.  Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that when you are curved inward, your happiness will depend on people and circumstances. Cynicism, hopelessness, grumbling, complaining, self-pity, apathy, cowardice, jealousy, all show that your allegiance is too much toward yourself and the things of earth. These things cannot exist in a heart consumed with the love of God and the love of others; one attitude will necessarily displace the other. In this week's PathLight broadcast, you will be asked if you are you joyful?  You will be asked if you are content?  Questions like this will help you determine if you are bent inward rather than upward and outward. 

Do you ever talk to yourself?  Sure, we all do.  So, what do you say to yourself when you talk to yourself?  I'm talking about the ongoing self-talk, the stuff that you say to yourself over and over and over again in your mind. If you're like a lot of people, unfortunately, you get stuck in what you might call a negative loop.A negative mindset is easy to acquire, but it is not always easy to get rid of.  Actually, you will probably need a little supernatural help from God and a little intentional work on your end.  But the effort will be worth it, because it really matters.  Your thoughts are more powerful than you can imagine, BUT you have more power over your thoughts than you think you do.In this week's PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that it is time to find strength, not in our own power, not in our own positive thinking, but in the power of a life-changing presence of God.  

All of us, one time or another, have prayed and asked God for something and have had to wait…and wait. Waiting is perhaps one of life's most difficult tasks. We hate the fact that we have to wait for something. We have become a society where delays are not accepted or tolerated. We have become a society of impatient people and now it is pouring over into the church.  If you have been a Christian for very long, you have experienced God's delays. David experienced them. He wrote, “I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” (Psalms 69:3). You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  We will be reminded that when God brings delays into our lives, we must learn to trust Him more fully and to submit more thoroughly to His lordship over our lives.The message is entitled “Delayed Deliverance.”

Are you open-minded or narrow-minded?  The modern world says that if you are open-minded, you are accepting, tolerant, unbiased and understanding; you are just a wonderful person. But if you are narrow-minded, you are bigoted, conservative, opinionated, reactionary and intolerant; you are some kind of jerk.  So, we know what the answer is supposed to be. Let's all be open-minded.But is that always a good idea? When I hire someone one to do a job for me, I want him to be pretty narrow-minded.  I want him to do the job as I have asked him to do it.  Narrow mindedness in lesser matters is good, but many condemn it in matters of faith and morals.Let's face it. Christians are supposed to be narrow-minded about God's truth. We believe God has spoken in his Word and that his Word is settled and is to be is to be obeyed, not debated.You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  The message is entitled “Open-Minded Christianity.”

“Don't sweat the small stuff,” we're told. While it is important not to major on the minors, we still know that small things have the power to influence the direction of a day—or a life.  A set of lost car keys can put the whole household in an uproar. A leak under the sink can lead to a huge mess. In a positive way, a dandelion from a child can be a treasured gift. Little things matter.The small decisions that we make this year will shape the direction of our lives.  Dr. T. D. Worthington invites you to join him in pursuing something great this year, one small decision at a time.  So many Christians are so close to greatness.  So close to being a champion, but their soft choices to take the easy way, the lazy way, robs them of victory.  They will never defeat Goliath because they cannot be counted on, nor are they willing, to deliver the cheese.  In this week's PathLight, we will be reminded to avoid the misconception that when we shine for God, it has to be big. Often it is the little things that make the largest statements. It's in the mundane, everyday moments that we have such opportunities to serve and share Jesus with the world.

Marriage is one of the most powerful relationships that we can participate in, as human beings. The first book of the Bible establishes marriage as the foundation for human connection. Families are produced, homes are situated, and cultures extend from the central point of marriage. While marriage is an important institution, it also challenges both husband and wife to go beyond their limitations to connect with each other. As we gain a deeper understanding of God's design for marriage, we can invest in our marriages with purpose and intention.We cherish our marriage relationships, and we don't want anyone or anything to come between our love for one another. To do this, we must be committed to ask God to maintain a “Hedge of Protection” around our marriage, to preserve the integrity of our relationship. However, our Lord also expects us to do all we can, as empowered by the Holy Spirit, to protect our marriage.  When you have a picture taken as a couple, an experienced photographer may ask you to assume several poses.  In this week's edition of PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington challenges us to pose for three distinct pictures as we embrace what it means to be a couple.

When I was a little boy, I was blessed with a vivid imagination.  I guess most kids are.  I could be a cowboy, a soldier, a fireman; all in the same day whatever I wanted to be.  And it was my imagination that made it all real.  A stick with a rope tied to it became a horse and two old boards nailed together with a rusty nail became an airplane.  Of course, as you grow older, if you are not careful, your imagination can turn into lustful fantasies or other sinful things.When I became a Christian, I would learn that in my fight to advance the Kingdom, in my struggle to serve Christ, and in my battle against temptation, I also needed to visualize success.  I needed imagination.  Imagination gave me a picture for my faith to hold on to.  In today's edition of PathLight, we will learn that imagination, when rightly used, is one of the most powerful tools God gives us to put off the old nature and to walk in the new. Please join Dr. T. D. Worthington for his message entitled “Imagination.”

There are a lot of powerful and famous people that did not get to where they are without some powerful help.  In making that statement, I am not just referring to help from wealthy or influential friends or family.  And for this message, I am not referring to God.  I am referring to the devil.The Bible does depict the devil as a dealmaker. In the book of Job, for instance, Satan proposes a kind of wager with God.  Later, the devil attempts to make a deal with Jesus at the end of His forty days of fasting in the wilderness. After showing Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them” (Matthew 4:9), Satan offers them all to Jesus if the Lord will bow down and worship him. Of course, Jesus sends Satan away with a rebuke.  But what if that same offer was made to someone else?  Satan is the god of this world, so he has the authority to make such an offer.  Perhaps this is the same offer he will make to the Anti-Christ.  Perhaps he has offered smaller deals with others.You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for the message “A Devilish Dealmaker” in this week's edition of PathLight.

Have you made some resolutions for the New Year?  If so, by default it would mean you must have some regrets.  And now those regrets must be strong enough for you to ask God to empower you to become a person of resolution.  Now, there is a difference in a person with a resolution and a person of resolution.A resolved person has made a mental determination, a man of resolve has a firmness to actually do it.  Resolutions are powerless in the hands of a person without resolve.  Benjamin Franklin defined being a man of resolve as: “Resolve to perform what you ought. Then perform without fail what you resolve.”In this week's edition of PathLight we will be reminded that being a man of resolve is the key to many of the other virtues.  Regardless, if your goal is to achieve patience, to be more faithful at church, to pray more, to be more dependable, none of these can be accomplished without the resolve to perform what you ought.Please join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this informative study.

Atheists think that Christians are foolish for believing in God. Christians think that atheists are blind for not seeing the overwhelming evidence for a divine Creator. But in reality, both sides of this argument are represented by highly intelligent people. So, how is it that two intelligent people, presented with the same evidence can reach totally opposite conclusions? Have you ever wondered why it is that two children reared in the same Christian home can have such drastically different responses to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? One child enthusiastically embraces the message of salvation, the other rebels against it. As we will see in this week's PathLight, the message of the cross, that seems so foolish to so many, is really the greatest of wisdom, it's God's wisdom.  But, it will only seem like wisdom if God opens your eyes, and you allow your eyes to be opened.  Please join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's message entitled, “The Wisdom of God.”

Recently I heard a politician state that his goal was to end racism in America.  Assuming the best, in that most rational people really would like to end racism, I want to be honest and tell you that it cannot be done.  I am sure that many people calling for an end of racism really want to make this world a better place. But, the truth is, they are powerless in spite of their best intentions. It would be the same as saying you are going to “stop lust” or “stop envy.”  Man, on his own accord is powerless to accomplish this feat.  Of course, it is also quite obvious that most politicians really don't want to end racism anyway.  It gives them greater power if we are divided. Ending racism is a noble idea, but I am not sure anyone really believes it can be done.  Many well meaning people have been trying to stop it for all recorded history—yet, to no avail.  Politicians can change laws, but they cannot stop sin, and racism is sin, and a world enslaved to sin cannot overcome sin on its own.  Even if we could build the most powerful totalitarian regime, with the authority to severely punish those who might not yield to ending racism, it still could not force anyone to love what he ought to love and hate what he ought to hate. The change the world groans after, even on its best days, belongs to the very God the world despises and rejects. He alone has the power to change hearts, thus He alone has the power to end racism.   On this week's edition of PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington will remind us that the racism-free world all good men yearn for is quickly approaching. Racism will end soon, sooner than most people of all races will actually want.  You see, racism will end as all men stand on equal ground shoulder to shoulder when our King finally comes to reign. And not only will racism, and every other sin, be thrown into the lake of fire, but His people will be unified in ways we can only now imagine.  One people, one family, one nation...under Christ.

Have you considered the possibility that the most important message you receive at work may not come from your boss.  It may not come from a co-worker, client, or customer.  It may come from the Lord.  Now, that does not mean we are to sit around and goof off waiting for some revelation from glory, but it does mean we should work with expectancy.  In this week's edition of PathLight you will be encouraged to renew your attitude regarding your job.  You will be reminded that unless you are engaged in some evil and sinful profession, your labor is a part of your ministry for the Lord.Be the best worker you can be.  Your hard work and diligence are not really for your employer but for the Lord.  He sees your diligence and hard work and although maybe you don't get adequately rewarded in your workplace, you may get a special reward by a personal word from our Lord.So, how do you feel about the seemingly insignificant duties delegated to you?   Work with expectancy!  Labor with the understanding that God may speak to you today as you perform your duties, even if you are called upon to work the night shift.

You can't miss Christmas, because it is everywhere. But it is possible to walk through the Christmas season, and miss the real reason we celebrate.  We can lose track of what all the festivities are supposed to be about.  We aren't going to miss Christmas, because it's out there.  It's unavoidable.  But it is possible that we miss Jesus, whose birthday we are celebrating.One of the reasons we miss Jesus is because our lives are filled up with family, parties, shopping, cooking, gifts, and all kinds of different Christmas events and before we know it, there just isn't any room left for Jesus.  It's very common these days to look at a calendar and look ahead to Christmas and just feel completely overwhelmed and flustered rather than excited to celebrate our Saviour's birth.You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  This seasonal message is entitled, “Too Busy for Jesus.”

Did you grow up in a place outsiders might call “Nowhere”?  Jesus grew up in “Nowhere” also.  Did you know that the Old Testament never even mentions Nazareth?  Think of all the genealogies and historical accounts in the Old Testament, and you will often find a lot of attention paid to land, geography, and places. Yet, you will not find one single mention of Nazareth.  This small speck on the map was an uncelebrated, forgotten town, off the beaten path, even for Galilee. When guileless Nathanael questioned a friend about Jesus, he expressed the common Jewish sentiment in the first century (John 1:46):“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” During his earthly life, so far as we know, Jesus never self-identified as “Jesus of Nazareth.” Only rarely did His followers call him that. Typically, it was crowds unfamiliar with Him, or His enemies: demons, false witnesses, and the soldiers who came with the traitor to arrest Him. And while many despised Him for his hometown, even His fellow Nazarenes soon rejected Him, drove Him out of town, and threatened to throw Him off the cliff (Luke 4:28–30).But Nazareth's story did not end in dishonor. Our Father saw fit not only to redeem a fallen race, but also to redeem a stigmatized town, when He raised the Nazarene from the dead. Now the risen Christ is indeed “Jesus of Nazareth,” not in shame but unparalleled glory. You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's message entitled:  “Jesus of Nazareth.”

Wouldn't it be odd for a child to behold their bounty of gifts and say: “I deserve all of this…and maybe even more?”  The child would be totally missing the point. The people they should be thanking are the parents because they bought the gifts. You see, the parents were not trying to show her how much the child deserved; they are trying to show the child how much they were loved.  The child should know that without the parents they would have nothing. This is exactly how it is with our heavenly Father and His children. We would have nothing to receive or give if it wasn't for Him. Therefore, we shouldn't boast about the gifts but rather about the Giver.As you join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight we will learn about giving and receiving.  We will be reminded how humans try to glorify themselves by pushing others down. God brings Himself glory by raising people up. He didn't raise us up so we could modestly sit in the corner as dull and dim little flickering lights.  No, He raised us to shimmer brightly for the glory of Christ. 

We might dismiss the marriage of Adam and Eve as being too extraordinary to be of any practical help for you and I. How could any ordinary sinful husband or wife today relate to those truly innocent newlyweds, with their perfect home in a perfect paradise? They enjoyed a fullness of peace and security and intimacy that's now impossible to experience on earth today.  As an often-failing husband myself, I find my imagination stirred by the only sinless husband in history, sacrificing all on the altar of sin and compromise. The more years I'm married, the more easily I can put myself in Adam's fig leaves. His sins are unique for being the first, but they're not all that different in kind or consequence. As it turns out, it's a lot easier to be a crummy spouse than a good one, even if you live in paradise. In this week's edition of PathLight we will discuss what might we learn from the first husband and wife.  Join Dr. T. D. Worthington for his message, "Easy to be a Crummy Spouse."

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The words of Jesus, quoted in the book of Acts, are some of the most famous in the Bible. They celebrate the goodness and blessing of generosity. But, we need to remember during this Thanksgiving season that the Christian virtue of generosity first involves receiving.  You can't give what you don't have.  We might also need to be reminded that both receiving and giving can be corrupted.  This week's message about Christian Generosity reminds us that we are to gratefully receive in order to generously give.  This frees us to gladly receive more in the future. Our hope is ultimately in God, not in our wealth. What we take hold of is not the fleeting pleasures of this life, but the eternal pleasures of the life to come.Please join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7Did you know if you think you are dumb, scientist have discovered that your brain is going to allow things to enter in, that will seem to validate that you are dumb?  If you think you are bad at something, you probably will be, because your brain will reinforce that belief whether it's true or not. It would appear that the unconscious mind determines what is truth by the choices we consistently make with our conscience minds. When we focus on worldly, sinful things with our minds, we are training our ourselves to subconsciously allow more unholiness into our lives. You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight as we will be reminded to consciously focus on good things.  As we do this, we will be training ourselves to subconsciously let more good things into our lives.

Our Lord desires for you and I to be good interpreters of the present time. Because the interpretation we give the present time has direct consequences for ourselves and those around us.  I know that most people will not listen to our assessment of the news, but we should at least be able to share it.  Yet, even as Christians we outsource discernment to others: news reporters, politicians, law-enforcement officers, social media, and conspiracy theorists, they are the ones telling us what happened and why it happened and what we need to do about it.  Trouble is, their assessment is often clouded by fear, prejudice, indifference, personal interest, or political agendas. Most of them certainly don't have the discernment that comes from the Lord, from the very mind of Christ.   What might it take for you and I to reclaim and accept our responsibility to discern and judge what is right?  Discerning the present time may just be some of the most important and life-giving work we can do for our country, for one another, and for our children.  This is not someone else's work to do.  On one occasion Jesus would ask: “Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?” (Luke 12:57) No one else can do our work for us, and when we let them do it, we are doing our country a dis-service.  In today's PathLight we reminded of our responsibility to interpret the present time. Are you looking for the deeper problems and solutions? The world needs your interpretation, and they need to know how to properly respond—don't push that responsibility off on someone else.

Most of us know what's happening in the world.  We can hear it on the news every day.  But it is not enough to simply know what is happening. We must interpret and discern what is really going on in what is happening. Our Lord desires for you and I to be good interpreters of the present time.  Interpretation is when you address the disease and not just the symptoms. Even as Christians we are prone to outsource discernment to others: news reporters, politicians, law-enforcement officers, social media, and conspiracy theorists.  They are the ones telling us what happened and why it happened and what we need to do about it.  Trouble is, their assessment is often clouded by fear, prejudice, indifference, personal interest, or political agendas.  Most of them certainly don't have the discernment that comes from the Lord, from the very mind of Christ.  Discerning the present time may just be some of the most important and life-giving work we can do for our country, for one another, and for our children.  After a tragedy everyone is talking about it—shouldn't you—as a believer—be able to give them the proper interpretation?  Should they get it from CNN or MSNBC?In this week's edition of PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that this is not someone else's work to do. This is our work.  Our two cents are important.  The world needs our interpretation, and they need to know how to properly respond.  We dare not push this responsibility off on someone else.

The Bible is a perfect book.  It teaches me how to govern my life in a way that will be pleasing to God.  America also has a book, although it is not perfect like the Bible, it is still a good book.  It has served us well.  I am referring to our Constitution.However, just like the perfect Bible, our imperfect Constitution doesn't seem to be working.  Has it grown to old and out of date to work in the modern world?  How can America be going so wrong when the Constitution seems to guide us to the right path?  The trouble is not in the Constitution, just like the trouble is not with the Bible.  The trouble is that men will not follow it, especially our leaders.There has been for many years a disturbing trend among politicians and other elected officials to take the words of their oaths as a mere formality. But every president, governor, legislator, every cabinet member and most law enforcement officers swear an oath to support the constitution of the United States.  It's not just liberals — who have always disdained the limits the constitution puts on their dreams of ever-larger government — but it is conservatives also.In this week's PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that as we go to the polls, we must vote for leaders who will honestly defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. 

Who Picks Up The Check?“He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him.”  (Proverbs 16:26)This verse means that the threat of hunger keeps us working, even when we may not want to work.  Our appetite for food and shelter works for us by urging us on to work.But, what happens when people who are able to work can get food, shelter, and clothing without working? They become lazy, spending their time on gossip, quarrels, games, and trouble. The Apostle Paul warned the new Church in Thessalonica not to feed people who were able, yet would not work (II Thessalonians 3:10-12).” In this week's PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us that welfare, whether from family, church, or civil government, that does not urgently encourage work, or that is structured so as to make it irrational to earn more money, sabotages the connection God made between work and eating. It keeps a person's appetite from working for him.

In your interactions with other believers there is a good chance that somewhere along the line, you are going to be disappointed; even hurt.  In this week's PathLight, we learn that during such seasons of pain, it is important to remember that you are a disciple of One who was betrayed, who was hurt, and you and I are no better than our Lord.Joseph escaped being a victim and became a victor by naming God, not as the author of evil, but the One who caused it to work together for good. Paul was not bitter against the Jews. He would pray for them, say that he would even give his life for them even though they had often sought his harm. Yet, each of these men had to endure a Gethsemane moment.  This is the moment when you respond to the pain you have received from others.  It is the turning point, when you will either go forward as the walking wounded, destined to carry the burden for years to come, or you will accept the trial as coming from God, and open your life to Him. This week, Dr. T. D. Worthington encourages you to pick up your cross, take off your crown, and surrender to His will at your Gethsemane.  Drink from “The Bitter Cup of Victory.”  If all that sounds like defeat to you, then you've missed the whole point—for in these things we find victory.

Most Americans make false assumptions about most everything simply because the liberal philosophy seldom asks “why.” It only asks “what.” One can take almost any issue. Take the issue of drugs. Few in the liberal establishment are asking “why.” Most of them only ask “what.” What can we do about this problem? So, we dispense free needles to try to clean up the mess.  No one asks “why” we are having unwanted pregnancies; they only ask “what” we can do about it.  The answer they come up with is abortion.  We are asking “what” when we should be asking “why” about these major moral issues of life. In this week's edition of PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington poses the question of what might happen if the people, the politicians, and the pastors of the United States would stand up and stop asking “what?” Rather than asking what new laws and regulations we need to fix a problem; but rather ask, “why” did this happen in the first place.  “Why are we having problems we didn't used to have?”   Maybe then we could find the prescription needed for our land.

This week's PathLight speaks to the subject of greatness, and my desire for you to be great before it is too late, because one day it will be too late.  The Scripture says that in a great house there are vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor.  So, being in a great house does not make you great, it does not even ensure that you will become great.  It's one thing to have great parents, but that doesn't make you great. It's one thing to work for a great company, or a ministry that's great, but that doesn't mean you're great because you are surrounded by such greatness.  You're either adding to the greatness of that entity or you're diminishing it.Becoming a vessel of honor is a great gift you can give God, your family, your nation, and yourself.  But time is running out.  Life is running out.  Opportunities are running out.  People who need your help are dying every day.  Join Dr. T. D. Worthington for his encouragement for you to determine to be great, before it's “Too Late to Be Great.”

Do you know where the word “ruthless” comes from?  The word “ruth” originally meant “compassion” or “pity,” especially toward the needy. To have “ruth” meant you grieved over the suffering of others. Therefore, to be “ruthless” means you go through life thinking only of yourself. You see the pain of others, and it doesn't move you at all.I know that on occasion we hurt people because they are so easily offended, it's hard not to hurt them.  But, let's face it we also hurt people when we're angry. We hurt them because we think they deserve to be treated that way. Sometimes we do it out of selfishness or pride. Sometimes we offend others without even thinking about it. And sometimes we are so insensitive we hurt people and don't even know it.  And tragically, we often do it to people we really love most. Parents hurt their kids, and kids hurt their parents. Friends hurt friends. Husbands hurt wives and wives hurt their husbands.You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  His message is entitled “Ruthless Christians.”

In the book of Jeremiah, we read of a cowardly king by the name of Zedekiah.  This king didn't care about the people, he only cared for himself.  He was a king without courage.There is always a price to pay for making decisions in your own best interests instead of making decisions that will bring honor and glory to God.  There is always a price to pay for living outside of God's will.  There is also a price a nation will pay when it has a king without courage.  Godly leadership is important because godly leadership impacts and influences everyone under their watch.  Therefore, leaders in our church, in our communities, and in our nation must be men of courage.  Spineless and cowardly leaders will only seek to protect themselves and not those under their charge.  You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's PathLight message; “A King Without Courage.”  

Liberals have reason to celebrate.  The cumulative effect of years of deliberately destructive, anti-American decisions has brought us to a perilous moment in history. It's not Russia or China taking us down — we're doing it to ourselves.  Tragically, many Americans seem unable to grasp the danger.  The myth of all things being on the right track is propped up by the mainstream media, the educational system, and much of corporate America.  So, the celebration continues.In Daniel 5 we read of the story of a king who threw a big celebration. All over the city people were excited because the king was throwing a massive party. He was giving away stuff!  The party was the king's way of diverting attention from his crummy leadership that had brought the once great empire down to its knees. It was a morale-booster, meant to lift the spirits of the entire city. In this week's edition of PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington issues a challenge for America to turn back to God before it is too late.  As Christians we must pray for our land, make wise decisions regarding those we elect, learn our constitution and the principles that made America great, and do our best to educate others.  Soon, the party will be over—and that day is nearer than we think.

Do you know what helps me stay within the boundaries and do what I do?  It is not so much my faith, as it is others faith in me.  I love you and I respect you, so I don't want to let you down.  So, I do my best to obey the Scriptures, do what is right, and look for new ways of serving Christ, because I don't want to let you down.  It is my responsibility to you, and I take it very seriously.So, with that simple thought in mind, what if Abraham's motivation was not just his faith in God, but also his knowing that God had faith in him?   I do a lot of things, not because I have faith in people, but because I know that people have faith in me; they are counting on me, and I cannot let them down.I love God, He has faith in me, and I cannot let Him down.  I love Sherry, she has faith in me, and I cannot let her down.  It is a “Bi-Directional Faith” that helps keep me on the straight and narrow.  You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.

Where are you stuck in your life today? I think we all have times in our lives when we feel stuck.  The man at the pool of Bethesda is stuck. For thirty-eight years he has been stuck. Every day is the same. He sits on his mat. He waits and watches for the water in the pool to be stirred up. Does any of that sound familiar? When have you experienced those things? In what ways do they describe your life today? What is the “as-soon-as-something moves” in your life?  I wonder how many times we have used our external circumstances as an excuse to stay internally stuck? You are invited to join us for this week's edition of PathLight as Dr. T. D. Worthington assures us that quite often “Nothing Really Has to Move.”

As we have been reminded recently, humans now have the power to destroy the world.  We are threatened by the nuclear storehouses in Russia and China—and our own.  The nuclear arsenals of the world's powers, we are told, could easily destroy civilization.  Of course, it is now apparent that man is also cultivating viruses and diseases that could get out of control and might also wipe out civilization as we know it.  Then we have the promoters of global warming that are constantly giving us deadlines of our impending doom and destruction.   So, that brings up an interesting question:  Do human technologies threaten God's sovereign reign?  God says that one day He is going to send judgment and destroy the world.  What if we do it first?  Some of the prophecies in Revelation, we might be able to pull off on our own.  Is God threatened over our abilities?You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  The message is entitled:  “Because He Is God.”

People from other cultures usually stand out.  It may be their clothing, their appearance, their skin color, their language, it could be a number of things, but usually they look different.  Not better, nor worse; but different. Aliens stand out.As Christians we are strangers and aliens, however, we are not set off by a specific style of dress.  Christians should dress modestly; but we don't wear uniforms with a big cross on the front.  We don't have our own language or distinct way of talking.  Hopefully, we have put away gossip and evil speaking, but Christians usually speak their native language.  We don't belong to a specific class, nationality, or race.  We may associate people from certain parts of the world with a certain religion, but Christians live all over the world.  We don't all live in or hail from a specific geographical area. We don't have specific dietary laws that distinguish us from others.  Actually, we are not defined or distinguished by any of the things that normally mark off one people from another.So, what is it that makes Christians to be peculiar and strange wherever we go?   You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  We will be discussing the subject of "What Defines You?"

If you are a child of God, our Lord will most certainly finish the work He has started in you (Philippians 1:6).  But that does not mean we will get to finish everything He has given us to do, nor does it mean that we will always finish the work when and how we expected.  In life we will all face many seasons of delay, false starts, and times of starting over.You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington as we study the struggles of the nation of Israel in this week's PathLight.  We will also discover that Christ is the perfect ending to many of the false starts and fresh starts of our lives.

The word victim is one of the most abused terms in today's world.  Everybody, it would seem is a victim of something or someone.  Lawyers run ads on the television recruiting victims to enhance their bank accounts.  Counselors, even Christian counselors, are abusing the term, by convincing more and more people of their permanent victimhood status.  Certainly, there is a place for the word; but it is never a good title to perpetually give yourself.  The Scriptures give lots of room to victimhood. The calls to justice are many, which means God saw the plight of people in a sin-clouded world. Many were getting beat up without having done any one thing to deserve it.  In this week's PathLight, Dr. T. D. Worthington reminds us of the danger of clinging to perpetual victimhood.  Those who render themselves victims often make excuses, refuse responsibility, and constantly seek attention and sympathy for the rest of their lives. We don't become virtuous just because we are victims.  Remember, being sinned against is not a choice, but being a victim is. 

Although we all do dumb things on occasion, but if you are a Christian, God has already spoken words of wisdom to you—and you listened to those words-- because you didn't come to Christ on your own. That was the Spirit of God speaking wisdom in your heart; and you listened—and you were saved. Now, that should make it easy for you to believe that God is continuing to speak words of wisdom to you.  I have preached many messages on Proverbs 31.  I have spoken on the Proverbs 31 woman.  I have even spoken on the Proverbs 31 man.  It takes a special man to be married to a Proverbs 31 woman; the kind of man who would deserve and appreciate such a treasure.  Yet, since this passage is often preached on Mother's Day, we often stop short of sharing its deeper meaning.  You see, this Scripture is about so much more than the ideal wife.Lady Wisdom doesn't only show young men the value of being wise, but her perfection also foreshadows our wisdom available to us from our Lord.  You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.

Treason is a term reserved for people who willfully disobey the orders of a king or government. It describes someone who sabotages the mission of the kingdom. It is for people like Judas Iscariot and Benedict Arnold, not for someone like me and not for someone like you! Yet, in Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus begins with a statement of His authority. He describes who He is and by what authority He has to tell us what to do. He establishes that ALL authority that could ever be had has now been given over to Him.  And He is bringing the rule and authority of God from heaven down into every crack and crevice of this earth. If Jesus is in charge, then I am not! If He is reigning, then how could I ever challenge Him? If Jesus is in charge, then the things He said matter, and I must obey them!The very first command that Jesus gave, after stepping into His unlimited authority, was for all of us to make disciples.  If it were just a suggestion, I don't think He would have qualified it by authority.  I don't think He intended it to be a side mission that we do some of the time; I think Jesus meant for all of us to make disciples.  Therefore, to ignore this command is treason!You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's edition of PathLight.  The message is entitled “Treason Against the King.”

When the United States was founded, people had no problem with the concept that you worked to make it through life. Such was life. Every person depended on their own strengths and skills to earn their way through life. There were a few beggars, usually they were handicapped in some fashion.  People worked, and this is the way it was and the way it should be. But today, it is so different. Many people consider themselves too good to actually work. They rely on some government handout that allows them to stay at home. So, they beg.  They beg the government for more handouts.  After all, it is much easier to collect paycheck without actually working for it.  They have embraced socialism.Socialism tries to narrow the economic gap by taking away from the most productive and spreading that wealth around to others that did not earn it under the guise of fairness or equality. This is not only foolish, but unscriptural.  Jesus teaches us in Matthew 25:14-29 to invest in producers.  Of course, if you teach this today you would be accused of being a selfish racist. You are invited to join Dr. T. D. Worthington for this week's message entitled “A Nation of Beggars.”