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PathLight is a ministry broadcast of Pathway Baptist Church in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Join Dr. T.D. Worthington each and every week as he opens the Scriptures to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Dr. Worthington can also be heard on GoMix Christian Radio, based out of Snow Hill, North Carolina, each Sunday morning at 10:30 am EST. Listen live to GoMix Christian Radio 24 hours a day at www.gomixradio.org. For correspondence, write to:Attn: PathLight, Pathway Ministries, PO Box 1895, Go ...
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 boo…
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 determin…
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 total…
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 p…
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 t…
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…
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 men…
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…
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 experienc…
“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 yo…
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 Did 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 …
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…
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 jus…
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. H…
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, …
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…
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 c…
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. I…
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 tha…
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 p…
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 p…
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 responsibili…
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 …
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 ou…
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. Chri…
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 star…
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. Cer…
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 Go…
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 des…
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 s…
Many Bible scholars do not believe the United States is mentioned in the Bible. If America is not referenced, I assume it is either because America no longer exists or because America is irrelevant in world affairs. Either way it’s kind of sad. With all the problems in America, we are still a great nation, sometimes I think we may forget, just how …
Why is the Bible So Violent? Why would God put such examples of bloodshed and wickedness in the Scriptures? You can rest assured that God’s presentation of these things in the inspired Scripture is no mistake. He presents the world, as it really is, in divine, context-laden, interpretive words. Words, not pictures. Not lurid videos of the blood and…
Our Lord has given everything in His creation a specific habitat where it can flourish and fulfill the purpose He originally intended. According to the Bible, even the stars have a specific dwelling place ordained by God. This is also true of man. For lack of a better term, I will call this Divine Positioning. This is when God implants you in a sel…
One of the signs of the last days will be a world hungry for leadership. The antichrist will use this void to propel himself into great power. However, God’s people can utilize this leadership vacuum to provide guidance to those seeking honest answers. So many of the burdening problems we face in our nation, businesses, families and churches will n…
Are you aware that there is a mission attached to your marriage? There's more to it than just making love. There's more to it than just living together. There's more to it than living in the same house and raising kids, there is a mission that God has for your marriage. Priscilla and Aquila, show us a remarkable example of what our marriages are su…
The facts don't set you free; the truth does, and Jesus is the truth, even when the facts speak against you. The facts are not always final! He who began a good work in you will see it through until the end. One word from Jesus can overturn any hopeless situation. In this week’s PathLight message, you will be reminded to stop putting more faith in …
Does everything in life happen the way you want? Do people treat you the way you hope to be treated? Are all your prayers answered exactly the way you want them to be answered? I am confident that we would all answer these questions the same way, with a resounding NO! And I would add to that, that the longer we live on this planet, the harder and m…
Of all the things that weigh us down, perhaps no burden is greater than the silence of God. A great many believers struggle with the issue of unanswered prayer. If God really does answer prayer, why doesn’t he answer my prayers? For those who are in pain, it may not be enough to simply say, “God always answers prayer. Sometimes he says yes, sometim…
I don’t think there is any sadder story in the world than the third chapter of Genesis. While the facts of the fall of man are contained in just a few verses, what we read is the origin of all human sorrow, death, disease, and heartache. As Eve took the forbidden fruit, do you think she understood the total impact of her decision? No, she didn’t, a…
The Jewish New Year occurs 163 days after Passover. It is called Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets. The Jews blow the shofar 100 times on each day of the celebration. These blasts of trumpets have been described as typifying many things, but one of those is the weeping of a mother. Yet, despite the myriad of examples of mothers crying, when the …
Have you ever felt angry with God? Maybe you didn’t want to call it anger, perhaps frustration was a more palatable word. Although I would never suggest that anger at God might be something to actually strive for, there are some examples in the Bible of men, many we would even call godly men, who appeared to be angry with the Lord. We are God’s chi…
Have you ever prayed a prayer such as this? “Please, God, if I ever slip into compromise or fall into transgression, put me under the godly reproof of a preacher who isn’t afraid to expose sin.” I believe one of God’s greatest gifts of mercy to his church is his faithful ministers, men who will lovingly reprove us of our sins. I thank God for such …
Each spring, millions of people around the world acknowledge, in some fashion or another, that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead some twenty centuries ago. Modern society calls it “Easter.” We are glad that multitudes—usually caught up in worldly pursuits—will take at least some time for reflection upon the event of the Savior’s resurrection. I…
I love my country. But, what I don’t love is when my country violates its values and ideals and behaves badly. I don’t love it when my country acts out of greed and only for power, or with blatant hypocrisy, or like an empire. The gospel has never lived easily with empire. Christians have a special calling, in whatever nation they live, to lift up …
Something that amazes me, is how many people I come across in certain positions of care, that really don't care! There are school teachers, medical staff, civil servants, even pastors, that make it pretty clear they really don't care about people. We take into account that people in these positions can have a bad day now and then, but I'm talking a…
Over the next few weeks, we are going to experience a time of great change in our world, I am speaking of the change of seasons. People are going to begin coming out of their shell and be alive. They will be found taking their trips to the beach. Lawn mowers and weed eaters begin to fire up. Flowers begin to bloom. Butterflies will grace our garden…
Imagine the scene; your automobile suddenly sputters and stalls while driving down a busy highway. You try and try to get the car started however all of your efforts fail. You get out and raise the hood, but not being a mechanic, you don’t know where to begin. Suddenly a man pulls up in a truck and introduces himself as a mechanic from a nearby gar…
It’s interesting that in most of our prayers, we pray for the poor, the hungry, the persecuted, and yet, Jesus says they are blessed. Shouldn’t we pray more for the “Woe Crowd”? Those to whom Jesus says, “Woe unto you?” Why don’t we pray for those guys? According to the Scripture, they appear to need it more. If you are a believer, you are not a pa…
We love antiques and pay high prices for old pots and furniture that grandma threw out years ago. We love everything old, except ourselves. We only like ourselves young. Yet, as you get older you arrive at the apex of life. You have arrived at the top of the mountain where you can breathe the rare atmosphere of a long life of experience, knowledge,…
What would it be like if you had to qualify for marriage? What if being a husband or wife was like meeting the qualifications for an important job or applying for a loan? I know it’s silly, and nothing like that would ever happen, but it is something to ponder. It’s a general assumption that you know how to be a husband and father if you’re a male.…
