Philippians 3:13 ”Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”

     Happy New Year! It never ceases to amaze me how fast time goes by. I was driving through my old childhood town the other day and was amazed at how things have changed over the years. Houses and buildings which stood “forever” were now gone and replaced with new and improved structures. New businesses have sprung up and the town is now “busier” than it was when I was a kid. My nostalgia didn’t last very long. I was ready to get out of there and head home.

     A new year before us gives us a chance to reflect on the past and make changes for the future. A Christian should always be in a state of growth, never static. Unfortunately apathy towards spiritual things is very real in our churches today. That is especially true for people that have been saved for awhile. Familiarity breeds apathy. The truth is, God’s Word is so rich and “deep” that no one could ever become too familiar with it. Just as His created universe is impossible to comprehend, so is the depth of His revealed Word. What we need to do is spend more time in it.

     I’ve decided this year to really work on some spiritual resolutions for myself and my family. The more I’ve experienced God’s grace in my life, the more I realize I don’t know Him like I want to. So, if I had to summarize my resolutions under one umbrella heading it would be, “Grow closer to the Lord and know Him better.” All other resolutions will fall under this heading. All other aspects of life begin with how well you know God and how close you are walking with Him. When I ponder this idea, I sadly realize I don’t know Him very well at all. I spend so much of my time with myself instead of Him.

    Here are a few resolutions and guidelines that a Christian might adopt to further his/her walk with the Lord.

• Dedicated Daily Devotions…A disciplined time of Bible study and prayer. The most important time of any Christian’s day.
• Scripture Memorization…Hiding more of God’s Word in your heart
• Starting a prayer journal
• Witnessing to more people and sharing what God has done in your life.
• Being more faithful in church attendance. Maybe this means going to Sunday School or mid-week service.
• Getting more involved in church ministries. God has gifted each Christian to serve in their local church.
• Starting family devotions or family altar.
• Praying more with your spouse.
• Tithing your income. Maybe being more generous with what God has blessed you with.

     That’s a very good foundation for any Christian in this new year. These changes could completely change your whole life. The problem is making a decision and sticking to it. Repetition forms habits. We have to pray that the Lord would help us be faithful in whatever decision we make. These are the resolutions that can affect generations in the future. These are the resolutions that are the most important to not only our lives, but the lives of others.

     I leave you with a quote by George Dana Boardman. “Sow an act…reap a habit; Sow a habit…reap a character; Sow a character…reap a destiny.” Spiritual decisions can indeed reap destinies. May the Lord help you grow closer to Him in 2009. Happy New Year!

 Proverbs 24:28  “Be not a witness against thy neighbor without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.”

What do you call a person who doesn’t like Santa Claus? Claus-trophobic. That message is on a business marquee on my way to work. It’s true though, I don’t like Santa Claus. Used to however, a lot. Even prayed to him I think, to clear up my year of bad works and get some good loot for Christmas. I even saw him and his reindeer streaking across the sky (airplane) one Christmas Eve when I was young. I wrote letters to him, sat on his lap at the mall, and have even cleaned up a plate of cookie crumbs and his dirty milk glass. (He’s lazy). I was convinced  one night that I heard the reindeer land on my roof. (Although the pitch was at a 45°
angle?!) This is some serious belief.

     I’m not sure exactly how it began to unravel but the case for Santa soon went cold. I believe I had found some presents before Christmas wrapped and labeled “from Santa” as if he had sent them ahead of their delivery date. The problem was they were in my mother’s handwriting. Maybe she was subcontracting for him over the holidays. Maybe he had a huge workload that year. Maybe I’d been lied to for all these years.

     I know, I know, lighten up, right?  I might consider sweeping Santa under the tree and forgetting about the whole thing but I can’t. I have kids now.There is public pressure to play the Santa game. It is a little unnerving when people bend down and say to my children, “What’s Santa going to bring you this year? Have you been a good boy?” When I tell them my kids don’t believe in Santa I get a look like I’m some sort of weirdo. Has it occurred to anyone that believing a “jolly” man in a silly suit is going to magically squeeze down my 4″ chimney flue, leave a bunch of presents under the tree, eat cookies and milk, and then head back up the chimney where a team of reindeer await (one with a glowing red nose) to whisk him to the next house is a strange belief?  Who’s the weirdo? I know it’s not me!

     Here’s the problem. It’s a lie. I don’t lie to my children. The tooth fairy doesn’t come and leave money, there are no such thing as aliens, our ancestors were not apes, and no, Santa does not exist. A child is so impressionable, I can’t imagine having to “come clean” one day and say that Dad lied to them. I was not so happy when the magic dust settled and Santa was revealed as a fraud. As a child I really wanted to believe. What else wasn’t true? The story of Jesus?

     Another problem is that Santa had all sorts of powers. Almost God-like. Remember the song? “He knows if you are sleeping, he knows if you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!” Santa the all-knowing, all-powerful judge of the children. I don’t like it one bit.

     So what do I do with my anti-Santa stance? I share it. I give plenty of room to non-Christians to perpetuate the Santa story. I know it is a very strong worldly tradition and won’t be going away anytime soon. I personally don’t participate and my kids don’t sit on his lap at the mall or write letters to him. What I don’t understand however are the Christians that play all the reindeer games that go along with this. When you encourage your tender children to believe in something, you need to do so very carefully. We are to point our kids towards Jesus Christ the Savior, not Santa Claus the pretender. Our kids live in a fog of deceit with all the fake things adults tell them. It’s no wonder they’re not turning out right.

     We need to speak the truth about all things, always to our children. We need them to trust us in all matters of living, so someday they will trust the Savior. If they are hurt by a cute story (lie) that didn’t stand the test of time, they might not trust the things that are truly profitable for their souls. When we stand before the Lord to give an account, prayerfully our children will be standing with us.

     Have a Merry Christmas! And don’t be afraid to say that!

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 Deuteronomy 6:6-7  “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down,and when thou risest up.”

     It is amazing to me that Christianity as a group has not self-imploded. It can only be by God’s grace that the miracle of the church has remained for these two thousand or so years. As someone has once said we’re the only army that shoots it’s wounded. That being said, I chose a topic that is very important as it pertains to the training of our young ones spiritually and academically. It is a subject that sometimes divides Christians in the local church.

     As many of you are aware there are so many different groups of Christians, even within the same local church. (If I was still in high school I would call them cliques.) This is normal for we spend time with those that are like us. Each church has it’s different levels of sanctification as well, as each Christian is at a different place in their walk with the Lord. There are different philosophies when it comes to doing various life activities, one being the education of children.

     My personal  philosophy of education is this…no public school, period. I wrote about it in my post titled, School Daze if you want to know why. This is my personal philosophy and I would encourage anyone considering public school for their child to RE-consider! That leaves me with two alternatives…homeschool my kids or send them to Christian school. Which is better?

     The answer is…it depends. There are many variables involved in making this decision. I’ve done both homeschool and Christian school. As with any other choice in life there are pros and cons. Homeschooling allows a family to be closer. In this day and age, time is so precious. Our kids are growing up so fast. One way to enjoy them more is to have them around more. Homeschooling can be a very fulfilling experience for both parent and student alike. It can be too stressful as well.

     A good Christian school will involve your kids not only in academics, but various extra-curricular activities as well. I thoroughly enjoy seeing my kids in the Christmas cantata. I love watching them dress up as an American hero around Thanksgiving. I enjoy the many talents and gifts a school staff has to offer my child. I don’t like it if I see worldliness rearing it’s ugly head in the school however. With a school you will always have to fight that since each child comes from a family that may or may not be walking with the Lord. Some families send their kids to Christian school hoping that it can “fix” their children. Most of these problems stem from the home.

     The bottom line is this. Homeschooling can be a wonderful, fulfilling experience for both child and parent. The same goes for Christian school. There is no “better” as it becomes a personal decision based on preferences, circumstances, and goals. If we keep  the above verse from Deuteronomy in mind as we make our schooling decisions, we will keep the Lord in mind as well. We ought to choose wisely through prayer, not pressure, the best option to fulfill the Lord’s will for our children.

 1Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

     Did you know that there is nothing that has to happen prophetically in the Bible for the above verse to take place? In other words, Jesus could come back at any time. Many Bible preachers are saying that they do expect Him to return soon. We can’t know that for sure but when Jesus tells us to “watch” for His appearing, then that’s exactly what we ought to be doing.

     Unfortunately there are many Christians who want to postpone the rapture. There are many who really don’t believe this great event could occur at any time. We go on with our lives, making plans for the future yet not making sure that our lives are in order. We postpone doing what we ought to be doing for the Lord and fill our schedules with self-serving distractions.

     In Matthew 25 the Lord speaks of a complacent, sleeping church when he comes. The parable of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins describes this condition. “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.” (Matt.25:5) Is that not the condition of the church today? I wholeheartedly believe that apathy and complacency is alive and well in our churches. We’re more concerned with the economy than with Jesus coming!

     If only we as Christians could take a bigger, more “macro” view of our lives and existence, we might start living as we should. Instead of focusing in and worrying about temporary matters like 401K’s and social security, step back and see a bigger reality. There is a dimension that is invisible to us that co-exists with our “reality.” It is a dimension of spiritual battle, evil vs. good, Satan vs. Jesus Christ. It is a battle for the souls of men. It is a battle to defeat the Christian in his/her struggle of life. Your enemy Satan wants you to sleep, to become complacent in your Christian walk. It is not always blatant sin that scars the believer, lukewarmness and idleness are just as devasting. Satan has won a battle with the lukewarm Christian doing nothing for God.

      Now is the time to take inventory, Christian. Are you ready to meet your Lord if He were to come right now? We all have to give an account of our lives to Him. Many of our works will be burned up with His fiery judgment of them. Many of us will only have ashes to lay at His feet. Today is the day to get things right, to repent, to prepare. His coming may be today!

 2 Timothy 4:4, “And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

     I appreciate everyone reading this blog and I hope it encourages you on your Christian walk in this world. Pathwalk Publishing is a very small company. I am ready to change things around a little and add a few more reasons for you to stop by. I don’t ever want to have advertising or pop-ups or any other annoying things on the site. In order to keep everything “free”, I need your support! I don’t have a donation button or anything but what I do have and will keep creating are products to compliment your Christian walk. You can help defray the costs of doing business by purchasing these products.

     Right now I am offering my “Evolution, Just the Facts” blank book for $2.95! Yes, I said blank because the subtitle reads, “Everything That’s Been Proven True By Science.” There’s nothing to write. There is however a clear gospel presentation in the beginning of the book in case you wanted to use it as a witnessing tool. It also makes a very unique gift to send to another Christian. (just in time for Christmas, hint, hint) I “wrote” this book in time for Charles Darwin’s big year in 2009. It is the 200th anniversary of his birth and the 150th anniversary of publishing “On the Origin of Species.” Believe me, people are getting ready for a big celebration. My book truthfully and quickly answers Darwin’s suggestions.

     I need your help in getting this book out before the celebrations begin which would be in the beginning of 2009. Please click the green “Share This” link at the bottom of this post to email or share it with someone else on your mailing list. You can order the book securely through PayPal following this link:

                                               http://pathwalkpublishing.com/order.html

     I will ship all books next day after payment. If you have any questions please email me at

                                       marc.pathwalkpublishing.com

    Sorry, no phone orders. I know this book will be a blessing and an encouragement to any Christian. It certainly is a unique gift as there is nothing else like it out there. Order yours today!  Thank you for your support and I hope you will enjoy the upcoming posts and additions. Send it to your friends via the “Share This” button at the bottom of each post. I also appreciate your comments and suggestions as well!

      Until the Lord returns,

Marc Gunther

 Romans 13:1, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

     I woke up Wednesday morning after the Presidential election a little sad. I wasn’t surprised, just a little sad. I do not rest my emotions however on our choice for President. I rest in the fact that the God of the universe knows what He is doing. That is one of the many freedoms that Christians have, we are not enslaved to any government or leader. No one can ever strip me of my Christian liberty. It all works out in the long run.  It may sound strange but Barack Obama is exactly the man God has for the office right now. The country did not “out-vote” God. Even Barack Obama is subject to the King of Kings. How that plays out for America we’ll have to wait and see.

     The things that bothered me the most were the reasons that people were voting for Obama. One of those reasons was the color of his skin. Another was for his promise of handouts and ”spreading the wealth around.”  I know someone that is a professing Christian say, “the only reason I’m voting for Obama is to get some money.” How absurd. Never mind the fact that he supports abortion. What a self-centered society we are. Even Christians have number one in mind. (self!)

     What’s ahead for America? Only God knows. Has He removed His hand of protection from this great land? That can’t be answered. It’s the same thing as saying that he sent Katrina to punish sinful New Orleans. Don’t try to speak for God. As Christians we need to obey our government leaders as long as they don’t violate scripture. Those days may not be far away however. There may be coming a day when we can’t preach the truth of God’s Word without fear of punishment. We could be arrested for “hate speech” against that which is ungodly. One bright spot of this election was the surprising defeat of homosexual marriage in California. This is an important battle to take a stand against.

     I personally believe there is still a chance for national revival. We don’t know when the rapture will happen. It could be today, it could be 100 years from now. To say there can’t be national revival is knowing God’s plans. It’s an excuse to not pray for it.  National revival is personal revival on a grand scale. It starts with us. Keep praying for revival. First personally, then for our local churches, and then nationally. Pray for this country. Pray for those in power like Barack Obama. He is still a human that will spend eternity in Hell if he is not saved. As Christians we are not here to force the Kingdom of God to earth, but rather to introduce those on earth to the Savior and prepare to meet Him. We are here to rescue people from the dreadful reality of separation from God for all eternity. We are here as ambassadors for Christ, not politicians for Heaven.

     Romans 13:12, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

     Most people live a life of grand delusion. They have no idea what true reality is. To a non-Christian that may come across as arrogant or egotistical but that’s not my motive. If you believe the Bible, then you have a perspective on life that the majority does not have.

     Your typical American lifespan goes something like this: Grow up in the public school system, pick a career, go to college, get a job, get married, have 2.4 kids, buy stuff and go into debt, possibly have a mid-life crisis, attend church annually on Christmas, retire and play golf, go to a nursing home and hope for the best as your exit draws near. That’s a false reality. That’s the kind of life that produces much anxiety and fear. It is a life that never fills the internal void that can only be satisfied by God. People are left empty.

     The reality of the Christian life is completely opposite. When someone gets saved and begins to truly walk with the Lord, a whole new reality emerges. I know for me personally, this life took on a temporal but very important foundation for what will be an eternal existence. I began to understand how I am to be working for the next life, how I need to perceive people, events, and truth.

     There is an invisible realm coexisting with us everyday. That realm contains the angels of God and the demons of Satan. They are at war over the souls of man. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spritual wickedness in high places.” That is the reality of life.

     It’s no wonder that people are so scared of the events taking place in the world. The problem is, they’re not scared enough. Sure, you can be afraid of the global economy crashing and maybe losing everything. You can be afraid of global warming ending the human race as we know it. What about the next life? The reality of Hell is not a reality at all for most people. They can’t even fathom that such a place exists. The Bible says it does. Satan wants to bring as many people there as he can. He’s working hard and most people will end up there. I say most because the Bible says “few” find the way to Heaven.

     So as Christians we need to look at this life as a time of work. We only have a few years. We need to keep in mind the reality of life and make our decisions based on that. Don’t focus on your retirement days at the golf course. Don’t plan to sit on a tropical island sipping lemonade into the sunset of your life.  Pray for divine appointments. Pray for the salvation of loved ones. Be sure you know how to lead someone into the loving arms of the Lord. It would be selfish to keep your reality to yourself. Share it with someone else and change a life.

 Matthew 16:26, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

     My wife and I were able to get away for a quick overnight celebration of our anniversary. No kids, no appointments, just us. Sort of like before we were married. We decided to go to Newport, Rhode Island and take in a different culture. I was in for quite a surprise.

     We planned our morning to visit the Newport Mansions which are situated along the coastline. They were constructed in the 19th and early 20th centuries as “summer cottages” to society’s richest of the rich. I had heard of them before but didn’t pay much attention.  I changed my mind as soon as we drove through the “neighborhood.”

     For the low cost of $23 a person(!) we could visit 2 mansions of our choice. We decided to start with the biggest and best. It was owned by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, highly successful railroad and steamboat entrepreneur from the 1800’s. He is still ranked as the 2nd most wealthy man ever in the U.S. Bill Gates is ranked 5th. This man had some serious wealth.

     Upon entering the grand foyer we were amazed at the incredible and ostentatious display of wealth. Granted, this was built during the Gilded Age, an era of showing it all off. Pure self-indulgence and pride. It was a beautiful home/palace/castle/summer cottage. There was exquisite attention to detail and those details were covered in gold. While the main structure was being built, the inside was carefully crafted…in France. These rooms were then disassembled , shipped to Newport and built again. One of the first pre-fab houses,” our tour guide quipped. Words cannot describe the grandeur of this place. You have to be there. They wouldn’t even let me take pictures of the inside…they want you to go there and experience it.

     For 3 hours I saw first hand how the ultra wealthy lived in that time. As we wandered through I realized something. These people probably were not saved. I don’t know if Cornelius Vanderbilt accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior. On January 4, 1877 he left his Newport mansion for a meeting in New York. Just before 6pm he said to his wife, “I think I am dying.” Within 5 minutes he went out into eternity. He certainly didn’t expect that.  All that money couldn’t buy him another minute of time.

     I wouldn’t trade my salvation for all the wealth in the world.  The value is priceless. It’s been paid in full with the blood of the Savior. He’s made it even ground for all to enter into Heaven. Poor and rich alike, we all have to enter through the same gate. Sure, we’re impressed with what money can buy and may even fight covetousness now and then. Heaven will only put our earthly riches to shame. Streets of gold and gates of pearl, the grandeur can only be imagined. Someday, maybe soon, it will become our reality.

 1Thessalonians 5:22, “Abstain from all appearance  of evil.”

     Before I make anyone upset with my biblical opinion about Halloween, let me digress. As a kid, we always went trick or treating. My grandmother’s house (who incidentally was a godly woman) was home base for a night of friendly candy mongering. I couldn’t wait. It was second only to Christmas as far as getting loot was concerned. Other than the years where we checked candy bars for hidden razor blades(!), Trick or Treating was fun and delicious.

      When my first son was 3, we dressed him up in a cute lion outfit and decided to make a go of it. The first few houses were fine and then we came to the party house. You know, the one with grave markers, cobwebs, and witches hanging from the trees. A scary guy in a bloody mask answered the door. It really wasn’t fun any more. My 3 year old was scared.

      As the years have gone on, we stopped going trick or treating all together as it became more apparent that it’s not really a holiday that Christians should observe. We resorted to leaving a basket of candy with salvation tracts attached on the front porch. In the morning I would go and pick up the tracts and candy wrappers from my front yard. We’ve finally come to the point where we won’t participate in any way whatsoever.

     Halloween today has become big business. It is second only to Christmas as far as sales go. People love to decorate their houses and themselves with things of the dark side. Most people don’t even understand the reality of what they’re representing. Look at the picture above. Click on it to get a better view.This house is loaded with skulls, witches, jack-o-lanterns, graves, and ghosts. And this is only half of the front yard. The front door has a digital clock counting down the days until Halloween. I was amazed at the variety.

     I chose the verse “Abstain from all appearance of evil” as a very appropriate one for Halloween. If nothing else, Halloween is all about the appearance of evil. Halloween desensitizes children to evil things. The problem is that they and their parents don’t believe in evil. What better way for Satan to blind people than by setting evil in a “fun” atmosphere. The truth is, Satan is a real being. Evil is a real force.

      I don’t have the space to write about the history of Halloween. You can follow this link to Wikipedia which has an in-depth explanation of the holiday. Take the time to look at it’s roots. There’s nothing good about it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween

      I can understand why Halloween is so popular. For a Christian however, it is not appropriate. the main theme of Halloween is death. The Bible calls death the “last enemy”. Jesus Christ conquered death. Our kids should learn that it is not a holiday that the Holy Spirit would enjoy. Our churches should not have Halloween parties. Churches should  however provide a place for families to go on Halloween. This year we are having a fun night with games, preaching, and eating. No evidence at all of Halloween. It will be fun, filling, and most of all honoring to the Lord. I pray you will do the same!

     I understand that stopping trick or treating can be a difficult move with kids. They’ll accuse you of not loving them! It will be worth it the long run. After a couple years of  not doing it and replacing Halloween with something better, they won’t even care about trick or treating. Do right and the Lord will take care of the rest.

     I appreciate any opinions you may have (even those contrary to this post). Take a minute to sign in and leave a comment…it will be a blessing to others. Thanks, Marc

 Ephesians 5:19, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

     There are certain songs that stir me more than others. I particularly enjoy singing “How Great Thou Art” with the congregation. I should clarify that.  I like to make a “joyful noise” as the Bible says. It may not be considered singing when I am by myself.

     When the congregation sings with one accord, it can be a very powerful time of worship. When you realize that you are truly reverencing the Lord of the universe, a good song can move your heart. The Lord is worshipped and you are blessed. There’s no better way to begin church. I am so thankful to be in a church that still sings the old fashioned hymns in the old fashioned way. No contemporary music here, but that’s another post.

     I feel so strongly about the importance of good godly music that I try to have it playing whenever I can. We’ve got good cds at home and with the internet we typically have the option of streaming some good songs throughout the day as well. One site that has good music for the most part is AbidingRadio.com. Another is OldChristianRadio.com. I’m sure there are others, I just haven’t researched them all. You won’t find any contemporary “Christian” music at these sites. There’s nothing worse musically than so-called Christian lyrics set to the world’s music. Not only does it sound irreverent, but it comes across sounding like the piece is “trying” to fit in like the world’s culture. Like it can be just as “cool” as the world. It’s not happening.

     We are encouraging our kids in the area of music as well. It is important to understand the role of good music in relationship to God. I will not push my kids to become proficient at an instrument or voice if it will only be used personally. Good music will honor the Lord and edify the believer. It should be used for those purposes. What good is a prodigy if he will only use his talent for himself? I know of a very talented Christian musician who is not using his talents for the Lord. His goals are secular. That makes me sad.

     Music is a very powerful medium of expression. Our musical talents come from the Lord. It is up to us to choose how we will use them. Contrary to some opinion, music is not amoral. There is good music and there is bad music. There is a right kind of music to be used in worshipping God. There is music in Heaven according to the Bible. I’m sure it’s not CCM.

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