Pathway Church Shorewood

09/09/2026

DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 9/9
YOU HAVE HEARD IT SAID

MATTHEW 5:21–22
“You have heard that the ancients were told…”
Jesus was about to say something that would make His listeners stop and think.

DEVOTIONAL:
Again and again in this section Jesus would say: “You have heard it said…”

They had heard the Scriptures taught. They had heard the commandments explained. They had heard what they were supposed to believe and how they were supposed to live. But Jesus was going to show them that hearing God's Word and understanding God's Word are not always the same thing.

A person can know what Scripture says and still misunderstand what God is saying. The religious leaders of Jesus' day had Scripture, but they had often reduced God's commands to something that could be measured externally. Jesus was looking for something deeper. This wasn't contradicting God's Word. It was revealing its true intention.

From this we can remind ourselves to stay humble when we read Scripture. We shouldn’t approach God's Word asking: “What does this allow me to do?” Or “Does this command still apply to me?”

Perhaps a better questions would be: “What is does it revealing about Gods heart? What is does it revealing about my heart? What does Jesus want to form in me because of it?”

To understand God's revelation we need the Holy Spirits involvement to understand it rightly.
We can discover something we have always heard isn't quite what Jesus meant.
There are also be times when we can hear Scripture 100 times, then the Holy Spirit steps in a challenges the way we have always understood it. When that happens, humility matters, because the things that are revealed can require us to change.

We don't need to twist God's Word to make it comfortable. Or make it fit our preconceived ideas, or the things we have heard other people say. And we don't need to be afraid of difficult passages.
We can bring them to Jesus.

The goal isn't simply to know what Scripture says. The goal is to know the One to whom Scripture points and allow His Word to transform us.

REFLECTION:
- When you read Scripture; instead of looking for information, rules, or confirmation of what you already believe; invite the Holy Spirit into that time.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to help you hear God's Word with a heart willing to be taught.
THEN ASK:
- “What is does it revealing about Gods heart?"
- "What is does it revealing about my heart?"
- "What does Jesus want to form in me because of it?”

PRAYER:
“Lord Jesus, Give me ears that truly hear and a heart that is willing to be taught.
Forgive me for the times I have approached Your Word looking only for confirmation of what I already believe. Forgive me when I have been quick to defend my understanding rather than humble myself before You.

Holy Spirit, help me understand Scripture rightly. Give me wisdom to recognize the difference between what Your Word actually says and what I have simply heard it said. When Your Word challenges me, give me humility to listen.

When I encounter something difficult, give me patience to study rather than immediately dismiss it.
And above all, help me see You more clearly in Your Word. Teach me not merely to hear Your words, but to hear Your heart.

In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

FULL SERMON:
https://www.youtube.com/live/eUUJVKjvyW4

09/08/2026

DAILY DEVOTIONAL - 9/8
THE PHARISEE IN THE ROOM

MATTHEW 5:20
“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

DEVOTIONAL:
When we hear the word Pharisee, it is easy to picture someone else.
Someone judgmental. Someone self-righteous. Someone who cares more about appearances than people. And that is precisely why this warning from Jesus can become uncomfortable for us.

The Pharisees were not known for being careless about religion. They were serious about Scripture. They prayed. They gave. They fasted. They knew the Law. They were respected as religious leaders.

Their problem wasn't that they didn't care about righteousness. Their problem was that righteousness had become something they could display. But Jesus wasn't impressed by a righteousness that looked good but was not deep enough to reached the heart.

The danger of hypocrisy is that we can become very good at managing appearances while neglecting what God sees.

We can know the right words, attend the right services, quote the right Scriptures, and still allow pride, bitterness, selfishness, or disobedience to quietly take root within us.

Jesus wasn't calling His followers to become better performers of righteousness like the pharisee. He was calling them a righteousness that surpasses that religious performance. The righteousness He calls us to comes from a heart being transformed by God.

That kind of righteousness doesn’t ask, “If I look like a Christian?” Instead, “Am I actually becoming more like Christ?” Jesus offers us the credit of His righteousness in our heart. And that begins transforming us from the inside out.

REFLECTION:
- Today, don't spend your time looking for the Pharisee in someone else.
- Let Christ search your own heart.
- Where might you be more concerned with appearing righteous than actually becoming righteous?
- Ask Christ to expose anything in you that is more about appearance than surrender.

PRAYER:
“Lord Jesus, Search my heart and show me where I have been more concerned with how I appear to others than with who I am before You.
Forgive me for the times I have settled for outward religion while neglecting inward transformation.
I don't want to merely look like Your follower. I want to become like You.
Remind me of the righteousness you have given, that I cannot manufacture.
Remove pride, hypocrisy, and anything that keeps me from walking in your way.
Make me more like You from the inside out.
In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

FULL SERMON:

Good morning from Pathway Church! Thank you for joining us! The ser...

09/08/2026

A clip from "The Greatest Sermon: A PHARISEE WALKED INTO A BAR" at Pathway Church Shorewood

For the full Sermon:
https://youtube.com/live/eUUJVKjvyW4

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08/29/2026

I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT
DAILY DEVOTIONAL — 8/29

MATTHEW 25:1
“1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”

KEEP THE LIGHT BURNING
A lamp is useful because it gives light. But a lamp that is going to continue shining has to be prepared.
Jesus' parable of the ten virgins gives us a sobering picture of people who were waiting for the bridegroom. All ten had lamps. But only five were prepared for the delay.

The lesson isn't that we can borrow someone else's relationship with God when we suddenly need it.
We cannot. There are some things another person cannot give us at the last minute. We cannot borrow someone else's faithfulness. We cannot borrow someone else's relationship with Christ.
We cannot live indefinitely on someone else's spiritual life. That is why our walk with Christ cannot be reduced to what happens on Sunday.

Prayer matters. Scripture matters. Worship matters. Fellowship matters. Obedience matters. Not because these things earn God's love, but because relationship requires faithfulness.

And this brings us back to the lamp. The goal isn't to become a spectacular light for a moment.
The goal is to faithfully shine. Jesus said: “You are the light of the world.” So don't hide the light.
Don't turn the light toward yourself. And don't neglect the lamp. Stay close to Christ.

REFLECTION:
- Are you relying on your own spiritual strength, past experiences, or someone else's faith to sustain you?
- What is one simple practice you can begin or restore this week that will help you remain close to Christ?

PRAYER:
“Jesus, I don't want to live on yesterday's oil or someone else's faith. Teach me to remain close to You. Give me endurance to faithfully follow You, even when the waiting is long and the darkness is deep. Keep my lamp burning for Your glory. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

FULL SERMON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V78q96H_2h0

08/28/2026

Georgia we will miss you! We know you are worshipping the Lord in Heaven right now.

For anyone who knew Georgia Leslie, here is info about her Celebration of Life.

https://everloved.com/life-of/georgia-leslie/

08/28/2026

I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT
DAILY DEVOTIONAL — 8/28

ROMANS 12:11
“11 Never be lacking in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.”

JOHN 15:4
“4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

TEND THE WICK
Jesus' main point in Matthew 5 is not about maintaining an oil lamp. His point is that a lamp is meant to shine, not be hidden. But His audience understood something about lamps that we can easily forget.

An oil lamp had to be tended. The oil had to be maintained, and the wick needed attention. Impurities and charred material could interfere with the flame. Neglect would cause the lamp to burn poorly, smoke, or eventually cease to function effectively. If you want a lamp to continue shining, you can't simply light it once and forget about it.

If our spiritual lamp grows dim, sometimes we think the answer is simply, “Burn hotter.”
But sometimes the lamp doesn't need to burn hotter. It needs to be tended.

Impurities need to be dealt with. Bitterness, distraction, pride, and other things can interfere with the flame and need to be removed. A neglected prayer life and neglected time with the Lord may leave us spiritually depleted. A heart that has become spiritually dry may need to return to the presence of God.

Sometimes we are trying to keep shining while neglecting the very relationship from which our strength comes.

What ends up happening is that we start burning the wick instead of tending the lamp and making sure the oil is full. We try harder. We push ourselves further. We try to manufacture the spiritual fire within ourselves. But the answer isn't to manufacture more spiritual power within ourselves. We were never called to become our own source.

Jesus said, “Remain in Me, and I in you.” And Paul tells us, “Be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18) The Christian life isn't sustained by our own effort or spiritual determination. We are called to remain connected to Christ and continually yield ourselves to the work of the Holy Spirit. The lamp doesn't create its own oil. We need the source. So when the flame begins to grow dim, the answer isn't always to burn harder. We need to stop, tend the wick, remove what is interfering, and return to the Source.

REFLECTION:
- What has accumulated in your life that may be interfering with your ability to faithfully reflect Christ?
- Is there something God is asking you to remove, restore, or give attention to?
- If you are you trying to burn harder, the answer is to draw closer to Christ, and be filled with the Spirit.

PRAYER:
“Lord, tend my heart. Show me the things that have accumulated through neglect, distraction, pride, bitterness, or weariness. Help me not merely to burn harder, but to remain close to You. Keep my life useful for Your purposes. Fill me with your Spirit. Saturate my life with your presence. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

FULL SERMON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V78q96H_2h0

08/27/2026

I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT
DAILY DEVOTIONAL — 8/27

MATTHEW 5:16
“16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

LIGHT THAT POINTS BEYOND ITSELF
Jesus tells us to let our light shine. But why? “That they may see your good works.” And then comes the destination: “And glorify your Father who is in heaven.” This is the difference between being seen and performing to be seen.

Think about what light does. A lamp is normally turned on so that its light can illuminate what is around it. You don't turn on a lamp simply so everyone can admire the bulb. The light makes other things visible.

Of course, today we have all kinds of decorative bulbs, chandeliers, light shows, and displays designed to draw our attention to the light itself. The light becomes the attraction. The light is no longer simply helping us see something else; the light has become a distraction and is now the thing we are looking at.

Jesus says, “Let your light shine before men.” People will see our good works. But the purpose isn't for our good works to become a display of how good, spiritual, generous, gifted, or anointed we are. The light is meant to point beyond itself.

When people see our generosity, our forgiveness, our faithfulness, or the way we respond in difficult situations, the purpose is not: “Look how good I'm doing.” It is: “Look what God is doing.”

There is nothing wrong with being encouraged or appreciated when you do something good. A sincere “thank you” or word of encouragement can be meaningful. We all appreciate knowing that our efforts were noticed.

But what happens when “being noticed” becomes what motivates us?
Some of us genuinely crave recognition. We want the pat on the back. We want someone to notice what we did and tell us we did a good job. And if no one notices, we can begin to feel overlooked, unappreciated, or even unvalued.

Then something subtle can happen: “If nobody notices, why should I do it again?”
What began as a desire to be appreciated can slowly become a demand to be appreciated.

We stop serving because we didn't receive the recognition we wanted. We stop giving because no one acknowledged the sacrifice. We stop helping because we didn't get the appreciation we thought we deserved.

Instead of asking, “How can I serve Christ?” we begin asking, “Will anyone notice?”
Instead of “Does this glorify God?” we begin wondering, “How does this make me look?”
Jesus is saying that our good works are meant to be visible, but they are not meant to become the destination.

The light is not about us being seen. The light is about helping others see God.

REFLECTION:
- How much does recognition affect your willingness to serve?
- Ask yourself:
“If I don't receive the appreciation, or no one ever knew what I had done, would I still do it?
“Am I more concerned with being valued by people, or with being faithful to Christ?

Remember: people will see the light, but the glory belongs to the Father.
Sometimes the greatest test of our motivations is whether we are willing to keep shining when no one says thank you.

- Where might God be asking me to keep shining, even when no one notices?

PRAYER:
“Father, keep me from turning good works into a performance. Let my life point beyond itself. When people see something good in me, let them ultimately see Your grace and give You glory. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

FULL SERMON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V78q96H_2h0

08/26/2026

I JUST CAN’T HIDE IT
DAILY DEVOTIONAL — 8/26

MATTHEW 5:15
“15 “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.”

DON'T HIDE THE LIGHT
Imagine turning on a flashlight during a power outage and immediately putting it under a cardboard box. The light hasn't stopped being light. But you've prevented it from doing what it was meant to do. That's Jesus' picture.

Nobody lights a lamp for the purpose of hiding it. The lamp is placed where its light can benefit everyone around it. Yet sometimes we hide our light.

Others need it, but because of fear, we might hide it. Because of shame or compromise, we might hide it. Our desire to fit in might cause us to hide it. We might even hide it because we don't want to appear “too religious.”

Jesus doesn't call us to manufacture the attention. Nor does He call us to hide from it. Simply be seen for what He has made you to be.

There is a difference between being seen and seeking to be seen.

Jesus warns His disciples not to practice righteousness with the motivation “to be noticed by them” (Matthew 6:1). In other words, we don't put our good works on display for our own applause.

Jesus says, “Let your light shine.” He doesn't say, “Make sure everyone notices you.”
The light isn't supposed to draw attention to itself. But it is supposed to illuminate.

REFLECTION:
- Have there been times when you wanted to hide your faith? What was the motivation?
- Have there been times when you were tempted to do something good because you wanted others to notice, rather than because you wanted God to receive the glory?
- What would it look like today to let your faith be visible without trying to make yourself noticed?
There is a difference between letting your faith be visible and trying to make yourself noticed.

PRAYER:
“Jesus, help me not to hide what You have done in me. Give me courage to live openly and faithfully without seeking attention for myself. Let my life illuminate You rather than advertise me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.”

FULL SERMON:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V78q96H_2h0