Weekly Devotional - Gloria Miller
The Word Defined: The Way
Acts 9:2--- NLT---“He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way He found there.
Acts 19:9 & 23---NLT---But some became stubborn, rejecting His message and publicly speaking against the Way.; About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning, the Way.
Acts 24:14---NLT---But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult.
Pastor Pete introduced a “What If,” scenario with a character whom He called Big Bill. A man in his mid-50’s who smoked, lived life stressed out, with a sedentary lifestyle; he ate unhealthily most of his life; and is now medically classified as morbidly obese.
The Doctor ordered lab work and exams, and his test results yielded bad news. Big Bill is called in and given the bad news; told to get his affairs in order and to make amends. This was evident because Big Bill made wrong choices regarding how he was living his life. He was incredibly unhealthy and near death. His wife looks up at the Doctor and asked, Is there no hope? The Doctor indicated it would be a long hard road that would require a radical change in Big Bill’s lifestyle.
It bodes the question, What in Big Bill’s life would have to change, that he might live?
Big Bill’s entire existence, his entire way of life and thinking would have to transform into something that is completely different and foreign to Bill. And so it is in our lives, when change or radical transformation is needed, we have, to turn to Jesus, for in John 14:6 it is written, Jesus saith unto him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Hence, our first fill-in: Following Jesus is not merely adopting a new set of Beliefs, but converting to a new Way of living.
In, today’s society, Pastor Pete goes further to say that we are Big Bill, and we exist in an unsaved culture. We have inherited brokenness from the time of Adam. Just like Big Bill, we have inherited brokenness in our soul (mind, will and emotions), in this unsaved culture, ie., (mental illness, suicide etc.,). In this society Christianity presents itself as a system of beliefs. There must be a rediscovery of faith as a way of life. Faith is what our society needs.
In Acts 9:2 it speaks of Saul, who was a devout Pharisee who vehemently persecuted the early Christians. He too had a radical transformation. It was on his way to Damascus, as he was in pursuit of followers of the Way, that he himself found the Way. Some time, after Paul’s conversion, he spoke boldly in the synagogues about the Kingdom of God. (Acts19:9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.)
In our Christian Journey (the Way), defined, Biblical Christianity, must hold us steadfast in our belief and our pursuit in showing the lost, the Way. Our confession ought to be that, “Following Jesus is the Way!”.
As Paul spread the Gospel, he was no stranger to adversity. He was now the receiver of opposition and persecution, yet he endured hardness as a good soldier. Acts 19:23 refers to a riot in Ephesus, that was stirred up by Demetrius, who made silver shrines of the idol Artemis. Paul was bold in his Journey in the Way. Paul preached against gods made by hand. Paul’s steadfast toil in the Way brought many new believers to Christ and there was a decrease in demand for the silver shrines, which caused economic hardship to those, who did not walk in the Way. In Acts 24:14 Paul admits to being a follower of the Way, even though they called the Way a cult. Pastor Pete warned If we as Christians are not being called a cult, then we might not be doing Christianity right.
If Big Bill decides that he really wants to live and is willing to pay whatever price is necessary for life, then things can change. Per Pastor Pete, the desire for change, no matter how heart-felt or sincere it is, does not bring change. Only a new way of living brings change. We must be in pursuit of living in the Way. This is the Way. We need to watch those walking in this new way of living and follow them. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1—"Imitate me as I also imitate Christ.” Adopting, a brand, new way of living requires a new pattern to follow; a pattern that will educate us, encourage us; a pattern that will hold us accountable.
This is the Way.
The average American soul, is incredibly unhealthy. Pastor Pete goes on to say, “You and I are Big Bill.” The way is not easy, in fact, it is hard. Paul wrote two letters to Thessalonica, which he had his apprentice Timothy deliver. He let them know that walking in the Way is hard, but we must walk it with Joy in the Holy Spirit. We must choose Joy in suffering. This is the Way! We must be set apart from the culture that we are in. Surrendering our former lives and adapting to our radical transformation, in suffering like Christ, as we walk in the Way. We must be Holy; having sexual purity; putting away sexual immorality, learning to control animalistic passions; these desires that rage within our souls. We must confront our appetites, our desires, and our wants. How do we do this? By age-old Spiritual Disciplines. We call them---Growth Ingredients. Fasting with Prayer; Relationships with Authenticity and Accountability; Sacrificial Giving; Developing the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Self-Control; Loving each other with a Sacrificial Love. A love that costs us. This is the Way. Jesus said, That People will know you are followers of me, when you Love them like I Love them. Sacrificially. By the Way you Love people, when they are nailing you to a cross. That’s, how people will know we are following Jesus; Minding your own business, then people who are not believers will respect the Way you live. Show people around you that you are following the Way, by the Way you live. Become an example to those who need to believe. The Way is not easy. Jesus says, if you want life, you must give up your life, your wants, your desires, your world views, etc., It’s, only when you surrender your life, that you get life.
Metaphorically, you are nailing yourself to the cross to live a brand, new way. If you are willing to do that, you are ready to be saved!
It Is Worth It!
Gloria Miller 11/26/25
Acts 9:2--- NLT---“He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way He found there.
Acts 19:9 & 23---NLT---But some became stubborn, rejecting His message and publicly speaking against the Way.; About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning, the Way.
Acts 24:14---NLT---But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult.
Pastor Pete introduced a “What If,” scenario with a character whom He called Big Bill. A man in his mid-50’s who smoked, lived life stressed out, with a sedentary lifestyle; he ate unhealthily most of his life; and is now medically classified as morbidly obese.
The Doctor ordered lab work and exams, and his test results yielded bad news. Big Bill is called in and given the bad news; told to get his affairs in order and to make amends. This was evident because Big Bill made wrong choices regarding how he was living his life. He was incredibly unhealthy and near death. His wife looks up at the Doctor and asked, Is there no hope? The Doctor indicated it would be a long hard road that would require a radical change in Big Bill’s lifestyle.
It bodes the question, What in Big Bill’s life would have to change, that he might live?
Big Bill’s entire existence, his entire way of life and thinking would have to transform into something that is completely different and foreign to Bill. And so it is in our lives, when change or radical transformation is needed, we have, to turn to Jesus, for in John 14:6 it is written, Jesus saith unto him, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Hence, our first fill-in: Following Jesus is not merely adopting a new set of Beliefs, but converting to a new Way of living.
In, today’s society, Pastor Pete goes further to say that we are Big Bill, and we exist in an unsaved culture. We have inherited brokenness from the time of Adam. Just like Big Bill, we have inherited brokenness in our soul (mind, will and emotions), in this unsaved culture, ie., (mental illness, suicide etc.,). In this society Christianity presents itself as a system of beliefs. There must be a rediscovery of faith as a way of life. Faith is what our society needs.
In Acts 9:2 it speaks of Saul, who was a devout Pharisee who vehemently persecuted the early Christians. He too had a radical transformation. It was on his way to Damascus, as he was in pursuit of followers of the Way, that he himself found the Way. Some time, after Paul’s conversion, he spoke boldly in the synagogues about the Kingdom of God. (Acts19:9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way.)
In our Christian Journey (the Way), defined, Biblical Christianity, must hold us steadfast in our belief and our pursuit in showing the lost, the Way. Our confession ought to be that, “Following Jesus is the Way!”.
As Paul spread the Gospel, he was no stranger to adversity. He was now the receiver of opposition and persecution, yet he endured hardness as a good soldier. Acts 19:23 refers to a riot in Ephesus, that was stirred up by Demetrius, who made silver shrines of the idol Artemis. Paul was bold in his Journey in the Way. Paul preached against gods made by hand. Paul’s steadfast toil in the Way brought many new believers to Christ and there was a decrease in demand for the silver shrines, which caused economic hardship to those, who did not walk in the Way. In Acts 24:14 Paul admits to being a follower of the Way, even though they called the Way a cult. Pastor Pete warned If we as Christians are not being called a cult, then we might not be doing Christianity right.
If Big Bill decides that he really wants to live and is willing to pay whatever price is necessary for life, then things can change. Per Pastor Pete, the desire for change, no matter how heart-felt or sincere it is, does not bring change. Only a new way of living brings change. We must be in pursuit of living in the Way. This is the Way. We need to watch those walking in this new way of living and follow them. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11:1—"Imitate me as I also imitate Christ.” Adopting, a brand, new way of living requires a new pattern to follow; a pattern that will educate us, encourage us; a pattern that will hold us accountable.
This is the Way.
The average American soul, is incredibly unhealthy. Pastor Pete goes on to say, “You and I are Big Bill.” The way is not easy, in fact, it is hard. Paul wrote two letters to Thessalonica, which he had his apprentice Timothy deliver. He let them know that walking in the Way is hard, but we must walk it with Joy in the Holy Spirit. We must choose Joy in suffering. This is the Way! We must be set apart from the culture that we are in. Surrendering our former lives and adapting to our radical transformation, in suffering like Christ, as we walk in the Way. We must be Holy; having sexual purity; putting away sexual immorality, learning to control animalistic passions; these desires that rage within our souls. We must confront our appetites, our desires, and our wants. How do we do this? By age-old Spiritual Disciplines. We call them---Growth Ingredients. Fasting with Prayer; Relationships with Authenticity and Accountability; Sacrificial Giving; Developing the Fruit of the Spirit, which is Self-Control; Loving each other with a Sacrificial Love. A love that costs us. This is the Way. Jesus said, That People will know you are followers of me, when you Love them like I Love them. Sacrificially. By the Way you Love people, when they are nailing you to a cross. That’s, how people will know we are following Jesus; Minding your own business, then people who are not believers will respect the Way you live. Show people around you that you are following the Way, by the Way you live. Become an example to those who need to believe. The Way is not easy. Jesus says, if you want life, you must give up your life, your wants, your desires, your world views, etc., It’s, only when you surrender your life, that you get life.
Metaphorically, you are nailing yourself to the cross to live a brand, new way. If you are willing to do that, you are ready to be saved!
It Is Worth It!
Gloria Miller 11/26/25
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