Johnny Hunt - The Pathway to Discipleship

2011 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Thomas Nelson, Inc. titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fundraising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email NelsonMinistryServices@ThomasNelson.com.

All Scripture references are from The New King James Version (NKJV) 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-1-4041-7440-5

Printed in the United States of America

INTRODUCTION

T he Pathway to Discipleship has been created with the contributions of 50 devoted men of God to help you experience a deeper walk with our Savior. This devotion and prayer journal will equip you to guide others in knowing and receiving the salvation God has promised for everyone. Each of the subjects will assist the reader to identify topics that are essential along the pathway to discipleship.

God desires for each of us to daily walk closer to Him. Be fruitful in your calling this year as you read this devotional book and reflect through journaling what you have read. It is our prayer that God will touch your heart and allow His Spirit to guide you to be His disciple.

Gods people have only one way to face lifeconfidently living each day glorifying our heavenly Father. Your daily faithfulness could be life changing for the people God brings into your life. May you be changed and blessed through this book.

Dr. Johnny M. Hunt

Pastor, First Baptist Church of Woodstock

Woodstock, Georgia

CONTENTS

WEEKCONTRIBUTOR

THE

Pathway

to

Discipleship

A YEARLY DEVOTION
AND PRAYER JOURNAL

DAY 1

God Will Protect You in the Storm

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23: 1

P salm 23 has been referred to as everybodys psalm. It is possible that people from all walks of life have been encouraged or challenged by this passage of Scripture more than any other. It may very well be the most mentioned and memorized passage in the entire Bible. Almost every funeral service I have attended has included this psalm. Some consider it to be the Lords Prayer of the Old Testament. It is filled with lasting truths Gods people can cling to and personalize.

In the very first line, we see the LORD in small caps, which signifies that the Hebrew word YHWH, what we understand as the word Yahweh, was used in the original text. The exact meaning of the word is unknown, but many scholars agree that it is derived from the verb to be. The very fact that our Lord is He who is reminds us of His presence in the past, present, and future: He was; He is; He will be. The name signifies the eternality of God.

David said he had the Lord as his Shepherd. I have the Lord as my Shepherd, and He has helped me and guided me through the storms of life. On January 7, 2010, I had prostate cancer surgery. As that day approached, I was amazed at how much encouragement I received from others who had had similar experiences. They shared testimonies of success, healing, and Gods faithfulness. In the midst of that dark time, Gods presence was so reassuring and sweet.

David said, I shall not want, which means there will be no lacking of what is needed. The Lord literally provided everything I needed for the uncertain path I had to travel. He caused me to lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2). These pastures were rich with deeper grass than usualHis Word. As I lay there and prayed, He was faithful to speak to my needy soul. He quieted my soul and kept me from being frightened by the unknown. He was faithful to His name, His character, and His promises. And now I can comfort others going through that same dark valley and assure them of our Good Shepherds faithfulness. Whatever you are facing today, know that He cares and, most of all, that He is with you.

DR. JOHNNY HUNT, WOODSTOCK, GA

WEEK 1DAY 2

Let the Shepherd Lead You

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names sake.

Psalm 23: 3

A s a shepherd, David knew that if a flock was to flourish and if its owners name or reputation was to be held in high esteem as a good leader, the sheep had to be continually under the shepherds meticulous control and guidance. For a shepherd to lead his sheep in the right paths, he needs to be very familiar with the pastures. A good shepherd knows where his flock will thrive and grow, and where the land is barren. As a pastor, I desire to help the Lords flock feed in the pasture of truth, His Word. I share with the apostle Paul the passionate desire to see the flock mature in Christ ( Colossians 1:28, 29).

David said, He leads me. The Good Shepherd does not drive His sheep; instead, He speaks gently so they will hear Him and follow Him. Jesus said in John 10:3, 4, The sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. As we follow our Shepherd, His chosen paths bring us most directly to our destination. Simply put: our Shepherd guides us along the correct pathway in our daily walk. The only barrier to enjoying the blessing of being led by the Shepherd is a lack of trust in the Shepherd.

Here is a great truth to ponder: it is not what you choose for Him to bless, but what He blesses as His choice for you. Never forget, He does all He does for His names sake. The Good Shepherd cares for the sheep because He loves them unconditionally and wants to maintain His own good name, or reputation, as a faithful shepherd. It is out of loyalty to His own character that He upholds His own name. His reputation is at stake! He proves Himself to be what He declared Himself to be. He is loving and powerful, and He keeps His promises. He desires for us to know Him fully so we may trust Him fully and delight ourselves in Him.