I've been thinking more about these little passages....

Luk 18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Luk 18:9 And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

Luk 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Often today's preachers of doctrine or of the full gospel or the Bible...are looked at as the righteous Pharisees. But can it rather not be that those on the neo-orthodox, post-modern, purpose driven, missional, emergent, ecumenical, liberal church who espouse they have the the "new righteous way", the "new reformation" that are actually today's Pharisees.

Our church is exhorting spreading Gary Thomas' book Sacred Pathways. I've been involved with Thomas going back 10-15 years. Even used his Sacred Marriage book as a reference. So I am fairly familiar with him.

I now see him now as a link in the CSM wing of the church.

They gave the congregation homework on a Spiritual Pathways assessment from..

An Ordinary Day with Jesus: Experiencing the Reality of God in Your Everyday Life John Ortberg, Ruth Haley Barton

In the routine moments of an ordinary day . . . you can experience the reality of God's presence. Christ entered our broken world to give us life in all its fullness. Not just in pinnacle experiences, but in every situation, every relationship, every activity. As you learn to recognize and welcome Christ's presence into every moment, ordinary days become filled with a tangible sense of God's presence. Suddenly, you are experiencing all of life with God--not just Sundays or 'quiet times.' Even more, he is transforming you in the process. You begin to experience the kind of ongoing, close connection to God you've longed for. An Ordinary Day with Jesus show you how to: invite Christ to work alongside you recognize and hear the Holy Spirit's voice use the spiritual pathways that best connect you to God eliminate hurry and simplify your pace of life wake up and go to sleep in Jesus' name open everyday relationships to him, learning even from difficult people spend soul-replenishing time alone with God plan, commit to, and actually experience an entire day with Jesus Experiencing God's presence in your everyday life doesn't necessarily mean doing new things. It means doing the things you already do in new ways--with him. An ordinary day with Jesus truly can be the greatest day you've ever had. Best of all, it can lead to an extraordinary life!

Zondervan, Dec 1, 2001 - Religion - 160 pages

As for Spiritual/Sacred Pathways I tried to understand where it falls short.

I think it: 1) allows focus on extra-biblical thinking; 2) detracts our attention from the word to appealing ideas of man; 3) affirms our natural bent or characteristic style...leading to affirmation of our own desires, self-justification and avoids direct confrontation with our sin nature and need for both mercy and repentance; 4) introduces "new", "fresh" ideas for our faith...these seem more attractive to think about, stranglely often these are wrapped in the concept of being an old mystical practice, oddly these two appeal as being something fresh and new to experiment with to go deeper.

The problem with these materials is it lets us be content with our own unique life bent or Sacred Pathways...focusing on ourselves.

Luk 18:11 I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Perhaps, read that as "not Cavinists, anti-social gospel preachers, Bible thumpers, tradition marriage supporters, or even those who speak of sin and repentance"! I am so glad I am not one of those discernment people who create disunity!

Luk 18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

Read purpose driven, missional....or I practice the Spiritul Disciplines, etc

But rather we should recognize God, desire his mercy and understand our sin and need for His salvation....not our earned wages of so called good works.

Luk 18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

Luk 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luk 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

Luk 23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

Luk 23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

Luk 23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Paul summarized the gospel this way.

Rom 1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

1Co 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

1Co 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

1Co 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1Co 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1Co 15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.