Seek the Old Paths
By
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
SCRIPTURE:- Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein”.
MY PRAYER: - Psalms 119:130-135 says “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes”.
OPENING: - The Bible says in Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord”. Often there is the desire in the church today to move forward to something so-called better. Some churches even now have the scent of fresh coffee drifting through the sanctuary while giant screens light the auditorium with the message #Jesusisthebomb and you could win a set of ear pods after service. They try to make church cool and lit as the world says trying to appeal to the younger generation. However, seeking something new doesn’t always lead to the right way. Having a better show is good entertainment but it does nothing in the way of salvation. We have so-called preachers talking a bunch of stuff but not saying a thing. Sure, they know how to tickle the ears and stir emotions but when it comes to giving the unadulterated word of God, they fall extremely short. Their churches have marketing strategies that rival a fortune 500 company. Although they seem to be prospering a recent study by the Barna Group has shown that 67% of young people prefer a classic church over a trendy one and 77% would choose a sanctuary over and auditorium. Sadly, many churches today are plagued by the stigma of not being authentic because their rebranding, their restructuring, their refocusing has back-fired and there is more emphasis on marketing Jesus instead of following Jesus.
People are looking and searching for truth and not a bunch of superfluous fluff. They don’t need hot air-filled propaganda; they don’t need a lightshow that rivals the 4th of July. People can be entertained anywhere but when it comes to church people need to be transformed, revived, regenerated, healed, delivered, set free. They don’t need to be pumped and prodded to clap if they are excited about Jesus but led into worship during their heartache, brokenness, disappointments, strife, stress, and uncertainty. They don’t need a repacking and restructuring of the proven old paths they just need for the church to practice and walk in them. Sometimes reaching backward is how we move forward in our spiritual walk and stay relevant and effective. Scripture tells us to seek for the old paths. It’s when we seek for the old paths we can reach forward with more power, authority, and unction in the Holy Ghost.
Jeremiah 6:16 says, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein”.
This day and time that we are living in demands that we operate in the old paths. The same power noted in the Old and New Testaments is needed in our lives today. Society today has the audacity to try to tell us the Word of God is outdated and subject to interpretation. They say we don’t need your church or your Jesus. They believe that when they die it is all over and that is a lie straight from the depths of hell. We the church, the people of the living God need to get back to the mindset of our elders and do as Psalms 33:8 says, “Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him”. How does the world stand in awe of Him – they see Him in us.
WATCH THIS: - So many times we say there needs to be a great revival. Well let me tell you TRUTH nowhere in the Bible does it ever talk about a Great Revival before the Rapture of the church. Yes, there will be a great revival during the Tribulation Period but there will not be a great revival before the Rapture. The only Revival the world will truly see will start with each of us, sure souls will be saved but Revival means to bring back to wake up that which was dormant that which was sleep so revival is the reviving of the church and the old paths. When we seek the old ways and desire for great moves of God, we’ll see revival happen in our midst and that is how the world will come to stand in awe of Him, but we need to seek the old paths.
Someone may ask Bishop Why the Old Paths? Because the old paths are what works. The Holy Ghost is the only thing we know to have power and authority in our lives. We can’t change what works. The latest so-called church change is never going to be the greatest in the church because nothing can be compared to the Holy Ghost. We need to seek after the old paths that have great demonstration in the power of the Spirit 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 says, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God”. We need to get back to saying, “Send it on down Lord send it on down Lord let the Holy Ghost come on down”. We must preach Holiness is right and without it no one shall see the Lord.
Bishop What are the Old Paths? God, through Jeremiah the prophet, instructed the people of Jerusalem about the path they ought to follow: “Stand by in the ways and see and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls…” The old paths are the good way not in the new paths of modern religion and culture. The old paths are the paths we must seek out today.
In the Old Testament the old paths referred to God’s way that He had revealed through Moses the Law. However, Colossians 2:14 says, “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross”. So, what are the old paths today.
The old paths today Mark 16:15 says, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”. We must preach the Gospel to all the world, not what they want to hear but the unadulterated truth. Stop telling the world God just wants you to be happy and you can have your best life now. Stop telling them God wants you to be rich and have a mansion and drive a big fancy car with a diamond in the back and sunroof top. We need to stop preaching saying stuff like we are raising women to be men loosing all feminity.
We must preach John 3:16-18 which says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”.
We must preach Acts 2:38 which says, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”.
We must preach John 3:3&5 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God”.
We must preach Isaiah 53:5 which says, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”.
We must preach the old paths like Acts 1:11 which says, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven”.
We must preach Revelation 22:11-15 which says, “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie:”.
It is in the Old Paths that you will find rest for your souls. I so often think of the Old Paths.
You know I like the numbers in the Bible. The number 3 in the Bible means fullness. Past, Present Future is the fullness of time. Father Son Holy Ghost is the fullness of the Godhead. The Tabernacle had 3 parts the outer court the inner court and the Holy of Holies. Joseph had 3 coats the first one his father gave him, the second Potiphar gave him, the 3rd Pharoah gave him. David was anointed 3 times 1st to be king, 2nd king of Judah 3rd King of all Israel. There were 3 deaths on Calvary 1 died in sin, 1 died to sin, 1 died for sin.
Well there are 3 people when I think of the old paths that made an impact in my life. 1st is Mother Hampton; she was the 1st lady of the church in Akron they sent my father to assist her husband when he became sick. Mother Hampton sat on the seat on the side of the church up front called the mourner’s bench. She just portrayed holiness, her look was holiness, she carried herself in holiness. The question I want to ask today is 55 years from now will someone be able to say when I think of the old paths I remember so-n-so they just portrayed holiness.
The 2nd was Mother Tarpley she had a deep raspy voice, but I remember she would sing Walk with me Lord walk with me while I’m on this tedious journey I want Jesus to walk with me. Sometimes when I am going through, I must reach back and pull on that and other old songs and say hold my hand Lord hold my hand while I’m on this tedious journey I want Jesus to hold my hand.
The 3rd is Deacon Hightower. Deacon Hightower went to the Baptist church down around the corner and he would always lead the prayer to start services. He would pray that old Baptist prayer HMMM Our Father Our God Hmmm, but he would get to a part in the pray and it would really get good to him, and he would say. Lord, we thank you today for the blood. Thank you, God, for the blood of Jesus. Lord if it had not been for the blood. The blood the blood the blood Lord, I thank you for the blood. I remember I remember I remember how I was lost in sin, stained with all guilt and shame but the blood the blood the blood washed me and cleansed me Jesus’ white as snow. Lord, I thank you for the blood the blood the blood. The blood the blood the blood will never loose its power. The blood will heal your body. The blood will save your soul. The blood will set you free. The blood the blood the blood.
I decree and declare that whatever you are going through the blood still works.
You need healing in your body it’s in the blood.
You need deliverance it’s in the blood.
Finances messed up victory is in the blood.
Need a job it’s in the blood.
You want to know the old paths and find rest for you soul it’s in the blood of Jesus.
What can wash away my sins nothing but the blood of Jesus.
CLOSING: - Stress, heartaches, disappointments, inflation, school shootings, grief, and violence fill our lives today. However, when our focus is on Jesus Christ and we seek the old paths the benefits of rest and peace will come into our lives Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”. And that perfect peace is found according to Psalms 91:1 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee”.
The old path the Lord was talking about in Jeremiah was a specific path. It was the path where the good way was; therefore, we must go back to God’s word where the good way is and determine from there what path we ought to take. Just like David did when he wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, because he didn’t study the old paths Uza lost his life, but when he went and study the old paths when he learned to do what God had required to be done he was able to bring the Ark to Jerusalem.
We must be careful not to follow after the rudiments of men and all kinds of new age doctrines. Ephesians 4:14 says “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”.
We must allow ourselves to be directed by God’s word. This is where the good way is. If we want rest for our souls, which truly is salvation and peace with God, we must heed God’s warning and follow His path. Every other path leads to destruction. Let us be content with the old paths not longing for something new and different, so we might do as scripture says in Revelation 3:3&11 “Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown”.
Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.
