Pathways Press.com

Written by Bryan O’Keefe, a contemporary lawyer and writer.

When you have true faith in Jesus, everything flips. Your life is no longer about your record or your achievement or trying harder but about HIS record and what HE did for you. And when you intellectually recognize the enormity of the sacrifice, you then more willingly obey the law, out of fullness of heart, to show love for the one who loved and died for you – despite all of your imperfections. This is the central message of Christianity. Its radical. It’s astounding. It’s different from every other religion which says “just try harder and God might reward you.” It might be different from the Christianity that you thought you knew…But this is the heart of the Gospel and it’s tremendously liberating…The secret to a better life is not endlessly trying harder—it is resting in the glory of what has already been done for you

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. [Romans 8:1]

Written by Clement of Rome (Unknown-c100 AD), a bishop of Rome known as Pope Clement 1, who is considered to be the first of the Apostolic Fathers of the Church.  This prayer is part of the Clementine Liturgy that was used in first century Christian worship.

O God, you are the ineffable Ocean of love, the unfathomable Abyss of peace, the Source of all goodness, and the Dispenser of affection. You send peace to those who are receptive to it. Open for us today the sea of your love, and water us with the plenteous streams from the riches of your grace.  Make us children of tranquility and heirs of peace. Enkindle in us the flame of your love, and sow in us reverence for you. Firm up our weakness by your strength, and unite us closely with you and with one another in a bond of indissoluble unity and firm accord. Amen.

Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The goodness of God endures continually. [Psalm 52:1]

Written by Henri J. M. Nouwen (1932-1996), a Dutch priest, professor, writer, and theologian.  This is an excerpt from his book “Can I Drink the Cup?”

Action, just as silence and the word, can help us to claim and celebrate our true self. But here again we need discipline, because the world in which we live says, “Do this, do that, go here, go there, meet him, meet her.” Busyness has become a sign of importance. Having much to do, many places to go, and countless people to meet gives us status and even fame. However, being busy can lead us away from our true vocation and prevent us from drinking our cup.

I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God. [Ezekiel 11:19-20].

Written by Mother Teresa (1910-1997), a nun, author, and founder of Missionaries of Charity. This is an excerpt from her book “My Life for the Poor.”

The President of Mexico sent for me. I told him that he had to become holy as a president; not a Missionary of Charity, but as a president. He looked at me a bit surprised, but it is like that: we have to become holy, each of us, in the place where God put us.

So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus. [Acts 13:4]

Written by Norman Shawchuck (1935-2012), a pastor and author.

To view reality from a slightly different perspective often yields a view of things totally unlike what they appeared to be. If we take just a couple of steps in another direction, what we view as reality is often profoundly changed.

Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. [2 Corinthians 10:7]

Written by Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), a Spanish priest and theologian. This is an excerpt from the book
“The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.”


All spiritual disciplines are to help you trust this personal experience of yourself, which is, not surprisingly, also an experience of God. People are usually amazed that the two experiences coincide: when we know God, we seem to know and accept our own humanity; when we meet ourselves at profound levels of recognition, we also meet God. We don’t have any real access to who we are except through God, and we don’t have any real access to God except through forgiving and rejoicing in our own humanity.

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.  [Revelation 3:20]

Written by Richard Rohr, a contemporary Franciscan friar, ecumenical teacher, and writer.  This is an excerpt from his book “Everything Belongs.”

All spiritual disciplines are to help you trust this personal experience of yourself, which is, not surprisingly, also an experience of God. People are usually amazed that the two experiences coincide: when we know God, we seem to know and accept our own humanity; when we meet ourselves at profound levels of recognition, we also meet God. We don’t have any real access to who we are except through God, and we don’t have any real access to God except through forgiving and rejoicing in our own humanity.

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.  [Revelation 3:20]

Written by Jeannette Bakke, a contemporary professor and spiritual director. This is an excerpt from her book “Holy Invitations.”

When we are hungry to experience God’s loving presence near us and believe we are searching for God, it is important to ask ourselves whether we are truly seeking God or pursuing spiritual experience. We do get lonesome for God and can feel isolated and confused. But sometimes our search is not as much for God as it is for spiritual adventure. Perhaps we are bored. We might like to see ourselves as important spiritual persons and think a particular king of spiritual experience is one of the criteria necessary for others to view us in this way. Perhaps we would like God to heal someone through our prayer or bring about instantaneous, major life changes in us or in someone else with whom we have been praying more as a kind of witness to our supposed godliness than as an overflowing of God’s compassion.

O God, do not be far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! [Psalm 71:12]

Written by Philip Reinders, a contemporary writer.  Today’s prayer is based on the Heidelberg Catechism question 116 (Why is prayer so important?)

God who speaks and listens, if I waited to feel in the mood, I fear you wouldn’t hear too much from me. I need prayer to keep me freshly aware that I depend on you for everything and that everything I have is a gift from you. And so here I am, with open hands and grateful heart. Amen.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. [Psalm 139:14]

Written by the Lead Like Jesus team, an organization founded by Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges that promotes a transformational leadership model based on following Jesus.

The first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with everything in us—heart, soul, mind, and strength. As we focus on our relationship with Him, we are able to accept the changing circumstances of life with confidence and trust. He frees us to love others, and we find true community and contentment in knowing that our lives are in His hands.

I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the Lord; let all who
are helpless take heart. Psalm  34:1-2