Pathways Press.com

Written by Annie Johnson Flint (1866-1932), a writer of Christian poems.

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercies,
To multiplied trials His multiplied peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth and giveth and giveth again.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will
boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. [2 Corinthians 12:9].

Read Full Post »

Written by Jennifer Tucker, a contemporary author. This is an excerpt from her book “Breath as Prayer.”

Sometimes we get this idea that if only we had more faith or if we just prayed enough or in the right way, all our suffering would go away, our sickness would be healed, and we wouldn’t struggle anymore. But God never promised this.  In fact, Jesus said that we will have suffering; we will have trouble. What He promises isn’t freedom from suffering but His presence and peace in the midst of it. We can have ultimate peace because He has already ultimately conquered the world.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.  [John 16:33]

Read Full Post »

Written by Stormie Omartian, a contemporary author and speaker.

God, I acknowledge You as Lord over every area of my life this day. Help me walk in Your perfect will in all that I do and everything that I say. Amen.

I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior. [Isaiah 43:11]

Read Full Post »

Written by Timothy Keller (1950-2023), an American Calvinist pastor, preacher, theologian, and Christian apologist.

In 1971 I heard a talk—two illustrations—that changed my life. The woman, named Barbara Boyd, said, “If somebody says to me, ‘Come on in, Barbara, but stay out, Boyd,’ it’s a bit of a problem because I can’t separate them. It’s not like the top half of me is Barbara, and the bottom half of me is Boyd. So if you won’t have Boyd, you can’t get Barbara. If you’re going to keep the Boyd out, I can’t come in at all!” She continued: “To say, ‘Jesus, come into my life, forgive my sins, answer my prayers; do this for me, do that for me—but don’t be the absolute master of my life; Jesus, Savior, come in; but Lord, stay out,’ how can he come in at all? Because he’s all Savior, and he’s all Lord. He’s Lord because he’s Savior. He’s Savior because he’s Lord.”

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.  [2 Peter 3:18]

Read Full Post »

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]

Read Full Post »

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]

Read Full Post »

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].

Read Full Post »

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]

Read Full Post »

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]

Read Full Post »

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]

Read Full Post »