1 Reveal Beauty by The Work Of The People
(ctrl) and (+) magnifies screen if type too small. me quotes scripture verse footnotes Words of Jesus Links
Mulholland
Gracious and loving God, you know the deep inner patterns of my life that keep me from being totally yours. You know the mis-formed structures of my being that hold me in bondage to something less than your high purpose for my life. You also know my reluctance to let you have your way with me in these areas. Here the deeper cry of my heart for wholeness and by your grace enable me to be open to your transforming presence in this reading. Lord, have mercy.
God of our creation and re-creation, you who are constantly at work to shape me in the wholeness of Christ, you know the hardness of the structures of my being that resist your shaping touch. You know the deep inner rigidities of my being that reject your changing grace. By your grace soften my hardness and rigidity; help me to become pliable in your hands. Even as I read this, may there be a melting of my inmate resistance to your transforming love.
Gracious and loving God, it is with thankfulness that I hear your call to become Christlike. Something deep within my heart stirs in its heavy sleep at your call. The memory of something I was to have been, but I'm not, yet could still be flits on the fringes of my consciousness. O loving God, stir up this hunger in my heart until it becomes the all consuming passion of my life.
Gracious God, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, deliver me, I pray, from the easy habit of thinking that my spirituality is something between you and me alone. It is so difficult to except the idea that my spiritual wholeness cannot be attainable outside of my life with others. Help me to open my heart and spirit to what you want to say to me in this chapter. Help me to commit my relationships to you, that they may become channels of your grace in my life and that I may become a channel of your grace for others.
Thank you, oh God, for meeting me here in ways far beyond my knowing. I thank you for working in many in ways far deeper than my awareness. I thank you for your love. It enfolds me even when I am most resistant to your presence. I thank you for your grace. It offers yourself to me even when my back is turned. I thank you, as I come into your presence in this chapter, for the infinite variety of your creative power in my life. I thank you for the infinite diversity that you have crafted into me. It makes me a unique person. As I think upon this, I pray that you will enable me to be truly thankful for the creation gifts you have given me. Enable me to offer myself to you in them for the work you want to do in me and through me in my life in the world.
Thank you, gracious God, for your steadfast love and patience with me. Even though I persist in the misuse of the creation gifts you have given me, you continue to call me out of my incompleteness into the wholeness you have for me in Christ. Even when I try to hide behind a "spirituality" that confirms me in my incompleteness and brokenness, your love neither abandons me nor tolerates my evasions. Your love becomes troubling grace that shakes my foundations and breaches my defenses. Help me to let you do your disturbing work in my life in this chapter. Let it become for me a mirror in which you show me what you want me to see about myself.
If you are praying this prayer it is a simple thing to change the line "in this chapter" to in this situation, circumstance, relationship, etc.
Oh God of wholeness, when I consider the lack of balance and wholeness in my life, the one-sided spiritualities with which I attempt to appease you, to appear good in the eyes of others, and to please myself, I come face to face with my need for a holistic spiritual life. Help me, I pray, to hunger and thirst for the wholeness you have for me in Christ. Help me to be willing to surrender to you whatever stands in the way of such wholeness.
Oh God, I feel like Abraham must have felt when he started his journey of obedience to you, not knowing where he was going. I am uncomfortable not having control of my itinerary, not being able to choose the route. While my present state of brokenness and incompleteness is not always pleasant or comfortable, at least I am accustomed to it and know my way around in it. Help me to let you lead me out into the unknown; overcome my fear with your love, my hesitancy with your hope for my wholeness.
Gracious and loving God, I confess that the idea of "discipline" raises negative feelings and thoughts in me. Perhaps I think of discipline as punishment; it may raise dark shadows of long forgotten and deeply buried abuse as a child. Perhaps I think of discipline as a heavy burden imposed upon me by some outside agency; it may call to mind such experiences from my past. I have difficulty thinking of discipline as a positive and creative dimension of my relationship with you. I especially have difficulty seeing spiritual disciplines as a means of your grace in my life. Can't you simply touch me at the points of my brokenness and incompleteness and make me well and whole? Help me, Lord, to receive what you have for me here. Help me to be willing to put my feet upon the narrow way of the disciplines that will bring me to complete freedom in your love.
Oh God, the consideration of the classical spiritual disciplines has awakened me to the radical nature of being a disciple of Jesus. I have seen so many aspects of my practice of Christianity that have simply been my own form of works righteousness. I have seen many areas of my discipleship that need to be reconsidered. I have been challenged to undertake frighteningly new disciplines and to begin to walk in unknown paths with you. If the classical disciplines are so challenging, what do the personal disciplines hold for me? Help me to be open and available to you, to place my life at your disposal, that you may fulfill your purposes in me and through me.
Gracious and loving God, I stand in awe of your infinite patience. You desire my perfect wholeness. You are deeply desirous to make me perfectly whole, even to the extent of entering into my brokenness and taking its death into your own being on the cross. And yet you never violate my independence, you never trample upon my free will, you never usurp the integrity of my being. You wait and infinite patience for me to open my life to your cleansing, healing, liberating, transforming grace. You wait for me to willingly cooperate with your purposes for my wholeness. Help me, oh my God, to offer to you the deep inner yieldedness of my being that will enable my spiritual disciplines to become avenues of grace in me.
God of our creation and re-creation, you who are constantly at work to shape me in the wholeness of Christ, you know the hardness of the structures of my being that resist your shaping touch. You know the deep inner rigidities of my being that reject your changing grace. By your grace soften my hardness and rigidity; help me to become pliable in your hands. Even as I read this, may there be a melting of my inmate resistance to your transforming love.
Gracious and loving God, it is with thankfulness that I hear your call to become Christlike. Something deep within my heart stirs in its heavy sleep at your call. The memory of something I was to have been, but I'm not, yet could still be flits on the fringes of my consciousness. O loving God, stir up this hunger in my heart until it becomes the all consuming passion of my life.
Gracious God, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, deliver me, I pray, from the easy habit of thinking that my spirituality is something between you and me alone. It is so difficult to except the idea that my spiritual wholeness cannot be attainable outside of my life with others. Help me to open my heart and spirit to what you want to say to me in this chapter. Help me to commit my relationships to you, that they may become channels of your grace in my life and that I may become a channel of your grace for others.
Thank you, oh God, for meeting me here in ways far beyond my knowing. I thank you for working in many in ways far deeper than my awareness. I thank you for your love. It enfolds me even when I am most resistant to your presence. I thank you for your grace. It offers yourself to me even when my back is turned. I thank you, as I come into your presence in this chapter, for the infinite variety of your creative power in my life. I thank you for the infinite diversity that you have crafted into me. It makes me a unique person. As I think upon this, I pray that you will enable me to be truly thankful for the creation gifts you have given me. Enable me to offer myself to you in them for the work you want to do in me and through me in my life in the world.
Thank you, gracious God, for your steadfast love and patience with me. Even though I persist in the misuse of the creation gifts you have given me, you continue to call me out of my incompleteness into the wholeness you have for me in Christ. Even when I try to hide behind a "spirituality" that confirms me in my incompleteness and brokenness, your love neither abandons me nor tolerates my evasions. Your love becomes troubling grace that shakes my foundations and breaches my defenses. Help me to let you do your disturbing work in my life in this chapter. Let it become for me a mirror in which you show me what you want me to see about myself.
If you are praying this prayer it is a simple thing to change the line "in this chapter" to in this situation, circumstance, relationship, etc.
Oh God of wholeness, when I consider the lack of balance and wholeness in my life, the one-sided spiritualities with which I attempt to appease you, to appear good in the eyes of others, and to please myself, I come face to face with my need for a holistic spiritual life. Help me, I pray, to hunger and thirst for the wholeness you have for me in Christ. Help me to be willing to surrender to you whatever stands in the way of such wholeness.
Oh God, I feel like Abraham must have felt when he started his journey of obedience to you, not knowing where he was going. I am uncomfortable not having control of my itinerary, not being able to choose the route. While my present state of brokenness and incompleteness is not always pleasant or comfortable, at least I am accustomed to it and know my way around in it. Help me to let you lead me out into the unknown; overcome my fear with your love, my hesitancy with your hope for my wholeness.
Gracious and loving God, I confess that the idea of "discipline" raises negative feelings and thoughts in me. Perhaps I think of discipline as punishment; it may raise dark shadows of long forgotten and deeply buried abuse as a child. Perhaps I think of discipline as a heavy burden imposed upon me by some outside agency; it may call to mind such experiences from my past. I have difficulty thinking of discipline as a positive and creative dimension of my relationship with you. I especially have difficulty seeing spiritual disciplines as a means of your grace in my life. Can't you simply touch me at the points of my brokenness and incompleteness and make me well and whole? Help me, Lord, to receive what you have for me here. Help me to be willing to put my feet upon the narrow way of the disciplines that will bring me to complete freedom in your love.
Oh God, the consideration of the classical spiritual disciplines has awakened me to the radical nature of being a disciple of Jesus. I have seen so many aspects of my practice of Christianity that have simply been my own form of works righteousness. I have seen many areas of my discipleship that need to be reconsidered. I have been challenged to undertake frighteningly new disciplines and to begin to walk in unknown paths with you. If the classical disciplines are so challenging, what do the personal disciplines hold for me? Help me to be open and available to you, to place my life at your disposal, that you may fulfill your purposes in me and through me.
Gracious and loving God, I stand in awe of your infinite patience. You desire my perfect wholeness. You are deeply desirous to make me perfectly whole, even to the extent of entering into my brokenness and taking its death into your own being on the cross. And yet you never violate my independence, you never trample upon my free will, you never usurp the integrity of my being. You wait and infinite patience for me to open my life to your cleansing, healing, liberating, transforming grace. You wait for me to willingly cooperate with your purposes for my wholeness. Help me, oh my God, to offer to you the deep inner yieldedness of my being that will enable my spiritual disciplines to become avenues of grace in me.
- Panel 1
- Panel 2
- Panel 3
2 A Prayer To Guide Us by Centerline New Media
3 Prayer Inspiration by Steelehouse Media Group
Devotionals and more
Invitation To A Journey
The prayers on the left and those below start the chapters in M. Robert Mulholland Jr.'s wonderful book, Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation
More prayers
from Mulholland
from Mulholland
Gracious and loving God, we thank and praise you for what we have been sharing together. We thank you for your presence with us. For the work you have been doing in our minds and hearts, for the ways you have been touching our lives, known and unknown, we give you praise and thanks. And as we come to the final aspects of our sharing, may we again, by your grace, open our lives to you fully, completely, and give you permission to do whatever you want to do in us through these pages. Help us, in the depths of our hearts, to say yes to you in a fuller, more complete way. Guide us by the anointing of your Spirit, that we may receive what you have for us.
Oh God of peoples, nations in history; you who became incarnate in the midst of economic, social and political injustice; you who call us to incarnate the reality of your kingdom in the midst of the world's destructive values, structures and dynamics: we confess that we would much rather limit our relationship with you to the comfortable confines of our own insulated world. We are prone to withdrawal and to create islands of security within which we can live in some degree of peace and comfort without having to see the pain and anguish of the world outside. We are tempted to limit our spirituality to the narrow boundaries of our self circumscribed world. Oh God of justice and mercy, help us see that to be conformed to the image of Christ is to be thrust out into the world as agents of your redeeming, healing, liberating, transforming grace. Help us to see that our growth toward wholeness in Christ cannot move toward its fruition apart from our life in the world. Guide us in our consideration of this reality in this chapter, and help us to be open and responsive to what you are saying to us.
Rabbi Hayim Halevy
How To Pray As A Jew
How To Pray As A Jew
In expressing his view regarding a whole series of religious practices that were then entirely optional, Rabbi Jose, a second-century Talmudic sage, said, "Let my lot (meaning in this life and in the afterlife) be with those who complete Hallel every day" (Shabbat 118b). The Talmud then proceeds to explain that Rabbi Jose was not referring to the group of psalms that we designate today as Hallel and recite only on holidays, but to the groups of psalms that we say every day, and call Pesukei d' Zimra. This is known as "the daily hallel."
This remained an entirely optional part of the service for a long time, as a sort of voluntary offering. Saadia Gaon explained it this way: "Our nation willingly offered to read songs and praises to the Holy One, blessed be He … " Maimonides put it this way: "The sages regarded as praise worthy those who every day read the psalms from Tehilah l'David (Psalm 145) until the end of the book (Psalm 150) … (Hil. Tefilah 7:12). It was said mainly by pious individuals who were meticulous about putting themselves into the proper spirit for the obligatory prayers (Berakhot 5:1)."
Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin, To Pray As A Jew: A Guide To The Prayer Book And The Synagogue Service
The Dailey Hallel
145-146 from the Psalms
145-146 from the Psalms
NRS Psalm 145:1 <Praise. Of David.>
The Greatness and the Goodness of God
I will extol you, my GOD and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you,
and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.
NRS Psalm 146:1
Prasie for God's help
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my GOD all my life long.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the GOD of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their GOD,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign forever,
your GOD, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!
The Dailey Hallel
from Psalms 147-148
from Psalms 147-148
NRS Psalm 147:1
Praise for God's Care for Jerusalem
Praise the LORD!
How good it is to sing praises to our GOD;
for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem;
he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted,
and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars;
he gives to all of them their names.
5 Great is our LORD, and abundant in power;
his understanding is beyond measure.
6 The LORD lifts up the downtrodden;
he casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;
make melody to our GOD on the lyre.
8 He covers the heavens with clouds,
prepares rain for the earth,
makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He gives to the animals their food,
and to the young ravens when they cry.
10 His delight is not in the strength of the horse,
nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;
11 but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!
Praise your GOD, O Zion!
13 For he strengthens the bars of your gates;
he blesses your children within you.
14 He grants peace within your borders;
he fills you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.
16 He gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down hail like crumbs –
who can stand before his cold?
18 He sends out his word, and melts them;
he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.
19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
they do not know his ordinances.
Praise the LORD!
NRS Psalm 148:1
Praise for God's Universal Glory
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!
3 Praise him, sun and moon;
praise him, all you shining stars!
4 Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
12 Young men and women alike,
old and young together!
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the LORD!
The Dailey Hallel
From Psalms 149-150
From Psalms 149-150
NRS Psalm 149:1
Praise for God's Goodness to Israel
Praise the LORD!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
2 Let Israel be glad in its Maker;
let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing,
making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;
he adorns the humble with victory.
5 Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy on their couches.
6 Let the high praises of GOD be in their throats
and two-edged swords in their hands,
7 to execute vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters
and their nobles with chains of iron,
9 to execute on them the judgment decreed.
This is glory for all his faithful ones.
Praise the LORD!
NRS Psalm 150:1
Praise for God's Surpassing Greatness
Praise the LORD!
Praise GOD in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!
2 Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
3 Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
5 Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
6 Let everything that breathes praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!
NRS The Lord's Prayer
(Disciples Prayer)
(Disciples Prayer)
NRS Matthew 6:9-15
9 "Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And do not bring us to the time of trial,
but rescue us from the evil one.
14 For if you forgive others their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
15 but if you do not forgive others,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The Holy Bible: containing the Old and New Testaments with the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical Books [New Revised Standard Version]
KJV The Lord's Prayer
(Disciples Prayer)
(Disciples Prayer)
KJV Matthew 6:9-15
9 After this manner therefore pray ye:
Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible (Old and New Testament)
Learn To be Still by RSAofYAP
Free to download on Vimeo
Praise You In the Storm by RSAofYAP
Free to download on Vimeo