Lord, I want to pray

Ruth Kirk

Image: waldryano, Pixabay

✝️

1. Lord,
I want to pray, rejoice,
And thank you.

I want to serve,
Console, forgive,
And love.

2. Lord,
I want to plead
For your forgiveness,

Then follow
In your steps,
Saved by your blood.

3. Lord,
I want to spread
Your priceless gospel,

So others learn
To worship,
And adore.

4. Lord,
I want to bear
My cross to heaven,

Where I
Will lay it down
For evermore.

✝️

References

1. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all (Mark 9:35; NIV).

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us (Luke 11:4; NLT).

May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NLT).

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them (Romans 12:9; NLT; my emphasis).

2. Perhaps even yet they will turn from their evil ways and ask the Lord’s forgiveness before it is too late (Jeremiah 36:7; NLT).

Then [Jesus] said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Since we have now been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation (Romans 5:9; NLT).

3. The Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it (Matthew 13:45-6; CSB).

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16; NIV).

Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ (1 Corinthians 9:19; NLT).

4. Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Then Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28; NLT).

Gifts

Ruth Kirk

Image: Fotoshop Tofs, Pixabay

💛

1. Lord,
You give me every breath I take;
This precious world,
And everything you make.

2. You give me food and water,
All I need;
Your only Son –
His life and death, my creed.

3. Lord,
You give me faith, and hope, and prayer;
Your light, your truth;
Your peace beyond compare.

4. You even give your Spirit,
From above;
And best of all, Lord God,
You give me love.

💛

References

1. He himself gives life and breath to everything (Acts 17:25; NLT).

I am the Lord, who made all things (Isaiah 44:24; NLT).

God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:10; NLT).

2. He satisfies every need (Acts 17:25; NLT).

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).

3. It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).

Jesus Christ […] gives us hope (1 Timothy 1:1; NLT).

The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world (John 1:9; NLT).

I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give (John 14:27; NLT).

4. Each of you must repent and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; NLT).

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

God above

Ruth Kirk

Image: lassensurf: Pixabay

🤎

1. God above,
So far away:
Please help me through
Each weary day.

2. God, beside me,
Though unseen:
Forgive my sins,
And wash me clean.

3. God within,
So very near:
Please help me bear
Each pain and fear.

4. God beneath,
So great, so just:
Remember
I am only dust.

🤎

References

1. God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! (Isaiah 40:22; NLT).

My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Matthew 26:39; NLT).

2. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

Forgive all my sins (Psalm 25:18; NLT).

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7; NLT).

3. We are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

Christ lives within you (Romans 8:10; NLT).

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you (Romans 8:11; NLT).

What great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? (Deuteronomy 4:7; NLT).

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30; KJV).

4. There is […] one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6; NIV).

God is great! (Psalm 70:4; NLT).

He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright he is (Deuteronomy 32:4; NLT).

The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust (Psalm 103:13-14; NLT).

I pray for all who suffer

Ruth Kirk

Image: Juliane Koch, Pixabay

🧡

1. I pray for all who suffer,
For the dying,
And the dead;

2. For those who have to live
With what they did,
And what they said;

3. For all they loved,
And all they hurt,
And all those who hurt them:

4. Forgive us, Lord,
And heal us all; have mercy –
Don’t condemn.

🧡

References

1. Moses prayed for the people (Numbers 21:7; NLT).

2. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who hurt you (Luke 6:28; NLT).

3. Love your enemies (Luke 6:27; NLT).

4. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12; NLT).

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but now he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6:1; NIV).

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy (Psalm 123:3; NLT).

Who then will condemn us? No one – for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honour at God’s right hand, pleading for us (Romans 8:34; NLT).

Even when you don’t believe

Ruth Kirk


Image: John Woodman

💚

1. Even when
You don’t believe in God,
He still believes
In you.

2. Even when
You don’t love God,
He gives you life,
And loves you, too.

3. Even when
You don’t know God,
He still knows
Everything you do;

4. And even when
You don’t want God,
He watches, waits, and longs
For you.

💚

References

1. He is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish (Luke 6:35; RSV).

2. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need (Acts 17:25; NLT).

He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

3. He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth (Psalm 11:4; NLT).

Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely (Psalm 139:4; NIV).

4. The Lord must wait for you to come to him so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

Your cross

Ruth Kirk

Image: Ruth Kirk

❤️

Lord,

1. Your cross
Is part of me,
And I am part
Of you.

2. It’s always with me,
Day and night,
In all I think, and say,
And do.

3. It gives me courage,
Comfort, peace,
When I am anxious,
Or in pain –

4. Reminding me
How Jesus lived
And suffered,
Died, and rose again.

🌺🌺🌺

References

1. If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23; NLT).

Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).

2. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

3. I am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives (Micah 3:8; NET).

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever (John 14:16; KJV).

Peace I leave you; my peace I give you (John 14:27; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

4. The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction. But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18; NLT).

“The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead” (Luke 9:22; NLT).

You come to me

Ruth Kirk

Image: John Greece, Pixabay

✝️

1. You come to me
In fear and pain,
When every hope, Lord God,
Seems vain.

2. You come when life is dark
And chill,
To help me face
Your perfect will.

3. You come, Lord,
When my race is run,
And all my days on earth
Are done.

4. You come when I am lost,
Alone –
You come, at last,
To take me home.

✝️

References

1. Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you (Isaiah 35:4; NLT).  

We have become old, dry bones – all hope is gone (Ezekiel 37:11; NLT).

2. My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Matthew 26:39; NLT).

You will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2; NLT).

3. My spirit is crushed, and my life is nearly snuffed out. The grave is ready to receive me (Job 17:1; NLT). 

4. You have taken away my companions and my loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).

Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfil the scripture),“I thirst” (John 19:28; RSV).

You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave (Psalm 16:10; NLT).

He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).

Your dwelling-place

Ruth Kirk

Image: falco, Pixabay

🧡

I will put my dwelling-place among you
(Leviticus 26:11; NIV).

1. May my flesh, Lord, be a tent,
Where you encamp in light.
Then I’ll spend all my days with you,
And rest with you at night.

2. May my mind, Lord, be a fort,
Where you establish peace.
Then I will pray, rejoice in you,
And worship without cease.

3. May my heart, Lord, be a home,
Where you outpour your love.
Then you will be my inner voice,
And help me to do good.

4. May my soul, Lord, be a shrine,
Where you preside, in grace.
Then you will be my Comforter,
And I your dwelling-place.

🧡

References

1. We know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself (2 Corinthians 5:1; NLT).

I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling (2 Samuel 7:6; NLT).

Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light (Micah 7:8; NLT).

Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16; NIV).

2. The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my saviour; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety (2 Samuel 22:2-3; NLT).

Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

Rejoice in the Lord (Psalm 32:11; NLT).

You must fear the Lord your God and worship him (Deuteronomy 10:20; NLT).

3. Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them” (John 14:23; NLT).

With the Lord there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows (Psalm 130:7; NLT).

After the fire [there came] a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12; KJV).

Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone (Galatians 6:10; NLT).

4. You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

Just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead (Romans 5:21; NLT).

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever (John 14:16; KJV).

I will comfort you (Isaiah 66:13; NKJV).

My dwelling-place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people (Ezekiel 37:27; NIV).

My prayers

Ruth Kirk

Image: waldryano, Pixabay

❤️

Lord,

1. May my prayers
Be natural –
Childlike, simple,
Sweet.

2. May my prayers
Be genuine –
Honest, prompt,
Complete.

3. May my prayers
Be uncontrived –
Trustful, loving,
Pure.

4. May my prayers
Be uncompelled –
Joyful, short,
Mature.

5. May my prayers
Be from the heart –
Spontaneous,
And true.

6. May my prayers
Be constant, Lord –
Then I’ll be one
With you.

❤️

Image: Pexels, Pixabay

References

1. Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3; NIV).

They will be called ‘children of the living God’ (Hosea 1:10; NIV).

2. You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).

We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5; NIV).

Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

3. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14;1; NLT).

I have done no wrong, and my prayer is pure (Job 16:17; NLT).

4. Always rejoice (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).

When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:7; NIV).

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:4; NIV).

5. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge (Psalm 62:8; NLT).

6. Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).

Help me, Lord

Ruth Kirk

Image: superintelligencek, Pixabay

🤎

You are to be perfect,
even as your Father in heaven is perfect
(Matthew 5:48; NLT).

1. Help me, Lord,
To follow in your footsteps,
To walk with you,
And slowly be reformed.

2. Help me, Lord,
To understand your teaching,
To sit with you,
And gladly be transformed.

3. Help me, Lord,
To love and serve, as you did,
Like you in all I feel, think, say,
And do.

4. Help me, Lord,
To live and die as you did,
For then, at last, I’ll reunite
With you.

🤎

References

1. Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).

2. Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think (Romans 12:2; NLT).

3. We will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

4. The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).