July 2020 – ♥️ Take heart!

Burn my sins

31.07.202031.07.2020Ruth Kirk

Image: Gábor Adonai, Pixabay

1. Burn my sins to ash, Lord,
With your fire,
And chase away my darkness
With your light.

2. Mend my foolish thoughts, Lord,
With your truth,
And make up for my weakness
With your might.

3. Heal my broken heart, Lord,
With your love,
And comfort my poor body
With your peace.

4. Fill my wretched soul, Lord,
With your hope,
And dwell in me forever,
My High Priest.

References

1. God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).

God is light (1 John 1:5; NIV).

2. The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).

Power and might are in your hand (1 Chronicles 29:12; NLT).

3. God is love (1 John 4:16; NIV).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).

4. God [is] the source of hope (Romans 15:13; NLT).

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

Jesus […] has become our eternal High Priest (Hebrews 6:20; NLT).

Prayer

30.07.2020Ruth Kirk

Image: Pexels, Pixabay

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

1. Prayer is less about speaking,
And more about listening.

2. Less about asking,
And more about trusting.

3. Less about wanting,
And more about caring.

4. Less about needing,
And more about sharing.

References

1. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord (Psalm 139:4; NLT).

Listen to his voice (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

2. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him (Matthew 6:8; NIV).

Trust in him at all times (Psalm 62:8; NLT).

3. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1; KJV).

You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind. And, Love your neighbour as yourself (Luke 10:27; NLT).

4. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33; NLT).

If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

May I believe in you

29.07.2020Ruth Kirk

Image: Pablo Juan, Pixabay

1. Lord,
May I believe in you,
Follow you,
And trust you.

2. Lord,
May I remain in you,
Worship you,
And love you.

3. Lord,
May I have faith in you,
Live in you,
And serve you.

References

1. Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent” (John 6:29; NLT).

Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24; NLT).

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

2. Remain in me, and I will remain in you (John 15:4; NLT).

You must worship Christ as Lord of your life (1 Peter 3:15; NLT).

May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:24; NLT).

3. You are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:26; NLT).

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7; NLT).

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God (Romans 14:17-18; NLT).

In loneliness

28.07.2020Ruth Kirk

Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).

1. In loneliness,
I search, Lord, for your presence.

2. In weakness, Lord,
I long to sense your might.

3. In silence, Lord,
I yearn to hear you speaking.

4. In darkness, Lord,
I wait to see your light.

References

1. I lie awake, lonely as a solitary bird on the roof (Psalm 102:7; NLT).

Seek his presence continually (Psalm 105:4; RSV).

2. Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak (Psalm 6:2; NLT).

Seek the Lord and his strength (Psalm 105:4; RSV).

3. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

Listen to his voice (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

4. Darkness is my closest friend (Psalm 88:18; NLT).

I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning (Psalm 130:6; NIV).

May I live in you

27.07.2020Ruth Kirk

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

1. Father,
May I live in you,
Following your Son
Along the way.

2. Father,
May I trust in you,
Praying in your Spirit
Every day.

3. Father,
May I hide in you,
Rejoicing in your presence
And your peace.

4. Father,
May I rest in you,
Knowing we are one, Lord,
Without cease.

References

1. In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28, NIV).

Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24; NLT).

2. Trust in God and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).

3. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3; NIV).

Rejoice in his presence (Psalm 68:4; NLT).

You will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand (Philippians 4:7; NLT).

4. My soul finds rest in God (Psalm 62:1; NIV).

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

Pray constantly

26.07.2020Ruth Kirk

Pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17; RSV).

1. Pray constantly,
By living in God’s presence.

2. Pray constantly,
By resting in his peace.

3. Pray constantly,
By sharing in his sorrows.

4. Pray constantly,
By praising without cease.

References

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

2. I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart (John 14:27; NLT).

3. You will indeed drink from my bitter cup and be baptised with my baptism of suffering (Mark 10:39; NLT).

If we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

4. Praise him forever! (Psalm 111:10; NLT).

His praise will always be on my lips (Psalm 34:1; NIV).

I glimpse your glory

25.07.202030.12.2025Ruth Kirk

They could see the awesome glory of the Lord
in the cloud (Exodus 16:10; NLT).

1. Lord,
I glimpse your glory in the skies:
Your planets, clouds and stars,
Your sun and moon.

2. Lord,
I sense your beauty in the earth:
Your forests, hills and valleys,
Flower-strewn.

3. Lord,
I feel your power in the sea:
Your currents, waves and storms,
Your ebb and flood.

4. Lord,
I know your presence in my prayers:
Your still, small voice, your light,
Warmth, peace and love.

Sovereign Lord, you made the heavens and earth
and the sea, and everything in them
(Acts 4:24; NIV).

References

1. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands (Psalm 19:1; NIV).

2. From Mount Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth (Psalm 50:2; NIV).

3. By his power he churned up the sea (Job 26:12; NIV).

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

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

God is light (1 John 1:5; NIV).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).

God is love (1 John 4:16; NIV).

Stripped away

24.07.2020Ruth Kirk

1. When all my faith and joy
Are stripped away,
You alone, in darkness, Lord, remain.

2. When all my trust and hope
Are stripped away,
You alone are here to share my pain.

3. When all my way of life
Is stripped away,
You alone, Lord, grasp that I’m bereft.

4. When all I thought I had
Is stripped away,
You alone are all that I have left.

References

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

2. In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

3. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away (Job 1:21; NIV).

4. Even what they think they have will be taken from them (Luke 8:18; NIV).

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

God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5; NLT).

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

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need (Psalm 23:1; NLT).

Trust

23.07.2020Ruth Kirk

Even my best friend, the one I trusted completely,
the one who shared my food, has turned against me
(Psalm 41:9; NLT).

Lord,

1. My path is very dark;
I put my trust in you.

2. May I love my enemies
In all I say and do.

3. Help me to forgive all those
By whom I am reviled,

4. And though my heart is broken, Lord,
May we be reconciled.

Father, forgive them,
for they don’t know what they are doing
(Luke 23:34; NLT).

References

1. If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

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

I will watch what I do and not sin in what I say (Psalm 39:1; NLT).

We will speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15; NLT).

Do everything with love (1 Corinthians 16:14; NLT).

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

My adversaries revile me (Psalm 42:10; NASB).

4. My heart is broken (Lamentations 1:20; NLT).

If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, “I repent,” you must forgive them (Luke 17:3-4; NIV).