Author Archives: Ruth Kirk

environment, kindness, Kingdom of God, light, love, oneness, peace, Prayer, share, sin

Your kingdom

 

When love reigns, Lord, instead of hate,
And trust, instead of fear;
When peace prevails instead of war,
Your kingdom will be near.

When kindness dwells in every heart,
And we care every day
For people, creatures, and this world,
Your rule, Lord, will hold sway.

When your light shines from every soul
And brings an end to sin;
When hope dries every bitter tear,
Your realm will be within.

Lord, when we share more equally,
And all of us are one
With you, and with the earth, our home,
Your kingdom will have come.

 

References

They will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war any more (Isaiah 2:4; NLT)

Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near (Matthew 3:2; NLT).

Show mercy and kindness to one another (Zechariah 7:9; NLT).

He will rule with fairness and justice (Isaiah 9:7; NLT).

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness (Isaiah 58:10; NLT).

The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help (Isaiah 58:7; NLT).

I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one (John 17:22; NLT).

There is […] one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10; NIV).

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Cross, death, love, oneness, pain, sin, suffering, unity

Leave sin behind

 

Lord,
May I leave sin behind,
And turn again to you;
Then I will face this troubled life,
And see my trials through.

Lord,
May I leave self behind,
And follow Christ, your Son;
Then I will bear my cross, like him,
And serve till life is done.

Lord,
May I leave all behind,
And ask your Spirit’s aid;
Then I will live in love for all
I meet, before I fade.

Lord,
May I leave life behind
Without a backward glance;
Then I will reunite with you,
And join your timeless dance.

 

References

Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you (Job 11:14; NLT).

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; NLT).

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).

He will give you another Advocate [Comforter, Encourager, Counsellor], who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth (John 14:16-17; NLT).

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them (Romans 12.9; NLT).

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Luke 9:24; NLT).

Anyone who puts a hand to the plough and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:62; NLT).

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

For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours (Psalm 90:4; NLT).

 

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death, forgiveness, love, oneness, thank

Thank you

 

Thank you for my family,
Which means, Lord, all who live,
Including those I fear and dread,
And all those I forgive.

Thank you for my family,
Which means, Lord, all unborn,
Including those who wait, who dwell
With you, and those I mourn.

Thank you for my family,
Which means, Lord, all the dead,
Including those I’ve loved and lost,
Whose souls have gone ahead.

Thank you for my family,
Which means, Lord, all to come,
Including those who hate and kill,
For all of us are one.

Thank you for my family,
Which means the human race,
For you, Lord God, make all of us,
And all will see your face.

 

References

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Don’t you realise that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16; NLT).

I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one (John 17:22; NLT).

There is one Lord […] who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).

You are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28; NLT).

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

He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth (Isaiah 42:5; NLT).

Now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; NRSV).

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body, mind, heart, soul, realisation, important, prayer, contemplation,, suffering

Questions…

 

However shall I find you
In Gethsemane, at night?

However shall I look at you,
Transfigured by God’s light?

However shall I fast with you
Amid the desert caves?

However shall I come to you
Across the stormy waves?

However shall I eat with you
Inside the upper room?

However shall I walk by you
As you approach your tomb?

However shall I stay with you
Despite all you must bear?

However shall I rise with you,
To meet you in the air?

 

References

They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray” (Mark 14:32; NLT).

There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light (Matthew 17:2; NIV).

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry (Matthew 4:1-2; NLT).

Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink (Matthew 14:30; NLT).

He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal (Mark 14:15; NLT).

Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified (Matthew 26:2; NLT).

At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled (Matthew 26:56; NLT).

Then the soldiers nailed him to the cross (Mark 15:24; NLT).

We who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17; NLT).

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Body, heart, kindness, mind, Prayer, soul

Communion

 

Father,
May this sacred Host
Stay on my tongue today,
Then I will grow more like your Son
In everything I say.

Father,
May this precious Host
Become part of my mind,
Then I will grow more like your Son,
For my thoughts will be kind.

Father,
May this blessed Host
Be drawn into my heart,
Then I will grow more like your Son,
And choose the better part.

Father,
May this perfect Host
Remain within my soul,
Then all I think, and say, and do
Will help make others whole.

 

References

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

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

We will be like him (1 John 3:2; NLT).

Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:41-2; NRSV).

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

We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord (Romans 15:2; NLT).

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contemplation, forgiveness, pray, Prayer, rejoice, thank

Six words

 

Six words are sufficient
When we pray to God each day:
Lord, I praise your holy name –
That’s all we need to say.

Five words are sufficient
When we pray to God each day:
I rejoice in you, Lord –
And that’s all we need to say.

Four words are sufficient
When we pray to God each day:
I forgive my enemies –
That’s all we need to say.

Three words are sufficient
When we pray to God each day:
Forgive my sins; forgive my sins –
That’s all we need to say.

Two words are sufficient
When we pray to God each day:
Thank you; thank you; thank you –
And that’s all we need to say.

One word is sufficient
When we pray to God each day:
Father; Father; Father –
And that’s all we need to say.

No words are sufficient
When we pray to God each day,
So let us kneel in silence –
He knows all we need to say.

 

References

When you pray, don’t babble on and on (Matthew 6:7; NLT).

Praise his holy name (Psalm 30:4; NLT).

His name is the Lord – rejoice in his presence! (Psalm 68:4; NLT).

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

Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

All glory to God our Father forever and ever! (Philippians 4:20; NLT).

The Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words (Romans 8:26; NLT).

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

Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely (Psalm 139:1-4; NIV).

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body, death, Faith, hope, love, God, love, pain, Prayer, Spirit, suffering

The Son of God

 

The Son of God came down to earth
In flesh and bones and blood,
And now his Spirit lives in us
To show us all his love.

He struggled to survive this world
Of hunger, thirst, and cold,
And now his Spirit lives in us
To make us strong and bold.

He came to set the world on fire
With faith, and hope, and care,
And now his Spirit lives in us
To comfort, and to share.

He drained the dregs from sorrow’s cup
Of anguish, pain, and tears,
And now his Spirit lives in us
To help us face our fears.

Our Saviour suffered life and death,
Humble, poor, roughshod;
And now his Spirit lives in us
To guide us back to God.

 

References

When the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law (Galatians 4:4; NLT).

The Spirit of God lives in you (1 Corinthians 3:16; NLT).

Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head (Luke 9:58; NLT).

He will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit (Ephesians 3:16; NLT).

I have come to set the world on fire (Luke 12:49; NLT).

He will give you another Advocate [Comforter, Encourager, Counsellor], who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth (John 14:16-17; NLT).

Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me? (John 18:11; NLT).

He was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Luke 22:44; NLT).

Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; NLT).

We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Corinthians 5:20; NLT).

 

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