Category: Christ

3.12.23: See Christ’s face

Ruth Kirk

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

See Christ’s face
In everyone you meet.
Mark, in them,
His wounded hands and feet.

Listen, love, and serve Him
In them all,
Reaching out
To those who slip, or fall.

See Christ’s face
In neighbour, stranger, foe.
Everywhere you look
May your love flow

To Him. So stay alert
For each new test:
Just recognise His face,
Then do your best.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15; NIV).

References 

The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 13:3; NIV).

Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

30.11.23: Prayer

Ruth Kirk

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6; NLT). 

Tell God all you want to say,
And listen, to your heart’s content.

Next, fall silent in His arms,
Waiting for the One He sent.

Then, with Christ, in life and death,
Just close your eyes; receive his grace –

In stillness, you will know His love;
In darkness, you will see His face.

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

I will see you face to face and be satisfied (Psalm 17:15; NLT).

26.11.23: These three reman

Ruth Kirk

These three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 13:13; NIV).

These three remain:
Faith, hope and love,
For all the rest is dross.

These three remain:
Faith, hope and love,
In anguish, grief, and loss.

These three remain:
Faith, hope and love,
Yet Christ is greater still –

Because He gave
His life for us,
When He obeyed God’s will.

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done.”
(Matthew 26:42; NLT).

References 

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8; NLT).

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44; NIV). 

At three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) (Mark 15:34; NIV).

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NIV). 

Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live (Galatians 1:4; NLT).

He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone (1 Timothy 2:6; NLT). 

24.11.23: Our Godhead

Ruth Kirk

Hello, friends. From today onwards, I will be posting my blog every evening, rather than every morning. This should release me from the daily conflict between wanting to pray, and the pressure to publish each day’s blog as early as possible. I hope it will also prove helpful for early risers to find the day’s blog in their email in-box as soon as they wake up, rather than having to wait for its arrival.

✝️   With love and thanks to all who visit and follow here, from Ruth xxxxxx

O Lord, you are our God (2 Chronicles 14:11; NLT).

Yahweh: Our Godhead,
Beyond time and space;

Christ: God incarnate,
The Lord’s human face;

Spirit: God’s presence,
Infallible grace –

Lord: you are Love,
May all know your embrace.

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him* (Luke 15:20; NLT).

References

Verse 1:

The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Deuteronomy 6:4; NIV). 

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

God looks down from heaven on the entire human race (Psalm 53:2; NLT). 

God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:11; NLT). 

Verse 2:

In him [Christ] is embodied all the fulness of the Godhead (Colossians 2:10; LB).

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth (John 1:14; NIV).

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15; NLT). 

The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being (Hebrews 1:3; NIV).

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12; NIV). 

Verse 3:

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of Truth (John 14:16; NIV).

I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! (Psalm 139:7; NLT). 

God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT). 

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

I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family ofDavid and on the people of Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:10; NLT).

Verse 4:

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

Note:

*This verse is taken from the parable of the prodigal son. If you would like to read the whole parable, it can be found in any Bible translation: Luke 15:11-32.  

23.11.23: One with Christ

Ruth Kirk

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

May we be one with Christ
In prayer:
Joining with him
In peace and love.

May we be one with Christ
In all:
Seeing his face
In friend and foe.

May we be one with Christ
In joy:
Praising with those
In heaven above.

May we be one with Christ
In grief:
Yielding with him
On earth below.

Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:36-9, 42; NLT).

References

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me (John 17:21-3; NLT).

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

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

Your immortal spirit is in every one of them (Wisdom of Solomon 12:1; GNTA).

Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the LORD! (Revelation 19:1; NLT).

He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38; NLT).

9.11.23: Christ is all

Ruth Kirk

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

No matter what each new day brings,
I want to make this prayer my key:
May I see you in all, Lord,
And may all see you in me.

No matter what each new day holds,
I want to serve in all I do:
May I love you in everyone,
And grow much more like you.

The Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).

6.11.23: Oneness

Ruth Kirk

You are God, O Sovereign LORD (2 Samuel 7:28; NLT).

Thank you, Lord,
For being God:
Holy, holy, holy
Is your name.

Thank you, Lord,
For being Christ:
From age to age, forever,
Just the same.

Thank you, Lord,
For being Breath:
Giving life,
And loving even me.

Father, Son,
And Holy Ghost:
One Lord, one God –
I bow, and worship Thee.

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care (Psalm 95:7; NLT).

References

Verse 1:

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God (Psalm 90:2; NLT).

Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory! (Isaiah 6:3; NLT).

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty – the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come (Revelation 4:8; NLT).

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness (Psalm 29:2; KJV).

Verse 2:

We look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed (Titus 2:13; NLT).

This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior (2 Peter 1:1; NLT).

You [the Son] are always the same; you will live forever (Hebrews 1:12; NLT).

Verse 3:

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).

The last Adam – that is, Christ – is a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45; NLT).

Then he [Jesus] breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22; NLT).

There is in humans a Spirit, the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding (Job 32:8; GWT).

Verse 4:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost (Matthew 28:18; KJV).

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:4-6; NLT).

There is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we live for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life (1 Corinthians 8:6; NLT).

Come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker (Psalm 95:6; KJV).

28.10.23: Flying colours (for J.Y.)

Ruth Kirk

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (Philippians 3:13-14; NLT).

Come through life with flying colours:
Make each loss you face, a gain.
Come through every test with honours:
Trust in Jesus’ Holy Name.

Come through death in shining robes:
Be guided by his staff and rod.
Come, at last, borne by his Spirit:
Then unite with Christ, our God.

Come, for evermore, to heaven:
Merge with Him, our resting-place.
Come, receive the victor’s prize:
To gaze, forever, on his face.

His servants will worship him. And they will see his face (Revelation 22:3-4; NLT).

References

We look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed (Titus 2:13; NLT).

This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior (2 Peter 1:1; NLT).

13.10.23: When you send a prayer

Ruth Kirk
Pixels: Pixabay.

I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT). 

Father,

When you send a prayer
I make a willing sacrifice:
I listen, thank you, write, and share
Each insight, for the sake of Christ.

When you give a revelation,
I will leave my contemplation,
Giving up your consolation:
Every prayer, a consummation.

So, this is my promise, Lord:
I’ll gladly give up anything
You ask.  May every word outpoured
Be nurtured well, and then take wing.

When you give a revelation,
I will leave my contemplation,
Giving up your consolation:
Every prayer, a consummation.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38; KJV).

References

The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21; CSB).

“Give whatever he takes, with a big smile” (Saint Mother Theresa).

12.10.23: Consolation (for L.S.)

Ruth Kirk
myersalex216: Pixabay.

Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God (Psalm 90:2; NLT).

Father,
My Creator, and my King:
You are God,
Who makes my spirit sing.

Jesus Christ,
My origin, and aim:
You are God,
Who shares my joy and pain.

Holy Ghost,
My Helper, deep within:
You are God,
Who rescues me from sin.

Lord,
My consolation, and my goal:
You are God,
Who longs to make me whole.

They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water, by a smooth way where they will not stumble (Jeremiah 31:9; CSB). 

The LORD longs to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18; NIV).

He wounds, but His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV).