cross – Seeking God's face together

Dialogue

February 18, 2020February 18, 2020Ruth Kirk

The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God (Micah 6:8; NLT).

1. Please teach me, Lord, what you require,
So I may do as you desire.

2. “Love me, your neighbours, strangers, foes,
And pray for all, till healing flows.

3. Make no show of faith, or prayer,
But serve me gladly, everywhere.

4. Keep your temper, staying calm;
Forgive all those who hurt and harm.

5. Say, ‘Sorry,’ when you grieve someone,
And make peace, always, if you can.

6. Be honest, kind, and quick to care;
Keen to lend, and give, and share.

7. Above all else, these words are key:
Take up your cross, and follow me!”

8. Thank you, dear Lord; I hear your call;
You are my way, my truth, my all.

References

1. What does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul (Deuteronomy 10:12; NLT).

I desire mercy, not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6; NIV).

2. You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength [and] love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:30-31; NLT).

You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! (Matthew 5:43-4; NLT).

3. When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others (Matthew 6:6; NIV).

Serve the Lord with gladness (Psalm 100:2; NKJV).

4. In your anger do not sin (Ephesians 4:26; NIV).

Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent (Psalm 4:4; NLT).

Forgive those who sin against you (Matthew 6:14; NLT).

5. If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-4; NIV).

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God (Matthew 5:9; NIV).

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18; NIV).

6. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid (Luke 6:35; NLT).

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

7. 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).

8. Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

Christ is all that matters (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Teach me, Lord

February 12, 2020Ruth Kirk

1. Teach me, Lord,
To follow in your footsteps,
So I may grow, through prayer,
Much more like you.

2. Train me, Lord,
To face each test with courage,
For then I will rejoice
In all I do.

3. Help me, Lord,
To carry my cross daily,
Thanking you,
No matter what you send.

4. Guide me, Lord,
Through death’s dark, lonely valley,
So I may rest in you
Beyond life’s end.

References

1. Teach me your ways, O Lord (Psalm 86:11; NLT).

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

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).

2. I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go (Psalm 32:8; RSV).

I will restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts (Isaiah 57:15; NLT).

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).

3. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy (Psalm 28:7; NLT).

Then he [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).

Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).

4. Your hand will guide me, and your strength support me (Psalm 139:10; NLT).

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

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

Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you (Psalm 116:7; NIV).

Rest in God alone, my soul (Psalm 62:5; CSB).

At the heart of our faith

January 2, 2020January 2, 2020Ruth Kirk

People look at the outside appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart
(1 Samuel 16:7; NIV).

1. At the heart of our faith, Lord:
Your way to the cross.

2. At the heart of our sorrow:
Your truth, and its cost.

3. At the heart of our worship:
Your body and blood.

4. At the heart of our mourning:
Your death, and your love.

5. At the heart of our hope, Lord:
Your rising again.

6. At the heart of our gladness:
Your kingdom, and reign.

7. At the heart of our purpose:
Your gospel and grace.

8. At the heart of our yearning:
Your kiss, and embrace.

References

1. He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross (Philippians 2:8; NLT).

2. Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, “I find nothing wrong with this man!” Then they became insistent. “But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes” (Luke 23:4-5; NLT).

3. He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me. In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:19-20; NIV).

4. We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us (1 John 3:16; NLT).

5. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world (Revelation 1:5; NLT).

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

7. My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God (Acts 20:24; NLT).

We are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus (Acts 15:11; NLT).

8. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him (Luke 15:20; NIV).

Without complaint

December 28, 2019Ruth Kirk

1. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man,
I love you.
May I bear my cross
Without complaint,
Rejoicing in your presence
Day and night, Lord,
And loving all I meet
Without restraint.

2. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace,
I love you.
May I bear my cross
Without reproach,
Thanking you for all,
Both good and bad, Lord,
And bringing those who suffer
Your fresh hope.

3. Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
I love you.
May I bear my cross
Without lament,
Praying for the world, Lord,
Without ceasing,
And praising you,
The Saviour  God has sent.

References

1. 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).

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV).

Be kind to everyone (2 Timothy 2:24; NLT).

2. Give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Should we accept only good from the hand of God, and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

3. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word (Isaiah 53:7; NLT).

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

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).

Little prayers

November 27, 2019December 6, 2019Ruth Kirk

This set of little prayers came to me whilst I was asleep. As I woke up, I could still hear the words being spoken aloud in my mind. Grabbing my ipad, I started writing them down immediately, as I knew from experience that they would disappear within seconds. Each prayer can be used at a specific moment, or said repeatedly in difficult situations.

1. When I wake to face each day:
Lord, I’m yours; you are my way.

2. When I hear your gentle voice:
Lord, I’m yours; you are my choice.

3. When I am about to eat:
Lord, I’m yours; this is a feast.

4. When I pray to you at night:
Lord, I’m yours; you are my light.

5. When I want to judge, and win:
Lord, I’m yours; forgive my sin.

6. When I suffer fear and pain:
Lord, I’m yours; I praise your name.

7. When I think I’m going to drown:
Lord, I’m yours; don’t let me down.

8. When I kneel before your cross:
Lord, I‘m yours, but I am dross.

9. When I see you, risen, scarred:
Lord, I’m yours, though life is hard.

10. When I share your bread and wine:
Lord, I’m yours, and you are mine.

References

1. I am the way (John 14:6; NLT).

2. I am yours (Psalm 119:94; NLT).

3. You prepare a feast for me (Psalm 23:5; NLT).

4. I am the light of the world (John 8:12; NLT).

5. He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

6. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord (Job 1:21; NIV).

7. Lord, save us! We’re going to drown (Matthew 8:25; NLT).

8. O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner (Luke 18:13; NLT).

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

10. My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).

Child of God

November 9, 2019November 9, 2019Ruth Kirk

1. May I be a child of God,
Whose Spirit helps me hear his call
To pray with him incessantly,
And ask him to forgive us all.

2. May I be a friend of Jesus,
Taking up my cross each day,
Serving him by loving all humanity
Along the way.

3. May I be a friend of God,
Our Father, who makes all things new,
Begging him to help us heal
This Eden, and its people, too.

References

1. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God (1 John 5:1; NLT).

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26; NLT).

O that today you would listen as he speaks! (Hebrews 4:7; NET).

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

2. [Jesus said] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me (John 15:12-15; 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).

Supplement your faith with […] love for everyone (2 Peter 1:5-7; NLT).

3. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God (Romans 5:11; NLT).

The one sitting on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:5; NLT).

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15; NIV).

The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one. Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord (Psalm 14:2-4; NLT).