Category: face

To know you

Ruth Kirk

Their eyes were opened and they knew Him (Luke 24:31; NKJV).

To know you is to love you, Lord,
To love you is to care
For you in all, to seek your face,
And find you everywhere.

To know you is to trust in you,
To trust you is to long
To be your home on earth,
And serve you, Lord, in everyone.

The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

References 

I love you, LORD; you are my strength (Psalm 18:1; NLT).

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).

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

My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek (Psalm 27:8; NIV).

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

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

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).

Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else (Mark 10:43; NLT).

Good news

Ruth Kirk

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns! (Isaiah 52:7; NLT). 

Lord,
May our footsteps bring good news;
Our lives, encourage all to choose
Your way, so they will be infused
With faith.

Lord,
May our lips be filled with praise;
Our passion for your kingdom blaze
With light, so we can guide your strays
To hope.

Lord,
May our minds be steeped in prayer;
Our hearts be always swift to share;
Our souls delight to offer care
And love.

Lord,
May our days be filled with grace
So we behold your shining face
In everyone, then we’ll make haste
To serve.

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

References

1. Three things will last forever – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13; NLT). 

This is what the sovereign LORD says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live (Ezekiel 37:5; NET). 

2. Let praise flow from my lips (Psalm 119:17; NLT). 

You are the light of the world – like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14; NLT). 

3. Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:16; NIV). 

How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7; NLT).

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV). 

4. The LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory (Psalm 84:11; NLT). 

His face shone like the sun (Matthew 17:2; NIV). 

Love the LORD your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul (Joshua 22:5; NLT). 

We lift our hands

Ruth Kirk

Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer (Lamentations 2:19; NLT).

We lift our hands to you
And pray for peace,
Begging that all our senseless wars
Will cease. 

We lift our minds to you
And pray for light,
Till everyone is precious
In our sight.

We lift our hearts to you,
And pray for love,
So all our foolish hate
Will end for good.

We lift our souls to you,
And pray for grace –
May everyone on earth, Lord,
See your face. 

Turn us again to yourself, O God. Make your face shine down upon us. Only then will we be saved (Psalm 80:3; NLT).

References 

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

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

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:9-12; NIV).

Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

The grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people (Titus 2:11; NLT).

Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16; NLT). 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Corinthians 13:14; NLT).

Let your face smile on us, LORD (Psalm 4:6; NLT). 

I give my life to you

Ruth Kirk

O LORD, I give my life to you (Psalm 25:1; NLT). 

O Lord, I give my life to you:
Please make my mind your dwelling place,
Where I can walk with you each day,
And gaze upon your face.

I dedicate my life to you:
Please make my heart your house of prayer,
When I can talk with you each day,
And know your loving care.

I consecrate my life to you:
Please make my soul your holy house,
For you are my beloved King,
And I, your humble spouse.

I sacrifice my life to you:
May you, Lord, be my resting place,
Where I will reunite with you,
Beyond all time and space.

You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory (Psalm 73:24; NIV).

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

References 

Verse 1:
How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of Heaven’s Armies (Psalm 84:1; NLT).
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).
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).
I will see you face to face and be satisfied (Psalm 17:15; NLT).

Verse 2:
My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7; NLT).
Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done (Philippians 4:6; NLT).
Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7; NLT).

Verse 3:
Because I delight in the house of my God, the [personal] treasure that I have of gold and silver, I give to the house of my God, in addition to all that I have already provided for the holy house (1 Chronicles 79:3; AMP).
My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).
Your Creator will be your husband (Isaiah 54:5; NLT).

Verse 4:
You have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance that the LORD your God is giving you (Deuteronomy 12:9; BSB). 
God’s promise of entering his rest still stands (Hebrews 4:1; NLT).
All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen (Jude 1:25; NLT).
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. And He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God], and the Ever-living One [living in and beyond all time and space]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of [absolute control and victory over] death and of Hades (the realm of the dead)” (Revelation 1:17-18; AMP).

Our stillness

Ruth Kirk
Rosie Beers.

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7; NLT).

Our stillness
Is God’s much-loved
Resting-place.

Our silence
Is the temple
Of His grace.

Our darkness
Is the birthplace
Of His light.

Our loneliness:
The image
Of His face.

God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27; NLT).

References 

Verse 1:
“This is my resting place forever,” he said. “I will live here, for this is the home I desired” (Psalm 132:14; NLT).

Verse 2:
The LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20; NLT).
We are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

Verse 3:
Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BST).
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light (Genesis 1:2-3; NLT).
God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).

Verse4:
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted (Psalm 25:16; NIV).
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help? (Psalm 22:1; NLT).
My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God. When will I come and see the face of God? (Psalm 42:2; AMP).

Prayer for the dying

Ruth Kirk

He was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became as white as light (Matthew 17:2; RSV). 

Lord,
I pray for all the dying:
May they see your shining face.
May they hear your gentle voice,
And feel your touch, so full of grace.

Lord,
I pray for all the dying:
Comfort them, and hold them tight.
Lift them; carry them today,
And fill their darkness with your light.

Lord,
I pray for all the dying:
Bear them to the Father’s breast.
Beg him to forgive and heal them,
Granting them eternal rest.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

References 

Yea, 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). 

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

God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself (Psalm 49:15; NIV).

God never meant us to experience the Retribution, but to win salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that, alive or dead, we should still live united to him (1 Thessalonians 5: 9-10; JB).

God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10; NLT).

Bad dreams

Ruth Kirk

While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed (Daniel 4:10; NLT). 

Lord God,
I dream of failure every night;
Of suffering, depression,
Shame, and dread.

Before, I might have
Begged you, Lord,
To take these dreams away,
But now,
I choose to welcome them,
Instead.

So, I will face these dreams,
And when I wake,
I’ll pray for all those
Living with defeat:

Draw near, Lord God,
Please cleanse and soothe 
Our wounds with oil and wine.
May all who fail
Be healed,
And made complete.

Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him (Luke 10:34; NLT). 

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19; NLT). 

References 

All things come from God (1 Corinthians 11:12; CSB). 

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

Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. (Hebrews 4:16; AMP).

He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NLT). 

Paradox

Ruth Kirk

Today I saw that we live in God, just as fish live in water. However, we may not always recognise His constant presence within us, around us, and in all things. The following Bible verses, from several different translations, encapsulate this particularly clearly for me:

– There is… one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).
– There is one … God and Father of all, who is over everything, through everything, and in everything (Ephesians 4:5-6; GWT).
– In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28; NIV).
– Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16; NIV).
– I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! (Psalm 139:7; NLT).
– Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38; NLT).

Unfortunately, it is possible to go to church, read the Bible, and even pray, without ever realising the astonishing truth that we are living in God, and He in us. As Jesus said: “They may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand” (Mark 4:12; CSB).

In the light of Jesus’ words, here is today’s blog, which is called, “Paradox”:

In the morning I earnestly seek for God (Isaiah 26:9; NLT). 

We seek you, Lord,
Whilst living in your hand,

And search for you,
Whilst gazing on your face.

We long to hear your voice, Lord,
Whilst you speak,

And fast, in darkness,
Till we see, and taste.

Taste and see that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8; NET).

References 

Verse 1:
The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being (Job 12:10; NLT).

Verse 2:
I gaze on you in the sanctuary (Psalm 63:2; CSB).
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, LORD, I will seek (Psalm 27:8; NIV).
O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you (Psalm 63:1; NLT).

Verse 3:
Let me hear your voice (Song of Songs 2:14; NLT).
God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it (Job 33:14; NLT).

Verse 4:
You humble yourselves by going through the motions of penance, bowing your heads like reeds bending in the wind. You dress in burlap and cover yourselves with ashes. Is this what you call fasting? Do you really think this will please the LORD? No, this is the kind of fasting I want: Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you. Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people (Isaiah 58:5-6; NLT).

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

Then when you call, the LORD will answer. ‘Yes, I am here,’ he will quickly reply.
“Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors! Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon” (Isaiah 58:9-10; NLT).

Prayer for all souls

Ruth Kirk

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT). 

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive (Luke 20:38; NIV). 

We pray for everyone –
Alive, or dead,
Because, to you, Lord,
All souls are alive.

So, please forgive us,
Heal and save us all;
Call us by name,
And draw us to your side.

Crown us with mercy;
Let us see Christ’s face;
Show us your faithful love
For evermore.

Lord, may all souls
Be one with yours again,
Just as we were at birth,
And long before.

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).

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5; NLT). 

References 

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies (Psalm 103:3-4; NLT). 

I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

They will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads (Revelation 22:4; NLT). 

He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

Everything comes from him; everything happens through him; everything ends up in him (Romans 11:36; TM).

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

He died for us so that, whether we are awake in this life or asleep in death, we will live together with him (1 Thessalonians 5:10; GWT). 

Trust and courage

Ruth Kirk

I trust in you, LORD; I say, “You are my God.”
(Psalm 31:14; NIV). 

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit:
Lord, I trust in you.
Three in One, and One in Three:
I know you’ll bring me through.

Give me courage, Lord, to face
My fear, my darkest vale:
With you beside me, Elohim,
I know I will not fail.

Give me courage, now, to face
My dread, my hour of need:
For though I’m weak, Lord, you are strong –
With you, I will succeed.

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26; NLT).

In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall.
(2 Samuel 22:30; NLT).

References 

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). 

He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I would rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me (2 Corinthians 12:9; LB).