Category: Faith

Jesus’ faith

Ruth Kirk

I have written about Jesus’ faith before, but this week grasped its depth and significance even more clearly. Today I’ve tried to express this again, in the form of a prayer.

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46; NLT).

Lord Jesus,

Despite all the terrible pain and humiliation you suffered, you never lost your faith in God.

When you were dying on the cross, you felt abandoned by God, but even this didn’t make you reject God, or doubt Yahweh’s existence.

I know this because, with your final words, you still entrusted your soul into God’s hands.

There can be no deeper faith than yours.

Whatever happens to me, please help me to cling to my faith in God, just as you did, even if I, too, feel completely abandoned.

Please help me always to remember God’s great and faithful promise:

I will never fail you. I will never abandon you (Hebrews 13:5; NLT).

I ask this through your own dear name.

Amen.

References

Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NLT).

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you (Deuteronomy 31:8; NLT).

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 staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20; NLT).

Worship

Ruth Kirk

In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1; AMP).

God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9; NIV).

You are faithful,
Wise, and strong:
Elohim –
We worship you.

You are gentle,
Kind, and calm:
Elohim –
We trust in you.

You are patient,
Just, and good:
Elohim –
We live in you.

You are loving,
Great, and true:
Elohim –
We rest in you.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God (Psalm 62:5; NIV).

References

You alone are the one we worship (Isaiah 26:13; NLT).

We trust in you alone (2 Chronicles 14:11; NLT).

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

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-9; NLT).

 

God

Ruth Kirk

You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation (Psalm 89:26; NLT).

God, my Father,
Mother, too;
God, my Shepherd:
Tender, true;

God, my Saviour,
Refuge, peace;
Sister, Brother,
Great High Priest;

God my Maker,
Helper, Friend;
Mover, Shaker
To the end –

Though I’m only
Made of dust,
You’re my God,
In whom I trust.

I trust in you, my God! (Psalm 25:2; NLT).

 

Live in God’s kingdom

Ruth Kirk

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

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends (Revelation 3:20; NLT).

Live in God’s kingdom,
And live in God’s might,
Sharing God’s gentleness,
Goodness, and light.

Live in God’s darkness,
And live in God’s flame,
Sharing God’s poverty,
Sorrow, and pain.

Live in God’s presence,
And live in God’s Son,
Sharing God’s tenderness –
Living as one.

Live in God’s Spirit
From heaven above,
Sharing God’s faithfulness –
Living in love.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:15-16; NIV).

References

The Holy One will be a flame (Isaiah 10:17; NLT).

You must love the Most High God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30, TIB).

If you say you love God but hate your sister or brother, you are a liar. For you cannot love God, whom you have not seen, if you hate your neighbor, whom you have seen. If we love God, we should love our sisters and brothers as well; we have this commandment from God (1 John 4:20-21; TIB).

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

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

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

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

“I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.” Then they will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?” And he will answer, “I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me” (Matthew 25:42-45; NLT).

 

Faith

Ruth Kirk

As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy” (Mark 1:10-11; NLT).

A cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him” (Mark 9:7; NLT).

Nothing turned out as you, Lord,
Might have hoped –
Bit by bit, you grasped
What was to come.

Yet even as you suffered
On the cross,
Feeling abandoned
By the God you loved,

You still clung to your faith
Till your last breath.
We know this, Lord,
For when that moment came,

You cried out: “Father, into your hands
I commit my spirit.”
Then, all your passion spent, my Lord,
You died.

When Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last (Luke 23:46; NKJV). 

References

They threw him out of the synagogue (John 9:34; NLT).

They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff (Luke 4:29; NIV).

“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him” (Mark 10:33; NLT).

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45; NLT).

Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! (John 12:27; NLT).

He became anguished and distressed (Matthew 26:37; NLT).

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

My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:46; NLT).

 

Bad news!

Ruth Kirk

This blog has only just come to me, and I knew I had to post it as quickly as possible. I could work on it for hours, trying to improve it, but I need to accept it just as it arrived. I continue to pray for you all. With love from Ruth xxx

Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? (Lamentations 3:38; NLT).

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

Bad news! Calamity! Disaster!
A blow. A shock. A loss.
Grief. Distress. Despair.

Unfair! Unfortunate! Unmanageable!
Distressing. Exhausting. Annoying.
A trial. A challenge. An opportunity.

God will restore my soul!
Faith. Hope. Love.
Rejoicing. Prayer. Thanks.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-16; NIV).

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

References

As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved (Genesis 43:14; NIV).

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).

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

He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

Utter stillness

Ruth Kirk

Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12; KJV).

Utter stillness;
Utter calm:
You’re my God,
My spirit’s balm.

Total silence;
Total peace:
You’re my soul,
My Great High Priest.

Perfect mercy;
Perfect light:
You’re my way,
My truth, my life.

In my body;
In my blood:
You’re my faith,
My hope, my love.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).

 

As for me…

Ruth Kirk

Fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:14-15 NLT).

As for me, I’ll call to you,
And I’ll declare your praise.

As for me, I’ll tell your deeds,
And try hard not to sin.

As for me, I’ll laud your strength,
And speak to you direct.

As for me, I’ll cling to hope,
And trust in you alone.

As for me, I’m in your hands,
And look to you for help.

As for me, I’ll reach your house,
Where I’ll behold your face.

As for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple (Psalm 5:7; KJV).

As for me, I will behold thy face (Psalm 17:15; KJV).

References

As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me (Psalm 55:16; NIV).

As for me, I will declare this forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob (Psalm 75:9; NIV).

As for me, I will always proclaim what God has done (Psalm 75:9; NLT).

As for me, I will certainly not sin against the LORD by ending my prayers for you (1 Samuel 12:23; NLT).

As for me, I will sing about your power (Psalm 59:16; NLT).

As for me, I would speak directly to the Almighty (Job 13:3; NLT).

As for me, I will always have hope (Psalm 71:14; NIV).

As for me, I trust in the LORD (Psalm 31:6; NIV).

As for me, I am in your hands – do with me as you think best (Jeremiah 26:14; NLT).

As for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer (Psalm 70:5; NIV).

 

Healthy faith

Ruth Kirk

Be healthy in the faith (Titus 1:13; NLT).

Please give us all
A healthy faith,
So we accept
Your will with grace.

And though, like Christ,
We grieve, and pray:
“Please take this bitter cup
Away”,

Yet, help us to endure
Our load –
The gifts you place
Along our road –

For you send bad
As well as good,
To help us grow
In trust, and love.

Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3:17; NLT).

References

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45:7; NLT).

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

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).

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death (Philippians 3:10; NLT).

 

Peace and justice

Ruth Kirk

If only you had paid attention to my commandments! Your peace would have been like a river, and your justice would have been like the waves of the sea (Isaiah 48:18; CPDV).

We can’t have peace
Without justice.
We can’t have war
Without blood.

We can’t have choice
Without fairness.
We can’t have God
Without love.

We can’t have truth
Without honour.
We can’t have hope
Without faith.

We can’t have life
Without sorrow.
We can’t have God
Without grace.

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).

References

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:7; NLT).

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

The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23; AMP).