Category: grow

Change

Ruth Kirk
Photo: Ben_Kerckx

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 3:9; NLT).

1. May we give up our will for yours,
Dear Father;

2. May we change, growing much more like
Your Son;

3. May we be filled
With your most Holy Spirit –

4. Then we will live in you,
Becoming one.

References

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

2. Change your hearts before the Lord (Jeremiah 4:4; NLT).

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).

3. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you (Acts 1:8; NLT).

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

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

Closer

Ruth Kirk


1. Help me lean towards you, Lord,
Closer to your thoughts,
So I may glimpse the wisdom
Of your mind.

2. Help me grow towards you, Lord,
Closer to your heart,
So I may share your love
For humankind.

3. Help me move towards you, Lord,
Closer to your soul,
So I may leave
My sinful self behind.

4. Help me run towards you, Lord,
So we may reunite,
For you have promised:
Seek, and you will find.

References

1. Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God (Joshua 3:9; CSB).

2. 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).

3. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you (James 4:8; CSB).

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

4. Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1; NLT).

If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you (Jeremiah 29:13-14; NLT).

Seek and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NIV).

We don’t need many words

Ruth Kirk

1. We don’t need many words, just:

Save us, Father.
Forgive our sins
As we forgive each foe.

Call everyone;
Inspire us all to seek you.
Renew us, Lord,
And guide us as we grow.

 

2. We don’t need many words, just:

Thank you, Father.
Help us to love our neighbour
As ourselves.

Bless everyone,
And help us all to find you,
So we may live in you, Lord,
Where peace dwells.

References

1. When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:7; NIV).

Forgive us our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us (Matthew 6:12; NLT).

Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).

2. Be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NLT).

Love your neighbour as yourself (Mark 12:31; NIV).

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

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

Like you

Ruth Kirk

Put on your new nature,
and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator
and become like him (Colossians 3:10; NLT).

1. No matter what I’m thinking,
May I share it, Lord, with you.

2. No matter what I’m saying,
May I say it, Lord, like you.

3. No matter what I’m doing,
May I do it, Lord, for you.

4. No matter what each day brings, Lord,
May I grow more like you.

References

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

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

3. Whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus (Colossians 3:17; NLT).

4. 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).

Like you

Ruth Kirk

Lord,

1. Help me not to sin,
But to serve others;

2. Help me not to hate,
But to forgive.

3. Help me not to dominate,
But listen;

4. Help me not to take, Lord,
But to give.

5. Help me not to injure,
But to comfort;

6. Help me not to damage,
But renew.

7. Help me not to fear,
But speak out boldly —

8. For then I will grow more and more
Like you.

References

1. Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others (Mark 10:45; NLT).

2. When they came to the place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross [and] Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:33-4; NLT).

3. You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19; NLT).

4. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35; NLT).

5. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).

6. Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes (Ephesians 4:23; NLT).

7. God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition (1 Thessalonians 2:2; NLT).

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

Be mine

Ruth Kirk

Be mine,
By loving me completely;

Be mine,
By following my Son.

Be mine,
By caring for your neighbour;

Be mine,
By loving everyone.

Be mine,
By seeking me each morning;

Be mine,
By searching for my face.

Be mine,
By growing more like Jesus;

Be mine –
And share the riches of my grace.

References

They shall be mine, says the Lord of Hosts (Malachi 3:17; ESV).

Follow the way of love (1 Corinthians 14:1; NIV).

In him we have redemption through his blood […] according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us (Ephesians 1:7-8; RSV).

Born again

Ruth Kirk

1. When you send us into exile
We are born of human flesh –
Our chance to seek your only Son,
Who shares all our distress.

2. When we give our lives to him, Lord,
We are born on earth anew,
But this time of your Spirit,
Who helps us to grow like you.

3. When we take our final breath
We are reborn in heaven above,
To rest with you forever,
Reunited, Lord, in love.

 

References

1. I sent them away to exile and brought them home again (Ezekiel 39:28; NLT).
Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

2. 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).
Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3; NLT).
You can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit (John 3:8; NLT).
Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy (Ephesians 4:24; NLT).

3. The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NIV).
Return, O my soul, to your rest (Psalm 116:7; ESV).
You have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God (1 Peter 1:23; NLT).