Category: guide

The way

Ruth Kirk

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

1. Lord Jesus,
May I hear your voice
Throughout my exile here.
Please guide me on the way of faith,
So I may feel you near.

2. Lord Jesus,
May I talk with you
Each day, in quiet prayer.
Please guide me on the way of peace,
Then I will know your care.

3. Lord Jesus,
May I see your face
In everyone I meet.
Please guide me on the way of love,
Though I am base and weak.

4. Lord Jesus,
May I follow you
Along the path you trod.
Please guide me on the way of truth
That leads me back to God.

References

1. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you, a voice will say, “This is the way you should go” (Isaiah 30:21; NLT).

This way of faith is very different from the way of law (Galatians 3:12; NLT).

He guides me along right paths (Psalm 23:3; NLT).

The Lord is near to all who call on him (Psalm 145:18; NIV).

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

The Dayspring from on high has visited us […] to guide our feet into the way of peace (Luke 1:78-9; NKJV).

Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you (1 Peter 5:7; NLT).

3. Seek his face always (1 Chronicles 16:11; NIV).

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

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

God, have mercy on me, a sinner (Luke 18:13; NIV).

Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak (Psalm 6:2; NLT).

4. Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me (Luke 9:23; NIV).

I have chosen the way of truth (Psalm 119:30; NKJV).

The dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7; NLT).

No other path

Ruth Kirk
Image: Falco, Pixabay

1. There is no other path for me
But yours,
Dear Son of Man.

2. There is no other truth for me
But yours,
God’s Holy Lamb.

3. There is no other love for me
But yours,
Our constant Guide.

4. There is no other life for me
But yours,
Christ crucified.

References

1,2,4. Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6; NLT).

3. God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

4. Oh that you would choose life, so that your descendants might live! You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This is the key to your life (Deuteronomy 30:19-20; NLT).

We preach Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 1:23; NIV).

We are your body

Ruth Kirk
Image: Jesus.Christ.org, Yandex

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

1. We are your body;
We are your bones;
We are your flesh
And your blood.

2. We are your temple;
We are your home;
We are your priests
And your love.

3. You are our Shepherd;
You are our Guide;
You are our staff
And our rod.

4. You are our Saviour;
You are our Friend;
You are our Lord
And our God.

References

1. You are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Corinthians 12:27; NIV).

2. You are the temple of the living God (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).

You are the living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests (1 Peter 2:5; NLT).

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

3. I am the good shepherd (John 10:14; NLT).

He will guide us until we die (Psalm 48:14; 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).

4. He has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Saviour (2 Timothy 1:10; NLT).

You are my friends (John 15:15; NLT).

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

There is no path

Ruth Kirk
Image: rock-cafe.info, Yandex

1. There is no path
I want to take
But yours, O Son of Man.

2. There is no truth
I want to grasp
But yours, most Holy Lamb.

3. There are no words
I want to say
But yours, O Jesse’s Rod.

4. There are no deeds
I want to do
But yours, dear Son of God.

5. There is no life
I want to lead
But yours, O Constant Guide.

6. There is no death
I want to share
But yours, Christ Crucified.

Reference

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

Teach me, Lord

Ruth Kirk
Image: superintelligencek, Pixabay

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.

Image: Johannes Plenio, Pixabay

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).

Waiting

Ruth Kirk

The Lord must wait for you to come to him
so he can show you his love and compassion (Isaiah 30:18; NLT).

Keep on seeking and you will find (Luke 11:9; NLT). 

1. Your sacred lamp
Burns low in us,
Just waiting to be seen;

2. Your blissful peace
Endures in us,
Though trouble reigns supreme.

3. Your joyous truth
Survives in us,
Just waiting to be known;

4. Your perfect love
Stands by in us
To change our hearts of stone.

5. Your glowing embers
Stir in us,
Just waiting to ignite;

6. Your precious Son
Remains in us
To guide, and to delight.

7. Your Holy Ghost
Marks time in us,
Just waiting to appear;

8. Your still, small voice
Sighs in us, Lord –
If only we would hear.

References

1. God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT). 

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

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

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

4. God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26; NIV).

5. The Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV). 

6. Christ lives within you (Romans 8:10; NLT).

I will remain in you (John 15:4; NLT).

7. You have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you (1 John 2:27; NLT).

8. After the fire [came] a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12; NKJV).

The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26; NRSV).

Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts  (Hebrews 4:7; NLT).

When I wake

Ruth Kirk

I know that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me (Psalm 16:8; NLT).

1. When I wake, Lord,
You are with me.
When I pray
We join as one.

2. When I walk
You go with me
In rain, or storm,
Or summer sun.

3. When I serve,
We work together.
When I’m sick,
You share my pain.

4. When I sleep,
You rest beside me
Till we rise
To start again.

5. Lord, in danger,
You are with me,
Guarding me
With staff and rod;

6. And, in death,
You’ll still be here,
To guide my spirit
Back to God.

References

1. When I wake up, you are still with me (Psalm 139:18; NLT).

Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17; NIV).

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

3. The Lord worked with them (Mark 16:20; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

4. Then Jesus said, “Come to me all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe (Psalm 4:8; NLT).

5. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you (Isaiah 43:2; NLT).

You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

6. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside 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).

Photo acknowledgement: Lucy Chian

 

Angel of the hour

Ruth Kirk

Angels came and took care of Jesus (Matthew 4:11; NLT).

1. Angel of the hour, I thank you
For the smile you offer me,
Prompting me to recognise
That God is here in all I see.

2. Angel of the day, I thank you
For your greeting in the street,
Causing me to recollect
That God is here in all I meet.

3. Angel of the month, I thank you
For your guidance when I stray,
Urging me to trust that God
Is with me on this narrow way.

4. Angel of the year, I thank you,
For you save me when I fall,
And you rescue me from danger:
God is in you most of all.

5. Angels, I am truly thankful –
You are sent by God’s own hand,
Helping me through this long exile,
Till I reach his Promised Land.

References

1. There is […] one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).

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

3. He guides me along right paths (Psalm 23:3; NLT).

4. He rescues me (Psalm 35:9; NLT).

5. He sends his angels like the winds, his servants like flames of fire (Hebrews 1:7; NLT).

He will order his angels to protect you wherever you go (Psalm 91:11-12; NLT).

He chose the Promised Land as our inheritance (Psalm 47:4; NLT).

Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realising it! (Hebrews 13:2; NLT).

The kingdom, the power and the glory

Ruth Kirk

Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.
(Matthew 6:13; HNV).

1. Yours, the kingdom,
Yours, the earth;
You are God,
Who gives us birth:

2. Evermore
Our Lord, Most High;
You are God,
To whom we cry.

3. Yours, the power,
Chosen Son;
You are God,
Who makes us one:

4. Evermore
Our Spotless Lamb;
You are God,
The great I AM.

5. Yours, the glory,
Holy Ghost;
You are God
Within each Host:

6. Evermore
Our Guide and Friend;
You are God –
We shout: AMEN!

References

1. The Lord is God, and he created the heavens and earth and put everything in place (Isaiah 45:18; NLT).

2. The Lord Most High is awesome (Psalm 47:2; NLT).

3. This is my Son, my Chosen One (Luke 9:35; NLT).

4. Christ himself was an Israelite as far as his human nature is concerned. And he is God (Romans 9:5; NLT).
God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14; NLT).
The high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” Jesus said, “I AM” (Mark 14:61; NLT).

5. 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).
He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body” (Luke 22:19; NIV).
There is one Lord […] who is over all and in all and living through all (Ephesians 4:5-6; NLT).

6. He will give you another Advocate [Comforter, Encourager, Counsellor], who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17; NLT).
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen (Galatians 1:5; NLT).

The sacred arts

Ruth Kirk

Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples (Luke 11:1; NLT).

1. Teach us, Lord, to pray like you,
Who walked on Jordan’s banks,
So we can practice constantly
The sacred art of thanks.

2. Guide us all to pray like you,
Who saved all those who strayed,
So we can practice constantly
The sacred art of praise.

3. Show us how to pray like you,
Who raised the lifeless boy,
So we can practice constantly
The sacred art of joy.

4. Help us, Lord, to pray like you,
Who gave your flesh and blood,
So we can practice constantly
The sacred art of love.

References

1. Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people
(John 6:11; NLT).

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

2. Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth” (Matthew 11:25; NIV).

O God, we […] constantly praise your name (Psalm 44:8; NLT).

3. Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21; NLT).

Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).

4. Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39; NLT).

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