Category: hatred

6.10.23: Christ is love

Ruth Kirk
4355729: Pixabay.

To my delight I had plenty of time to pray yesterday morning, having woken early, and already posted the day’s blog. However, today’s verses started to arrive within minutes, and I couldn’t resist discovering what they were going to say.

Interestingly, this blog didn’t come out at all as I had expected. Even more amazing: I accidentally erased the penultimate line, which I knew said exactly what it needed to say. Sadly, I could neither remember nor reconstruct it, but a few minutes later God gave it back to me, for which I was deeply grateful.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28; NIV).

There’s neither you nor I:
There’s only love.
There’s neither me nor them:
There’s only us.

There is no place for judgement
Or dislike,
Discrimination, hatred,
Or distrust.

There’s neither priest nor people:
Only prayer.
There is no church:
Just Jesus, and his call.

There is no male or female:
We are one;
No living and no dead,
For Christ is all.

There is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all (Colossians 3:11; NIV).

References 

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us (Philippians 3:14; NLT).

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

We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another (Romans 12:5; RSV).

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

We have passed from death to life, because we love each other (1 John 3:14; NIV).

20.7.23: Filling my soul

Ruth Kirk
Pezibear: Pixabay.

I had to wake up early yesterday morning for some work to be done in my house. Whilst I was praying, these verses arrived:

The Spirit, too, comes to help us in our weakness. For we don’t know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit expresses our plea with groanings too deep for words. And God, who knows everything in our hearts, knows perfectly well what the Spirit is saying, because her intercessions for God’s holy people are made according to the mind of God.
(Romans 8:26-7; TIB). 

Filling my soul,
You pray within me –
Lord, I’m your willing slave.

Pleading on my behalf
For others –
Lord, please forgive and save.

Making me weep,
With sighs and groaning –
Lord, please touch every mind,

Ending our hatred, wars
And bloodshed –
Heal us, for we are blind.

In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.
(Psalm 36:2; NLT). 

You will open the eyes of the blind.
(Isaiah 42:7; NLT).

References 

🔻 I am the Lord’s slave  (Luke 1:38; HCSB).
🔻 We all have sinned against you (Jeremiah 14:20; NLT).
🔻 Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts. They have no fear of God at all. In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are. Everything they say is crooked and deceitful. They refuse to act wisely or do good. They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots. Their actions are never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil (Psalm 36:1-4; NLT).
🔻 He touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! (Matthew 9:29-30; NLT).
🔻 Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment – to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind” ( John 9:39; NLT).

25.12.22: Christmas Day

Ruth Kirk

Context: God often gives me a special prayer well in advance, ready to post on Christmas Day, but this year it didn’t happen. In fact, I had begun to think there would be no Christmas prayer at all this year. To begin with, I felt I should be able to write something appropriate, but I knew I couldn’t do this without inspiration, so eventually I placed the matter in God’s hands, and let it go.

Then, on the 21st of December, I received a long Christmas prayer, which was very difficult to put into words, to condense, and to edit. Eventually it took the form of a spoken exchange. The first section pictures Christ speaking to us, whilst the second pictures us responding to him.

✝️ She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them (Luke 2:7; NLT). 

I was born in the shadow of want,
And lived in the shadow of fear.

I worked in the shadow of hate,
But knew that my Father was near.

I wept in the shadow of grief,
And prayed in the shadow of pain.

I walked in the shadow of death,
Then rose, to save all, and to reign.

The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15; NLT).

✝️ We all have sinned against you (Jeremiah 14:20; NLT). 

Though we dwell in the shadow of sin,
And grieve in the shadow of loss,

We pray, and give thanks, and rejoice,
For we follow your way of the cross.

Though we walk in the shadow of death,
We trust in your staff and your rod.

Lord, you are here, in earth’s darkness,
So we sing in the shadow of God.

Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 63:7; NLT).

Christmas greetings:

My very best wishes to every reader who visits this website. May God bless you. I pray for you all every day.

✝️  With love, and many thanks for your support, from Ruth xxxxxxx

19.11.22: God is near

Ruth Kirk

Context: The night before last, my seventh with covid, I managed for the first time to cope without taking any cough-suppressant. As soon as I woke in the morning, I began to pray, but within seconds I was overwhelmed by today’s blog:

He is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:27-8; NIV). 

God is not far away,
But very near:
In everyone we meet,
And see, and hear;

In every joy and sorrow,
Smile, and tear;
In pain and anguish,
Suffering, and fear.

God is not far away,
But deep within:
In every mind, and heart,
And soul, and skin;

Despite our hatred,
Selfishness and sin –
God is not far away,
And God is King. 

God is the King over all the earth (Psalm 47:7; NLT).

References 

There is one Savior, one faith, one baptism, one God and Creator of all, who is over all, who works through all and is within all (Ephesians 4:5-6; TIB).

You are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16; NKJV). 

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

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! Pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

Rosary news:

Despite covid, I made a (hopefully) more accurate Fiat Rosary today, with the colours in the right order. Here is is:


…and here it is again, lying on my shrine overnight, soaking up God’s blessings:

18.10.22: Transformation

Ruth Kirk

Context: I’ve been struggling badly since a new drug was added to my cocktail a week or so ago. Amongst other side-effects, it made me unable to concentrate, or to pray, and therefore, unable to write. Worst of all, it made me feel that life was no longer worth living.

However, yesterday, with medical help, I reduced the quantity of this drug by 50%, and today, to my great joy, I found I could both pray, receive inspiration and write again.

Tomorrow I hope to post what I was given this morning, but for now, here is an astonishingly appropriate piece I chose and prepared last night, with no idea that my state of mind might be about to change.

This prayer arrived very early one morning some weeks ago, when I woke at dawn and couldn’t go back to sleep. The photo is the view from my bedroom window that day:

My God turns my darkness into light (Psalm 18:28; NIV). 

You turn my darkness into light,
My sickness, into health;
My weakness into strength, Lord,
And my poverty, to wealth.

You turn my mourning into joy,
My sighing, into prayer;
My loneliness, to oneness, Lord,
My selfishness, to care.

You turn my water into wine,
My sinfulness, to good;
My anger, into peace, Lord,
And my bitterness to love.

You turn my losses into gains,
My dross, to precious ore;
My death, Lord, to eternal life
With you, for evermore.

In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28; NIV).

References

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life (John 5:24; NLT). 

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever! (Psalm 30:11-12; NLT). 

What is the Kingdom of God like?

Ruth Kirk

Context: After posting yesterday’s prayer (https://wp.me/p45bCr-c36), I saw that the image of the wolf lying down with the lamb is a wonderful way of representing the revolutionary quality of relationships in the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 11:6-9; NIV).

This radically new way of living is characterised by treating everyone with love, regardless of how they behave towards us. We all have the potential to live like this, because God’s Kingdom is present within everyone (Luke 17:20-21; NKJV). Jesus lived as a citizen of God’s Kingdom on earth, and we, too, as individuals, can work towards the same goal.

However, for the Kingdom of God to hold sway throughout the whole world, we must all overcome the temptation to judge, reject, hurt, hate and destroy others. This applies to every person, family, group, denomination, caste, sect, class, tribe, religion and nation.

Both individually and collectively, the human qualities we need to overcome include:

  • Behaving selfishly and callously towards others
  • Refusing to share what we have
  • Controlling, dominating, bullying and abusing those less powerful than ourselves
  • Taking what belongs to other people
  • Judging and rejecting others for being different from ourselves in any way
  • Rejecting those with different spiritual beliefs and practices from ourselves
  • Looking down on, or hating, those whose skin-colour, sexuality, or way of life, is different from our own
  • Pursuing cruel, destructive conflicts and wars
  • Overexploiting and destroying the earth, our only shared home

Using richly symbolic, visionary language, Isaiah vividly illustrates what it will be like when everyone lives in the Kingdom of God:

The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:6-9; NIV).

Following this train of reflection, today’s poem quickly came to me, though it was very difficult to put into words:

Jesus said, “What is the Kingdom of God like? How can I illustrate it? It is like a tiny mustard seed that a man planted in a garden; it grows and becomes a tree, and the birds make nests in its branches.” He also asked, “What else is the Kingdom of God like? It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough” (Luke 13:18-21; NLT). 

What is the Kingdom of God like?
The strong take good care of the weak,
Men treat all women as equals,
And wait for their sisters to speak.

What is the Kingdom of God like?
The rich share their wealth with the poor.
The healthy assist the disabled,
And all give up hatred and war.

What is the Kingdom of God like?
It’s heaven on earth and above,
For colour and creed make no difference
When all live in God, who is Love.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:16; NIV). 

References 

When He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21; NKJV). 

The LORD will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:4; NLT).

I heard a loud voice calling from the throne,“Look! God’s Tabernacle is among humankind! God will live with them; they will be God’s people, and God will be fully present among them. The Most High will wipe away every tear from their eyes. And death, mourning, crying and pain will be no more, for the old order has fallen.” The One who sat on the throne said, “Look! I’m making everything new!” and added, “Write this, for what I am saying is trustworthy and true.” And that One continued, “It is finished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To those who are thirsty I will give drink freely from the spring of the water of life. This is the rightful inheritance of the overcomers. I will be their God and they will be my daughters and sons (Revelation 21:3-7; TIB).

Heal our hatred

Ruth Kirk

“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you”
(Psalm 31:4; NLT).

1. Lord,
Heal our hatred
With your love,
Our lies and boasting
With your breath;
Our lust for power
With your tears,
Our cruelty
With your distress.

2. Lord,
Heal our malice
With your blood,
Our greed and envy
With your pain;
Our barbarism
With your death:
Then we will all
Be whole again.

He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole
(Isaiah 53:5; NLT).

References 

1. He loves us with unfailing love (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22; NLT).

Jesus wept (John 11:35; NLT).

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

2. The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7; NLT).

Christ suffered physical pain (1 Peter 4:1; NLT).

Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3; NASB95).

His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV ). 

Prayers for peace

Ruth Kirk

Introduction

Many of us are praying for peace, so I thought it might be helpful to group my prayers on this subject into a little book. I add to this page regularly, so they are in date order, starting with the most recent at the top.

She is mine 27.5.22.

All of you together are Christ’s body,
and each of you is a part of it.
(1 Corinthians 12:27; NLT).

She is mine!
She’s my body –
So do her no harm.

He is mine!
He’s my body –
Don’t hurt, or destroy.

They are mine!
They’re my body –
Don’t wound, rape, or kill.

You are mine!
You’re my body –
Like me, do God’s will. 

God’s will is for you to be holy.
(1 Thessalonians 4:3; NLT). 

All are one in Christ 27.5.22.

Didn’t one God create us?
Why then do we act treacherously against one another?
(Malachi 2:10; NIV).

There is neither Jew nor Gentile,
Male nor Female,
Slave nor Free.

There is neither Black nor White,
Kin nor Stranger,
You nor Me.

There is neither Saint nor Sinner,
LBGTQ,
Nor Straight.

There is neither East nor West,
Creed nor Dogma,
Church nor State.

There is neither Friend nor Foe
Nor Refugee,
Nor Us, nor Them –

For All are one in Christ:
Our Mother, Father, Spirit, Soul.
Amen.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,
nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 3:28; NIV).

Heal our hatred 10.5.22.

“O Lord,” I prayed, “have mercy on me.
Heal me, for I have sinned against you.”
(Psalm 31:4; NLT).

Lord,
Heal our hatred
With your love,
Our lies and boasting
With your breath;
Our lust for power
With your tears,
Our cruelty
With your distress.

Lord,
Heal our malice
With your blood,
Our greed and envy
With your pain;
Our barbarism
With your death:
Then we will all
Be whole again.

He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
(Isaiah 53:5; NLT).

I pray for peace 2.5.22.

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
(Psalm 34:14; NIV).

I pray for peace in every mind,
In every heart, Lord,
Every soul.
May every life be filled with peace –
Forgive us;
Make us whole.

I pray that peace will reign on earth.
Lord, hear me:
Bring an end to war!
May every nation live in peace –
Today,
And evermore.

He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more.
(Isaiah 2:4; NIV).

Sad and angry 23.4.22.

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord.
(Psalm 14:2-4; NIV).

How sad and angry
You must be
To witness
All our cruelty,
Our hate,
And inhumanity –
Our lack of love,
Lord God.

I beg you
For a halt to strife,
Respect
For every human life,
Forgiveness,
And an end to war –
Then peace will reign
For evermore.

The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war any more.
(Isaiah 2:4; NLT). 

Easter Saturday 16.4.22


The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
(Galatians 5:22-3; NLT). 

Lord,
I pray for peace, not war,
For kindness, Father, evermore,
For self-control in every mind:
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done. 

Lord,
I beg for joy, not war,
For patience, Father, evermore,
For gentleness in every heart:
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done. 

Lord,
I plead for love, not war,
For goodness, Father, evermore,
For faithfulness in every soul:
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done. 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done.
(Matthew 6:10; KJV).

Good Friday 15.4.22.

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
(Luke 6:27-8; NIV).

Beyond all torment, come what may,
Is Christ, who shows us how to pray.

Beyond all darkness and distress
Is Christ, who teaches us to bless.

Beyond all anguish, hate, and blood
Is Christ, who teaches us to love.

Beyond all hunger, thirst, and pain
Is Christ, who died, and rose again.

Beyond all terror, grief, and war
Is Christ, who lives for evermore.

I died, and behold I am alive for evermore.
(Revelation 1:18; RSV).

Hearts of stone 6.4.22.

Surrender your pride and power. Change your hearts before the Lord, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because of all your sins.
(Jeremiah 4:4; NLT).

Take away our hearts of stone,
Our foolishness and pride:
Please give us tender hearts of flesh –
Your teaching, Lord, our guide.

Take away our hearts of flint,
Our anger, hate and greed:
Then give us gentle, loving hearts –
Your pattern, Lord, our creed.

Take away our hearts of ice,
Our senseless use of force:
And give us warm, responsive hearts –
Your gospel, Lord, our source.

I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.
(Ezekiel 36:26; NLT).

 Even when we don’t trust others 4.4.22.

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you …

Even when we don’t trust others,
Father, may we offer peace.

Even when they hate and curse us,
May we serve them, doing good.

Even when we fear them deeply,
May we help and bless them all,

And even when they treat us badly,
May we pray for them, with love.

… pray for those who mistreat you.
(Luke 6:27-8; NIV).

World-wide justice 3.4.22.

Let true justice prevail.
(Deuteronomy 16:20; NLT).

We pray for world-wide justice, Lord:
For shame about the lies we’ve spun;
For confession, and contrition
As we weep for what we’ve done.

We pray for widespread mercy, Lord:
For sorrow that we’ve used brute force;
For repentance, and forgiveness
As we face our deep remorse.

We pray for global fairness, Lord:
For readiness to love our foe;
For penance, and for reparation
As we pay back all we owe.

We pray for perfect wisdom, Lord:
For faith and hope; an end to war;
For reconciliation, truth
And peace on earth, for evermore.

The Lord will mediate between nations and will settle international disputes. They will hammer their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war any more.
(Isaiah 2:4; NLT). 

Beyond all weariness 27.3.22.

All glory to him who alone is God, our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time,
and in the present, and beyond all time!
(Jude 1:25; NLT).

Beyond all weariness and pain
Is Christ, who died, and rose again.

Beyond all worry and dismay
Is Christ, who teaches us to pray.

Beyond all anguish and despair
Is Christ, who shows us how to care.

Beyond all fear and loss of hope
Is Christ, who always helps us cope.

Beyond all ignorance and sin
Is Christ, the Lord, who dwells within.

Beyond all darkness, war, and strife
Is Christ, who gives eternal life.

He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good.
(Romans 2:7; NLT).

Pray for peace 19.3.22.


I will pray for peace.
(Psalm 122:8; CEV).

I pray for peace in every mind,
That pride and hate will always fail,
That all will turn to you at last, Lord God,
And faith prevail.    

I pray for joy in every heart,
That rage and greed will always fail,
That you will reign in every life, Lord God,
And hope prevail. 

I pray for truth in every soul,
That lies and force will always fail,
That all will grow in unity, Lord God, 
And love prevail.

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

A prayer for peace 18.3.22.

Let true justice prevail.
(Deuteronomy 16:20; NLT).

Father,
May your justice reign,

Your wisdom bring
An end to pain;

Your truth be praised,
Your kingdom come,

Your peace prevail –
Your will be done.

May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(Matthew 6:10; NET).

Save us! 17.3.22.

Lord, save us!
(Matthew 8:25; NLT).

Jesus,
Save us from ourselves,
For we are ignorant and weak.
The last thing we remember, Lord, is:
Blessed are the meek.

Jesus,
Save us from ourselves,
For we are always wanting more.
The last thing we consider, Lord, is:
Blessed are the poor.

Jesus,
Save us from ourselves,
For we pursue what makes us glad.
The last thing we acknowledge, Lord, is:
Blessed are the sad.

Jesus,
Save us from ourselves,
For we are blind, and immature.
The last thing we reflect on, Lord, is:
Blessed are the pure.

I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.
(Matthew 18:3; NLT).

Fire against fire 16.3.22.

Nation will go to war against nation,
and kingdom against kingdom.
(Luke 21:10; NLT). 

Fire against fire,
And hate against hate;
Fear against fear:
Lord, it’s too late!

Hope beyond hope,
And light beyond light;
Strength beyond strength:
Lord, you are life!

Peace upon peace,
And good upon good;
Truth upon truth:
Lord, you are love!

God is love.
(1 John 4:8; NLT).

A prayer for us all 12.3.22.

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

Lord,
Remove our stony hearts –
Give us new hearts, of flesh.
Please take our greed and hate away –
Help us to start afresh.

Lord,
Remove our cold, hard minds –
Give us the mind of Christ.
Please take our selfishness away –
Show us your sacrifice.

Lord,
Remove our iron souls –
So we can share all pain.
Please take our love of power away –
May we be born again.

Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.
(John 3:3; NLT).

A prayer for President Putin 8.2.22.

You do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful,
poor, blind and naked (Revelation 3:17; NIV).

Lord,
Remove his stony heart
And give him a heart of flesh.
Take his hate and greed away –
Help him to start afresh.

Lord,
Remove his hard, cold mind
And give him the mind of Christ.
Take his lust for power away –
Show him your sacrifice.

Lord,
Remove his iron soul
So he can share our pain.
Take his ruthlessness away –
May he be born again.

Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.
(John 3:3; NLT).

Truth beyond falsehood 9.3.22.

Save me! Rescue me from the power of my enemies. Their mouths are full of lies; they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.
(Psalm 144:11; NLT).

Truth beyond falsehood,
Hope beyond fear,
Peace beyond battle –
Lord, you are here. 

Faith beyond anguish,
Rest beyond pain,
Light beyond darkness –
Father, you reign. 

Joy beyond terror,
Wine beyond gall,
Life beyond bondage –
Love, beyond all.

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

The song of the dead 8.3.22.

No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light.
(Isaiah 60:19; NLT).

Father, brighter than the sun,
Jesus, every battle won,
Spirit, all your work is done:
We love you.

Lord, we walked the path you trod,
You, our guide, with staff and rod,
Leading us straight back to God:
We love you. 

Every enemy outrun,
Here, no hatred, fear, or gun,
All will live in union:
We love you. 

Father, we have run our race,
Jesus, we can see your face,
Spirit, overwhelming grace:
We love you. 

Lord, in paradise, at last,
Every pain and grief is past,
You have saved us, held us fast:
We love you. 

Now, our joy, Lord, has begun,
Now, we hear you say: Well done!
Now, we know you, Three-In-One,
And love you.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.
(1 Chronicles 29:11; NLT).

We are wretched 4.3.22.

All the days of the oppressed are wretched.
(Proverbs 15:15; NIV). 

Father,
We are wretched,
Pitiful and weak,
For we have been invaded,
And the strong oppress the meek.

Father,
We are anxious,
Hungry, thirsty, poor,
For we are now blockaded,
And the strong despise your law.

Father,
We are homeless,
Distressed in heart and mind,
Yet everyone is fragile,
And all lives are intertwined.

Father,
We are battered
By hardship, bomb and gun,
But weak and strong are suffering –
For all of us are one.

There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free,
male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
(Galatians 3:28; NLT).

A prayer for President Putin 2.3.22.

Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
(Luke 6:27-8; NIV).

Father,

I pray that President Putin will come to his senses, repent and turn to you, and that you will forgive his sins.

May he follow Christ, taking him as his way, truth and life, his Teacher, example and guide.

Please heal him in mind, heart and soul. May he be born again, and be filled with your Holy Spirit.

I pray that he will come to know, accept, and return, your perfect love.

May he recognise and love you in every human being, and in this astonishing world you have created – the only place in which we, your people, can live together.

Thank you for hearing my prayer, Lord.

 I ask all this in your dear Son’s name. Amen.

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
(1 John 4:8; NIV).

Hear my heartfelt prayer 28.2.22.

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.
(Psalm 102:1; KJV).

Hear my heartfelt prayer, Lord God:
End our greed and hatred.
Take away our minds of stone,
And make our thinking like your own:
Loving; joyous; full of peace –
Help us, I implore you.

Hear my earnest prayer, Lord God:
Turn us from all evil.
Take away our hearts of stone,
And make our passions like your own:
Patient; kindly; generous –
Till all of us adore you. 

Hear my urgent prayer, Lord God:
Forgive our sins; have mercy.
Take away our souls of stone,
And give us spirits like your own:
Faithful; gentle; self-controlled –
Then all will bow before you.  

Bow down and worship the Lord.
(Ezekiel 46:3; NLT).

Prayer for peace 24.2.22.

Friends, let us pray for peace in Ukraine, and for peace in President Putin’s heart:

I pray that President Putin will become a Christian through revelation, as Saint Paul did, that he will suddenly come to his senses, realise what he’s doing to his fellow human beings, repent, and experience a profound conversion of mind, heart and soul.

I ask all this in Jesus’ blessed name. Amen.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.
(Isaiah 65:25; KJV).

The song of the dead

Ruth Kirk

No longer will you need the sun to shine by day,
nor the moon to give its light by night,
for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light.
(Isaiah 60:19; NLT).

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

Father, brighter than the sun;
Jesus, every battle won;
Spirit, all your work is done:
We love you.

Lord, we walked the path you trod;
You, our guide, with staff and rod,
Leading us straight back to God:
We love you. 

Every enemy outrun;
Here, no hatred, fear, or gun;
All will live in union:
We love you. 

Father, we have run our race;
Jesus, we can see your face;
Spirit, overwhelming grace:
We love you. 

Lord, in paradise, at last,
Every pain and grief is past;
You have saved us, held us fast:
We love you. 

Now, our joy, Lord, has begun;
Now, we hear you say: Well done!
Now, we know you, Three-In-One:
And love you.

🖤

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.
(1 Chronicles 29:11; NLT).

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.
(Revelation 21:4; NLT). 

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
(1 Corinthians 13:12; NIV).

 

My heartfelt prayer

Ruth Kirk

Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry come unto thee.
(Psalm 102:1; KJV).

1. Hear my heartfelt prayer, Lord God:
End our greed and hatred.
Take away our minds of stone,
And make our thinking like your own:
Loving; joyous; full of peace –
Help us, I implore you.

2. Hear my earnest prayer, Lord God:
Turn us from all evil.
Take away our hearts of stone,
And make our passions like your own:
Patient; kindly; generous –
Till everyone adores you. 

3. Hear my urgent prayer, Lord God:
Forgive our sins; have mercy.
Take away our souls of stone,
And give us spirits like your own:
Faithful; gentle; self-controlled –
Then all will bow before you.  

🖤

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-3; NRSV).

Bow down and worship the Lord (Ezekiel 46:3; NLT).

 

References

1. The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord (Psalm 14:2-4; NIV).

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5; NKJV).

All of you should be of one mind. Sympathise with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it (1 Peter 3:8-9; NLT).

2. Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14; NIV).

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

I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever (Jeremiah 32:39; NLT).

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things (1 Chronicles 29:11; NLT). 

3. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously (Isaiah 55:7; NLT). 

I will …put a new spirit in you (Ezekiel 36:26; NIV).

We have all been baptised into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13. 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).