Category: Jesus

Your healing touch

Ruth Kirk

I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One
(Tobit 12:15; KJV).

God sent me […] to cure you
(Tobit 12:13-14; GNTA).

Lord Jesus, 

Please give Raphael
Your gentle, healing touch,
Then send him down to help us,
For you love us all so much.

You see our trials and sorrows, Lord,
You hear our anguished cries;
You share our grief and pain;
Your Spirit prays for us with sighs.

You know, Lord, how we suffer here
In mind and body, heart and soul,
But with his help we will be healed:
Your touch will make us whole.


In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared (Luke 5:12-13; NLT).

I remember

Ruth Kirk

 

Mary remembered all these things
and thought deeply about them
(Luke 2:19; GNT).

Jesus, I remember
The day God’s angel came,
The message, and the promise;
The way he said your name.

And I well remember
The day when you were born:
The pain, the blood, the darkness;
The crying out; the dawn.

Jesus, I remember
The day you were baptised:
The dove, the voice, the heavens,
And John, there, at your side.

And I well remember
The day you were transformed:
The sun, the cloud, God speaking;
Your robes, with light adorned.

Jesus, I remember
The day you were betrayed:
The bread, the wine, the sharing;
The garden where you prayed.

And I well remember
The day when you were killed:
The cross, the nails, the anguish;
Your destiny fulfilled.

Jesus, I remember
The day you rose anew:
The tears, the hopes, the doubting;
Your friends, so very few.

And I well remember
The day God took you home:
The quiet way you left us
To follow you, alone.

Jesus, I remember
The day your Spirit fell:
The tongues of fire, the jeering;
The truth you helped us tell.

So now, Lord, I look forward
To the day when you return:
For then I’ll see your face again –
No longer will I yearn.

I yearn for the Lord,
more than watchmen do for the morning
(Psalm 130:6; NET).

Temptation (#2 of 2 linked prayers)

Ruth Kirk

Hear my plea (Psalm 28:2; NET).

Father God, in sickness,
Jesus, in dismay,
Spirit, in temptation:
Hear my plea.

Father God, in sorrow,
Jesus, in distress,
Spirit, in temptation:
Come to me.

Father God, in anguish,
Jesus, in despair,
Spirit, in temptation:
You are near.

Father, in extremis,
Jesus, in blind faith,
Spirit, in my dying:
You are here.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).

Temptation (#1 of 2 linked prayers)

Ruth Kirk

Hear my plea
(Psalm 28:2; NET).

Father God, in weakness,
Jesus, in dismay,
Spirit, in temptation:
Hear my plea.

Father God, in anger,
Jesus, in alarm,
Spirit, in temptation:
Come to me. 

Father God, in sorrow,
Jesus, in distress,
Spirit, in temptation:
You are near.

Father God, in failure,
Jesus, in despair,
Spirit, in temptation:
You are here.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me
(Psalm 23:4; NLT).

Together

Ruth Kirk

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).

Father,
Let us live together
In your love,
For evermore.

Jesus,
Let us walk together
In your light,
For evermore.

Spirit,
Let us rest together
In your bliss,
For evermore;

And, Lord,
Let us stay together –
Here, on earth,
And evermore.

We will be with the Lord forever
(1 Thessalonians 4:17; NLT).

Turn to God

Ruth Kirk

Image: Geeshan Edirisinghe, Pixabay

🍁

Turn to God
(Matthew 3:2; NLT).

1. Father,
May I turn to you
When I am feeling low.

2. Jesus,
May I turn to you
As I receive each blow.

3. Spirit,
May I turn to you
In sorrow, fear, and pain.

4. So, Lord,
May I turn to you –
Again, again, again.

Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them
(Isaiah 55:7; NIV).

🍁

References

1. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey his voice (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), he will not forsake you (Deuteronomy 4:30-31; NKJV).

2. They spit on him and took the staff and struck him on the head with it again and again (Matthew 27:30; NLT).

He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman Soldiers to be crucified (Mark 15:15; NLT).

When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there [and] Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:33-4; NIV).

3. They will turn to the Lord and he will respond to their pleas and heal them (Isaiah 19:22; NIV).

4. Turn me again to you and restore me, for you alone are the Lord my God (Jeremiah 31:18; NLT).

Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again (Revelation 3:3; NLT).

Forgiveness

Ruth Kirk
Image: Victoria_Borodinova, Pixabay

🖤

Whenever you pray,
forgive anything you have against anyone.
(Mark 11:25; GW).

1. It can take all our life
To forgive those who hurt us –
A parent, a partner,
A stranger, a friend;

2. But that’s why we’re here,
Though it’s such a big challenge –
To learn to forgive, and let go,
In the end.

3. It can take us a lifetime
To love those who hate us –
To bless them, do good for them,
Pray for them, too;

4. But that’s why we’re here,
Though it’s such a hard task –
For we can’t be like Jesus, our Lord,
Till we do.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,
for they don’t know what they are doing”
(Luke 23:34; NLT).

🖤

References

1. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you (Matthew 6:14; NLT).

2. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:15; NLT).

3. To you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you (Luke 6:27-8; NLT).

4. Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him (1 John 3:2; NLT).

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:5; NIV).

Jesus died and rose again

Ruth Kirk

Image: geralt, Pixabay

🧡

1. Jesus died,
And rose again.
He shares in all our fear
And pain.

2. Jesus died,
But now he lives.
He saves us, heals us,
And forgives.

3. Jesus died,
Yet loves us all,
Though he is great,
And we, so small.

4. Jesus died
For everyone:
Our way, our truth, our life:
God’s Son.

🧡

References

1. Christ died and rose again (Romans 14:9; NLT).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19; NIV).

2. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God (Romans 6:10; NLT).

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; NLT).

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).

3. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us (Revelation 1:5; NLT).

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less (John 3:30; NLT).

4. Jesus died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them (2 Corinthians 5:15; NLT).

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

This is my dearly-loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him! (Matthew 17:5; NLT).

Your cross

Ruth Kirk

Image: Ruth Kirk

❤️

Lord,

1. Your cross
Is part of me,
And I am part
Of you.

2. It’s always with me,
Day and night,
In all I think, and say,
And do.

3. It gives me courage,
Comfort, peace,
When I am anxious,
Or in pain –

4. Reminding me
How Jesus lived
And suffered,
Died, and rose again.

🌺🌺🌺

References

1. 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).

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

2. 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).

3. I am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives (Micah 3:8; NET).

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever (John 14:16; KJV).

Peace I leave you; my peace I give you (John 14:27; NIV).

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT).

4. The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction. But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18; NLT).

“The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead” (Luke 9:22; NLT).

When we cannot walk by faith (with thanks to David)

Ruth Kirk

Image: Mareks Steins, Unsplash

🤎

We walk by faith, not by sight
(2 Corinthians 5:7; NKJV).

1. When we cannot walk by faith,
The Lord is with us:
We are safe.

2. When we cannot see his light,
Jesus guides us
Through the night.

3. When we cannot praise, or pray,
His Spirit pleads for us
Each day;

4. And even when we lose all trust,
He’s still holding fast
To us!

Your strong right hand holds me securely
(Psalm 63:8; NLT).

🤎

References

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

You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe (Psalm 4:8; NLT).

2. If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the Lord and rely on your God (Isaiah 50:10; NLT).

I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life (John 8:12; NLT).

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

4. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? (Psalm 22:1; NLT).

Your strong right hand holds me securely (Psalm 63:8; NLT).