Jesus – Seeking God's face together

Within your hands

December 10, 2019Ruth Kirk

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

1. May I live
Within your hands,
Rejoicing, Lord,
In your commands.

2. May I live
Within your mind,
Praising you,
For you are kind.

3. May I live
Within your heart,
Delighting, Lord,
To play my part.

4. May I live
Within your soul,
Trusting you
To make me whole.

References

1. Our lives are in his hands (Psalm 66:9; NLT).

I find joy in your commands (Psalm 119:143; NLT).

2. Praise the Lord, O my soul! Do not forget all his kind deeds! (Psalm 103:2; NET).

3. Your instructions are my delight (Psalm 119:77; NLT).

When you obey me, you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty’ (Luke 17:10; NLT).

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

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

Photo acknowledgement: Milan Popovic

Saying “Yes,” to God

November 12, 2019Ruth Kirk

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

1. Mary, you answered, “Yes,” to God;
Help us to do the same.

2. Spirit, you echoed her, “Yes,” to God;
Help us to praise his name.

3. Jesus, you cried out, “Yes,” to God;
Help us to do his will.

4. Then we’ll say, “Yes,” to all God sends,
Knowing he loves us still.

References

1. Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word (Luke 1:38; KJV).

2. God is Spirit (John 4:24; NLT).

The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea (Psalm 29:3; NLT).

Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour (Luke 1:46-7; NLT).

I will sing praises to your name (2 Samuel 22:50; NLT).

3. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Mark 14:36; NLT).

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

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

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).

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

Child of God

November 9, 2019November 9, 2019Ruth Kirk

1. May I be a child of God,
Whose Spirit helps me hear his call
To pray with him incessantly,
And ask him to forgive us all.

2. May I be a friend of Jesus,
Taking up my cross each day,
Serving him by loving all humanity
Along the way.

3. May I be a friend of God,
Our Father, who makes all things new,
Begging him to help us heal
This Eden, and its people, too.

References

1. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God (1 John 5:1; NLT).

The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26; NLT).

O that today you would listen as he speaks! (Hebrews 4:7; NET).

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion (Ephesians 6:18; NLT).

2. [Jesus said] This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me (John 15:12-15; NLT).

Then [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).

Supplement your faith with […] love for everyone (2 Peter 1:5-7; NLT).

3. Our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God (Romans 5:11; NLT).

The one sitting on the throne said, “Look! I am making everything new” (Revelation 21:5; NLT).

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Genesis 2:15; NIV).

The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one. Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord (Psalm 14:2-4; NLT).

Don’t force your prayers

November 3, 2019November 3, 2019Ruth Kirk

1. Don’t force your prayers:
God wants us to be honest,
Telling him exactly
What we need.

2. Don’t force your prayers:
God wants us to speak simply,
So let us always follow
His Son’s lead.

3. Don’t force your prayers:
God wants us to be childlike,
Spontaneous, unceasing,
And unplanned.

4. Don’t force your prayers:
God wants us all to trust him,
For he will always hear,
And understand.

References

1. You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).

Tell God what you need (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

2. When you pray, don’t babble on (Matthew 6:7; NLT).

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one (Matthew 6:9-13; NLT).

3. Anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it (Mark 10:15; NLT).

Pour out your heart to him (Psalm 62:8; NLT).

Pray about everything (Philippians 4:6; NLT).

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

4. Trust in God and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

The Lord hears my voice (Psalm 55:17; NLT).

He made their hearts, so he understands everything they do (Psalm 33:15; NLT).

Seek God’s help

October 26, 2019Ruth Kirk

1. Try to think each thought
With love –
Seek God’s help
Through Jesus’ name.

2. Try to say each word
With love –
Ask him for
The Spirit’s flame.

3. Try to do each deed
With love –
Beg his help:
Christ will suffice.

4. Try to live your life
In love –
You’ll dwell with him
In paradise.

References

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

The Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name (John 15:16; NLT).

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

How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13; NLT).

What looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3-4; NLT).

3. Do everything with love (1 Corinthians 16:14; NLT).

Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you (Psalm:5; NLT).

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

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

Today you will be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43; NLT).

Without you

October 7, 2019October 8, 2019Ruth Kirk

I am nothing but dust and ashes (Genesis 18:27; NIV).

1. Father,
Without you I’m nothing –
Vulnerable flesh and bone.

2. Mary,
Without you I’m nothing –
Motherless and all alone.

3. Jesus,
Without you I’m nothing –
Sinful, weak, condemned to death.

4. Spirit,
Without you I’m nothing –
You alone give life and breath.

References

1. You lived in this world without God and without hope (Ephesians 2:12; NLT).

2. He said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home (John 19:27; NLT).

3. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23; NLT).

4. The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4; NLT).