Category: life

Bright star

Ruth Kirk

Image: Andrew Coles, Pixabay

1. Bright star,
Bright Son,
Bright life,
Bright light.

2. Dark dread,
Dark prayer,
Dark deed,
Dark night.

3. Black scorn,
Black pain,
Black death,
Black day.

4. New faith,
New hope,
New love:
New Way!

References

1. The star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was (Matthew 2:9; NLT).

A child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6; NLT).

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

2. Being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44; NIV).

If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine (Matthew 26:39; NLT).

The traitor, Judas, had given them a pre-arranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss. Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him (Mark 14:44-46; NLT).

3. “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him!” (Matthew 27:42; NLT).

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).

Jesus called out with a loud voice […] “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” […] Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last (Mark 15:34,37; NLT).

By this time was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock (Luke 23:44; NLT).

4. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:27-9; NLT).

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3; CSB).

I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other (John 13:34; NLT).

Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit (Romans 7:6; NLT).

Be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him (Colossians 3:10; NLT).

Every breath

Ruth Kirk

Image: Karsten Paulick, Pixabay

Lord,

1. You give me every breath,
From birth, throughout my life,
Till death,

2. So may I never cease to pray,
Rejoice, and thank you
Every day

3. Beneath the shelter of your wings,
Almighty God,
My King of kings.

References

1. The breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4; NLT).

The Lord gives both life and death (1 Samuel 2:6; NLT).

2.  Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

3.  All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings (Psalm 36:7; NLT).

I am Almighty God (Genesis 17:1; NKJV).

He is Lord of lords, and King of kings (Revelation 17:14; NKJV).

Trek

Ruth Kirk
Image: fermiart, Pixabay

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

1. Life is a trek
Back to heaven.

2. Faith is a journey
To God.

3. Hope is a walk
With his Spirit.

4. Love is the path
That Christ trod.

References

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

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

The Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith (Romans 1:17; NLT).

3. You will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13; NLT).

4. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children, and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2; NIV).

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

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us (1 John 3:16; NLT).

Your Kingdom

Ruth Kirk
Photo: geralt, Pixabay

May your kingdom come soon (Luke 11:2; NLT).

Lord,

1. Forgive and heal
My sinful life –

2. All my resentment,
Pain, and inner strife.

3. Help me to live at peace
With everyone,

4. For then, at last, I’ll see
Your Kingdom come.

References

1. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

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

3. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:18; NLT).

4. I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:27; NLT).

The Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

 

It’s not just that you make us

Ruth Kirk
Photo: qimono

Lord,

1. It’s not just that you make us:
You’re creation.

2. It’s not just that you’re timeless:
You are time.

3. It’s not just that you’re living:
You are life, Lord.

4. It’s not just that you light our way:
You shine.

5. It’s not just that you feed us:
You are bread, Lord.

6. It’s not just that you give us drink:
You’re wine.

7. It’s not just that you care for us:
You’re love, Lord.

8. It’s not just that I’m yours, Lord:
You are mine.

References

1. The Word gave life to everything that was created (John 1:1; NLT).

2. For you, a thousand years are as a passing day, as brief as a few night hours (Psalm 90:4; NLT).

3. I am the way the truth and the life (John 14:6; NIV).

4. God is more glorious than the moon; he shines brighter than the stars (Job 25:5; NLT).

5. I am the living bread the came down from heaven (John 6:51; NLT).

6. He took a cup of wine […] and he said to them, “This is my blood” (Mark 14:23-4; NLT).

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

8. I am yours (Psalm 119:94; NLT).

Lord, you are mine! (Psalm 119:57; NLT).

You pour out light

Ruth Kirk

Each day the Lord pours out his unfailing love upon me
(Psalm 42:8; NLT).

1. Lord,
You pour out light each day,
Yet you still have more to send.

2. Lord,
You pour out fire each day,
Yet your strength will never end.

3. Lord,
You pour out truth each day,
Yet your words are never stale.

4. Lord,
You pour out peace each day,
Yet its source will never fail.

5. Lord,
You pour out life each day,
Yet your well is never dry.

6. Lord,
You pour out love each day,
Yet your heart will never die.

References

1. God is light (1 John 1:5; NLT).

2. God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).

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

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

5. I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6; NLT).

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

Love never ends (1 Corinthians 13:8; CSB).

We look for you

Ruth Kirk

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

1. Lord,
We look for you
Beyond ourselves:

2. Searching,
Longing,

3. Thirsting
Day by day;

4. When all the time
You dwell, Lord God,
Within us:

5. For you are
Our soul,

6. Our life, our truth,
Our way.

References

1. God looks down from heaven on all mankind (Psalm 53:2; NIV).

2. All night long I search for you; in the morning I earnestly seek for God (Isaiah 26:9; NLT).

I long for you, O God (Psalm Psalm 42:1; NLT).

3. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God (Psalm 42:2; NKJV).

Every day I call to you, my God, but you do not answer (Psalm 22;2; NLT).

4. You are the temple of the living God (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

The kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21; NKJV).

5. There is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them (Job 32:8; NLT).

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

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

6. I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6; NLT).

You are my soul

Ruth Kirk

I am the vine; you are the branches.
Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.
(John 15:5; NLT).

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

1. You are my soul,
Lord God,
We are one breath.

2. One flesh, one mind,
One heart, Lord,
To the core.

3. One birth, one path,
One truth, one life,
One death.

4. One faith, one hope,
One love –
For evermore.

References

1. You are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT).

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

There is a spirit within people, the breath of the Almighty within them (Job 32:8; NLT).

2. They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever (Jeremiah 32:38-9; NLT).

3. I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6; NLT).

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

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

The way, the truth, and the life

Ruth Kirk


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

1. I love you,
And you love me –
You are the way
I want to go.

2. I love you,
And you love me –
You are the truth
I want to know.

3. I love you,
And you love me –
You are the life
I want to lead.

4. I love you,
And you love me –
You are the Lord,
That’s all I need.

References

1. I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1; NLT).

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

God’s way is perfect (Psalm 18:30; NLT).

2. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32; NLT).

3. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10; NRSV).

4. He is the Lord our God (Psalm 105:7; NLT).

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need (Psalm 23:1; NLT).