Category: pain

God awakes

Ruth Kirk

Here is a video of today’s blog: God awakes

Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens
(Psalm 68:33; NLT). 

God awakes the ancient heavens:
Time begins in endless space.
All creation flows within him:
Earth, light, water; life, peace, grace.
Then, he makes both men and women,
Each reflecting his dear face.

Disobedience; selfishness:
Oh, how the lust for power grows!
Watching; waiting; weeping; raging:
Still, the God of mercy shows
Unfailing love. He sends his Son:
Most precious gift, although he knows

Exactly what will happen next.
They spurned his Way, and all he said,
Scorned him; beat him; jeered, and spat,
As, hanging on the cross, he bled
And died that day, for all our sins.
Since then, his Spirit comes, instead,

To those who trust his holy name.
Shun selfishness! Take up your cross.
Put others first. Accept what comes
With thanks, and see the rest as dross.
Then, follow Christ through life’s dark vale,
Clinging to him in pain and loss.

Cling to your faith in Christ (1 Timothy 1:19; NLT).

His body [lamenting its decay] grieves in pain over it, and his soul mourns over [the loss of] himself (Job 14:22; AMP).

References

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1; NLT). 

God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27; NLT).

The [population of the] earth was corrupt [absolutely depraved – spiritually and morally putrid] in God’s sight, and the land was filled with violence [desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power] (Genesis 6:11; AMP).

The Lord your God is a raging fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; GW).

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

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16; NLT).

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, 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 2:1-4; NLT). 

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:12; NIV). 

Then he 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; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

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

What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his soul? (Mark 8:36; DBY). 

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21; CFSB).

My body is yours

Ruth Kirk

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself (1 Corinthians 6:19; NLT). 

My body is yours, Lord,
To use as you please.

My mind, your domain:
I embrace each disease.

My heart is your home, Lord,
From birth until death.

My spirit is yours,
For my soul is your breath.

My strength comes from you, Lord:
May your will be done,

For though life brings sorrow and pain,
We are one.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

References

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). 

This is what the sovereign LORD says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath into you and you will live (Ezekiel 37:5; NET). 

The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7; KJV).

The LORD is my strength (Exodus 15:2; NLT).

I want your will to be done, not mine (Luke 22:42; NLT). 

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

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever (Psalm 73:26; NLT).

The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21; CSB).

My body

Ruth Kirk
My sacrifice: RK.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1; NIV). 

My body is my sacrifice,
My willing spirit, too;
My mind and heart; my humble soul:
I lift them up to you.

I offer only pain, fatigue,
Depression, dread, despair;
Yet, when I plead for others, Lord,
You always hear my prayer.

Although I’m your unworthy slave,
With nothing else to give,
I know that you will ransom me
One day: then I will live!

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death (Hosea 13:14; KJV).

References 

Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak (Mark 14:38; NLT). 

I lift up my hands and heart toward Your innermost sanctuary (Psalm 28:2; AMP).

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).

I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy (Psalm 116:1; NLT).

We are unworthy slaves (Luke 17:10; NASB1995).

Those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired (Isaiah 40:31; AMP). 

I find you

Ruth Kirk

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). 

Lord,
I find you in my sickness,
Grief, depression, fear and pain.
Suffering with you is freedom:
Every loss becomes a gain.

Lord,
I meet you in acceptance,
Knowing that you always care.
Suffering with you: my mission:
Every sigh becomes a prayer.

Lord,
I long to serve your kingdom.
May each hardship be a cue
To intercede for all who suffer,
As I strive to follow you.

Then he 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).

References 

Verse 1:
Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17; NLT).
You live under the freedom of God’s grace (Romans 6:14; NLT).
The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21; CSB).
To live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21; ANT).
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28; NIV).

Verse 2:
Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).
I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles,
and you care about the anguish of my soul (Psalm 31:7; NLT).
This has been given to you on behalf of Christ, not only so that you may believe in him, but even so that you may suffer with him (Philippians 1:29; CPDV).
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Verse 3:
We must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22; NLT).
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).
Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him (Colossians 2:6; NLT).

Easter Day

Ruth Kirk

Happy Easter to you all! With love from Ruth xxxxxxx

They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again (Mark 10:34; NLT). 

Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do. As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet… They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched (Luke 24:39-43; NLT). 

Lord,

Easter is when you
Are born again,

Free from all your anguish,
Dread, and pain;

Free to help
Your followers anew:

Jesus, may we love and serve,
Like you.

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45; NLT). 

As we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world (1 John 4:17; NLT).

References

I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3; NLT).

You exposed yourself to death itself, and allowed yourself to be counted among criminals, while you bore the guilt of many and interceded for sinners (Isaiah 53:12; TIB).

The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17; NLT). 

I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever (John 14:16; ESV). 

It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you (John 16:7; ESV). 

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). 

Migraine: with thanks to K.B.

Ruth Kirk

Today I was hoping to go to Mass, which I don’t manage very often, but instead I have a migraine…

So I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations (2 Corinthians 12:7; TM).  

Migraine is my Mass today,
And codeine is my bread.
All my hopes and plans are gone:
A quiet day, instead.

Migraine is my liturgy,
And water is my wine;
So, Lord, I accept this cross
As a part of your design.

Migraine is my service,
And I know it’s not in vain,
Because I can embrace this chance
To plead for those in pain.

Migraine is my crown of thorns;
It gives me time to pray.
Thank you, Lord, that I can share
Your suffering today. 

Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).

References 

Then he 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). 

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

My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done (Matthew 26:42; NLT). 

The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head (John 19:2; NLT). 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church (Colossians 1:24; NLT).

Redemptive suffering: #3

Ruth Kirk

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT). 

May every sweat become a prompt
To pray for those with fever,

And every ache, a cue to pray
For those who suffer pain.

May every fear become a chance
To pray for those in anguish,

And every tear, a spur to pray
For those who hope in vain.

Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost (Ezekiel 37:11; AMP). 

Weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15; AMP).

Enough

Ruth Kirk
In the beginning was the Word.
(John 1:1; RSV).

Christ is all, and is in all (Colossians 3:11; NIV). 

Jesus is everything;
Jesus is all.
Trust him to rescue you:
Pray, when you fall.

Jesus is everything;
He understands.
Take up your cross each day:
Live in his hands.

Jesus is everything –
Patient, and good.
Stay by his side today:
Walk in his love.

When life is challenging,
Painful, and tough:
Follow him gladly,
For he is enough.

He said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me (2 Corinthians 12:9; NET).

References 

Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me (John 14:1; NLT).

Since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:14-15; NLT).

Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “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).

A reading from 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; AMP.

Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 

For just as Christ’s sufferings are ours in abundance [as they overflow to His followers], so also our comfort [our reassurance, our encouragement, our consolation] is abundant through Christ [it is truly more than enough to endure what we must]. 

Oneness

Ruth Kirk

Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).

Then he 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).

Take up your cross,
And walk in Christ’s way.
Give up all selfishness:
Serve him today.

Pray all the time,
And live in God’s love.
Follow Christ’s teaching,
And strive to do good.

Walk in his light,
And share in his pain.
Dwell in his kingdom,
And welcome his reign.

Trust in his words.
Obey his commands.
Rejoice in his Spirit,
And dwell in his hands.

Grow like God’s Son.
Give thanks without cease.
Forgive those who hurt you,
And dwell in his peace.

I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid (John 14:27; NIV).

Life

Ruth Kirk

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).

Life brings us
Face to face
With all our fears;

With pain and anguish,
Sickness, grief,
And tears.

One by one
We tackle them
With you –

Please help us, Lord,
And strengthen us
Anew.

He renews my strength (Psalm 23:3; NLT).  

References 

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

The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving (Psalm 28:7; NLT).