I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5; NIV).
My root and my vine;
My bread and my wine.
My strength and my peace;
My joy without cease.
My truth and my light;
My way and my life.
My teacher, my prize;
My pearl without price.
My staff and my rod:
My Lord and my God!
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; 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).
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
Seek light
In the heart of the gospel;
Find hope
In the heart of God’s Word.
Seek faith
In the heart of the gospel;
Find peace
In the heart of the Lord.
Seek joy
In the heart of the gospel;
Find strength
In the heart of God’s Son.
Seek life
In the heart of the gospel;
Find truth there –
In Christ we are one.
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6; NLT).
I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one (John 17:22; NLT).
References
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it (John 1:1-5; NLT).
We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life (1 John 1:1; NLT).
I have put my hope in your word (Psalm 119:74; NLT).
The LORD is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
God’s word lives in your hearts (1 John 2:14; NLT).
No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us (John 1:18; NLT).
This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us (1 John 1:2; NLT).
Following yesterday’s blog, here is a simple but heartfelt prayer:
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 will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security (Jeremiah 33:6; NIV).
I pray for peace
In every mind,
In every heart,
And every soul.
O Son of Man,
O Shepherd King,
O Lamb of God:
Please make us whole.
His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV).
References
Turn from evil and do good, seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14; NIV).
Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28; NLT).
I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep (John 10:11; NLT).
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29; NLT).
Pray for one another, that you may be healed (James 5:16; NKJV).
LORD, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me (Psalm 131:1-2; NLT).
I don’t need to move,
Or think,
Or speak.
I don’t need to wait,
Or pray,
Or seek.
I don’t need to hope,
Or sigh,
Or search.
I don’t need to weep,
Or grieve,
Or thirst –
Because you are here!
We meet,
And kiss.
I rest in your love,
Your peace,
Your bliss.
My Lord and my God!
My task
Is done –
You’re here, in my heart,
And we
Are one.
So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him (Luke 15:20; NLT).
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
The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).
Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).
My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19; NLT).
Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him (Luke 24:31; NLT).
Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30; NLT).
My beloved is mine and I am his (Song of Songs 2:16; NIV).
Jesus:
You are so kind,
So just, so good –
You are my way, my truth,
My life, and my love.
Jesus:
You are so brave,
So dear, so wise –
You are my joy, my tears,
My peace, and my prize.
Jesus:
You are my bread,
My staff, my rod –
You are my light, my strength,
My Lord, and my God.
“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).
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).
And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing (2 Timothy 4:8; NLT).
Some readers will be aware that last year I was subjected to vicious personal criticism from someone calling themselves a “theologian”. It is taking me a long time to heal from their lengthy and repeated attacks, which began without warning. Today’s blog shows where I am at the moment in terms of dealing with the damage they did to me. With love from Ruth xxx
They hated me without reason (John 15:25; NIV).
Let them criticise
And censure;
Take my life apart,
Condemn.
Scorn my faith,
Reject my writing;
Mock my prayers:
The gifts you send.
Trash my aims,
Destroy my peace,
And fill my heart
With endless dread:
Yet will I love them –
That’s my goal –
And beg you, Lord,
To make them whole.
Let love be your highest goal (1 Corinthians 14:1; NLT).
Reference
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights (Habakkuk 3:17:19; NLT).
When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:6; NIV).
When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy (Psalm 94:19; NIV).
Prayer
Is my one consolation.
No words –
Just resting in light,
Peace,
Truth,
Compassion,
And love.
💛
Prayer
Is my one consolation.
No words –
Just drinking in grace,
Mercy,
Healing,
Forgiveness,
And love.
🧡
Prayer
Is my one consolation.
No words –
Just dwelling in God,
Christ,
And their Spirit:
United
In love.
♥️
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them (1 John 4:16; NLT).
References
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6; 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).
I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you (John 13:15; NLT).
References
A reading: Ephesians 3:14-19; JB.
I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name: Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.
Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14; NIV).
I pray for peace
In every mind:
Deep peace –
And in my own.
I pray for love
In every heart:
Great love –
And in my own.
I pray for truth
In every soul:
Pure truth –
And in my own.
I pray for hope
In every life:
Bright hope –
And in my own.
Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen… Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. And his name will be the hope of all the world (Matthew 12:18,20-21; NLT).
At last the poor have hope, and the snapping jaws of the wicked are shut (Job 5:16; NLT).
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).
References
The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).
The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).
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. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth (1 Timothy 2:2-4; NLT).
O Lord, you alone are my hope (Psalm 71:5; NLT).
Put your hope in the LORD. Travel steadily along his path (Psalm 37:34; NLT).
This evening I watched a video in which a man who was being subjected to online hate for rescuing abandoned animals spoke of “turning his pain into love”. Sadly, I don’t know his name, but his story instantly inspired the following words…
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2; NIV).
Love your enemies (Luke 6:35; ESV).
Let’s turn our pain
Into love,
And let’s turn our rage
Into calm.
Let’s turn our dread
Into peace,
And let’s turn our hurt
Into balm.
Let’s turn our fear
Into strength,
And let’s turn our grief
Into care.
Let’s turn our past
Into hope,
And let’s turn our lives
Into prayer.
Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NLT).
Pray for those who abuse you (Luke 6:28; ESV).
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. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth (1 Timothy 2:2-4; NLT).