Category: Peace

Look within

Ruth Kirk

All around the world we read, see, experience, and share the freedom of those with greater wealth, status and power to ignore, control, denigrate, deprive, exploit, and abuse those who have less.

Despite my resolve to take one week without posting, God has other plans, and gave me this prayer today. The pressure to write and publish it is absolutely insistent, and very uncomfortable.

Please can I enlist your help to share these prayers with others, if you are willing and able? This would enable me to reach out to as many people as possible, even though I am very tired and unwell. I have had to stop posting to about 20 Facebook groups, because I cannot bear the weight of sharing what I am given all on my own any more. Please help me with this task.

Love and blessings, from Ruth xxx

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

Let’s look within
To find the Christ,
Then make our lives
A sacrifice

Of help for all,
Of love, and peace
Despite our pain,
Which will not cease

Until death comes
To take our hand,
And lead us to
God’s promised land.

There, we will be judged
At last,
By all the fallout
Of our past

For those we use,
Ignore, or hate.
By then,
It will be far too late

To change: despite
Our wealth, or birth,
We will be treated
Just as we treat others
Here on earth.

Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive (Luke 6:37-8; NET).

References

To reduce my burden a bit, I will now offer short, relevant readings you can look up in your own Bible, rather than the detailed quotes I have included in the past:

2 Corinthians 12:6-10.

Matthew 25:31-46.

Search for your light

Ruth Kirk

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).

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).

Search for your light
In the heart of the gospel,
Discovering hope
In the heart of God’s Word.

Search for your faith
In the heart of the gospel,
Discovering peace
In the heart of the Lord.

Search for your strength
In the heart of the gospel,
Discovering joy
In the heart of God’s Word.

Search for your life
In the heart of the gospel,
Discovering love
In the heart of the Lord.

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

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).

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

References

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).

God, our Maker

Ruth Kirk

Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker, for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today! (Psalm 95:6-7; NLT).

The Lord our God, the Lord is one (Mark 12:29; NIV).

God, our Maker,
Christ, your Son,
Holy Spirit:
You are One.

Every word you speak
Is true:
Trinity,
Please make us new.

You’re our light,
Our peace, our way:
Help us all
To love, and pray.

Save us; teach us;
Guide us through –
Then we’ll all
Be one with you.

The person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17; NLT).

References

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

Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert (Psalm 126:4; NLT).

I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland (Isaiah 43:19; NT).

Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes (Ephesians 4:23; NLT).

The one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5; NLT).

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

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

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)

Save us, O LORD our God! (Psalm 106:47; NLT).

He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths (Micah 4:2; NLT).

He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name (Psalm 23:3; NLT).

Christ: Son of God

Ruth Kirk

This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God (Mark 1:1; NLT).

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9; NLT).

Christ is the Son of God:
The Son of Light.

Christ is the Son of God:
The Son of Fire.

Christ is the Son of God:
The Son of Strength.

Christ is the Son of God:
The Son of Peace.

Christ is the Son of God:
The Son of Truth.

Christ is the Son of God:
He is Love, without cease.

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

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

References

Even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him” (Matthew 17:5; NLT).
The Father and I are one… Why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world… The Father is in me, and I am in the Father (John 10:30,36,38; NLT).

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

The Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).
I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning! (Luke 12:49; NLT).

The Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4; KJV).
I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13; NLT).

The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
There is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all (Acts 10:36; NLT).

The Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6; NKJV).
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me (John 14:6; NLT).

“My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed (John 20:28; NLT).

Christ’s way

Ruth Kirk

If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it (Luke 9:23-4; NLT).

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).

Love, despite hatred;
Joy, despite pain;
Peace, despite trouble:
Christ is our way.

Patience, in anger;
Kindness, in hurt;
Goodness, in everything:
Christ is our truth.

Faithfulness, always;
Gentleness, too;
Self-control, constantly:
Christ is our life.

Even in darkness;
Even in grief;
Even in suffering:
Christ is our light.

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).

References

Love is the fulfilment of the law (Romans 13:10; 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).

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).

Jesus: Son of Man

Ruth Kirk

The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; NLT).

Son of Man,
And Son of God,
Guiding us
With staff and rod;

Son of Joy,
And Son of Love,
Living in
Our flesh and blood;

Son of Patience,
And of Peace,
Showing us
Your perfect way;

Son of Truth,
And Son of Light:
Help us, always –
Day and night.

Lord, help us! (Joel 1:19; NLT).

The LORD is my helper (Hebrews 13:6; NLT).

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

References

He guides me along right paths (Psalm 23:3; NLT).

Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21; NLT).

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us (Colossians 3:11; NLT).

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

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)

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

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

All-wise

Ruth Kirk

God is greater than we can understand (Job 36:26; NLT).

God is all-wise,
All-great,
All-good;
God is all-joy,
All-peace,
All-love.

God is all-truth,
All-fire,
All-light;
God is all-strength,
All-depth,
All-height.

God is all-birth,
All-life,
All-breath;
God is all-grief,
All-pain,
All-death.

God is all-earth,
All-stars,
All-sun;
God is all-worlds,
All-things:
All-One.

The LORD our God, the LORD is one! (Deuteronomy 6:4; NKJV).

References

The life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being (Job 12:10; NLT).

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (Romans 2:4; NLT).

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

Spirit of Love

Ruth Kirk

A heartfelt appeal for the Fruits of the Spirit to shape our hearts and daily lives.

All of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us (Ephesians 2:18; NLT).

May your Spirit of Love
Be upon us,
Your Spirit of Joy
Live within us,
And your Spirit of Peace
Light our journey.

May your Spirit of Patience
Redeem us,
Your Spirit of Kindness
Correct us,
And your Spirit of Goodness
Transform us.

May your Spirit of Faithfulness
Teach us,
Your Spirit of Self-control
Guide us,
And your Spirit of Gentleness
Change us.

We ask this through your blessed name: Amen.

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 Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor – Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you (John 14:26; AMP).

if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor-Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you] (John 16:7; AMP).

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, for God bought you with a high price (1 Corinthians 6:19; NLT).

The Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17; NLT

The Spirit gives life (Titus 3:5; NLT).

The voice of love

Ruth Kirk

A prayer for the spiritual awakening of all minds, hearts and souls.

Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake, and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-12; NKJV).

Why is the voice of love
So still?

Why is the voice of peace
So small?

Why is the voice of truth
So weak?

Where is the light
Our souls should seek?

Where is the faith
Christ came to bring?

When will we turn to God,
And cling?

Cling tightly to the LORD your God (Joshua 23:8; NLT).

References

God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

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

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

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

By grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8; NIV).

You must fear the LORD your God and worship him and cling to him (Deuteronomy 10:20; NLT).

Serve only the LORD your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him (Deuteronomy 13:4; NLT).

The seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest (Luke 8:15; NLT).

Take heart!

Ruth Kirk

You who seek God, take heart! (Psalm 69:32; CSB). 

As some of you will know, I was recently subjected to a lengthy, vitriolic online attack. Everything about myself, my beliefs, my writing, my aims, and my website was judged and condemned by a theologian. I asked him to apologise so we could be reconciled, but he was not willing to do so.

However, I have not let his criticisms distract me from my ongoing efforts to update this site. Although my editorial work will continue behind the scenes for many months, today I have put the finishing touches to a new layout. These include a fresh title, which I was given late last night, to my great surprise and delight. This fresh start has taken the sting from the bitter criticism aimed at me. Hopefully, the reorganisation will make it easier for people to find posts which might interest or help them.

So, today’s post celebrates all these positive changes and steps forward. Meanwhile, I continue to pray for the person concerned, and have become quite fond of him. I know that God will bring good to many people through his outburst, and I wish him well.

The boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:24-7; ESV).

What does Jesus say to us?
Take heart, it is I.
What does Jesus say to us?
God has heard your cry.

What does Jesus say to us?
Child, this is God’s will.
What does Jesus say to us?
Hush, now; peace; be still.

What does Jesus say to us:
Trust, for God is near.
What does Jesus say to us?
I am always here.

Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20; NLT).

References

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

The LORD has heard your cry of distress (Genesis 16:11; NLT).

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

You will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect Romans 12:2; NLT).

He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39; NKJV).

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