Category: Sickness

Finding love

Ruth Kirk

I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine (Song of Songs 6:3; NIV).

I find my love in God,
And find my truth there, too.

I find my peace in God,
Whose Spirit makes me new.

I find my fire in God,
However cold the night.

I find my strength in God,
And Jesus is my light.

The Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength (Isaiah 26:4; KJV).

The Lord will be your permanent source of light (Isaiah 60:19; NET).

I am the light of the world (John 8:12; NLT). 

References

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

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

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

I am the LORD, who heals you (Exodus 15:26; NIV).

The Lord your God is a consuming fire (Deuteronomy 4:24; NIV).

He made darkness his covering (Psalm 18:11; NIV).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21; BST).

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

You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light (2 Samuel 22:29; NLT).

 

Finding hope

Ruth Kirk

We look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed (Titus 2:13; NLT).

I find my hope in Christ,
And find my joy there, too.

I find my peace in Christ,
Who heals, and makes me new.

I find my light in Christ,
However dark the night.

I find my strength in Christ,
For Jesus is my life.

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

When Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory (Colossians 3:4; NLT).

References

For me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] (Philippians 1:21; AMP).

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you (John 14:27; NIV).

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).

He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:30; RSV).

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work (1 Timothy 1:12; NLT).

 

God’s embrace

Ruth Kirk

His left arm is under my head and his right arm embraces me (Song of Songs 8:3; NIV).

Your warm embrace
Is wide enough for all.

Your arms are strong:
You catch us when we fall.

Your hold us in your hands
Each time we fail.

You carry us
When we are sick and frail.

You stay within us here,
From our first breath,

And bear us home to paradise,
In death.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43; NLT).

There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am (John 14:2-3; NLT).

References

Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms (Psalm 68:19; NLT).

The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you (Deuteronomy 33:27; NLT).

Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling (Psalm 66:9; NLT).

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young (Isaiah 40:11; NLT).

He loves his people; all his holy ones are in his hands. They follow in his steps and accept his teaching (Deuteronomy 33:3; NLT).

If we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us (1 John 4:12; NLT).

 

Hatred

Ruth Kirk

Whenever we ‘Christians’ declare angrily, or self-righteously, that we hate others, we can be sure that we are not following Jesus, who taught that we are to love everyone, including our enemies.

So, whoever the targets of our hatred, prejudice, discrimination, rejection, exploitation, abuse, or violence are, for example:

Refugees
Immigrants
People whose faith is different from ours
People who speak a language different from ours
People whose skin is a different colour from ours
People whose gender is different from ours
People whose sexuality is different from ours
People who dress differently from us
People whose customs and values are different from ours
Poor people
Rich people
Unemployed people
Homeless people
Prisoners
Refugees
People who are different from us physically, mentally, intellectually, developmentally, emotionally, neurologically, or spiritually
Children
Politicians
Strangers
Foreigners
Enemies
Anyone at all

… we can be absolutely sure that we are not behaving like Christians, becauseGod is love.

God and Love are synonymous, inclusive and universal. Therefore, all hatred is incompatible with the Christian faith, as taught by Jesus, our Saviour and example.

Anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love (1 John 4:8; NLT).

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ (Ephesians 5:2; NLT).

References

He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

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

Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked (Luke 6:35; NLT).

Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:44-8; NIV).

When they came to the place that is called called The Skull, there they crucified him… And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:33-4; ESV).

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NLT).

 

Live in God’s kingdom

Ruth Kirk

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

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends (Revelation 3:20; NLT).

Live in God’s kingdom,
And live in God’s might,
Sharing God’s gentleness,
Goodness, and light.

Live in God’s darkness,
And live in God’s flame,
Sharing God’s poverty,
Sorrow, and pain.

Live in God’s presence,
And live in God’s Son,
Sharing God’s tenderness –
Living as one.

Live in God’s Spirit
From heaven above,
Sharing God’s faithfulness –
Living in love.

If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them (1 John 4:15-16; NIV).

References

The Holy One will be a flame (Isaiah 10:17; NLT).

You must love the Most High God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength (Mark 12:30, TIB).

If you say you love God but hate your sister or brother, you are a liar. For you cannot love God, whom you have not seen, if you hate your neighbor, whom you have seen. If we love God, we should love our sisters and brothers as well; we have this commandment from God (1 John 4:20-21; TIB).

Love your neighbour as yourself (Leviticus 19:18; NLT).

Love the stranger (Deuteronomy 10:19; NKJV).

Show love to foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:19; NLT).

Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; NLT).

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else (1 Thessalonians 3:12; NIV).

“I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.” Then they will reply, “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?” And he will answer, “I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me” (Matthew 25:42-45; NLT).

 

Say, “Yes”, to God

Ruth Kirk

Once again, today’s prayer was given this morning, very soon after I started to pray. I’m wondering if this is becoming a new way forward for my blog? All I can do is to say, “Yes”, to God each time it happens.

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

Say, “Yes”, to God
As Jesus did,
For God, alone,
Will help you through.

Say, “Yes”, to God
As Jesus did,
For God, alone,
Will comfort you.

Say, “Yes”, to God
As Jesus did,
For God, alone,
Will save your soul.

Say, “Yes”, to God
As Jesus did,
For God, alone,
Will make you whole.

He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole (Job 5:18; NKJV).

References

Does not the Most High send both calamity and good? (Lamentations 3:38; NLT).

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; 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).

He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3; NKJV).

Arrow prayers

Ruth Kirk

If you would like to read more about arrow prayers, there is a short article: here

When you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words (Matthew 6:7; NIV).

We don’t need many words, just:
Yahweh, help me!
Heal me! Please forgive me!
Love me, too!

We don’t need many words, just:
Jesus, help them!
Heal them! Please forgive them!
Love them, too!

We don’t need many words, just:
Spirit, help us!
Heal us! Please forgive us!
Love us, too!

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

References

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).

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

 

Healthy faith

Ruth Kirk

Be healthy in the faith (Titus 1:13; NLT).

Please give us all
A healthy faith,
So we accept
Your will with grace.

And though, like Christ,
We grieve, and pray:
“Please take this bitter cup
Away”,

Yet, help us to endure
Our load –
The gifts you place
Along our road –

For you send bad
As well as good,
To help us grow
In trust, and love.

Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong (Ephesians 3:17; NLT).

References

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45:7; NLT).

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God, and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

Then Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other (Ecclesiastes 7:14; NIV).

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).

God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them (Romans 8:28; NLT).

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).

 

God’s inclusiveness

Ruth Kirk

The life of every living thing is in his hand (Job 12:10; NLT).

All living creatures
Are born in Your hands:
Your safe, all-encompassing hands.

All living creatures
Inhabit Your mind:
Your measureless, nurturing mind.

All living creatures
Endure in Your heart:
Your fathomless, all-loving heart.

All living creatures
Are one in Your soul:
Your changeless and infinite soul.

In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28; NIV). 

References

He loves us with unfailing love; the LORD’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! (Psalm 117:2; NLT).

God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us (1 John 4:13; NLT).

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

I am the LORD, and I do not change (Malachi 3:6; NLT).

Plans

Ruth Kirk

When I wake up, you are still with me! (Psalm 139:18; NLT).

Good morning, God!
I’ve made my plans –
And yet, my day
Is in your hands.

Help me to cope
With all you send –
Ready to thank you,
And transcend

Whatever comes,
Both bad and good,
With courage, honesty,
And love.

Creator,
May your kingdom come,
And here, on earth,
Your will be done.

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

References

I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45:7; NLT).

Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).

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

Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).