Category: sin

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).

So mighty

Ruth Kirk

God is mighty (Job 36:5; NLT). 

You are so mighty, Lord,
Constantly there;
Strength and compassion
Beyond all compare.

You are so tender, Lord,
Endlessly here;
Sharing our sickness, our grief,
And our fear.

You are so loving, Lord,
Always within;
Hearing our prayers,
And forgiving our sin.

You are so steadfast,
Our staff and our rod;
Our Guide, our Good Shepherd,
Our Lord, and our God.

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

Your flesh and blood

Ruth Kirk

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53; ESV).

Your flesh and blood
Are where our life begins.

Along the way,
We grasp your sacrifice.

Lord Jesus,
Help us overcome our sins,

Until your soul
Becomes our paradise.

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

References 

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). 

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18; NLT).

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; NIV).  

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires (Romans 6:12; NLT).

Draw us close

Ruth Kirk

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me (John 6:44; NLT).

Draw us close to you, Lord,
And keep us by your side –

Then we will be your willing slaves,
And you, our faithful guide.

Draw us close to you, Lord;
Forgive our foolish sin –

Then we will be your house of prayer,
And you will live within.

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

References

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).

The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands (Psalm 25:10; NLT).

Whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else (Mark 10:44; NLT). 

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

Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us (Luke 11:4; NLT).

I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:7; NLT).

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).

We are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16; NLT). 

Suffering

Ruth Kirk

You have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him (Philippians 1:29; GNT).

Let’s suffer on behalf of those
Who do not know the Lord,

And ask Him to forgive their sins,
To make their bodies whole,

To heal their hearts, and minds, and lives,
And help them come to Him –

The God who longs to win their love,
And save each precious soul.

He jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us (James 4:5; NIV). 

God our Savior… wants everyone to be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4; NLT).

Good Friday

Ruth Kirk

Today’s blog has completely overwhelmed me this morning, and is specifically for Good Friday, so I am posting it earlier than usual.

God says this to the evildoer: “How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant? For you hate instruction and reject my words” (Psalm 50:16-17; NET). 

We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly (1 Kings 8:47; NIV). 

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:6; NLT). 

Lord,

We go to church, and read our Bibles.
We say our prayers, and give to charity.

Yet still we judge and hurt so many people;
We think, and say, and do some dreadful things.

We haven’t even tried to grasp your teaching:
We’re far away from growing more like you.

We’re sorry for our sins, and for our sinfulness.
Forgive us; help us all to start again.

Lord, may we become like little children,
Learning from all you say, and all you do.

Help us to grow more like you every day,
By loving you in all along our way.

Please forgive our sins, and make us good.
Help us to grow like you, dear Lord,
In thought, and word, and deed,
For you are love.

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

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

References 

Let no one have any evil thought in his heart against his neighbour… for all these things are hated by me, says the Lord (Zechariah 8:17; BBE). 

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

Do everything with love (1 Corinthians 16:14; NLT). 

The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.’ No other commandment is greater than these (Mark 12:29-31; NLT).

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

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

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

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; NIV). 

Redemptive suffering: #1

Ruth Kirk

“Redemptive suffering” means using the pain you are going through to help other people.” (Rick Warren, “What is redemptive suffering?” PastorRick.Com).

Even when he was dying on the cross, Jesus prayed for others. Isaiah foretold this when he wrote: “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). 

Astonishingly, we can choose to follow Christ’s example. In order to do so, we must first learn to accept the sufferings God gives us with a willing heart. Then we can offer them to him as a sacrifice, whilst praying for the forgiveness, healing and salvation of others.

Combining suffering and prayer in this way is called: redemptive suffering. St. Paul refers to it when he writes: “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).

So, let’s take up our cross each day, and gladly follow Christ’s example of praying for others whilst we ourselves are suffering, for by suffering on our behalf he has left us an example, so we can follow in His footsteps (see 1 Peter 2:21; AMP).

Now, after this unusually long introduction, here is today’s 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). 

Suffer on behalf of others,
Praying, “Lord, forgive their sins.”

Suffer on behalf of others,
Asking, “Lord, please make them whole.”

Suffer on behalf of others,
Begging, “Lord, redeem their lives.”

Suffer on behalf of others,
Making love your highest goal.

Let love be your highest goal! (1 Corinthians 14:1; NLT).

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

References

When they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:33-4; CSB).

Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion (Psalm 103:2-4; NLT). 

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).

Whatever happens to you, accept it (Sirach 2:4; NJB).

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

Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (Job 2:10; NIV).

Everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen (Romans 11:36; NLT). 

The LORD gives both death and life (I Samuel 2:6; 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). 

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). 

Deliver us

Ruth Kirk

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13; KJV). 

Deliver us
From all temptation:
Keep us, Lord,
From doing wrong.

Then we will rejoice
In you,
For though we’re weak, Lord,
You are strong.

Deliver us
From doing evil;
Keep us from
Deliberate sin.

Then we will not grieve
Your Holy Ghost,
Who lives, and prays,
Within.

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30; NIV).

References 

He knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust (Psalm 103:14; NLT). 

The LORD is glorious and strong (1 Chronicles 16:28; NLT). 

Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin (Psalm 19:13; NLT).

Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good (Romans 12:21; NLT). 

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you (Romans 8:11; NLT). 

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? (1 Corinthians 6:19; NLT). 

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26; RSV).

Arriving in heaven

Ruth Kirk

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Revelation 21:3; NIV). 

Jesus,

In your loving arms
All suffering is healed,
In mind and body, heart and soul:
Here, nothing is concealed.

Your mercy and forgiveness flow:
You know how hard we’ve tried.
You’ve watched our sins and failures, Lord;
You’ve seen our foolish pride.

You’ve shared in all our sorrows,
And rejoiced in each success –
But now, your only mission
Is to comfort, heal, and bless.

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! (Psalm 103:3-5; NLT). 

Those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31; NLT).

Our darkness

Ruth Kirk

He makes darkness His secret place (Psalm 18:11; LSV).

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

God is in our darkness,
Our anguish and despair.

He never fails to help us,
To comfort us, and care.

Our darkness is his dwelling;
He bears our grief and sin.

His Spirit never leaves us,
For his kingdom is within.

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

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

References 

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7; NIV).

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). 

He bears our sins, and is pained for us (Isaiah 53:4; BST). 

In all their suffering he also suffered, and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years (Isaiah 63:9; NLT). 

O LORD, you are my lamp. The LORD lights up my darkness (2 Samuel 22:29; 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).