sin – Seeking God's face together

When I sit alone

October 13, 2019October 13, 2019Ruth Kirk

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

1. When I sit alone, Lord God,
To register my thoughts,
I face, at last,
My suffering, within.

2. When I sit in silence, Lord,
To ponder all I’ve said,
I glimpse, at last,
My enemy, within.

3. When I sit in stillness, Lord,
To weigh up all I’ve done,
I see, at last,
My sinfulness, within.

4. When I sit in darkness, Lord,
To contemplate my life,
I find, at last,
Your presence, deep within.

References

1. When you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private (Matthew 6:6; NLT).

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? (Psalm 13:2; NLT).

2. Be silent before the Sovereign Lord (Zephaniah 1:7; NIV).

Love your enemy (Matthew 5:44; NET).

3. Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10; NIV).

God have mercy on me, a sinner (Luke 18:13; NIV).

4. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light (Micah 7:8; NLT).

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

Christ lives within you (Romans 8:10; NLT).

You have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you (1 John 2:27; NLT).

Love and dust

October 12, 2019Ruth Kirk

Lord,

1. You make us all from love
And dust.

2. Help us to follow Christ,
And learn to trust

3. That his forgiveness
Cleanses all our sins –

4. Then we will know the peace
Salvation brings.

Lord,

5. You make us all for love
And loss.

6. Help us to face our lives,
Take up our cross,

7. Serve you in all we meet,
And spread your grace –

8. Then we will share your joy,
And see your face.

References

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

The Lord God formed man of dust from the ground (Genesis 2:7; RSV).

2. Take up your cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23; NLT).

3. He forgives all my sins (Psalm 103:3; NLT).

4. He will be the source of peace (Micah 5:5; NLT).

5. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised (Job 1:21; NIV).

6. Take up your cross daily, and follow me (Luke 9:23; NLT).

7. Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me (Matthew 25:40; NIV).

8. Come and share your master’s happiness! (Matthew 25:23; NIV).

They will see his face (Revelation 22:4; NLT).

Without you

October 7, 2019October 8, 2019Ruth Kirk

I am nothing but dust and ashes (Genesis 18:27; NIV).

1. Father,
Without you I’m nothing –
Vulnerable flesh and bone.

2. Mary,
Without you I’m nothing –
Motherless and all alone.

3. Jesus,
Without you I’m nothing –
Sinful, weak, condemned to death.

4. Spirit,
Without you I’m nothing –
You alone give life and breath.

References

1. You lived in this world without God and without hope (Ephesians 2:12; NLT).

2. He said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home (John 19:27; NLT).

3. The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23; NLT).

4. The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life (Job 33:4; NLT).

Like you

August 25, 2019September 9, 2019Ruth Kirk

Lord,

1. Help me not to sin,
But to serve others;

2. Help me not to hate,
But to forgive.

3. Help me not to dominate,
But listen;

4. Help me not to take, Lord,
But to give.

5. Help me not to injure,
But to comfort;

6. Help me not to damage,
But renew.

7. Help me not to fear,
But speak out boldly —

8. For then I will grow more and more
Like you.

References

1. Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others (Mark 10:45; NLT).

2. When they came to the place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross [and] Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:33-4; NLT).

3. You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry (James 1:19; NLT).

4. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35; NLT).

5. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).

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

7. God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition (1 Thessalonians 2:2; NLT).

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

In truth

August 23, 2019Ruth Kirk

Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down.
For the Lord will be your everlasting light.
(Isaiah 60:20; NLT).

1. In truth, the sun, Lord, never sets,
The moon, Lord, does not rise –

2. They shine to praise you, even
When they’re hidden from our eyes.

3. In truth, your love, Lord, never ends,
Your care does not begin –

4. You always pour them on us,
Though they’re hidden by our sin.

5. In truth, your peace, Lord, never fails,
Your grace does not fall through –

6. For you, Lord, dwell within us all,
And we, Lord, dwell in you.

References

1. God made two great lights – the larger one to govern the day, and the smaller one to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set these lights in the sky to light the earth (Genesis 1:14-15; NLT).

2. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge (Psalm 19:1-2; NIV).

3. The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease (Lamentations 3:22; NLT).

4. The Lord gives sight to the blind (Psalm 146:8; NIV).

5. The Lord is peace (Judges 6:24; NLT).
We praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us (Ephesians 1:6; NLT).
God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5; NLT).

6. We live in him and he in us (1 John 4:13; NLT).

Around me and within

August 10, 2019Ruth Kirk

1. Lord,
You are around me
And within,
Releasing me from sorrow,
And from sin;

2. Healing me
In body, heart and mind,
And saving my poor soul,
For you are kind.

3. Lord,
You are within me
And around,
Suffusing me with joy
Through sight and sound;

4. So I worship you, Lord,
And extoll
Your love, in heaven on earth,
And in my soul.

References

1. You, Lord, are a shield around me (Psalm 3:3; NLT).

You have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you (1 John 2:27; NLT).

2. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies (Psalm 103:2-4; NLT).

God is love (1 John 4:16; NLT).

3. I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7; NLT).

4. I worship the Lord (Jonah 1:9; NLT).