Category: Worship

New day

Ruth Kirk

Stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord (1 Chronicles 23:30; NIV). 

Thank you, God,
For this new day.

Please help me now
To praise and pray,

And gladly welcome
All you send,

Because your love
Will never end.

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

References

Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows (John 16:33; 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).

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

Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal (Job: 5:17; 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 form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things (Isaiah 45:7; NIV).

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

New church

Ruth Kirk

This prayer came to me today at 6am, as I prepared to try a new church, with the (probably forlorn), hope of being welcome there, and perhaps even fitting in. Hope springs eternal! I am struggling – please pray for me, just as I pray for all of you each day.

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

Will I be seen, Lord?
Will I be heard?
Will I be welcome,
Or will I be judged?

Will I be wanted?
Will I be sad?
Will I be lonely,
Or will I be loved?

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

Love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31; NLT).

Worship

Ruth Kirk

As they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him (Matthew 28:9, NLT). 

I worship you
In silence
Filled with praise,

And honour you
In stillness
Filled with dance.

I treasure you
In darkness
Filled with light,

And love you, Lord:
My way, my truth,
My life.

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

References

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity (Zechariah 2:13, NLT).

Be still in the presence of the LORD (Psalm 37:7, NLT).

Moses went into the darkness where God was (Exodus 20:21, BES).

I love you, Lord (Psalm 18:1, 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).

I worship you

Ruth Kirk

I am so sorry: this blog went out yesterday before I had finished editing it in WordPress. The “Save” and “Post” buttons are very close to each other, and as has happened before, I accidentally touched the wrong one. Here is the final, properly edited version. Later today I hope to post something new to make up for my mistake.
With love and many apologies, from Ruth xxx

Then the disciples worshiped him. “You a really are the Son of God!” They exclaimed (Luke 24:52; NLT).

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

I worship you, Jesus,
My Lord and my God –
Gladly embracing
Your staff, and your rod.

I’ll take up my cross,
And I’ll follow your way –
Giving up selfishness,
Serving, each day.

I’ll love every neighbour,
And stranger, and foe –
Greeting and helping
Wherever I go.

I’ll live in your hands,
And I’ll share in your pain –
Then, trusting your Gospel,
I won’t live in vain.

Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Mark 15:34; NLT).

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last (Luke 23:46; NIV).

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).

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).

Oneness

Ruth Kirk

Be silent before the LORD, all humanity (Zechariah 2:13; NLT).

Let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20; NLT).

Lost in silence,
And in light;
Lost in comfort,
And in peace;

Lost in kindness,
And in grace;
Lost in goodness,
And in God.

Lost in stillness,
And in praise;
Lost in worship,
And in awe;

Lost in gladness,
And in love;
Lost in wonder:
One with God.

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

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

Never stop praying

Ruth Kirk

Hello everyone, this is my last prayer for a while. I have decided to take at least a week off my work here. I’m doing this for the first time in 13 years of unbroken daily blogging. During this time, I want to see if I can get my level of pain under any sort of control.

I plan to make contact with you again here next Thursday, and to report on how this process is going. Meanwhile, I send my very best wishes to you all, and hope you will continue to explore Take heart, and The heart of the gospel.

♥️ With love from Ruth xxx

Never stop praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NLT).

Every morning:
Offer worship.

All day long:
Heed Yahweh’s voice.

In the evening:
Intercession.

Then, at night:
Give thanks; rejoice.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18; NIV).

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).

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).

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).

A reading: Acts 16:22-26; NLT.

A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods.

They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered to make sure they didn’t escape. So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.

Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.

Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off!

You’re at my side

Ruth Kirk

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me (Psalm 23:4; NLT).

You’re at my side:
I hold your hand
And cling to you –
For you’re my way.

You’re in my mind:
I hear your voice
And follow you –
For you’re my truth.

You’re in my heart:
I see your face
And worship you –
For you’re my life.

You are my soul:
I share your love
For we are one –
And you’re my light.

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

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).

Yes, 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).

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

So kind!

Ruth Kirk

Today’s blog arrived just before yesterday’s. Here is a link, if you would like to read that one as well: https://wp.me/p45bCr-m7o.

How kind the LORD is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! (Psalm 116:5; NLT).

So kind –
That you don’t blind us
With your brilliance!

So good –
You don’t consume us
With your blaze!

So great –
You don’t destroy us
With your power!

So high –
Yet you delight, Lord,
In our praise!

Blessed be God most High (Genesis 14:20; NLT).

Praise the LORD your God, who delights in you (1 Kings 10:9; NLT).

You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel (Psalm 22:3; NLT). 

References

He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen. (1 Timothy 6:16; NLT).

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

God is great (Psalm 70:4; NLT).

Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble (Psalm 138:6; NLT).

His power is vast (Job 9:4; NIV).

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).

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

Acknowledgement
With many thanks to my AI writing companion.

 

With eyes fully open

Ruth Kirk

This prayer came to me the moment I woke and started to pray on Christmas morning. It is a special prayer for all of us who find Christmas very difficult, whatever the reason. With my warmest love, and with thanks to you all for your support, from Ruth xxx

I love you, LORD; you are my strength (Psalm 18:1; NLT).

With eyes fully open,
And eyes fully closed:
Yahweh, I love you so much!

No matter what happens
You’re here, at my side:
Jesus, I love you so much!

Speaking, or silent,
You’re here, in my soul:
Spirit, I love you so much!

And you love me too,
Though I can’t see you yet:
But soon, Lord, I’ll reach out, and touch!

Reach out your hand and put it into my side (John 20:27; NIV).

If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed (Matthew 9:21; NLT).

References

Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do. As he spoke, he showed them his hands and feet (Luke 24:39-40; NLT).

Blessed are those who believe without seeing me (John 20:29; 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).

After my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes (Job 19:26-7; NLT).

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

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (1 Corinthians 12:12; NIV).

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

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).