Prayer at the start of a New Year

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; 

and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

In all thy ways acknowledge him, 

and he shall direct thy paths.

Proverbs 3:5

                             Prayer at the start of a New Year

 “Dear Lord may we never stray,

But heed Thy Word from day to day.

Ever eager more to learn,

That we may Thy will discern.

Light to safely show the way,

Instructing how to live and pray.

An Anchor in the storms of life,

A comfort true in times of strife,

Truth to keep us lest we wander,

Precious things on which to ponder.

Revelation sweet and clear

Bringing our Saviour Jesus near.

Showing us the wrong within,

Teaching us to hate all sin,

Showing us Christ the Lamb was slain

Whose blood cleanses every stain.

True joy to cheer the saddest heart

And courage to the faint impart.

Reading prayerfully each day,

As we travel on life’s way.

Among Thy faithful people found,

We’ll grow in grace, in love abound.

Safe dear Father in Thy care

Confidently we enter another year"

S Hirst 

"Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD,

and whose hope the LORD is. 

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, 

and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, 

and shall not see when heat cometh, 

but her leaf shall be green; 

and shall not be careful in the year of drought, 

neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

 

Jeremiah 17:8 

“Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: 

and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, 

and a book of remembrance was written before him 

for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”

Macachi 3:16

There's a song in my Heart for the Lord is my God,

My Saviour, my joy day and night,

So precious and dear, I never need fear,

For He's turned my darkness to light!

Hallelujah, hallelujah, through heaven and earth

The song of the ransomed shall ring,

For those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb

Forever His praises shall sing.

S Hirst

“Family prayer is the greatest deterrent to sin, 

and hence the most beneficent provider of joy and happiness. 

The old saying is yet true: 

‘The family that prays together stays together.’”

Thomas S. Monson

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

Psalm 119:115

Trusting God's Word you'll be safely led,

As you walk with Jesus through the year ahead!

Comfort in suffering

 

Comfort in Suffering

We often know of dear ones who are ill and in much pain,

And long so much to see them all completely well again

In the past, or even now we know trials and suffering too,

And understand how hard it is to bravely battle through.

Life is so busy, and each day seems difficult and long,

It's load is heavy when we are not feeling well and strong.

But what comfort through God’s Word we shall surely find,

As we bring those precious promises of His to mind.

He will not give us more than we are given grace to bear,

No matter what our pain and trials, we’re safe within His care.

Our great High Priest so faithful, knew at Calvary,

The deepest depths of suffering, that we might be set free.

Thus with our pain and sorrow He can truly sympathize,

His ordering of everything is always kind and wise.

His ways though now they seem to us hard to understand,

One day we’ll see that all so lovingly by Him was planned.

When sorrows past and all our tears are wiped away,

And we behold His precious face in the realms of endless day

                                                         S Hirst

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according 

to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by 

the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 

To an inheritance incorruptible, 

and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you

Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 

ready to be revealed in the last time. 

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, 

ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  

That the trial of your faith, 

being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, 

though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour 

and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye

love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, 

ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”    1 Peter 1:3

(Years ago this little poem was written for a very dear suffering friend )

Prayer for a Suffering Friend

"Dear Lord, a precious child of Thine

Is truly much distressed,

Suffering with dreadful pain,

Which makes it hard to rest.

In this sad trial, so wearying,

Please Lord, yourself reveal,

Refresh her soul, and strengthen faith

Your peace Lord, may she feel.

Lord Jesus, when you walked this earth,

You did our troubles know,

And in this dark and fallen world,

Such sympathy did show.

Exalted now in heaven on high ,

Lord, you art still the same.

With confidence I bring my friend

And call upon your name.

Thus as I bring her Lord do I

With deepest thanks look up,

Thy grace will bring her safely through,

And sweeten the bitter cup."

Cast thy burden upon the  Lord, and he shall sustain you

Psalm 55:22

With Loving sympathy

"My dear one how my heart goes out to you in your dark trial,

I'm longing to be with you, and to help you there a while.

Just put my arms around you, to show I deeply care,

Support you in your weakness, loving sympathy to share.

And though I cannot do this, for I am far away.

I know our God will answer fervent prayer for you each day.

He's promised NOT to leave us. and I know it to be true,

He who gives us grace in death gives grace for living too.

Grace to help you face each day, so full of trials and distress,

Together, we look up to Him and trust His faithfulness.

Whatever pain and suffering that days ahead may bring.

I pray you will know victory, and still His praises sing.

Look for His shining rainbow against the darkening sky

I know He will support you, for He hears our fervent cry.

May He grant you such a vision of His beauty and His love,

Through His precious Holy Word. send comfort from above.

So once again I just commit you to His tender care.

With heart at peace and reassured, I rest, and leave you there.

We look for a sweet meeting, 'midst heaven's of joy and peace,

Where nothing harmful can be found and praises never cease."

Shirley Hirst

"My presence shall go with thee,

and I will give thee rest"

Leaning on this promise

How can one but be blessed,

With quiet and calm assurance,

Resting in God's perfect plans;

Safe now and for ever

In His loving hands” 

Shirley Hirst

“God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death,

 neither sorrow, nor crying,  neither shall there be any more pain:

 for the former things are passed away.”    Revelation 21:4

“God’s providence will not take us 

where His grace will not keep us”

Praise!

 "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: 

      for his mercy endureth for ever"

Psalm 107:1

PRAISE

A life filled with praise to our Saviour always,

What true joy and blessing that we,

Can be constantly giving while here we are living,

Thanks to Him Who from sin set us free.

In His Word we confide as we walk by His side,

Provision for all our deep needs;

Each day, yes each hour, kept by His power,

By mercies surrounded

Though through Satan’s wiles, we know many trials

And our flesh so much grief doth us bring,

Upheld through each testing, on God's promise resting,

Sweet peace fills our hearts as we sing,

Giving thanks for the love which brought Christ from above,

To suffer on Calvary’s tree;

“Dear Lord we adore Thy blessed name evermore,

May our lives bring true glory to Thee”

O Lord, thou art my God;

I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name;

for thou hast done wonderful things;

thy counsels of old

are faithfulness and truth.

Isaiah 25:1

An Elderly Pilgrim's Thoughts & Prayers

Dear friends we are traveling through strange and difficult times, and no matter what our age it's easy to become discouraged, and  these poems were written at times when the author now aged 84, was really finding life really tough, but God's children cannot remain despondent for long, because His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness  Lamentations 3:22-23  

       "The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge"

    Psalm 46:11

    You will be blessed and encouraged by this beautiful song, do share it with others.

      

                         An Elderly Pilgrim’s Prayer

                                                “Dear Lord I’m tired and weary,

                                                Passing through trials and distress.

                                               A very weak and fainting pilgrim

                                              Trudging through earth’s wilderness

                                                Yet in the distance growing brighter

                                              By faith, my eyes can clearly see

                                             A glimpse of Heaven, my homeland

                                                 Where by Thy grace I soon shall be.

                                                 There my Saviour will receive me

                                                When these traveling days are done.

                                                Jesus Who always loves and keeps me,

                                               My heart’s true joy, my shining sun.

                                               May I be at all times steadfast,

                                               And these my autumn days be blessed

                                               With faithfulness in Christian witness

                                                Crowned with abundant fruitfulness"

                                              I must never be discouraged

                                                 For Thy Word daily speaks to me,

                                                Do not fear, what e’er befalls thee

                                                 As thy days thy strength shall be”

                                                  "I will not leave thee nor forsake thee"

                                                 What words of comfort sweet,

                                             Jesus will uphold and quide me.

                                              Soon I'll worship at His feet.

                                                   S Hirst  

                                                     

“And even to your old age I am he, and even to hoar hairs 

will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; 

even I will carry, and will  deliver you.”

Isaiah 46:4

"as thy days, so shall they strength be"

Deut.33:25

 "Be strong and of a good courage...

 for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; 

he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6

 

Anticipation

Life in this dark weary world is not easy

I long for the end of it’s trials,

All around me sadness and trouble

As I travel the long weary miles.

Yet joyful am I and so happy

As I think of Christ’s glory and grace.

By faith with great joy looking upward

For a glimpse of His dear shining face.

In His hands and His feet see the

Nail marks inflicted on Calvary’s tree,

Where the dear Lamb of God suffered

To save lost guilty sinners like me.

No wonder I’m homesick for heaven,

And the home He’s preparing for me,

Where there’ll be no more separation,

But forever, together we’ll be.

S Hirst

”absent from the body...present with the Lord”

2 Corinthians 5:8

"Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, 

and afterward receive me to glory"

Psalm 73:24

“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness:

 I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” 

Psalm 17:15