Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 20/10/2024
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 20th October
Heavenly Father, it is often said, "You always hurt the one you love". I thought this meant by a deliberate act, but now I think this can happen by no action at all
I also think the opposite is just as true: 'The ones you love hurt you the most'. Just being apart from the ones I love, even for a short while, can cause hurt. When the ones I love are hurting it causes me pain. When the ones I love are facing a difficult time I feel it. When the ones I love are in need I feel their anguish. When they are anxious, I share their anxiety. When the ones I love grieve, it causes me to weep. And I am sure they feel all the pain that I feel when I am in distress
You tell us to pursue love! Almost without exception when we love, we hurt, but love also brings the greatest of all joys. You tell us: "Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres". You tell us: "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love"
Jesus said: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you". He also said, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends". Love is a costly business! It takes all we have to love someone. I know this because of Your love for us, for me. It cost You the life of Jesus! You so loved the world, us, me, that You gave Your "One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life"
Your love for us is so great that You took on flesh and came on a rescue mission, knowing You would die as a result. The least I can do, is love You in return, even though sometimes it hurts
Amen
Songs for today:
Home
Your love never fails (Nothing can separate)
One thing remains
Above all powers
Saturday 19th October
Heavenly Father, how do I pursue faith? I guess firstly I need to remember faith is a gift from You. Your Word tells me: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast"
There are many gifts spoken of in the Bible, and faith is one of them: "To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines"
So how does faith come about? "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ". At one time my faith was in myself, but then I heard preaching at Bible study! "How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"
Lord Jesus, thank You. Help me to be steeped in Your Word, so I am marinated, so Your Word becomes part of me, so You are part of me, even all of me
Amen
Songs for today:
His Handiwork
Lord I'm Grateful - Grace
I Believe in Jesus
Friday 18th October
Heavenly Father, yesterday I was praying about Your instructions: "pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness". How do I pursue godliness? Thank You for the answer You have just given me!
At this point, while thinking and praying, the doorbell rang; it was the gasman, a service engineer who has come to check the gas boiler. It is a yearly service which means the gas boiler works efficiently and consistently. Any worn or defective parts will be replaced covered by the insurance premium we pay. If anything goes wrong during the year we know who to call
We pursued the maintenance man by calling him to arrange the service. When he arrived he knew where the boiler was and found his way through the house without any guidance from me. He asked for the service record which I was able to give him and which he filled in last year and will fill in again when he is finished
To pursue godliness I need You, by Your Spirit, to service my life; not once a year, but every day. I need to contact You through prayer and ask You to do this for me. You already know everything about me, so You know the Way to my heart and what needs. doing. You keep me informed as to each part that needs dealing with, giving me instructions as to how to be more like Jesus. For my life to keep working, 'efficiently and consistently' to pursue godliness. I need this daily service. A service once a week on a Sunday is not enough, I need You every day
Lord, thank You for the insurance premium, paid by Jesus on the cross and the work You do in my life
Amen
Songs for today:
Teach me to give my best
The Crown of Life
Free at last
Thursday 17th October
Heavenly Father, thank You for the instructions You give us: "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness"
The previous words had carried a warning, and this is what we are told to flee from: "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs"
The things we are told to pursue start with righteousness. How do we pursue this? How do I live righteously? By being just, honest and faithful. "For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; it is He who will save us"
Help me to hold on to You, onto Jesus. I know I will fail in almost every way, so I need a Saviour! What are the acts of righteousness? Fasting, praying, giving to the poor, forgiving others, and loving enemies. I fall at the first hurdle; I know I never fast. The others I try my best, but perhaps, deep down, I know my best is not good enough. Your standard is perfection! Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect"
Elsewhere we are told: "Just as He who called you is Holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I AM holy'"
Thank You Jesus for bridging the gap. You forgive and cover my imperfections with Your perfection and Your blood
Amen
Songs for today:
What a friend we have in Jesus
I trust in You
Wednesday 16th October
Heavenly Father, so often we cry out, "Why doesn't He do something!?" It may be that the cry is about another person, but often it is about You or Jesus. "Why doesn't God do something?" I wonder how often Your reply is: "Why don't you do something?"
Perhaps we feel powerless. Perhaps we don't have what we need; the equipment, the knowledge, the understanding, the confidence, the strength. Perhaps You say: "I will equip you. I will give you knowledge. I will give you understanding. I will give you confidence. I will be your strength"
And so we ask: "When?" And You say: "When? When you need it". When Your people were wandering in the desert You sent manna. The Bible tells us You spoke to the people and what happened: "In the morning you will be filled with bread... in the morning there was a layer of dew... When the dew had gone, thin flakes like frost appeared... It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat"
Lord Jesus, when the disciples saw You walking on the water, You said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid". Peter said, "Lord, if it is You, tell me to come to You on the water". "Come" You said. Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water but when he saw the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. "Lord save me!" he cried. Immediately You reached out Your hand caught him, and climbed into the boat. You said, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" Lord help me to have greater faith. To trust You more each day. You are the Bread of Life, and You have saved me
Amen
Songs for today:
Hold on
In Your hands
Middle of my story
Send rescue
Tuesday 15th October
Heavenly Father, thank You for the direct line we have to You through Jesus. It is so easy to let our fears stop us from calling You. Our self-loathing because of our sin can stop us calling You. The voice in our head saying, "Who do you think you are, calling God? You're not good enough. He won't listen. He won't want you. You're a failure. Reject"
The words of a song opened my eyes to pray this morning. Thank You again for song writers who lead us to praise You and worship. All creation worships You. Lions roar, frogs croak, cows moo, cats meow, dogs woof, sheep baa, birds sing, whales sing. Perhaps they are all saying "Hallelujah! Praise God who made me!"
You delight in what You have made and we are made to worship. I doubt if any other creature worries about the past. I doubt any other is defined by its past. Only we worry about what others think of us. Help me to see me the Way You see me; to remember the value You have placed on me
Jesus died on the cross to pay for all my sin, to take away all my guilt and shame. You tell us: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine... Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands... Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who live in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the Law of sin and death". Hallelujah! Praise God who made me!
Amen
Songs for today:
Belovedness
Heal me Lord
Amazing Grace (Rap)
O praise the name
Monday 14th October
Heavenly Father, there will be many people going to the doctor's today. Some will be feeling unwell and be going to an appointment at a local surgery with their GP. Some will be going for a routine check-up, perhaps an annual check-up for an ongoing medical issue. Some will be going for tests; blood tests, scans, etc. to discover what a problem may be
And some may be going for a planned operation or perhaps as a result of an accident. In many cases people will go home having received the treatment, had their tests or received results. For others there may be a longer stay in hospital
Thank You that You know everything about everyone and that You care and love each person involved; the people receiving treatment, their friends and families, and the doctors and nurses who administer treatment, carry out tests and operations. It is hard for everyone involved with the worry and anxiety the problems cause
I know there is a peace that passes understanding, the peace of God, Your peace, which can only come from You, the God of peace. Thank You that we can turn to You and know Your peace. I often hear people say, "I don't know how people cope without Jesus". I'm one of them! I know You help me every day. I don't know how I would cope without You
Thank You for all those involved in medical care, and thank You for being with us all the way through. As we say, "Whatever comes we know we are safe in Your hands". May some who don't know this, know it today. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Psalm 23
How can You not
Come to me
Goodness of God
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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