Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 10/11/2024
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 10th November
Heavenly Father, today is Remembrance Sunday. Tomorrow is Armistice Day. At the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month we remember all who have lost their lives in the service of their country. The Armistice was the agreement to end the fighting of the First World War, leading to peace negotiations which began at 11am on 11th November 1918. Armistice is Latin for 'to stand (still) arms'
Father, I don't know anyone who died in the First or Second World War. In fact, I don't know anyone who died in any war personally. I know of them, but never met them. I know I had relatives who died in the Second World War, but I wasn't yet born then
However, I do know the effect the war had on my Dad and my uncle Alec. My Mam told me my uncle was the life and soul of the party before the war, but when he came back after being in a prisoner of war camp he was completely different; quiet, living alone like a recluse. He never married nor had children. It was as though he felt guilty for surviving while others died. My Dad once told me that he found it hard to believe in You because You allowed so many of his friends to die in the war
I will remember all who died, but probably more than that I will remember all those, even today, who live with the pain of grief and never overcome it. "At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them”
Every day is a day to remember! How I look forward to Your promise: "They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore". And when You will wipe every tear from our eyes: "There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away". Maranatha: O Lord, come!
Amen
Songs for today (Remembrance Sunday)
One Day (When we all get to Heaven)
Peace like a river
Maranatha
Leningrad
Saturday 9th November
Heavenly Father, yesterday I was praying about how You see people; that You look not at their appearance, but at the heart. I had started by thinking about uniforms of various kinds, the clothes people wear which indicate the kind of service they provide, finally thinking about religious regalia
But then my devotional this morning reminded me that You tell us what to wear in order to represent Jesus! "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity"
'Clothe yourselves... put on...' certainly sounds like something we wear. Help me to find things I need to 'wear' every day so that I stand out from the crowd. I know I can easily find a policeman in a crowd; I simply look for the uniform. You remind how to begin: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it". This is what You look at and everything flows from it
You also tell us something else to 'wear'! "Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand". Only You can supply “the belt of Truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God"
May I wear Your clothes faithfully today so people know who, and what, I am
Amen
Songs for today:
All of a sudden
Faith gear - Armour of God
In Christ alone I put my trust
Rest in Me
Friday 8th November
Heavenly Father, help me to look at people and to see them the Way that You and Jesus do. It is easy to look at a person in a uniform and think we can trust them, a policeman, a fireman, a paramedic, a nurse, or a soldier; but of course it is the heart that matters. What they do and say and think is what matters; how they live their lives and carry out their duties
We may look at an archbishop, a bishop, or a priest and look at the regalia they wear. An archbishop in a golden and jewel encrusted cloak, a bishop in red and purple, or a lowly priest in black with a 'dog collar’; but it is not what they wear that matters, it is what is in their heart
Sometimes the 'uniform' can be a barrier. Someone may see a policeman and immediately become cautious or even run away; but that probably depends on what is in their own heart. The sight of a paramedic or a nurse may cause us to worry because we think our life is in their hands, but really it is in Yours; what is in our heart makes the difference
The splendour of religious regalia may cause some people to bow the knee, and others to get angry; some see the expensive attire and others see Jesus; both reactions depend on the heart of the onlooker
We may think 'clothes maketh man', but this is not true! As You said to Samuel: "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him
The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Help me to remember, it is the heart that matters. Cleanse my heart, Lord, so it thinks only of You
Amen
Songs for today:
I will worship with all of my heart
All of my heart all of my soul
Send me out from here Lord
Heart of God
I love You Lord
Thursday 7th November
Heavenly Father, help me to focus on Jesus today. It is so easy to be drawn towards negative things in the world. It is easy to focus on myself, on my weaknesses and failures
You tell us: "Do not give the devil a foothold". I can imagine trying to run but my feet are tangled up in barbed wire. The more I struggle the more entangled I become. Then I remember Your encouragement and the voices of saints of old! "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"
Thank You for Your wire cutters! By Your Spirit, roared on by the cloud of witnesses, You set me free so I am no longer entangled, and I can run the race set before me
Thank You for coming to earth to rescue us, to rescue me! This song reminds me of Your sacrifice: "You laid aside Your majesty, gave up everything for me, suffered at the hands of those You had created. You took all my guilt and shame, when You died and rose again; now today You reign, in Heaven and Earth exalted"
You cut the barbed wire of sin and shame that tries to hold me back. You silence the devil and his condemnation, drowning it out with the voices of the cloud of witnesses
Thank You for setting me free so I can worship unhindered
Amen
Songs for today:
You laid aside Your majesty
It was You
God the Son
Wednesday 6th November
Heavenly Father, it is quite hard to concentrate on You when something else is going on. I am aware that the election is taking place in the USA and the temptation to put the TV on, or go online or use my phone, to see how it is progressing is very strong. I suppose all temptation is like that, very strong; and I suppose most temptations draw us away from You
The verse in my devotional today focuses my mind! "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid". Knowing how the election is going won't bring me peace of mind, nor will any other news item. Only You can give me peace. Like Jesus said, “not as the world gives”
Quite often news items can be very troubling and cause us to fear, but knowing You brings peace which is beyond our understanding. I sometimes hear said: "TMI", an acronym for 'Too much information'. We can easily have an information overload which causes our mind to race picturing all kinds of scenarios
Help me Lord to turn to You whenever I am fed more information than I can cope with or deal with. Remind me to follow this advice in Your Word: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things"
Lord Jesus, You are all of these things. Fill my mind, fill my heart, fill my soul with Your Spirit, so I am at peace. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Peace be still
In Your peace I rest
God of peace
Tuesday 5th November
Heavenly Father, there are so many battles being fought in the world today. There are too many wars going on to list, but the battles I am thinking about are within individuals
There are some people who can eat almost anything and never seem to put on weight, and there are others who seem to put on weight simply by thinking about chocolate eclairs! The battle is in the mind as much as in the cake shop
There are some who look at themselves in the mirror and see themselves as grossly overweight and yet they are underweight. The battle is in the mind
There are those who believe someone is out to get them, and yet live peaceful lives in a quiet neighbourhood
Lord, at what point does a fear take hold of us and become a phobia? We are told in Your Word: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding". I wonder if this fear can become a phobia? And if so is that phobia called religion? Spending time worrying about being good enough, is that religion? Spending time worrying that in some way we are bound to fail; is that religion? Trying hard to win Your favour, earn our way into Heaven; is that religion?
Lord, help me to remember this: "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the Law, Christ died for nothing!" And also: "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". Help me to win the battle in my mind
Lord Jesus, You did it all for me when You were dying. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
When I hear the praises start
Jesus is
Your love never fails (Nothing can separate)
Salvation (Here I stand)
Monday 4th November
Heavenly Father, there is a prayer about the Bible which says that I should: "hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest". This is taken from a prayer written by Thomas Cranmer. We hear the Bible read every week in church, and the words are available for us to read
I am not sure, in fact I know, I do not mark the scriptures, although I do sometimes write something down on my phone. I hope I learn from what they say and that I ponder upon them. I guess inwardly digesting is feeding upon the Word. When we think something through we sometimes might say we 'chew it over'
My phone has a folder marked 'Bible' where I copy, and then write out, verses or even whole chapters, to help me learn and inwardly digest. I use a lot of them in my prayers because this is one of the ways You speak to me
I have a sheet, quite tatty now, which I regularly turn to, to help me study: "What does the Bible say? What does the Bible mean? What does the Bible mean to me? Is there a command to obey? Is there a promise to claim? Is there an example to follow? Is there a sin to avoid or confess? Is there a reason for thanksgiving or praise? What does the Bible teach me about: God; Jesus; myself; others?"
Father, thank You for templates like this that help me to hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest.
Lord Jesus thank You for the prayer You taught; a template for prayer
Thank You for the service outlines used each week as a template for worship, including the scriptures within
Thank You for the template used for morning prayer which I attend online
But most of all, thank You for Jesus, Your example, Your template for living
Amen
Songs for today:
Wait for You (Psalm 130)
Where can I go (Psalm 139)
The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23)
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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