Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 29/12/2024
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 29th December
Heavenly Father, after praying yesterday, and after my daughter spoke to me, I was very much drawn to the parable Jesus told of the rich man building bigger barns to store his surplus wealth. After an abundant harvest the man said to himself, "What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops. This is what I'll do, I will tear down my old barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain". I understand about being sensible and planning for the future, but it seems somehow this man got it wrong. He said to himself, "You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink and be merry"
This is where Jesus' words must have hit hard! God said to the man, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?" I wondered if it was like this for everyone, but then Jesus finished the parable by saying: "This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God". Your Word reminds us: "We brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it"
Lord Jesus, I know I have a lot of 'stuff'. Help me to use what I have for Your glory, and when I come home to You may it be passed on to others who will also use it for Your glory. This is why we are born, to glorify You and enjoy You forever. You said: "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth... But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." May my heart and all I have be Yours, forever
Amen
Songs for today:
Where your treasure is
All that I am I lay before You
Treasure
Saturday 28th December
Heavenly Father, I had a thought yesterday as I was out walking. It was a cold, grey, damp day and there were very few people about. The world felt quite inhospitable, harsh and uninviting. It was then I thought, or perhaps heard: "We are all refugees. This is not our home. Eden was our home but we left it". We were meant to live in a paradise, but we had to leave because of our sin
Lord Jesus, You were born into this inhospitable world, harsh and uninviting, and You had to leave Your birthplace too, but not because of Your sin, but because ours. You were an unwelcome, threatening guest to King Herod and so You had to flee with Mary and Joseph to Egypt. You became an unwelcome guest in Nazareth and then Jerusalem, also because of our sin. Eventually we killed You, hanging You on a cross
You were then welcomed home, back to Your Father's side, to reign forever. Because of Your grace and mercy, I was welcomed home after my walk. Every good thing is a gift from You! Eventually, I will also be welcomed home to be with You and the Father. Your sacrifice paved the Way and opened the doors of Heaven
No longer will I be a refugee! You have prepared a room for me. You said: "My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?" There will come a day when the world will be very different, no longer harsh and uninviting
Thank You making the Way home possible. I look forward to eternity with You
Amen
Songs for today:
From the squalor of a borrowed stable
One Day (When we all get to Heaven)
There's a place for us
Friday 27th December
Heavenly Father, we are in 'the lull', that period between Christmas and New Year when things seem to slow down for a few days as the rush of getting ready for Christmas is over, the presents have been opened and we get ready for New Year. For some of course it is back to work, and incredibly busy, especially in the retail business as the sales go into overdrive in the shops!
However, quite a few people will be on holiday at this time, resting before getting ready for New Year's Eve and perhaps a party with family and friends. Some, like me, will be aware that they have put on a few pounds with the rich food and sweets; something to deal with in the new year perhaps?
For others there will be more important things to think about; where will I live, how will I live, will there be a job for me, will I find love, will I survive? For some the future will look bleak, wondering if they will have the strength to battle on. For some there will be desperation, hoping against hope that their family can be reunited, that relationships can be restored and that there can be reconciliation. Others will be concerned about their health!
Your Word tells us: "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint". Life can be so tough!
Lord Jesus, thank You for the hope You brings us. No matter what situation we find ourselves in, there is hope in You, there is strength in You, there is life in You. "I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
There is always hope and there is always the future. In this life or the next You will keep Your promise. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Hope for everyone
I know the plans I have for you
Prince of peace
O come all ye faithful (Celtic version)
The heavens they preach
Thursday 26th December
Heavenly Father, I come to You again today to pray for a friend, one I have prayed for before, and often do. He doesn't even believe that You exist, so cannot contemplate that Jesus is Your Son or his Saviour. He does not believe that he needs saving
Jesus said of His own people: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them"
There are others I pray for 'in the same boat', others who don't believe in Jesus, but some who believe in You, a God of some sort, or that there is 'something' out there, bigger than them
King David wrote: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God'. They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from Heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God". I don't think my friend is corrupt, or his deeds vile, although he might be and they could be for all I know. What I do know is his heart is hard and he cannot see or hear You
Lord Jesus, You made the blind see and the deaf hear; work this miracle in my friend's heart. He is like a mulberry bush, or a mountain to be moved, but nothing is impossible for You. I know You love him even more than I do. Help him Lord. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
I will give You praise (Only You)
No-one but You Lord (Only You)
There is none like You
Make Way Make Way for the King of kings
Wednesday 25th December
Heavenly Father, we have made it! Christmas Day! There was a time when we didn't think we'd make it, but here we are!! Thank You for this day. How I wish the whole world, every single person, would realise what this day is really all about. It's not about trees, baubles and lights, or Santa and reindeer, or turkey or Christmas pudding, or presents or party poppers and crackers
Father, I love all these things, and I want the whole world to enjoy them, but Christmas, and all the celebrations are about one thing and one thing only; the birth of Jesus. There is a song which is not a carol or a hymn, and isn't a Christian song, and there is only one line that attracts my attention, which sums up the reason for Christmas, the reason for Jesus being born; and I can hear You saying, or singing it, to every person in the world: "All I want for Christmas is you!"
Jesus was born to restore our relationship with You. There is another song, and this is a carol which speaks of this, summing up the purpose of Christ's birth: "Hark! The herald angels sing: Glory to the new born king! Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!" Wow! How awesome is that!
Every prodigal son and daughter reconciled to You. Every broken relationship restored. Every person knowing You as Father and Jesus as Saviour. No matter where we are, how far we are away from You, no matter how far we have fallen, no matter what we have done, Jesus came to reconcile us to You
Thank You Lord for coming to us again this Christmas Day. Merry Christmas!!
Amen
Songs for today:
All I want for Christmas is you
Earth lies spellbound
Can you believe it
Hark the herald/King of Heaven
Tuesday 24th December
Heavenly Father, here we are again, another Christmas Eve! It is strange how, despite this being the season celebrating the birth of our Saviour, my thoughts focus so much on Easter and the cross. I prayed a couple of days ago about the shadow of the cross being over the manger, and those thoughts have not left me
Lord Jesus, shortly before You were arrested, faced a mockery of a trial, were found guilty, sentenced to death, and crucified, You looked up to Heaven and prayed: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You". The cross is Your glory! At the cross You displayed the glory of God
At the cross You paid the penalty of sin on behalf of sinners, so Your Father God, can show compassion and mercy without clearing the guilt. At the cross You displayed both mercy and the justice of God. You saw Your horrific death as Your glory because through it You showed the majestic glory of God
Therefore I want to celebrate Your birth, because it was the start of Your journey which led to my Salvation. Because You were born I can be born again. Because You were resurrected I too will be resurrected. Because You live forever in the presence of Your Father, I too will live forever in the presence of God the Father
This is nothing to do with what I have done or ever will do; this is entirely to Your glory. I can echo St Paul's words: "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world"
Father, thank for the birth of Jesus, His life, death and resurrection. May I worship You today and always, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Amen
Songs for today:
At the foot of the cross - I can hardly take it in
O little town of Bethlehem - The glory of Christmas
Glory Hallelujah
While shepherds watched
Monday 23rd December
Heavenly Father, I'm not absolutely sure, but I do think there are some silly things we pray about. I dare say we all do it, hoping You will intervene on our behalf. Praying about the weather is one. I might pray for a warm sunny day, but there may be others praying for rain; how do You decide which prayer to answer?
I might be praying that my team wins, and others will be praying for the opposition; how do You decide who wins? I go into town hoping and praying there will be a parking space outside the shop I want to go in, but there are others who also want to park; who gets the spot, if there is one? I might ask You if I should get out of bed today, or what should I wear or have for breakfast? I might be praying that You will stop me from doing something I know I shouldn't, but is that Your responsibility or mine?
Somehow it seems, at the moment, that these things hardly matter, yet something within me tells me how much You care about even the smallest things in our lives, in my life. Come rain or shine, I know You care. Win or lose I know You care. Whether I can find a good parking space or not, I know You care. When I rise from my bed, whatever I choose to wear, whatever I have for breakfast, I know You care. When I am going to do the wrong thing, and I know it, I know because I have a God-given conscience, but I also have free will, so You don't stop me
You will forgive me for the wrong things I do when I turn to You, but You don't stop me. Part of being human is getting things wrong, or so it seems to me. But, I will continue to ask for Your help, knowing that You care and will meet all my needs. Help me to remember that Your foolishness is wiser than my wisdom, and Your weakness is stronger than my human strength
Thank You for caring so much about me that You were prepared to die in my place, despite my silliness and failings
Amen
Songs for today:
Oh the mercy of God
I am chosen (English/Hebrew)
Surrounded (Fight my battles)
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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