Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 26/01/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 26th January
 Heavenly Father, thank You for today. Thank You that I don't have to worry about tomorrow. Jesus said: "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own". Jesus knows we will have troubles!
He knows and told us so: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world". I love You Lord. I believe that You are the Son of God, born of the Spirit and that You have overcome the world, shown, not only by Your supernatural powers, greater than the natural, but also by Your resurrection from the dead and Your ascension into Heaven
This makes me an overcomer too! Your Word tells me so! "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves His Child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep His commands. And His commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world
That is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God". I overcome the world by defeating death, and I defeat death through Jesus' promise! "God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life". Thank You for this. Even if I die today, I live today, and tomorrow, and forever. Not a single hour, but eternity added to my life
Amen
Songs for today:
God so Loved the World
Do not worry
Living He loved me (Glorious Day)
Saturday 25th January
Heavenly Father, when we are faced with a problem, but know we are making progress, we sometimes use the phrase, "We are not out of the woods yet". I thought about this a lot over the last couple of days
It is good news that an illness isn't getting worse quickly, there is not a rapid descent in the test results. There may be a slow decline, and that may change, but for the moment we can rejoice. We know we ‘are not out of the woods yet' and in fact we may never be 'out of the woods' until we step out into Heaven, but you are with us today; You are in the woods with us. While we are in the woods Your Light shines through. We have a tryptic picture about the fireplace of tall trees with sun shining through casting light on the ground and beams of light between the branches and the trunks
I often look at it and think of Jesus, the Son shining through into the darkness. Thank You that where there is darkness there is Your Light. I am not ruling out the possibility that You may lift us 'out of the woods' and into a brightly lit, glorious meadow here on earth; I do believe in miracles. I believe in You, Jesus, so I believe in all that You have done, can do and may do
But I leave that to You. Whether You choose to heal or not is Your decision. Your Way is somewhat of a mystery to me. My way is to live in Your presence, knowing You are with me, You love me and will never leave me. Your joy is my strength, and even in the darkness Your Light is shining, showing me the Way, the Truth and the Light. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Yet not I but through Christ in me
Way Maker
Light of Life
Friday 24th January
Heavenly Father, there are many questions that can be asked about, You, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, church, and of course life and love in general. I was thinking about this last night as I lay down to sleep. "Now I lay me down to sleep I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take"
I guess this was on my mind as I had just been to Life Group and led the Bible Study. There were lots of questions I asked, with the promise: "No question is too simple. No question too hard. (We just may not be able to answer it!)" When I find myself asking questions, or when I find myself being asked questions, where do I look for answers. I wondered if there are basic principles I should employ?
I thought, "I can go back to basics. God is good. God is love. God is compassionate". Where do I look for answers? How can I back up what I say? I must look to Your Word first and foremost: the Bible Jesus, Your Spirit. The Bible says that You are Spirit, love, Truth, and so much more throughout Your Word
You are the Creator and overseer of our lives. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in Truth... Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love... For in Him all things were created; things in Heaven and on Earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him... The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word
After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven..." Well, this is a start! I might not say any of these things, but all I say in answer to questions should be based upon Your Word. Thank You for Your guidance and help
Amen
Songs for today:
God is good
In Christ alone
Thursday 23rd January
Heavenly Father, thank You for making each one of us. Each of us is individual, unique. Thank You that You let us live our lives by making our own choices. You say: "I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". Does this mean that we have no choice, that You have planned every step that we should take? Does this mean You have programmed us to follow a set pattern? If this were so we would be little more than machines, incapable of so much
But You have plans to prosper us. Not to limit us, not to make us incapable, but to make us capable of so much more. Your plan is for us to glorify Your Holy name. Your plan is for freedom, not captivity. Your plan is for us to have "life in all fullness" not a dull, monotonous existence
Sometimes parents try to live their lives through their children, trying to experience fulfilment and achieve dreams they couldn't in their own life by pushing their children to pursue those same goals. You are not like that!! A parent pushing their children like this can be so harmful, causing alienation, which is why You don't do it
You provide us with so much, so many opportunities and options, but You give us freedom to choose. You give us all kinds of gifts, abilities and skills, but allow us to choose which to use and how. You help us when we look to You for advice and guidance, just as a good parent should, but then You let us decide what to do
Giving us that freedom is a great gift. My hope to please You comes from loving You and from You loving me. I hope that whatever I do, whatever I say, pleases You. Your plan to prosper me is fulfilled by me being me, and though Jesus being Jesus. "I AM with you always"
Amen
Songs for today:
I set my hope
A Thousand Hallelujahs
Jesus we celebrate Your victory
Let there be joy let there be peace
Wednesday 22nd January
Heavenly Father, I had a thought the other morning at prayer breakfast, "Everything is training". I think You agreed with this thought! At least that's what it felt like. All the practice I did on the violin, piano, and French horn was training. Teaching me about other skills, other than the music and how to play the instruments, I learnt about determination and perseverance, how to work hard at something until I achieved a goal, that we have talents we need to develop and grow, how to look after things
I learnt about concentration and focus and confidence. I learnt about having an important part to play, a solo, and to be in a minor role, supporting another player. I learnt about being part of something that was bigger than me. All things I need and use today
Going through the Bible, underlining different aspects of scripture in various colours, was training for today. Leading Bible studies was training for today. I learnt as much as anyone by preparing the study and then listening to what people said in response. In reading books by other writers I learnt about their experiences and how to deal with my own
And praying each day I learn so much from You and about You, Jesus and Your Spirit. I receive far more than I give. Part of what I heard when I heard, "Everything is training" was in the prayer afterwards: "Nothing is wasted"
Thank You, Lord, that in everything we experience there are things to be learned. In good and bad times You teach us by Your Spirit, reminding us of what we have learnt previously, and showing us new things too, about ourselves, about others, about the world we live in, and about You. We just need to trust You; our Teacher, Lord, and God. Everything is training and nothing is wasted. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Show me Your ways - Darlene Zschech
Show me dear Lord
I want to serve the purpose of God
Guide me O Thou Great Redeemer
Show me Your ways - Thrive Worship
Tuesday 21st January
Heavenly Father, it's strange that when we meet someone we love, that we haven't seen for a long time, that we sometimes can't think what to say. Perhaps there is too much to say and we can't think where to begin
Perhaps that is why I sometimes struggle to begin praying? There is so much to say I can't decide what is important and what is just rambling. I know I have a lot to be thankful for; I know I have a lot to learn; I know that what You have to say is more important than what I have to say; I know listening is a very important part of conversation
Body language is an important part of conversation too. Our demeanour, our posture, says a great deal about us. People soon recognise if we are interested in what they are saying, or not, by how we look. Turning away, looking at a watch or clock, interrupting what they say, are all indicators. Spending more time telling them what I think rather than taking time to listen to what they think is a clear indicator of where my priority lies
Father, help me to be a good listener. Help me to focus on what others are saying, to take time to take on board what they are trying to get across and to understand their needs and concerns
Help me to also hear from You as I listen. Just a word or two from You can help me to understand better; to see through to the heart of the problem, if there is one. You tell us: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn". I can only do this if I listen carefully. Thank You for listening. Help me to always be listening to You
Amen
Songs for today:
Teach me to listen
You say
Living hope
Monday 20th January
Heavenly Father, when we are missing something we can end up looking in the strangest places. Who would look in the fridge or freezer for their wallet or purse? When we have exhausted the usual places, we can become desperate and start looking in all the wrong places
If my wallet is not in my jacket, where it usually is, I look in my other pockets, then on the worktops in the kitchen, the sitting room, my office, the bedroom, on the chair or sofa, underneath the chair and sofa, in the car, under the car! Where have I been? When and where did I last have it? I put some shopping away, so I look in the cupboards and then the fridge and freezer! Eventually it turns up, usually when I backtrack I find it right where I left it, naturally
When we are not loved by the people we expect to love us we can end up looking in all the wrong places. When we do not receive approval from the people we expect to encourage and approve of us, we can end up looking in all the wrong places. We can become desperate. I guess this is why people look to their job for satisfaction, approval, and even love. I guess this is why people enter into wrong relationships, and even remain in them when they become abused and hurt. I guess this is why people look to drink or drugs, not for love or approval, but to dull the pain or drown out the negative sounds that haunt them.
Father, it’s You that we can look to You for all that we need, especially love and approval. You may not like some of the things we do but You never stop loving us. You never stop encouraging us. And when You look at us You know You made something good. Help us to look to You for all we need. "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness". You are the right place to look! Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
All I know (Loving you is a losing game)
It's so good (Love of God)
Unending love
Your love never fails (Nothing can separate)
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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