Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 02/02/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 2nd February
Heavenly Father, there are some things that we simply cannot do. Just one example is enough: we know that we still haven't found a cure for the common cold. We can take all kinds of medication to relieve the symptoms but none of them is a cure; the cold will run its course until eventually we feel better, thanks to the immune system You have put within us
There are other things that we can't find a cure for, I would say much more serious and debilitating: bitterness, guilt, and shame immediately spring to mind. These things can cripple us mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. You have put something in us to eventually bring a cold to an end and You have been in the world to bring an end to bitterness, guilt and shame. "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably (abundantly, exceedingly, infinitely) more than all we ask, (think) or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen"
There are various translations of Your Word, so I added the alternatives in brackets to get the full flavour of what You tell us. What Jesus did for us on the cross cannot be measured; it is bigger, much bigger, even bigger, so large it goes on into eternity. He removed all our guilt and shame from us; our sin, which tastes so bitter. This is more than we could ever expect, more than we could ask, think or imagine; to be washed completely clean of every stain or mark; to be made pure
All through, and because of, Your love for us. "Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You may now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of You people Israel". This is surely something to celebrate, all the days of my life. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Greater still
You're the God who loves me so
Light of the world (Here I Am to Worship)
You laid aside Your majesty
Saturday 1st February
Heavenly Father, for a long time I didn't believe in You. I didn't believe You existed and I didn't believe you cared about me. Nor did I believe that Jesus lived two thousand years ago. I thought this was nonsense, like some sort of story made up by people, like lots of other stories. Why would this story be any different?
I wondered when I started to pray? I guess it was in 1982 when Jane was in hospital. Our unborn baby was trying to miscarry and each time I visited her in the hospital I called by the chapel for just a few moments to ask You to help. I snuck in and out trying not to be caught; not exactly a great show of faith or trust
I can't say why I did that, I didn't believe in You! But somehow, we came through and our first son was born. I would say now that You came through, but then I forgot all about You. It wasn't until 1985 that I thought about You again. When Jane told me she had been filled with the Holy Spirit, I reacted by trying to destroy what I thought was a dangerous myth
However, in seeking to destroy, I found Jesus, and I found You in 1986. The rest, as they say, is history; or perhaps I should say His story. Like so many unbelievers, people like Saul, who became Paul, and millions of others over the centuries, my life was transformed; not overnight, but over many years, and right up to today
Your Word says: "Love is patient, love is kind..." Well I know these things to be true, as You have worked in me, and with me, over the last forty-two years opening my eyes to new things; some beautiful and some ugly. Some of the ugly things are inside me, but that is where Your love has been so evident, as You patiently helped and guided me to change
Thank You for opening my eyes to see and believe, and for touching my heart to believe and see. Keep working Lord, I know there is still work to do
Amen
Songs for today:
His grace will carry you
Jesus lover of my soul (It's all about You)
Open the eyes of my heart Lord
That's What Faith Must Be
Friday 31st January
Heavenly Father, at Life Group last night, I was reminded of the importance of love. I shouldn't need reminding, but I do. We were continuing our discussion on the gifts of the Spirit; Your gifts to us, the gifts Jesus shared
Lord Jesus, when You were asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" You answered, "Love the Lord Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength". And You continued, "The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these"
In Your Word we are told about gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Paul then goes on to say they are a waste of time and of no benefit if we do not have love: "And now I will show you the most excellent Way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal". (Wisdom and tongues dismissed) "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing". (Prophecy, knowledge and faith also dismissed) "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing". (Other gifts like serving and generosity, of no value to me)
Lord help me to live and love like Jesus by being patient, kind, not envying, not boasting, not proud, not dishonouring others, not self-seeking, not easily angered, keeping no record of wrongs, not delighting in evil but delighting in the Truth; always protecting, always trusting, always hoping and always persevering. If I do these things then the gifts will be of use to me, glorifying You and helping to build the Church. Love. Thank You for the reminder
Amen
Songs for today:
Love one another as I have loved you
Love one another
A new commandment I give unto you
Thursday 30th January
Heavenly Father, one of the questions young kids ask their parents is, "When?" And of course another is "Why? I suppose as adults we do still ask the same questions, but perhaps we ask these questions of You
I wonder if we keep asking in the same way kids do when they keep asking the same question over and over again? "Are we there yet?" falls into the 'when' category I suppose. Perhaps we keep asking You this in relation to our position as disciples? People do seem to worry about whether they have reached a certain level of maturity as a Christian; asking: "Am I there yet? Am I good enough yet? Will I get into Heaven yet? Do I do enough yet?"
When we are kids in the car asking the question, "Are we there yet?" it won't get us to our destination any quicker; if anything it makes the journey seem longer, more tedious and stressful for everyone in the car!
In the 'why' category are questions like, "Why is there so much suffering in the world? Why doesn't God do something? Why can't I feel God's presence? Why did You put me in this place? Why can't I get a better job? Why can't I be richer?"
The kid in the car has to trust that the parent will get them there in his own good time. I have to trust that what You have done, and are doing, is good enough to 'get me there,' and that I will arrive safely in Heaven in Your own good time
As for the 'why' questions, knowing the answers may or may not satisfy us, but a lot of the answers are there in scripture. Life isn't always fair I guess but You are always good
Help me Lord to trust You in everything knowing that You have done all that is required to see me safely home. Why? Simply because You love me
Amen
Songs for today:
How long
Why
Because He lives
Wednesday 29th January
Heavenly Father, help me to watch what I say and pray. "Silence is golden" is a phrase we use meaning sometimes it is better to say nothing, especially when we don't know what to say. The phrase was used in one of my favourite songs from the 1960s, by The Tremeloes
Another phrase I remember hearing in films is, "Well, hush my mouth!" Too often we say things we shouldn't, and the consequences can be quite catastrophic, a broken friendship, a loss of trust, a distance created
Father, You know everything we say, in fact You know everything we think. You also know every event, every strand of thought, all we have heard and seen that lead to the words we speak and the way we think
I have prayed a number of times about Your Word: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts"
Because You love us, You have given us a Way out: silence. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God"
Help me to seek Your will in silence. Help me to listen to Your thoughts, and to seek Your Way. Jesus is my example, His Way is Your Way. Help me to follow Him, always, even silently
Amen
Songs for today:
Silence
In the silence
Spirit pray
Silence is golden - The Tremoloes
Tuesday 28th January
Heavenly Father, the Bible talks about You punishing Israel, having spoken of blessings and curses, depending on obedience and disobedience. I was wondering if a curse can actually be a blessing in disguise?
In Your Word You use blessings and curses to defend Your Holy Name, Your integrity. You clearly list the blessings and curses that would come to the Israelites if they broke their covenant with You. The curses were to be a reminder to them of the consequences of rejecting Your love. The curses included being taken captive by other kingdoms and exile from the promised land. Time and time again Israel was disobedient and was conquered and taken captive. Eventually they would cry out to You and You would bless them. In this Way You kept using the curse to bless Israel as they then came back to You. When Jesus came with the New Covenant, Israel rejected Him.
However, You now look after all who accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord, by disciplining us. Your Word tells me: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?"
I don't really remember being punished by my dad, but I do remember being scared of the words of my mam: "Just wait till your dad gets home". That was enough to stop me doing whatever I was doing! In Your love for us, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.'" Thank You for caring for me so much, in every Way
Amen
Songs for today:
At the cross
We pray for blessings
The love of God
Monday 27th January
Heavenly Father, thank you that I am forever linked to my father and my mother, and also to my brother and sisters. I know we are all connected because we all share the same DNA, the same ancestry. My children and grandchildren are also connected to them through their DNA. There is a part of us that is passed on from generation to generation. As our relationship becomes further removed the amount of DNA decreases, but it will always be there. We are also connected to a greater or lesser extent by the way we are brought up; we are a mixture of nature and nurture
Jesus is Your Son and shared Your essence 100%! Whatever DNA You have, Jesus has. He was, is, and will forever be, exactly like You. I am not sure if You have DNA like us, somehow, I doubt it, but whatever You have, Jesus has it too. I am separated from my ancestors by time and space, and now from my mother and father by death, but there is a part of me connected to them
Jesus was connected to You, part of You forever. He existed with You from the beginning, even before time was measured. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning"
You and the Jesus are One in the Spirit, never apart, until one day, Jesus took the sin of the world upon Himself and cried out in a loud voice: "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? (which means 'My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?')" We commonly regard this as You turning away, unable to look upon our sin upon His shoulders
Even as He died Jesus turned to the Scriptures He knew so well, quoting David's Psalm: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?" The agony of being disconnected! Just as we grieve, so Jesus grieved. And all for us. But, just as Jesus reconnected with You, so will we reconnect. Thank You for what You have done for us
Amen
Songs for today:
Death of a Son
What kind of love is this?
One Day (When we all get to Heaven)
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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