Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 16/02/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 16th February
Heavenly Father, I remember being taught when I was young, "Count to ten, before you say anything, count to ten, so you don't say something you might regret, or do something you might regret, always count to ten". This is very sage wisdom and echoes many passages in Your Word
"Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin... The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones". Many times I have thought of something to say, perhaps what I thought was witty, but cruel, a real put-down, to stop someone in their tracks and put them in their place, but on most occasions I have counted to ten, held my tongue, and been so grateful afterwards
Lord Jesus, You said to the Pharisees, very religious men, or so they thought: "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognised by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgement for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned"
Lord, forgive me for any wrong things I have said, burn away the chaff in me so I may be an "oak of righteousness". Fill me with Your Spirit so I speak in Your Way as I think Your thoughts. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Show me Your ways
Your love endures
I will never be the same again
Sorry
Ruach - Holy Wind of God
Saturday 15th February
Heavenly Father, I prayed a couple of days ago about our church entering into an interregnum. This got me wondering about the word so I looked it up: noun, a period when normal government is suspended, especially between successive reigns or regimes; origin, Latin, inter - between, regnum- reign... an interval or pause between two periods of office or other things
This last phrase, 'or other things,' got me thinking about other 'intereggna' people may experience; a period of time when everything changes, new ways have to be found until a new regime or way of living begins. A few occurred to me straight away: marriage break up, death of a partner, empty nest syndrome when children leave home, retirement, job loss or unemployment, moving home, moving school; just a few of many life changes in no particular order
I suppose most of us have routines, I remember a nursery rhyme that ordered the week: "Monday's washing day, Tuesday's ironing day, Wednesday's mending day, Thursday's churning day, Friday's cleaning day, Saturday's baking day, Sunday's rest day"
I remembered every day except Thursday so I had to look it up! 'Churning' is no longer a day's work for most people! (The Scaffold sang a completely different version years ago!) Things happen and life changes. There may be hurt that people have to learn to live with; loneliness can be a new experience
Not having to wash, clean and tidy up for children as they leave home can leave a huge hole in a parent's life. Being made redundant in the home or from work can leave large parts of the day empty
Lord, You never leave us nor forsake us. Help us to deal with life's interregnums, whatever they may be, whenever they occur and however they come. Thank You Lord
Amen
Songs for today:
Whatever Your plan is
Changing lives
One thing remains
Today's Monday - The Scaffold
Friday 14th February
Heavenly Father, thank You for the rich variety of groups that meet within our church in Belton and for all those who lead, organise, host, and help each day. I am sure there are churches all over the world who provide for their community in the same Way: because of Your love for us shown through Jesus
We have: Mums and tots at Refill on Friday morning; Young children at Rock Solid on Thursday evening; Youth on Friday evening: Recharge for young adults on Monday night;
Young at Heart on Tuesday morning; Life Groups for adults on Tuesday and Thursday night; Prayer breakfast on Tuesday and Saturday; monthly prayer on a Wednesday and other meetings to organise the church;
and of course our regular meeting on Sunday morning to learn and be equipped, to worship You, to give thanks and praise You for all that You have done for us through Jesus
Lord Jesus, I know that there are many places in the world where none of these things could happen because of persecution. I just read this morning of people in North Korea and Myanmar who have suffered for their faith. I know there is great danger for millions of people because they trust in You; help me to remember them in my prayers daily and to give thanks for the freedom we have here in the UK
Bless Your Church especially in those places where people risk their lives to worship You. Bless all those who may only meet in secret. Fill all believers constantly with Your Spirit and may Your joy be our strength every day in every circumstance. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
The Answer
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
This far O Lord You have helped us
Lord I need You
Thursday 13th February
Heavenly Father, if it were not for You, our church here in Belton would be heading into a time of uncertainty; an interregnum. Our rector will be retiring soon and moving on to a new life. We will be looking after ourselves for a period of time until a new appointment is made but we won't be totally on our own because You will never leave us not forsake us
Lord Jesus, you told Your first disciples: "But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth 'father' for you have one Father, and He is in Heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted"
Help us, by Your Spirit to be discerning, recognising the one You have chosen to come to our church. Help us to be patient and to not be in a rush to appoint. Help us to be at peace, knowing You are working on our behalf. Help all those who have responsibilities to serve You and Your church faithfully and humbly. Help all those in the congregation to be patient with those who carry the weight of responsibility recognising that all are doing their very best to serve diligently and to the best of their ability
We are Your body and each one of us has a part to play. May we all be joined together in prayer, seeking Your will. Fill us with Your Spirit that we may love one another as You have loved us. Send us someone on fire for You! "O God of burning, cleansing flame send the fire... God of Elijah, hear our cry: Send the fire... It's fire we want, for fire we plead: Send the fire... To make our weak hearts strong and brave: Send the fire!" Lord Jesus, may You always be our first love. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Send the fire
My First Love
Christ alone
Wednesday 12th February
Heavenly Father, I think that most of us can see, and have probably said at one time or another, "Life's not fair". There can be little doubt about it; life is most certainly not fair. Some people work all their lives for very little reward while others are born 'with a silver spoon in their mouth' and live in luxury
Some are born princes and others are born paupers. Some people have every chance of success while others have little chance of surviving let alone succeeding. Some, like me, can go to the fridge or the cupboard and see it is well stocked and if it isn't the shop is only a few minutes away. Others don't have a fridge or a cupboard and if there was a shop they have no money to buy the little that is on shelves
Lord, how do You deal with a world that is unfair? What can You do about it? I guess You became part of it? You came into this unfair world to be treated unfairly. You came into this world to suffer unfairly. You came into this world to love the unloved and the unlovely. You came into this world to treat everyone the same. You came into this world so the blind could see, the deaf could hear, the lame could walk and the leper could be cleansed. You came into this world to open the Way for us to a better life, for everyone in the here-and-now, and for everyone in the future; a life with the Father where life will be fair
Your death on the cross was not fair, but it was the Way You chose to live so that everyone could be blessed. Your Spirit is for everyone, no matter what their circumstances, bringing peace and joy to those who have it all, and those who have nothing. Life's not fair, but You are. Thank You
Amen
Video clip and songs for today:
Life is not fair from 'The Lion King'
Let the children come to Me
In the valley
Back home
Tuesday 11th February
Heavenly Father, thank You that we are redeemed by grace. Jesus said: "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my words and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life". Nothing here about how well we do, no performance-related pay for Jesus
Paul reflects upon Jesus' words in his letter to the Ephesians: "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". Until Jesus came and redeemed us we were 'remanded in custody', held prisoner, under lock and key, until such time as we would be judged
Paul writes to the Galatians: "Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the Law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the Law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian"
Lord Jesus, Your death on the cross paid the price for our sin. The Law simply shows us what we are doing wrong. It does not stop us, it merely points it out. The Law exposes our sin but cannot save us
Thank You for settling our debt, 'paying the fine', but much more than that! "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord". You died so that I might live. This is amazing grace; this is amazing love! I come back to this again and again to remind myself of the cost of my freedom. No longer under lock and key, no longer remanded in custody. "Paid in full". Wonderful. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Redeemed by grace
Paid for
What kind of love is this?
Amazing love
Monday 10th February
Heavenly Father, there seem to be some days when I feel 'flat'. What do I mean by that? I'm not sure how to explain it! Life seems dull, no excitement; almost no point. Questions tumble through my mind about what to do with myself. What to do? What to do? Buy something! Eat something! These things won't make any difference. I haven't got pounds to spend and my body doesn't need another pound or two on the scales! Anyway, I should be content with what I have
Help me, Lord, to focus on my many blessings. I know I am greatly blessed with family and friends who love me. I know I have a God who loves me, who blesses me every day, and wants me to be a blessing. I have an opportunity today to meet people and spend time with them, loving them like You do, even if only with a smile and a cheery, "Hello". I might be the only person they see today or the only one who says "Hello"
Do I want to be a ray of sunshine, or do I want to be like 'Eeyore' with a grey cloud hanging over me? I have an opportunity to worship You today, lifting my voice up to You in prayer and song! I have an opportunity to create something new, a new song even, that will bless Your heart. I could write a poem, like a Psalm of David, starting with this lament but ending with words of praise and adoration!!
Lord Jesus, thinking of You lifts the cloud over my head, the Son breaks through, and opens my eyes to Your goodness. Thank You for all that You have done, for making life worthwhile. "The joy of the Lord is my strength!" If I might paraphrase Peter: "Though I have not seen Him, I love Him; and even though I do not see Him now, I believe in Him and am filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for I am receiving the end result of my faith, the salvation of my soul". Thank You Jesus
Amen
Songs for today:
The joy of the Lord is my strength
Glory glory to the King
Hosanna (Hosanna to the King of kings)
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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