Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 15/09/2024
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 15th September
Heavenly Father, it seems very strange to me when I am asked, or I hear about someone asking a Christian, to pray for them, or for a family member or friend, or about a situation, saying, "I don't believe in God, but you do..." as if it is faith that can make a difference
My faith is undoubtedly in You and I know prayer is very important, otherwise why bother? But when people say, "I wish I had your faith..." I want to say, "Here you are then, have it. I know where I can get some more!"
Or if people say I'm being very brave I want to tell them, "I'm not brave - it's God." Because I'm not brave - it's YOU Lord! When they tell me I'm strong, I want to tell them, "I'm not strong - it's God." Because I'm not strong - it's YOU Lord! Really, it's YOU
Why would they want me to pray to a God they don't believe exists, as though my faith has power? My faith has no power, but You do. My faith leads me to Jesus, to You, and it is my faith in Jesus, who is the same as You, part of You here on earth, that brings Your power on earth; Your will to be done
A couple of neighbours often ask to borrow a ladder I own. My answer can be yes, no, or not yet. Yes, they can have it straight away. No, because someone else needs it. Not yet, but you can have it when it is returned. Their faith is not that I can somehow magically make ladders appear, it is because I actually have one
My faith is not because I can magically make things happen by faith; it is because You are real, and You have the power. Lord, help people to realise that it's all about YOU. For Your glory
Amen
Songs for today:
Jesus lover of my soul (It's all about You)
Yes again
Every season
Saturday 14th September
Heavenly Father, sometimes we think we know everything, but then we realise we know so little. Often we think we are comfortable, in control, but then something happens that makes us uncomfortable and we realise just how little control we have. Perhaps we think we can cope with anything but then find we are too weak and are overwhelmed
I had a word in my head the other day, I think it was from You, but can't be absolutely sure. The word? "bamboozled!" My mind ran on thinking about old adverts. "Mackeson: it looks good it tastes good and by golly it does you good. A Double Diamond works wonders. Carlsberg: probably the best lager in the world. Heineken refreshes the parts other beers can't reach. Guinness: good things come to those who wait"
I know this is odd, even weird, but I thought, "All these things are Your characteristics. You look good, taste good and by golly You do us good. You work wonders. You are 'probably' the best God in the world. You reach parts no one else can reach. Good things come to those who wait on the Lord"
Lord, sometimes You make me laugh. In 'bamboozle' is the word 'booze' and I wonder how often You bamboozle us? Sometimes what we think we know we find is not right because You reveal the Truth. Often when we lose control we find that You are our Saviour, the Way; You are in control
When we find that we are too weak to cope, we find that You are strong; You are the Life. Lord Jesus, You are my Refuge and my Hope, today and always
Amen
Songs for today:
You know I'm weak
Faith sees the unseen
God restore my life
Friday 13th September
Heavenly Father, my devotional yesterday was based on this verse from Your Word: "Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise." It also included this prayer"
God, thank You for caring about my troubles. I am grateful that You not only want to hear my problems, but You want to bring me peace. Jesus, I praise You for all You've done in my life and all that You will continue to do. You are always good - no matter what my situation looks like. Thank You for being my true, constant source of hope. In Jesus' name. Amen"
And today's verse is: "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." And includes this prayer: "God, sometimes I want an immediate solution for my problems. It can be so hard to wait, but I know Your timing is perfect. As I wait for You, help me to learn from the current situation I'm in, focus on the blessings I currently have, and praise You for all the things You're going to do. In Jesus' name. Amen"
Thank You for preparing in advance what I need to hear and what I need to know. The readings and prayers are prepared well in advance I am sure, but somehow, so often, they are just what I need. They show that You know us and know all about us
Thank You too for new songs! A verse touched my heart: "There's so much pain in this life, Lord, erase it away, I long for Your peace, let it fill me today. Don't make me a hypocrite, Lord, shape who I am, I'm just a broken human, in need of Your hand". I'm forever grateful
Amen
Songs for today:
Erase the pain
Yours (Glory and praise)
Come lift up your sorrows
I'm forever grateful
Thursday 12th September
Heavenly Father, we know from nature that opposites attract. In football a good big 'un and good little 'un often loved playing together; Toshack and Keegan, Quinn and Phillips spring to my mind. Two big players may compete for the same cross ball and two smaller players make the same run into the same space and get in each other's way
An extrovert and an introvert often attract, but two extroverts often compete for attention and two introverts may not speak! Two magnets, one positive and the other negative will snap together in an instant, but two negatives or two positives will push apart and no matter how hard we try we cannot get them to stay together. It is only when one of the magnets turns that they snap together
In the animal kingdom, birds, lions, elephants, whales, opposites attract, "male and female He made them". There is only room for one God, so when we try to be God in our own lives we push God away; it is only when we realise we are not a god, not God, and we turn, or repent, can we snap together. Then we can cling onto You and You cling on to us
You are always positive, everything You do is good. We are negative, evil. You are Light, we live in darkness. "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil"
Father, thank You for Jesus, the Light of the world. Thank You that His Light shines on me, in me, and through me. May it always be so. Thank goodness and thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Light of the world
Jesus You are my Light
Glorious Day
Wednesday 11th September
Heavenly Father, a song I heard a couple of days ago got me thinking about some questions: "How do I value people? What do I look for? Should I be looking at all?" The film 'Shallow Hal' is about a man who is transformed so he sees people as they are on the inside rather than the outside. Some beautiful people now look ugly and other, less attractive people, externally, appear beautiful
In Your Word, Jesus’ brother, James, wrote: "My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet' have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?"
When choosing David to be king You did not look at the external things but at his heart. So how do I see people? How do I choose? How do I value them? We say, "Actions speak louder than words". Should I judge by what people do rather than what they say? But then, people say some awful things! Jesus tells us that what we say and do comes from the heart. Perhaps I need to see the heart in what people say and do? "The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray". I may need to judge the whole package! Friend No.1: Jesus; good in all He said and did
Amen
Songs for today:
You make everything beautiful
What a friend I've found
What a friend we have in Jesus
Tuesday 10th September
Heavenly Father, thank You that I have all I need. When Solomon followed his Father David as king, he prayed in a dream and asked You for wisdom. "So give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?"
I wonder how genuine this request was? It seems that You went on to test Solomon's heart! "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for - both wealth and honour - so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings"
The testing was in giving him both wealth and honour. "As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of David his father had been. He followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molek the detestable god of the Ammonites. So Solomon did evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not follow the Lord completely, as David his father had done"
Help me Lord to remember my worth is not in what I own. Help me to keep my eyes on You and on You alone. Help me to remember that I have all I need in You and that I don't need 700 wives or 300 concubines! Jesus is all I need
Amen
Songs for today:
My worth is not in what I own
He will keep you (Psalm 121)
May the peoples praise You
Monday 9th September
Heavenly Father, when I was young I thought, "I'm different and will live forever!" Now I am older I have a different thought, "I am no different. I will surely die!" But because of Jesus I also have another thought, "I will surely die and then I will live forever"
Some people think that Heaven, life on the new Earth, will be boring, as though it is impossible to have a wonderful time without a little bit of naughtiness, sin, thrown in. That is the devil's trick, his lie. It was his lies that caused all this to happen in the first place!
You told Adam in the garden of Eden, a paradise, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die". But Satan tempted Eve with his lie, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" When Eve repeated what You had said, the snake, satan, said to her, "You will not certainly die. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil"
Sowing doubt on Your Word and then contradicting Your Word, lacing it with a little bit of truth is the devil's trick; and he still does the same thing today. The temptation to smoke, drink, experiment with drugs, and a thousand other temptations show that we now know all about good and evil
Lord Jesus, only You can save us. Help us to resist temptation and lead us into a glorious existence, now and when we die, life eternal. 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"
Amen
Songs for today:
Your love never fails (Nothing can separate)
All of my days - Psalm 23
I will rise
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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