Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 03/08/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 3rd August
Heavenly Father, I never cease to amaze myself! But not in a good way. The way I forget things so easily is baffling to me. I go into a room in the house and can't remember why I went in there. Jane asks me to collect three things and I only bring two. I go for a walk with a letter in my pocket to pop in the postbox and when I get home the letter is still in my pocket having walked straight past two or even three postboxes
Yesterday was another occasion of my forgetfulness when I said I would collect something when I got back from my walk; I only remembered about it this morning! I texted: "Sorry, no excuse. I completely forgot". Instead of a memory, sometimes I seem to have a 'forgetory!'
But You know all about our forgetfulness. You give us this command: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts." Then, knowing our hearts and forgetfulness, You told us some ways to help us remember: "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates"
We have baptism, communion, church every Sunday, prayer and the cross as reminders of Your love for us, and yet still we forget to love You with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our strength. Thank You that You are a loving and forgiving God, who never forgets us, who never forgets me. Thank You for every reminder of You given by Your Holy Spirit
Lord Jesus, You said: "The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you". I'm so glad You reminded me of this
Amen
Songs for today:
Counting every blessing
It all belongs to You
Spirit lead me
Saturday 2nd August
Heavenly Father, it seems we have some strange priorities as people here on earth! As I was driving home yesterday, I heard on the radio the use of the term "All-important". What followed was "weather report"; yes, the 'all-important weather report'. I'm not really a follower of weather reports, usually I just look out of the window and think "It's raining" or "It's sunny" or "Looks like I might wait before I go for my walk to see if it brightens up". I don't usually tune in to the TV or radio to find the weather forecast
I wondered what other things people consider as 'all-important’. I suppose some people might check up on the stock market to see if their investments are doing well. Others might look out for the postman bringing an all-important letter with a hospital appointment. On certain occasions, thousands of people might check the football results for the all-important Sunderland scoreline!
But, I also ended up asking myself what really is 'all-important'? And I found myself thinking about You, and Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. You are all important, necessary, vital! What I really need to check on is my all-important relationship with You; my God, my Father in Heaven, my Lord, my Saviour, my Rock and my Redeemer, my Helper, my Guide, my Sustainer, my Hope, my King, my Good Shepherd, my best Friend
I'm sure there are so many other things I could mention about You, and they would all be important. I know there are times when certain things become important, perhaps even all-important, but if one thing is always important, it is my relationship with You. And the all-important thing to remember is the value You place on me, on each one of us
The all-important thing to remember is that You love us so much that You came to earth to live among us and give Your life on the cross that we could be saved and live forever. "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... For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many". Including me. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
My Jesus my Saviour
Abundant Life
John 3:16 in six languages
God so Loved the World
Lord I lift Your name on high
Friday 1st August
Heavenly Father, there are many times recently when I have prayed, usually muttering quietly to myself, under my breath: "God, give me strength". This is a cry of desperation when I know my strength is failing
I am quite sure it is a prayer that many people whisper as they struggle to deal with the troubles they face each day, troubles that occur again and again throughout the day. This can be a prayer born out of frustration or anger, but nearly always it is a desperate plea for help
Despite what we read in Your Word, we struggle. I hear Your Word to Moses and therefore to us: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you". A little later, You said to Joshua, and You say to us: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go"
You told King David: "Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; and wait for the Lord". And David declared: "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my Deliverer, my God, my Rock in whom I take refuge, my Shield, and the horn of my Salvation, my Stronghold". You told Isaiah to tell Your people: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I AM your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand". And Paul was confident because of Your promises! He wrote in a letter to the church in Philippi "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me"
Lord, Your Word, Jesus, is alive and active! May Your Word be active in me today, strengthening me to deal with everything life throws at me. It is not my strength but Yours. I don't hold myself up, YOU do. I CAN be courageous because YOU go before me. I do not need to fear: "If God is for us who can be against us". You are my Guardian, my Guide, my Good Shepherd, my Rock and Redeemer, my Salvation and my Strength. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Guardian
Safe in Your embrace
Even when I don't see
Be bold be strong
Thursday 31st July
Heavenly Father, I think I would say that my wife is one of the wealthiest people I know. She has so many friends that love her, care for her and help to look after her; she is very rich indeed. She doesn't have much money or possessions, and what she does have is held lightly. Her most treasured possessions are the things that remind her of friends and family
This is what I see every day. Even though she was very tired last night she took the trouble to phone a friend as she hadn't spoken to her recently. I only heard a small part of the call, but I heard the friend talking about her problems while my wife lay in bed listening. I guess that is the reason she has so many friends, because she loves them
I have heard it said that if you have two or three good friends in your life then you are truly blessed. I've also heard it said that true wealth is measured by the number of friends you have. Thank You for good friends
Lord Jesus, You obviously had some good friends, we know them as the disciples, but You said they were Your friends. Whilst remembering who You are, Your status as the Son of God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, maker of all things visible and invisible, King of kings and Lord of lords, You said to the disciples: "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything I learned from my Father I have made known to you"
And through Your Spirit You make these things known to me, making me Your friend too; and You do this for all who love You and put their trust in You. Thank You for making it possible to be Your friend, in a Way that is quite simple! You said, "You are my friends if you do what I command". And You gave this command: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another"
How did You love us? Sacrificially, giving your life for us. I see this every day. Help me to love my friends as You loved Yours and how You love me today
Amen
Songs for today:
A new commandment I give unto you
Love one another as I have loved you
Love one another
Centre of it all
Lord I give You my heart
Wednesday 30th July
Heavenly Father, I guess many people have had the experience of giving out advice and having it rejected out of hand, or having it not acted upon, even though it was sound advice
I dare say many people have said to themselves, or to others, "If only they would just..." This can be followed by all kinds of add-ones. "If only they would just go to the doctor... get a job... see themselves as I see them... stop drinking... quit drugs... eat properly... stop seeing her boyfriend or his girlfriend..." It would seem that not listening to advice is a common trait in human beings. "If only people would just come to You, Jesus"
Lord Jesus, You said to the Jewish leaders: "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about Me, yet you refuse to come to Me to have life". I can almost hear you sighing to Yourself: "If only they would just come to Me... believe in Me... trust Me"
I can hear a similar anguish in Your voice when You approached the Holy City: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and yet you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate". If only they would just come to You... believe in You... trust You"
Father, I can hear Your voice, in the garden of Eden, speaking to Adam and Eve, and after the giving of the Ten Commandments, and throughout history: "If only they would just come to Me... believe in Me... trust me"
Lord, I come to You today, and ask that You help me to believe in You and trust in You and receive life in all fullness, in abundance, even eternal life. Thank You for being patient with me
Amen
Songs for today:
I am not alone
Jesus loves the church
The Father's Song
Shelter me
No-one but You Lord (Only You)
Tuesday 29th July
Heavenly Father, sometimes I hear some words spoken and they resonate within me. I pretty much always take that as a sign that You want me to think about them and pray over them
I heard a couple of lines in a TV drama series a couple of days ago that had that effect. "How much money you make is not the most important thing in the world; who you spend it with every day, is". I'm not sure the focus for me is exactly what it said, but the principle behind it. It may well be that some people spend their lives working simply to get more and more money, becoming rich, while others spend their lives making just enough money simply to survive and provide for their loved ones, their family and friends
The reason behind the work makes a big difference. If I spend my life wanting more and more money, it may well be that it becomes my focus and the ones I love fade into the background, even though I may try to convince myself, and them, I am doing it all for them, really I am doing it to please myself, and be 'someone' in my own eyes. I can spend more time making money than with my family and my friends. Now it could be that I have to work long hours, but in my heart I want to be at home, with my family
Your Word tells us: "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also". Where do I want to spend my time, In the office, or at home? My answer is at home; perhaps that is why I was so happy on the day I retired. I retired early and lost part of my pension, but that didn't matter, as long as I had enough to get by. And I do, because You are as good as Your Word, and You say You will always be with me and You will provide for me
How much money I make really is not the most important thing in the world, it is the fact I spend every day with You, Jesus, my best friend, closer than a brother, and with my wife and family and friends. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life"
Thank You for giving me everything I need. May I always invest wisely
Amen
Songs for today:
Live this day in the Light of that day
What a friend I've found
Rejoice rejoice Christ is in you
Monday 28th July
Heavenly Father, there are many things in the Bible which are hard for us to understand, very hard. Scholars, poets, authors, priests bishops, and ordinary people grapple with some of these concepts for years, all their lives, and keep finding new depths
But there is one thing, one statement made by Jesus, which keeps it so simple, that is easy for everyone and anyone, to understand. "No one comes to the Father except through Me". Perhaps it is not that simple, because it means we need to understand what it means to "go through" Jesus
Lord Jesus, elsewhere You describe Yourself as a 'gate'. You said: "I AM the gate, whoever enters through Me will be saved". To enter somewhere, we need to go through a gate or a door. Sometimes we need to get past someone, a guard or a secretary or receptionist. We need to gain access through someone, and to gain access to the Father we need to go through Jesus; and the Father is in Heaven. "Our Father, who art in Heaven..." So when You said: "No one comes to the Father except through me" You meant no one enters Heaven except through You!
That is why You said: " I AM the Way and the Truth and the Life" You are the only Way to Heaven, and You are the only Truth about Heaven, and only You give us eternal life in Heaven. And we must remember it! "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." The world can't save us; money, possessions. St Paul can't save us. The disciples can't save us. Angels can't save us. Mary, Jesus' mother, can't save us. And I know I can't save myself
Thank You for making it clear and simple, I must come to You, Jesus, to enter the presence of God, whether now, today, as I live on earth, or in the future when I go home to the Father in Heaven. I come to You now to enter the presence of God, and it is truly wonderful. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
There is One Name under Heaven
I AM the Way the Truth and the Light
It all belongs to You
Where would I be without You
No-one but You Lord (Only You)
Remember, you can join me and Rev Viv Ridpath on Zoom, Tuesday to Friday, at 8:30am for morning prayer
Zoom Meeting ID: 507 273 5761
Passcode: WMtJ3Z
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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