Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 15/06/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Friday 13th June
Heavenly Father, thank You for songs that tell of Your love for us. They are one of the best ways to preach! I don't remember any of the 'talks' we had in assembly when I was at school but I remember loads of the songs. Some of them are still my favourites and every time I sing them I am preaching to myself. Every time I sing them in church I am preaching their words, and very often they use Your Word as a basis
It isn't only old hymns that preach to me, new songs do too! And songs or poems I write can do the same thing. Some songs speak to You, asking for your help: "Lord, I come to You, let my heart be changed, renewed, flowing from the grace that I've found in You". Others tell of Your greatness and majesty! "All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing: Hallelujah, hallelujah! Thou burning sun with golden beam, Thou silver moon with softer gleam: O praise Him, O praise Him, Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!"
Some ask for Your guidance, saying You are the most important person in life: "Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart, Be all else naught to me save that Thou art; Be Thou my best thought in the day or the night, both waking and sleeping Thy presence my Light". Others simply tell of Your love and other characteristics of Your nature and being: "Love Divine, all loves excelling... Amazing Grace... Great is Thy faithfulness... How great Thou are... Abide with me... Blessed assurance... It is well with my soul... Praise my soul, the King of Heaven... All hail the power of Jesus name..." This list could go on and on for pages and pages!
Thank You Father for the gift of music and songs, and the amazing way to remember Your Way. I shall probably be praising and preaching all day long. May I rejoice with the hills of the north, the isles of the Southern seas, the lands of the east arising and the shores of the utmost west, and may I shout as I journey home
Amen
Songs for today:
The power of Your love
All creatures of our God and King
Be Thou my vision
Hills of the north rejoice
Thursday 12th June
Heavenly Father, thank You for the love You have for us, demonstrated by Jesus on the cross. Jesus said: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends"
Lord Jesus, You said this and then You did it, in fact You did more! You laid down Your life for people like me, who was at one time Your enemy. Your Word tells me this: "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us". I know I was a sinner; I didn't think I was, but I realised I was when Jesus called to me. I was like a prodigal son, until I experienced the Father's love for me. I was a long way off from God, Jesus, and what I would have called, 'All that nonsense, that rubbish'
But then this happened: "While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him". It was while I was far off, Your enemy, mocking You and ridiculing You, You did what You did for Saul/Paul on the road to Damascus, and stopped me in my tracks. You came to me, threw Your arms around me and kissed me. I was blind to You, but You opened my eyes so I could see that You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. I have a friend who would still say 'this is all nonsense, rubbish' but my life since I met You says otherwise!
Without Your love, Your wisdom, Your counsel, Your guidance, Your protection I would be a very different person. Without Your boundaries I would be completely lost. You are my Good Shepherd. "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me, Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me". Thank You that Your grace will carry me through this day
Amen
Songs for today:
No greater love
His grace will carry you
The Lord's my shepherd I'll not want
Wednesday 11th June
Heavenly Father, there are new situations arising in people's lives every day. Often they are situations with which we have no idea how to cope. Thank You that when those situations arise we can call on Your Name for help, for guidance and for strength
When we are feeling overwhelmed, feeling like we are drowning, we can hear Your voice calling to us, saying: I'm right here. "I will never leave you nor forsake... Since you are precious and honoured in my sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life". The promises to Israel are Your promises to us, Your children, today
Thank You that I do not have to rely on my strength alone. I have not only my own strength, and the strength of friends and family to rely on but also Your strength. "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him"
I know there is nothing in my life of which You are unaware. I know You know everything about me, the good, the bad and the ugly, but still You love me, and Your forgiveness flows like a river from the cross. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness, O Lord"
Thank You for my fresh start today. Whatever comes my way, I know Your Way is the Way to deal with it. Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all His benefits. Help me always to remember Your forgiveness, Your healing, Your redemption, Your provision and Your love in my life
Amen
Songs for today:
You're the strength in me
When you call my name
God only knows with Awesome God
Tuesday 10th June
Heavenly Father, thank You that today I have the opportunity to affect the life of another person, or even more than one person. Your Word tells us: "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit"
If I love the good things I say I will bear its fruit, but if I love the evil things I say I will bear its fruit, so I must be careful what I say? That's what it sounds like to me. You also tell us: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen". If I am going to say something, make sure it will help to build someone up?
I prayed yesterday about how sometimes we need to speak to others "... lovingly and gently, even kindly, but openly and honestly". This is how I should always speak; Lord Jesus it is how You spoke, most of the time; but when necessary You were much stronger!
When the foundations were unsound or the heart corrupt, You were quite blunt: "Go and sin no more... you brood of vipers... you are like whitewashed tombs... I did not come to bring peace, but a sword... My house will be a house of prayer but you are making it a den of robbers..." This is not an excuse to 'speak as I find' or 'tell it like it is' or 'to be cruel to be kind'
Your Word instructs us to: "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you". You even tell us to 'love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us'. I ask, as King David asked: "Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." If I am going to say something that will prove to be a snare to me so I am caught, help me 'to keep my trap shut!'
Thank You. "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer"
Amen
Songs for today:
May the words of my mouth
You are good
Goodness of God
King of my heart
Monday 9th June
Heavenly Father, often we need to be reminded of the truth. I don't mean the Truth, as in Jesus being the Way, the Truth and the Life; just the truth about ourselves. There are some people who live amazing, complex lives. They work, look after their homes and families, even run their own businesses, or clubs for other people, and get little time for themselves. Yet somehow they don't see themselves as amazing, they feel like they are somehow failing and letting everyone down. They need to be reminded of the truth and appreciated for all they do
On the other hand, there are those who make a mess of their lives and the lives of those around them, creating havoc and mayhem, and then walk away and leave everyone else to pick up the pieces and clear up the mess. They need to be reminded of the truth too; lovingly, and gently, even kindly, but openly and honestly
And I suppose there are many who live lives that do both things, amazing things and awful things. It seems that even the worst gangsters love their mother's and father's, their whole family. I guess this all goes back to the fact we are broken people living in this broken world
Jesus recognised this! "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
Evil people giving good gifts! Because You know us, and You love us, You tell us the Truth about ourselves, and about Yourself. We are imperfect, born into an imperfect world, capable of both good and evil. You are our loving Heavenly Father, our God and Creator, perfect in every way, capable only of good; so You tell us the Truth, and the Truth, Jesus who died to save us from our sin, will set us free. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
The Truth will set you free - Hope in the Darkness
The Truth will set you free - Dion DiMucci
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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