Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 29/06/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 29th June
Heavenly Father, thank You that nothing can take away my joy. It is a gift from You that goes beyond mere happiness. Of course, I like being happy, but that can change in a moment. My emotions change all the time depending on my circumstances, but joy is a fruit of Your Spirit and remains steadfast
I suppose people looking at me might find this hard to believe, because they see me showing all kinds of emotions, sadness, anger, love, hate, and happiness; but joy is more than an emotion, it is deep within me and is not something I can conjure up myself. Joy depends entirely on You
The Bible tells me that "Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit" praised You as "Father, Lord of Heaven and earth". He praised You: "because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children". What had been revealed? "No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him"
And, Lord Jesus, this is what has been revealed to me, and to millions of others who now trust in You as Lord and Saviour. As You said to those first disciples: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it". This revelation is the source of my joy! It cannot be taken away, cannot be diminished, cannot lose its strength over time
The joy of the Lord is my strength; it overrides all other emotions. You said: "Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete". On the worst of days I can sing Your praises, worship You because no matter what happens, at the end of the day, at the end of my time on earth, I know I am safe with You. My joy is complete. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
The joy of the Lord is my strength
Hope for the hopeless
The Spirit of the Lord
My joy is complete
Saturday 28th June
Heavenly Father, I'm sure that nearly everyone got used to wearing masks during the early days of COVID19. For about two years people all over the world wore masks to try and minimise the risk of infection. Once the vaccine became available and the risks lessened the need for the mask reduced and the vast majority of people discarded them
I still see people today, like my wife, who are vulnerable in some way, wearing them, perhaps on buses or other crowded places; people who can't risk infection. However, there are some people who wear an invisible mask, and it is not due to worrying about infections; they are worried that their true feelings may be revealed. Like the clown whose mouth is down but is face-painted up, who wears a bright costume but underneath is wearing black, who is always joking but is weeping inside. Some people are locked up, in chains, even though everything seems bright and cheery on the outside. I wonder if there are more, many more than we might think
Lord Jesus, You came to set captives free. You quoted the prophet Isaiah when You said of Yourself in the synagogue: "The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour. Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing". Your Word tells us we can come before You with "unveiled faces" to be "transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory"
Lord, when You do this, and we become like Your Son there is nothing to fear and nothing to hide. As Your Word boldly proclaims: "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Lord, please touch some hearts today and set some captives free. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me
Peace is flowing like a river
Praise You Lord (for the wonder of Your healing)
Friday 27th June
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Church, the church national and international and the church local. Thank You for all the work that it does to provide for communities across the earth. There are many places where the only care shown is through the church
There are many organisations that are rooted in Christ, initiated by Christians and still supported or run by Christians today: Tearfund, the Leprosy Mission, World Vision, Open Doors, Christian Aid, The Trussell Trust, and The Salvation Army are just a few of hundreds that could be named
There are many local churches that operate foodbanks or provide meals for those in need too. In history Christians have often been at the heart of change, the abolition of slavery, child labour, and the age of consent were all largely due to Christian campaigners. Christian missionaries have often given their lives not only to proclaim the Gospel but also to bring hope and healing to communities through medicines and nursing. Many midwives were Christians in the early days, as shown in the biographical TV series: "Call the Midwife" set in the mid 20th century in London
There is so much good that has been, and is being, done by Your church. All of these things are temporal, but nonetheless worthwhile. However the most important thing the church does is preach the Gospel, and the aforementioned are part of that preaching. Jesus' love is operating through the works of the church to make lives better
Lord Jesus while on earth, You showed Your love by bringing about healing and change in people's lives. Those healings and changes were temporary, but led to eternal life for all who continued to believe and trust in You. May we continue to keep the main thing the main thing, preaching the Gospel in Word and deed so people can be blessed today and into eternity. Strengthen and guide Your church to do what You did in the past, today. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Who can sound the depths of sorrow
Father hear the prayer we offer
Lord Jesus Christ You have come to us
Come let us sing of a wonderful love
Thursday 26th June
Heavenly Father, thank you for not giving up on Your church, I'm sure that is not a problem; You will never give up on us. However, there is a worry that we might give up on Your church; give up on You. The enemy wants this, and works constantly to undermine the work of the church
I wonder what his main tactics and strategies are? One thing is certain, he does not want us to focus on Jesus, he doesn't want us to put all our efforts into reaching out to the lost, so what does he do? Tactic one is to distract us, get us looking into things, doing things, that are irrelevant to Jesus. If he can get us arguing among ourselves about petty things that have no bearing on the preaching of the Gospel, he will be delighted because Jesus is not honoured and the Kingdom remains static. The last thing he wants is for us to be planning a strategy for evangelism, looking to find ways to draw people in, looking to get outside the church walls and cause people to ask questions. He is quite happy for us to get together in the church building and spend time talking about trivia, even worshipping, as long we stay put.
What other tactics does he use? Well he is the father of lies so he will certainly be sowing lies among us, telling us that we are all OK, that we are all safe, after all we are the 99! But, it isn't the 99 in church who Jesus is looking at, it is the one who is lost; it is the one He came to save. What does Jesus want us to do?
Perhaps You want us to go with You, not as sheep but as shepherds; Your voice, leading us out to look for a lost brother or sister. Jesus said: "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me". The Bible says the Shepherd leaves the 99 on the hillside, so perhaps they just wait for His return? I don't believe You want us just waiting around! You want us to be all over the hillside looking for more lost sheep
The enemy doesn't want us to be shepherds, he wants us just waiting, doing nothing. It is dangerous out on the hillside, but that is where we will find lost sheep. You want us to be shepherds, bold and unafraid. Help us Lord Jesus, to trust You and go with You. Help me to get out today to walk and work alongside You. Let's make a difference!
Amen
Songs for today:
Don't give up
Understood
Rest for my soul
Wednesday 25th June
Heavenly Father, thank You for the transformative power of Your Holy Spirit. No matter how hard we try, how hard I try, to change it is impossible without Your Spirit. I can't break or loose chains, physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. I can't rewrite my neural net any more than I can rewrite my history
And yet Jesus can. When He spoke forgiveness over me from the cross all my sins were washed away in His blood. That was over two thousand years ago but Your Spirit is eternal and so there is no time limit; the power of the Spirit to bring about change is undiminished. From eternity You can reach down into any point in time and bring about transformation: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the Law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death". Only You can bring about change in the way I think, so I start to think in the Way You think
I initiate this process every time I submit myself to You in worship. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind"
On Pentecost, Pope Leo spoke about the transformative power of Your Holy Spirit, highlighting Your ability to shatter inner chains, heal wounds and empower individuals to share the Gospel message. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit"
Help me Holy Spirit to bring hope to others as I meet people today. Only You can bring about inner peace in a world marked by conflict. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today and Pope Leo at Pentecost:
In the Potter's hands
Change my heart O God
The power of Your love
Pope Leo at Pentecost
Tuesday 24th June
Heavenly Father, sometimes I don't know where to start. It's not that I have so much to tell You, it's that I can't think of anything to say. Nothing new has happened that I need to talk about
Days of sickness are quite common, so that's not new. Good sleep is quite unusual, so that is why I am here with You later than usual. I texted a guy I shared a room with at college who I hadn't spoken to since the day I left 47 years ago, because he commented that I had changed my picture online. That was unusual! He came back to me with a much longer text full of news about himself and other people we knew all those years ago. I have promised to write back with more information about my life. It won't be easy to sum up nearly fifty years of life in a single text, so perhaps it will be an ongoing conversation
You have written about life over thousands of years in the Bible and continue Your conversation with us even today, so perhaps there is a clue there? After a long period of silence You spoke to Your people again. After hundreds of years You spoke to Your people through Jesus and have continued to speak to Christians ever since. There are prophetic words spoken and hundreds of new hymns and songs speak of Your love for us, of the life of Jesus, of things that are happening now reminding us of His return
Perhaps that is something I need to be doing? Talking to You about Jesus’ return, looking out for Him, listening to Him, telling people about Him
Lord Jesus, we look forward to Your return, and hope it will be soon, because things here on earth are not good and are getting worse every day. Bless us with Your Spirit so we can speak boldly the Gospel and about Your return
Amen
Songs for today:
In the first light
King of kings
Monday 23rd June
Heavenly Father, thank You that even in the most troubling of days You keep me calm inside. This can only be the work of Jesus in me. When things go wrong, which they often do in life, You are right there with me, and it is as though Your hand reaches down from Heaven, rests on my shoulder, gives it a squeeze, and I am reassured that nothing can happen that we cannot deal with together
Even in the darkest valley, when death has been near, You have been there with me. I know You have walked that path Yourself and have defeated death so I know there is nothing to fear. As the old hymn based on the 23rd Psalm says: "Yea, though I walk in death's dark vale, yet will I fear no ill; for Thou art with me, and Thy rod and staff me comfort still". This is one of the hymns I remember from my school days, over 50 years ago, yet the words remain written in my brain and in my heart
I know there are often storms in life, and they can stir up fears within that can be quite overwhelming, but Your Spirit reminds me of Peter sinking as he walked on the water and Your hand reaching down to grasp his and pull him to safety in the boat. I am like Peter, like most people I guess, as I hear You say: "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" I then join with those who were in that boat, worshipping and saying: "Truly You are the Son of God". I also join with the father of a demon possessed boy who exclaimed: "I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!"
Thank You for coming to live in me by Your Spirit. Thank You for Your strength and resilience. Thank You for calming the storms within me, even those in the face of death
Amen
Songs for today:
Fight through the storm inside
Psalm 23 - The Lord's my Shepherd - Crimond
It is well
It's not an easy road
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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