Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 12/10/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Thursday 9th October
Lord Jesus, You said: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." I was wondering if the 'two masters' applies to other masters?
When I was at work, in the various jobs I had, on a petrol station forecourt, in a warehouse sorting goods, cleaning the walls in a factory, teaching or working as an administrator, I always did my best to do whatever my boss told me. I followed this teaching from Your Word: "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free"
I think I always tried to do my best, whatever I was doing, and there were many times I would say I "went the extra mile". I suppose it was easy for me because the people I worked for and the jobs I did were in the 'neutral zone’. I wasn't working in a mafia, and I wasn't asked to do anything evil. If I thought something was wrong or could be done better I was listened to and either things would change or I would do as I was told and continue as previously instructed. I paid my taxes, although I didn't like it, especially when I thought it was wrong, but I paid up as required
How do I proceed now? If I am asked to do something I don't believe is right? You are my Master. The Bible tells us: "Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear"
I want to obey You, but am stopped from preaching in a certain place. Do I obey God or men? The answer seems obvious, but how do I accomplish what You want. Help me to find the Way. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
I will serve You
The day I met You
Set me on fire Lord
We bow down and confess
King of kings, Majesty
Wednesday 8th October
Heavenly Father, Your Word has some interesting things to say about human rules and traditions. Speaking to the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, Matthew records that Jesus said: "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: ‘These people honour Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules’ ”
And perhaps Mark had spoken to Matthew, or perhaps someone else who was there as he reports: "They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!"
And then Jesus said: "Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” Help us to remember what Jesus accomplished on the cross, as Your Word tells us: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery"
And Jesus warned the people: "The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them"
When the Sanhedrin said to the Apostles regarding Jesus: “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name,” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!"
Lord, help us to see, and be clear about, what is from You and what are merely human traditions designed to make us be "burdened again by a yoke of slavery"
Lord Jesus, help us to remember who You are: "The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy." Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Jesus is Lord creation's voice proclaims it
Rejoice rejoice Christ is in you
The Church's one foundation
No longer slaves
Tuesday 7th October
Heavenly Father, I thought I heard You speak to me a few days ago when I was praying with a couple of friends. I thought You told me that I'm special. Then there was a ". . ." moment before You added that they were special too; in fact everyone is special! I believe You said that I bring something that no one else can bring and that we all bring something that no one else can bring
To each of us is given a gift. Even more than one gift. In our church we have two drummers - each is different, they bring drumming plus something else; a more spiritual gift. We have two piano players, now three, the same is true. Four singers, the same is true. The newest member of the church brings something. The youngest brings something, even a baby or a toddler
You made each one of us and we are custom made by Your hand. "I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be"
Because of Jesus I wear a robe of righteousness which is made to measure. I put on the armour of God, which is also made to measure. David couldn't wear King Saul's armour when he went to fight Goliath. All he needed was his sling and some stones; but he was also wearing Your invisible armour, worn by faith
I spoke to my youngest granddaughter the other day and put my hand upon her head. I asked if she knew why I put my hand on her head. She said she didn't know. So I told her, "Whenever I put my hand on your head, I'm asking God to bless you." She is special to me, and I do it for my wife and all my grandchildren. I hug my children for their blessing. Each one is special
We all bring something different: "For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us." Thank You Father that I am special to You... and so is everyone else
Amen
Songs for today:
I'm special
Change my heart O God
Refiner's fire
Same God
Monday 6th October
Heavenly Father, we have contact with other people today, anywhere in the world, like we have never had before. What was science fiction is now science fact! I used to watch shows like 'Thunderbirds' and 'Stingray' when I was a child and they had screens where they could see one another and talk to one another, and even watches that did the same thing. Then it was fantasy, now it is reality
The lady speaking on my devotional today mentioned how, when she was visiting New York, her phone ran out of charge so she couldn't use the maps to guide her and how she felt lost. On returning to her hotel she was able put the phone on to charge and the power was restored. I had a similar, but different, experience recently. My new phone was playing up and I had missed calls and text messages not being sent. Apparently I needed a different sim card, an e-sim, so that I could us 'Wi-Fi calling'. That didn't solve the problem entirely however, as there was coincidentally a power outage at a phone mast nearby. Once both problems were solved, normal service was resumed and I could make and receive phone calls, send and receive texts
I wondered if I could have similar problems in my communication with You? I know Your Spirit never breaks down, Your 'mast' never has a power outage. Your Word is faultless and eternal, so Your 'text message' is always available. So what may be the problem? I suppose if I don't pray I can't expect to hear from You. You are calling but I am not answering Your call. And if I don't read the Bible I miss Your 'text messages!' And if I don't seek Your face, I can't see You
Thank You for this text message: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Seeking You now, listening and looking for You. Looking forward to hearing from You. Oh, just got this text! "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord"
Thank You Lord. That is good to know. And this just came in from a brother in Christ "The joy that enabled Jesus to endure the cross is our strength!" Lovely Jubbly!
Amen
Songs for today:
Be still and know
O my soul arise and bless your Maker
Centre of it all
One and Only
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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