Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 31/08/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 31st August
Heavenly Father, we have a special service for church this morning. Instead of being in the church building we will be outdoors, in the Rectory Garden. I'm sure You won't be surprised and waiting up the lane in the church building, wondering where everyone is! You know where every one of us is all the time
Every service is special because You are there, and because You will be with us in the garden we never know what might happen. We never know what You might do in the building or in the garden. There might be healing. There might be a Word of knowledge. There may be prophecy. Someone may have a fresh revelation from Scripture; their eyes opened to see something and understand that which they simply didn't understand before. There may be deliverance for someone who is bound, a release from sin or addiction. Someone may be filled with the Holy Spirit. We all may be filled with the Holy Spirit!! Great things can happen outdoors. You can make any ground Holy
You said to Moses: "Do not come any closer, take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at You. Today we come before You without our faces hidden
Pentecost was also outside. It started inside the upper room, where the disciples were hiding when all of them were "filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." But it finished outside! Peter spoke to the crowd, saying: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”... Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day
Thank You Father, thank You Jesus, thank You Holy Spirit. Thank You that we can meet with You outside today. We know that whatever You do, wherever we are, it will be good
Amen
Songs for today:
Because He lives (Celtic version)
This I believe (Creed song)
The Blessing
Thank You Lord - Playlist
Saturday 30th August
Heavenly Father, there are reasons to give thanks every day and this is certainly one of them. It's Jane's birthday; not one we thought we would see, so thank You for Your grace in bringing her through to this day; and every day since August 2014
I am sure that there are many people who are celebrating something today, a birthday or an anniversary of some sort. Anniversaries of course can bring very mixed feelings as people may be celebrating for someone who has died. There have been many days when we thought we might not see another birthday, anniversary, Christmas or Easter. But here we are, so thank You for this day
Every day is a day of Your grace to us. We don't deserve such grace which is why we so often sing "Amazing grace how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see"
Thank You for the promise You made after the time of Noah and the flood: Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you—the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you—every living creature on earth. I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth. This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth"
Thank You for the covenant You made, a promise You have kept to this day. Despite our waywardness, You love us and have kept us safe for eternity. Amazing Grace! "For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Thank You for this day
Amen
Songs for today:
Grace did much more abound
Amazing grace (My chains are gone)
I'm accepted I'm forgiven
Time in a bottle - Jim Croce
Friday 29th August
Heavenly Father, when someone has raw talent that needs to be carefully nurtured, we often say that person is a 'diamond in the rough' or a 'rough diamond.' I suppose that it would be fair to say that by Your reckoning we are all in that state. I suppose most of us have seen diamonds that have been cleaned, honed, cut and polished, but only a few of us might have seen a diamond in the rough
Strangely enough, we sometimes say that we are "feeling rough" if we have had a really late night or we are coming down with a cold. (I wonder why we say we are coming down with a cold? No one ever says they are 'coming up with a cold.' Although when we are feeling better we might say we are 'on the up.')
Anyway, back to diamonds. When someone is a really good bloke they are described in some parts of the country as being 'a diamond geezer.' Marilyn Monroe sang that "diamonds are a girl's best friend" and a James Bond movie was titled: 'Diamonds are forever.' Diamonds are regarded as precious stones and are often used for engagement and wedding rings. The best diamonds are very valuable
As is so often the case, Your values are different. You see each one of us as valuable. Whether we are a diamond in the rough or a diamond geezer it makes no difference to You
Lord Jesus, You took ordinary men and ordinary women, fishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes and zealots and made them all into diamond geezers and women. They weren't perfect, but they were transformed. The same is true of me. I am a rough diamond, but You are working with me, taking away the rough edges, honing and cutting, polishing me up to become what I am meant to be. I am precious in Your sight
You said of Israel, and You say of me: "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." And You did as You said, You gave Your life for me on the cross. Let Your love and Your Light shine through every facet of my life today. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Jesus take me as I am
Diamonds
Show me dear Lord
A diamond in the rough - Images
Thursday 28th August
Heavenly Father, we use some strange expressions, and to be honest, they don't make any sense at all, but it seems people know what we mean by them. I said to someone this morning who had been 'under the weather' that I hoped they would soon be 'right as rain.' I could have said I hoped they would soon be 'right as nine pence,' but that doesn't really make any more sense!
I was wondering which other expressions we use that really don't make any sense at all, and although we all know what we mean, I wonder if a foreigner would understand? 'Bob's your uncle' doesn't mean I have an uncle called Robert. 'Cheesed off' has nothing to do with a dairy product. A 'damp squib' is not necessarily wet at all. 'It's all gone pear shaped' has nothing to do with fruit. 'Spend a penny' is not a reference to shopping. If I am 'the bee’s knees' I haven't become part of an insect! If I 'go to see a man about a dog' there is no canine involvement. The same applies to 'barking up the wrong tree.' Some days I might need to 'bite the bullet,' but I have no ammunition at all. I can 'beat around the bush' without going out in the garden. I hope I don't 'kick the bucket' although there is no bucket in sight. And what I have may have been the 'best thing since sliced bread, although I've no idea when sliced bread was developed. Your advice to us is to keep things simple: "All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one"
Lord Jesus, You often spoke in parables, and sometimes explained them to the disciples. However when You spoke clearly and to the point there is a sense of relief when the disciples said: “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God”
Help me to speak clearly the Truth, that You are the Son of God, our Saviour and Redeemer. Help me to 'let the cat out of the bag.' Thank You
Amen
Songs and 'Quoting Shakespeare' for today:
Speaking the Truth in love
I speak Jesus
The Truth
Quoting Shakespeare
Wednesday 27th August
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your timing, which is perfect. We don't always recognise this, but sometimes we know it so clearly. The verse used in my devotional this morning was an example of perfect timing. "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged”
At a time when I have been afraid and discouraged You have planned in advance a Word to encourage me and to overcome my fear. I told You yesterday: "It feels as though I am walking on a cliff edge and that the ground may give way beneath my feet at any moment." Your Word reminds me that I am walking on solid ground. The same verse was just added to our church's online 'Verse of the day'. Lord it seems You are making a point clear by talking to others too
King David knew about being reassured when he was in trouble: "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him". Thank You that You have not given up on me, but that You give me Your Word to encourage me
Lord Jesus, I hear what You say: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock... If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples." I am holding on to You and know that You will be with me to help me through another day. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
In Your hands oh Lord
In the valley
His eye is on the sparrow
Tuesday 26th August
Heavenly Father, guide my steps in these next few hours. I need guidance from You as I work through the problems I face today. Not knowing what steps to take is very frightening. It feels as though I am walking on a cliff edge and that the ground may give way beneath my feet at any moment
I need help and guidance for someone else as much as for me. I don't want to make a wrong decision that will make a situation worse; in fact I want to do the right thing to make the situation better. I know there are many praying in support of me and I ask that You would encourage them to keep praying. It is a very long haul that we have been on, and it still continues today
Without Your help and sustaining power, as well as the practical help and prayer support of friends and family, I know we wouldn't have got this far. All through our journey we have said and known that whatever comes we know we are safe. That is as true today as it has ever been, not because of our great faith, but because of Your great faithfulness and love for us. We are far from perfect, physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, but You are perfect in every Way
Lord Jesus, even at this stage, we trust You. I feel like the leper who came to You saying: "Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean.” You reached out Your hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” You said. “Be clean!” and immediately the man was cleansed of his leprosy
Lord, please make us clean again, remove everything that hinders us. May You be willing again. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Jesus I need You in everything
Always
I am loved
Monday 25th August
Heavenly Father, thank You for the generosity shown to me by others! I know there will be people You will be blessing today, because of their kindness and generosity. I know because Your Word has much to say about this
Apparently, You love a "cheerful giver" as You tell us: "One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty" and You remind us of Your blessing: "A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed"
Lord Jesus You said: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” I was able to go to a concert last night, but I didn't pay for the ticket or refreshments because of the generosity of someone else. You are as good as Your Word so they will be blessed in some Way today
I am also blessed by every visitor who comes knocking at my door. I know I am rich in comparison to the vast majority of the world's people, but I also know I cannot trust in, or put my hope in my wealth, as it is so uncertain and can be gone in an instant. As we were reminded in church yesterday: "You can't take it with you." Instead You tell us to put our hope in You! You tell us "to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share"
In this way we will lay up treasure for ourselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that we may take hold of the life that is truly life. It really is "more blessed to give than to receive.” You demonstrated giving by paying for our sins on the cross. Your reward? "Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father"
And because of this I am blessed today! Because Jesus is exalted to the right hand of God, I can receive from the Father the promised Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your generosity to me. Grace: God's Riches At Christ's Expense. Help me to be generous and gracious today
Amen
Songs for today:
Born for greater things
Your love is a flood
I shall not want
Lord I'm grateful - Grace
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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