Daily Share-a-Prayer w/e 28/09/2025
Derek Mill
Worship Leader, All Saints Church, Belton
Sunday 28th September
Heavenly Father, today we celebrate Harvest in our church. Churches everywhere will be doing the same thing around about this time of year. At some point in the year, months ago, farmers will have planted seed in the hope that their toil would be rewarded later in the year with a bountiful crop to be reaped. For most, that hope will be fulfilled at this time of year. There are a few where, for whatever reason, the crop fails and they have to wait another year
This is a picture of our work in preaching the Gospel. Each person who hears the Word spoken to them, whether in a sermon or in a personal conversation, or in a hymn or Christian song, has a seed planted in them. The hope is that You will water that seed so it will grow into faith in Jesus as the Son of God, Saviour. Just as we cannot make a seed grow in the earth, we cannot make faith grow
However, we can do something to help. In the case of seed we can add fertilisers to make the soil rich in nutrients. In the case of a seed of faith planted we can live lives that demonstrate the love You have for us and the benefits of living life filled with Your Spirit
Of course there are times of disappointment and there seems to be no crop, no soul saved, but that doesn't mean we give up! No, we continue to plant seed, always in the hope of a harvest. As Your Word encourages us: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up"
Lord, thank You for the harvest we celebrate today; may we celebrate a harvest of souls regularly throughout the year, even today. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the Heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of Truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all He created”
Amen
Songs for today:
Still the King
God of the poor
Mighty to save
Saturday 27th September
Heavenly Father, who would have thought it? Who would have thought that we would be saved by a dead man? Or rather, who would have thought we would be saved by a man who had died, but is now alive? Now people may well think this is 'crazy talk' or 'what madness is this?'
But You, in Your infinite wisdom, knew this and told us: “'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate”. Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
Lord Jesus, in Your time, when You lived among us, crucified and then rose from the dead, we are told this about 'smart people': "Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." 'Smart people' think in the way of the world, following the so called 'wisdom' of men and women, 'influencers'
But Your Word tells us why such people cannot understand what You are on about: "This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, 'Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ
Help us, all Your people to study Your Word, pray, and listen to the Spirit, so that our minds are transformed and we see the world as You do, and live our lives as You want us to. Help us to speak in the power of the Spirit, speaking with "the mind of Christ." The smartest person is not necessarily the brightest. Lord, shine Your Light through us
Amen
Songs for today:
This I know (Jesus loves me)
Your words are wonderful (Psalm119)
Mind of Christ
Friday 26th September
Heavenly Father, how easily we get things wrong. We often call it a 'slip of the tongue’. It can just as easily be a slip of the pen! A few days ago I prayed about the date being the anniversary of the date my Mum died, but that was incorrect, it would have been her birthday! I only realised after I had finished praying
I wrote straight away to my sisters realising they would see my error; which of course they had. This slip was inconsequential really, but reminded me I can so often get things wrong. I did something similar when I put the wrong day on some songs I sent out, saying Tuesday when it should have been Thursday. I sometimes say left when I mean right! I know my left from my right but I guess I speak without thinking. I don't mean to miss out words when I'm writing but do it all too often
I hear people say: "We all make mistakes" which of course is true. I suppose I could say nothing and avoid the possibility of getting things wrong, but then I also miss out on the possibility of getting it right. Our lives are littered with mistakes, but we have to keep trying
Lord Jesus, when it comes to talking about You, guide me as to whether the time is right or not. You said: "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces." It sounds a bit insulting, but I'm sure You were just using a metaphor telling us to be wise. Abraham Lincoln said: "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt"
"O Lord, open our lips, and our mouth shall proclaim Your praise... Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." Your Word is secure. Well, I think I'll leave it there Lord and think before I speak
Amen
Songs for today:
Lord release my mouth
Let the words of my mouth
May the words of my mouth
Thursday 25th September
Heavenly Father, thank You for the generosity shown to me by others. This generosity is shown in so many different ways. It is indeed financial, with money given to help pay for the many extra costs incurred at the moment, but it is also shown in time spent by others in our house as carer while I go out shopping, or to other appointments. It is shown by others doing tasks that either I would have to do or would probably be left undone. It is shown by friends and family coming to stay with us so I am not alone carrying the burden I bear
Thank You also for Your Spirit at work in all these people who have heard Your Word and live it out in their actions. The Word is counter cultural to the message of the world. Jesus said: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another”
The message of the world is more like, "Look after yourself, take what you can while you can because no one else will look after you!" But You tell us: "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." There are two important messages here. There are those who are perishing, who think that the sacrifice of Jesus is nonsense, not even true, and who live without hope. And there are those of us who are saved by this "foolishness," who live with the genuine hope of eternal life in their hearts. This hope which is affirmed by Your Spirit alive in all who believe
Thank You Lord, that I have this hope in my heart today. Thank You for the strength You give to help me face today's challenges, and the support and encouragement of a cloud of witnesses, heavenly and earthly, who cheer me on. What a great and faithful God You are; Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Amen
Songs for today:
A new commandment
We are surrounded
Find us faithful
Wednesday 24th September
Heavenly Father, I was listening to a song this morning called 'The Gospel.' I could identify with the words of the song as it expressed so much of what I believe, think, feel and most importantly, know to be true about the Good News of Jesus. The song is almost a creed in its content
Many years before the birth of Jesus the Psalmist wrote: "I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." The Word written then was fulfilled in the coming of Jesus
The Gospel, as I have prayed before, is very simple. It is beautifully, and succinctly, summed up in the words of Michael Card's grandfather at the end of the song F.F.B. The last line spoken by his Grandfather Brown states: "I have no hope except that I believe that Christ died for my sins, according to Scriptures. I expect to swing out into eternity on that". There is only One Name that saves. It is only Jesus, and nothing more
Thank You for dying on the cross and saving my life. Because You rose again I am set free. By Your Holy Spirit You are alive in me. I am secure in the knowledge that I stand on Your Word; You are my Rock and my Redeemer. No power in hell can stand against Your Word. Your amazing grace is everlasting
On the cross You said: "It is finished." The power of the grave is overcome. “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Nothing can separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus. One day I, along with all believers, will stand before Your throne and join with the angels, in singing Your praise in worship. I believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
The Gospel
For F.F.B
There is One Name
Only One Name
In Christ alone
Tuesday 23rd September
Heavenly Father, my Mum died on this date in 1997, my Dad had died two years earlier. What they had they couldn't take with them, so it was left in their will to my siblings and me to be divided equally. As Scripture tells us: "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it"
While it is true that we take nothing with us there is the question of what we leave behind? Our legacy. Those who have amassed a great deal of money may leave behind a foundation or trust; men like Henry Tate and Andrew Carnegie. Others may not leave anything like that other than a few possessions and a small amount of money. Some leave nothing at all
For most people their lasting legacy is their children and the influence they have on them. The love we have for our children, and indeed our friends, and the influence we have on them lives on after we are gone. And that love and influence is passed on to succeeding generations. The Bible tells us "Love never fails" or in one translation: "Love is eternal." We never really know the extent of our influence on those around us
What we can be sure of is this Truth spoken by Jesus: "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart." What is in our hearts is what we leave behind us, the good and the bad
Lord help me to leave behind a good legacy, one that flows from Your heart into mine and out to others. I know Your Word is true: "Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” May my faith and trust in You, Jesus, be my legacy. Thank You
Amen
Songs for today:
Legacy
I give You my heart
God of my tomorrow
A new commandment
Find your rest
Monday 22nd September
Heavenly Father, there are so many of Your faithful children out there doing all kinds of work for You. There are songwriters, musicians, care workers, priests, missionaries, website managers, and regular church goers who are all giving their best for You
I want to give thanks to You today for one person in particular, an author, Sarah Youngs. Her books: 'Jesus Listening' and 'Jesus Calling' have been a great source of comfort, encouragement and inspiration to my wife and to me in these very difficult days. 'Jesus Listens' is a book of beautiful prayers of "peace, joy and hope." When I read them to Jane it is as if we are talking directly to You and Jesus. So many of the prayers use words that echo our situation and feelings, You must have been involved from the start, knowing what would be needed by not only us, but many others. 'Jesus Calling' is written as though You, Jesus, are speaking directly to us from Your Father's heart. Both books are filled with scripture, both in the text, where it is highlighted in italics, and with Bible references at the bottom of each page
There are so many people who I could thank for their prayers and support, far too many to mention here, but You know who they all are, so I'd like You to give every one of them, including Sarah Youngs, a massive God-hug, and a virtual-hug from me, to show our appreciation for all they do
I'm sure we all have reason to give thanks today for someone. And thank You, Lord, for all that You do for every one of us every day. "The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word"
Thank You for today, another miracle in the making. And thank You for being with us, just as You promised
Amen
Songs for today:
I'll be with you
He has done great things
One more step along the world I go
all songs (usually with lyrics) and talks courtesy of YouTube
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