1/14/24 Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We love you more than words can express. We love you, not just for what you’ve done, but for who you are. We love you for being a good and gracious Father, whose faithfulness and steadfast love have kept us through the years. We thank you for your son Jesus Christ, who came into the world not for judgment, but for salvation. We thank you for the sacrificial act of love that was the death on the cross that redeemed us while we were still in sin. We thank you for your Holy Spirit, the same spirit which raised Jesus from the grave and lives within us. We thank you for this Holy Spirit, which moves in our lives and keeps us in perpetual remembrance of the truth of Christ. As we move into the rest of our lives, Lord God, may we do so with a constant reminder of that truth; that it was for love that the Word came to dwell among us. Open our eyes to the resurrection reality, where we have been raised to life and made new creations. Thank you for waking all the sleepers from the grave, calling us forth into the new day, where we bask in the light of Christ Jesus! Make us aware of the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Lord God, empty us of everything that would keep us from you. We offer ourselves as a holy and living sacrifice, an earthen vessel, completely poured out, ready and willing to receive all you have to give! What a gift it is to know that we can always run to the fountain that never runs dry! That fountain of Living Water, where we can come and be filled to overflowing. So we ask that you fill us, Lord God. May we run over like a bubbling spring until we pour out on everyone around us! May we pour out peace indescribable, joy unspeakable, and love untamable.Continue to teach us your ways, revealing more and more of who you are. Do this so that we might know it is through our faith in Christ Jesus, we have a bold and confident access to God! Teach us to walk like Jesus and perform good works in his name. Let our good works and faithfulness shine like a light in the dark, showing the world the goodness of the Father! We desire to constantly be in pursuit of you. Give us the courage and endurance to follow wherever you lead us. May each breath we take be a reminder of your closeness and the intimate nature of our life with you. For it is in you that we live, move, and have our being! May all these things serve to make us more like you! We ask all these things in the name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Scriptures to reflect upon, that inspired this prayer: 

• Ephesians 3:1-13

• Ephesians 5:14

• Romans 12:1-2

• Acts 17: 22-31

• 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

• 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

• John 4: 13-14

• Matthew 5:13-16

Mansoor Yagoub

1/13/24 Prayer

Dear Father,

The world says it is all about what possessions I can accumulate and the power to determine my own destiny. I know that I have the option of following the world’s ways, but I also have the option of following your truth.  All that I have has come from you, and I thank you. Help me to find contentment in simplicity and happiness in generosity. Help me to find real security in knowing you will provide for my every need. Father, let me be deaf to the voice of this world and in tune with your will.

In Christ I ask this.

Amen.

Fred Hicks

1/12/24 Prayer

Dear Lord,

We thank you for all that you have done through the years at New Life. We praise you for the pastors and staff members who have led us. We pray your blessings on them wherever they are now. 

Bless our current pastor and staff with the depth of unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 

We lift this new season of life together to you and ask for your power and presence to be with us all bringing us into a deeper and stronger relationship with you.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Martha Orcutt

1/11/24 Prayer

GOOD, GOOD FATHER, I LIFT MY HANDS TO YOU because I was MADE TO WORSHIP! HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING? You bring so much JOY TO THE WORLD, UNSPEAKABLE JOY!! YOU ARE GOD OF THIS CITY and I WILL FOLLOW YOU and REJOICE all the days of my life. PRAISE THE FATHER, PRAISE THE SON, for NOBODY LOVES ME LIKE YOU DO. 

JESUS MESSIAH, I LOVE your RESURRECTION POWER it washes over me like a WATERFALL. When WE FALL DOWN, WHOM SHALL I FEAR, because with you I WILL RISE. HOLY IS THE LORD, Oh HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD!! OUR GOD is an awesome, loving and merciful God! That is WHO YOU ARE TO ME! FAITHFUL, in your UNFAILING LOVE. 

From the first NOEL in a lowly manger to the BURNING LIGHTS of the star that shined so bright to announce your arrival, we give thanks for your entrance into our world & hearts! And AT THE CROSS, you showed us that JESUS LOVES ME by taking on the sins of the world & bearing that weight for us. We CROWN HIM with all praise, honor, and glory!! 

Amen & Amen.

Lori Epps (Prayers from Chris Tomlin’s songs)

1/10/24 Prayer

Dear Lord, 

I pray that all who enter the doors of New Life Church will see Jesus in each person they encounter, that they will be filled with the love, peace, and joy that only You can bring, and that every one of them will open their hearts up to the love that God has for them in Jesus Christ. 

I ask that You protect all of the members of our community of faith from ungodly influences in their lives, and when faced with trials, You give them the strength to remain steadfast and trust You in all circumstances. 

Fill us with a renewed love for You, a desire to read and study your Word, the humility to serve with grace, and most of all, to remember to give You all the glory in everything we do.

Psalm 5:11; Isaiah 40:31; John 15:5; Philippians 4:7

Amen.

Rhonda Cafazza

1/9/24 Prayer

“O Lord, let my soul rise up to meet you as the day rises to meet the sun. Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.” From ‘Common Prayer- A Liturgy For Ordinary Radicals’

Heavenly Father, 

I thank you for the gift of this day. No day is a given nor is it owed to us, so I will do my best to make my day a reflection of your love. Walk with me and guide me whether this day is a good one or a difficult one. Help me to see joy in your simple gifts, compassion for those who hurt, and patience for trying times. Use me to be the hands and feet of Jesus if that is your desire.

Father, I love you and want to be the person you created me to be. Amen.

Zona Hicks

1/8/24 Prayer

Heavenly Father,

In the stillness of your presence, we find peace. Teach us, Lord, to embrace the wisdom of Less can be more. Less busyness means more time in your presence. Less in our hands is more room for what's ahead. And so often the less stuff we own, the more we simplify our lives to make room and time for you and those around us. Help us today to remember the spiritual discipline of simplicity. You showed us in Matthew 6:33, "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Help us to declutter our hearts, to focus on what truly matters. In simplicity, we seek your face, and your will, understanding that in having less and doing less, we gain more of you.

Amen.

Jenna Bush

1/7/24 Prayer

Devotion: 

   My philodendron was dying. If your plant knowledge is similar to mine, you might not know that a philodendron is a beautiful climbing indoor plant. The vines grow and luscious green leaves cascade down. I’ve had one hanging in my bathroom for four years. It was full of life, vibrant, and made me smile each time I saw it.  

   Over the last year, it began to change. My plant started showing endless naked vines and only grew more bare with each passing day. I started watering it more frequently and only made matters worse. No matter how much I watered this plant, it seemed too late and too far gone. I was sad. I had given up on my plant and even asked for a new one for Christmas.  

    One day, I figured I had nothing to lose and stepped out of my comfort zone. I grabbed the scissors and went to town trimming away until I decided I very much screwed up. I took a picture of this bare plant with almost all of its vines chopped off and was confident that was it, my plant was too far gone. I left it hanging until I was ready to pitch it.  

    After a few days, I noticed something. This seemingly helpless plant created new vines and new leaves. Then, over the last several weeks, it started to transform into a brand-new plant. This dull, dead, empty philodendron became full of life again.  

     I look at this transformed plant that has shifted my perspective. I wasn’t allowing space for it to grow. It was overcrowded, overspent, and getting worn out. After an extended period of too much on its plate, it started to give out. When I finally cut out the unnecessary and created space, it could breathe again.  

     God tells us time and again to make space for Him. Our lives are so busy and so full, yet we come up feeling too spent and too tired. We become dull, dark, and lifeless. Mathew 11:28 reminds us to come to the Lord when we are weary and He will give us rest. If we learn to let go and make space for the Lord, we may find new growth inside of us. It’s time to get your scissors and start cutting outside of your comfort zone. Watch the Lord work in your life. 

Prayer: 

Lord, please help us clear out our lives and make space for what matters most. Help us to hear you and follow you every single day. We long to live a life that is pleasing to you. Show us what to cut out so that we may open our lives to you fully. We love you, Lord, and we thank you for our many blessings. 

Amen.

Lauren Smith

1/6/24 Prayer

Heavenly Father, 

Today, we pray for a New Life family that is seeking direction from you. This family is feeling led to make a BIG change in life with a potential career change, a potential move, and possibly different educational choices for their children. This family is seeking clarity on what is being asked of them and for boldness in doing what they are called to do. They are asking for awareness of the opportunities all around them to be your hands and feet.   

Father God, today we pray for this family and any family that is seeking clarity and understanding on what the next steps may be in this thing we call life. Father, we ask that you answer prayers people have prayed and give people confidence and clarity on how to move forward with big decisions and life-changing opportunities. 

Father, we trust that anything you call us to is for our good, and your plans will prosper us and never harm us. Father, give us wisdom and discernment, and may your will be done.

Amen. 

This prayer was based on a request that was submitted.

1/5/25 Prayer

Matthew 22:36-40

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind’. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as Yourself’. The entire law and the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments”.

Almighty God, 

I praise you for your goodness. I praise you for the redemption of mankind through the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. I love you and seek to follow your commandments. I do admit that I often fall short and must rely on your abundant grace and mercy. Thank you, Father, for your love for me that forgives and looks past my failures. 

Father, loving you is the easier part. But one of my failures is not always loving my neighbor; specifically, those who do not agree with my values. I do not seek to harm anyone intentionally. I do recognize there is injustice and inequity in the world. But often I feel more like David in the Psalms; calling for the punishment of those whom I consider more of an enemy than a neighbor. I am made in your image and yet I am reviled as the cause of their grievances. You as the Creator are reviled also as an unjust and unloving Father. This hurts and it angers me. 

Lord, you know that sometimes I don’t love them and don’t want to love them. Help me to love as Jesus loved. Help me to focus on the fact that Jesus died for all mankind and forgave even those who sought his death. Help me to listen and try to understand my neighbor’s viewpoint, even though I may not agree with it. Help me to be an instrument of peace, not war. Help me to understand that I cannot fully love you if I do not love my neighbor.

Thank you, Father, for your patience with me. I pray that John 13:35 will be my focus: “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Amen

Fred Hicks

1/4/24 Prayer

Father God,
In our lives, we may experience turmoil, fear, heartache, frustration, confusion, and hopelessness. May we always call out to you, reach up to you, and know that you love us and that you are the God of HOPE. Thank you for your Word and for giving us inspiration and hope. Let us be encouraged and strengthened by

Paul’s prayer from Romans 15:13: ‘I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.’

Amen.

John Cafazza

1/3/24/ Prayer

Father God,

Thank you for who you are! Thank you for your Son! Thank you for your Holy Spirit! Thank you for placing us where we are and for the many blessings you have poured out on us! Thank you for the Hope you have placed in our hearts. Thank you for coming for us! Thank you that you will come again and make all things right! Thank you that you fully know us and love us anyway. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Help us to be self-controlled and alert to the potential idols around us for they never satisfy. They just stir up lust for more and more. We long to live in the Light of your Presence, following your lead King Jesus, and trusting in your good plan. Help us serve you with love and faithfulness. Satisfy us, Lord, for your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Thank you that you have an eternal hold on us and that nothing surprises you. Free us from faulty images of ourselves so that we can see ourselves the way you do in Christ Jesus' love. Illuminate our hearts so that we are more aware of your presence and live fully abandoned lives for your honor and glory in the here and now and forevermore. 

Amen.

Lindy Bettis

1/2/24 Prayer

Today, we pray specifically for a family that knows New Life as a former MOPS family.  

Lord, today we lift up a special family to you. Although their names are not known, we pray for this mother and her four children who have experienced a second divorce and who are in the midst of a broken and difficult family situation where everyone is not together. Father God, we pray for unity for this family, for medications to work as prescribed, and for a broken family to be put together again. 

Father, this is a specific prayer request for one family, but we know there are other family situations amongst our congregation and others that call New Life their church. Father, we pray for a special anointing and healing in these families and for you to do what only you can do.  

In Jesus name!

This prayer was based on a request that was submitted.

1/1/24 Prayer

As we start 2024, may our hearts be filled with anticipation and delight of how we’ll see you, God Almighty, move in our lives and our church this new year. You are a good God and you love us more than we can understand. May our souls soak that in and help us God believe it with all our being. It’s so hard to believe sometimes!  But you are bigger than our unbelief and even expect it. Holy Spirit move us to believe it more and more as each day passes. Please give us the privilege and blessing of seeing your work in our lives, our church, and our community. May we attribute it to you and give you the glory!  And in that, may we grow in our faith, our trust in you, and our relationship with you—our Almighty, Ever Powerful, and Beautiful God!

Patty Covington

12/31/23 Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for meeting us exactly where we are on this New Year’s Eve. As another year draws to a close, we find ourselves in a variety of circumstances. For some of us, 2023 was a great year full of opportunities and only a few bumps in the road. For others of us, 2023 proved to be another challenging year full of obstacles that often left us feeling hopeless. However, for all of us, 2023 was another year of your faithfulness, your goodness, your grace, your mercy, your strength, your provisions, and your unconditional love. Father, forgive us for when our circumstances clouded our view and understanding of you. 

As we await the clock striking midnight, Lord, our eyes are fixed on you. Father, we need you - in the good times and the bad. We want your guidance and your wisdom. We want to walk in the confidence of being your loved child. We want to face our circumstances filled with your joy. We want to trust you with all that we have and all that we are, and we know that we can not do this alone. We need your help. 

Father, would you draw us close? Would you once again meet us where we are and help us to strengthen our relationship with you? God, would you create in us a hunger that is only satisfied by spending time talking with you? Father, would you take away the shame and embarrassment we feel because we think we don’t know how to talk to you? 

God, we know that who we are is simply defined as being created in your image. We want to live in that truth completely. The beginning of a new year often brings hope and excitement of possibility. But God, would you help us remember that we have hope and excitement of possibility every day because of who we are in you? 

For 2024, Father, we are intentionally setting our eyes on you and carving out time to meet with you through prayer. We want to be ‘pray first’ people. God, would you meet us here and lead us?  Father, we worship, praise, adore, and appreciate who you are. Thank you for being our one constant in a world full of ups and downs. Thank you for eagerly awaiting our time together. God, we are giving you permission to do what only you can do in us because our hearts, minds, and ears are open to receive what you have for us. May you receive all honor, all glory, and all praise for all the days of our lives. Lord, we love you. Make us more like you in all ways.

Amen. 

Rebecca Mabe

12/30/23 Welcome

Thank you for joining Pray First!

Beginning December 31 you will receive a prayer each day of January. These are the prayers of your New Life Family, both staff and laity, and some even associated on the fringe of New Life. Join us in praying these prayers daily. Pray individually, as a family, with friends, in Life Groups, or how you see fit. There is no right and wrong way. Some of these prayers are very personal and are prayer requests. Some are more corporate and family-oriented. Some are very grand and verbose and some are very simple and short. That is the beauty of prayer! We are looking forward to taking this journey together!

God, we seek you and invite you into this season of life and church!

Amen