We come before the throne of grace with hearts full of gratitude for God’s unchanging faithfulness, as Lamentations 3:23 declares, "They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Your mercies are indeed our daily sustenance, and we stand in awe of Your covenantal love, which never wavers, even when we do. We lift up this request, acknowledging that every good gift comes from You, and we seek Your wisdom and strength to walk in the new things You are doing, just as Isaiah 42:9 promises: "Behold, the former things have happened, and I declare new things. I tell you about them before they come up."
Father, we recognize the tension between holding onto the past, even with godly concern for those we love, and stepping boldly into the future You have prepared. While we continue to pray for the salvation and spiritual growth of those from former seasons of life, as Romans 10:1 urges, we ask for the grace to shift our focus toward the new works You are unfolding. Help us to forget what lies behind and press forward toward the upward call in Christ Jesus, as Philippians 3:13-14 instructs. Let us not be weighed down by distractions or encumbrances but run with endurance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).
We surrender our worship, prayer, and study to You, asking for inner healing and the creation of clean hearts within us (Psalm 51:10). Restore to us the joy of Your salvation, Lord, so that we may lead others to You with authenticity and power (Psalm 51:12-13). Open doors for evangelism, fellowship, and counseling, as You promised in Revelation 3:7-8, and let Your Holy Spirit overflow through us to reach the lost, build up the Body of Christ, and glorify Your name. We trust in Your promise that You will fight for us while we keep still (Exodus 14:14), and we ask for the strength to set things in order, finish the tasks before us, and meet every pressing need according to Your will (Titus 1:5, Revelation 3:2, Titus 3:14).
Lord, we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to You, for this is our reasonable act of worship (Romans 12:1-2). Sanctify us by Your truth, that we may serve as priests of the Good News, offering up the Gentiles as an acceptable sacrifice to You (Romans 15:16). Guard our hearts from temptation, sin, and the schemes of the evil one (Luke 11:4, Zephaniah 3:13, Matthew 6:13, John 17:15), and empower us to walk in the love and character of Christ. Nourish us on Your Word, that we may grow in wisdom and discernment (2 Timothy 3:15).
Above all, we pray for the ability to focus primarily on the new things You are doing, as Isaiah 43:19 declares: "Behold, I will do a new thing. It will begin to happen now. Don’t you know about it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert." Let us not cling to the past in a way that hinders Your work in the present. Instead, grant us the faith to embrace the future You have ordained, trusting that You are making all things new.
We ask these things in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, the only name by which we can approach You and the only name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). Without Him, our prayers are powerless, and our efforts are in vain. But through His blood, we have bold access to Your throne, and through His resurrection, we have the hope of eternal life. May our lives reflect this truth, and may Your will be done in and through us for Your glory. Amen.
Our Father in Heaven, Thank You for Your covenantal devotion to Your people, Hos 3:1-2, Your mercy is daily and Your great faithfulness an ever-present certainty in an ever-changing life and world, Lam 3:23. Firstly, our prayer and private devotion and study even need those mercies, the ability to care for ourselves, our teaching and those You have in a way put under our care requires Your Spirit's inspiration, 1 Tim 4:16. And while we still pray for former relationships' salvation and enrichment, Rom 10:1, Yet we ask mercy and grace to SHIFT OUR FOCUS to GRACE FOR NEW THINGS Isa 42:9, to TRANSITION to be on guard for ourselves and the flock of God You placed under our charge here, among us, Acts 20:28-31, and meet pressing (PRIORITIES) needs, Tit 3:14.
We ask for a TRANSITIONAL SHIFT of mercy and grace for Worship, Prayer and Study, inner healing, Ps 23:4, creation of a clean heart, Ps 51:10, a restoration of the joy of salvation, Ps 51:12, and THEN sinners will be converted to You, Ps 51:13, and Open Doors for Evangelism, Fellowship and Counseling Rev 3:7-8... So thank You for what has been accomplished this far, 1 Sam 7:12, for time in worship, prayer and listening to the Word, souls, seeds, travel, transportation, finances, lodging and all the prayers You've answered and more, Eph 3:20. Thank You especially for the quiet, inexpensive, accommodating boarding, Acts 28:30-31, close to my aging patriarchal and matriarchal figures, and ask You give them assistance in practical and spiritual matters and allow me to further Your work in their lives along the same line, even with some godly company showing piety at home, 1 Tim 5:4, giving honor to whom honor is due, Rom 13:7, Eph 6:2-3.
