Eternal Father, 

God who was, and is and is to come, we praise you. We thank you that you who made the world and everything in it, will not live in temples or any man made physical structures (Acts 17:24) but you graciously indwell within us, your children (Colossians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 12:13) who are washed by the blood of the Lamb and regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). We thank you for your extravagant love upon these unworthy slaves of yours. 

Father, we thank you for your faithfulness in seeing us through another year of our lives. We thank you that nothing in our lives is unimportant to you. We thank you that no detail of our mortal lives is too small or too big even though you are immortal, invisible and the only wise God. You use everything to conform us to image of our Savior. We praise you for your providence that governs it all. 

God who sees us, we pray that in this new year and for the rest of our lives, we will abide in you that we might bear more fruit for your glory. Please help us to choose to walk daily in God’s truth. Please help us to have a heart of worship toward God alone and please protect us from any worthless pursuits and divided allegiance. Please unite our hearts to fear your name and seek only you (Psalm 86:11).  

Please help us to guard ourselves from the idols of the heart (1 John 5:21). Please reveal the false refuges that we are hanging on to while being called by your name. Please forgive us. You alone are our everlasting refuge. When we are blinded, deceived, loving the world and the things of the world, please use your Holy Word, the body of Christ and even discipline as the means to bring us back to undivided worship that you deserve.  

Please instill in us a strong hunger and thirst for righteousness that we might grow in our knowledge of Christ and delight to walk with Him (Philippians 3:10-14). Please bless us with the confidence and a settled joy that none of God’s children will be forsaken and put to shame in spite of whatever we go through in this life. Please help us to be pleasing to Christ regardless of our circumstances (2 Corinthians 5:9). 

Father God, I pray for every teaching hour from the word of God that will be delivered from this pulpit during this year. It is not about the messengers; it is about the message and the God of the message. May we be decreased and may you be increased. We pray that you would destroy the work of the enemy trying to steal the word from people’s hearts. Please may every teaching from this pulpit fall into the good soil, prepared by the Holy Spirit and yield fruit 60-fold and 100-foldfor your glory alone.  

Gracious Father, we also lift up all of our sister churches out there. We pray for them to have a more God glorifying, lives transforming, Christ exalting fruitful year.  

We pray for the new church plant “Christ Transformation Church” in Burlington, Vermont. Even as the saints have gathered there now, we pray that their lives would be transformed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We pray for our dear brother Eric Abbey, other elders, brothers and sisters striving for the gospel together. Please encourage their souls as they serve in one of the most churchless cities in America and use them for your glory. 

We pray for the ministry of NETS. As they train, send and support men, we pray that you would use them and us as their partners to transform the New England area by the gospel of Jesus Christ. We thank you for this gospel partnership. 

Be glorified and highly exalted. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.