December 29, 2024 – January 4, 2025
January Prayer Guide
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
WEEK ONE: Fasting from Television News OR Fast from 30 minutes each evening from ALL Screens (phone, laptop, computer, tablet)
Our goal: Instead of watching your preferred news channel, turn off you TV for at least 30 minutes, pick up your Bible and read Daniel 9:3-19. Use the prayer guide to direct your prayer. Have your pen/pencil and notebook available to record questions, observations that come to your mind.
SUNDAY, January 5 PRAYER:
Review the mission and vision statement of our church.
“And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.” (Romans 6:13–14, HCSB)
Say, “Lord, I am here, I present myself to you. Here I am. I want to be with you today before all the other treasures of my heart.” Allow yourself to sit with him—let him be first to you and enjoy the moment. Sometimes you will find enjoyment and peace here, and this is wonderful. Other times your soul may betray you with its old conditioning. Maybe you don’t want to present yourself to the Lord or you feel “out of it” or you want to go back to the first movement of your heart upon waking. If so, don’t hide it; tell it to God. Tell the Lord, “Yes, Lord, I don’t feel like doing this. I feel . . . [tell him what you feel]. This is true of me, Lord, but I am here. And I present myself to you. Oh, God, have mercy. Here I am.”
Strobel, Kyle; Coe, John. Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul (p. 124). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
MONDAY, January 6
“But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ —the righteousness from God based on faith.” (Philippians 3:7–9, HCSB)
Review our church’s mission and vision statement. Read DANIEL 9:3-5. Confess any known sin against God. (See Psalm 139:23-24).
Ask God if there are practices, habits, thoughts that need to be ‘put off.’ Then ask God to change the way you think – to reorient your life to God’s grace.
TUESDAY, January 7
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God.” (Colossians 3:3, HCSB)
Review the mission and vision statement. Read DANIEL 9:6-10.
Ask God to assist you in learning to see your life as God sees your life.
Wednesday, January 8
“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:1–2, HCSB)
Review the mission and vision of our church. Read DANIEL 9:11-15. Ask God how you can better present your life – the habits, practices, the daily events – as a way of worship.
Jot down any thoughts our questions in your notebook.
Thursday, January 9
“God, You are my God; I eagerly seek You. I thirst for You; my body faints for You in a land that is dry, desolate, and without water. So I gaze on You in the sanctuary to see Your strength and Your glory. My lips will glorify You because Your faithful love is better than life.” (Psalm 63:1–3, HCSB)
Review the mission and vision statement. Read DANIEL 9:16. Are there changes God is leading you to make that give you more time with Him? Ask God for clear a specific direction as you seek after Him. Remember to jot down thoughts, observations, questions in your notebook.
FRIDAY, January 10
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, HCSB)
Review the mission and vision statement. Read DANIEL 9:17-18. Do you have a prayer list? Do you have a way to remember the people in your life for whom you are praying? Ask God to
help you develop a prayer list or method that works for you. Jot down your thoughts and questions ibn your notebook.
PRAY for PASTOR STEVE and other men that are gathering at Fir Point this weekend to pray together.
SATURDAY, January 11
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The history of the Jesus Prayer goes back, as far as we know, to the early sixth century, with Diadochos, who taught that repetition of the prayer leads to inner stillness. Even earlier John Cassian recommended this type of prayer. In the fourth century Egypt, in Nitria, short “arrow” prayers were practiced.
Abba Macarius of Egypt said there is no need to waste time with words. It is enough to hold out your hands and say, “Lord, according to your desire and your wisdom, have mercy.” If pressed in the struggle, say, “Lord, save me!” or say, “Lord.” He knows what is best for us, and will have mercy upon us.
Review the mission and vision statement. Read DANIEL 9:19. Pray for tomorrow’s gathering for Bible Study and Worship. Ask God to prepare your heart for what He will say to you as we gather. Ask God to help you be sensitive to the needs of others that are gathering with us.
January 2025 Prayer Journey
Strengthening Faith Together
FAST THIS WEEK: Instead of turning on the radio when you get in your car, keep it off. Look and listen to the world around you. OR: Commit to spend 15 minutes a day outside (on a covered deck, or a porch). What do you see outside your home? What do you hear?
SUNDAY, January 12, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
READ DANIEL 9:4-6. Today take some time to review the past week and look into the coming week. Are there ways you disobeyed God last week that need to be confessed? How can you avoid repeating those sins?
Consider this as you begin a new week: What are specific ways I can find to spend more time in prayer? Are there times during the day or evening that would be better for me to set aside time to pray? Am I a morning person or an evening person? Set a time on your daily calendar that you will pray. Commit to that time. Gather your Bible, pen and notebook and prayer list. Be consistent. Even if you don’t ‘feel’ like it, regard that time as seriously as a doctor’s appointment.
WEEK TWO
MONDAY, January 13, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
READ DANIEL 9:18. How are you experiencing God’s abundant compassion? Take a moment and jot down three ways God has expressed compassion toward you in the past week: (plenty of food to eat, a roof over your head, friends to spend time with, rest, doctors and their wisdom in diagnosing and treating recurring problems;…)
TUESDAY, January 14, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
READ DANIEL 9:9-10. Are you good at following directions or do you find shortcuts? In your regular Bible reading are you discovering ways in which you have been obedient to God? Are you discovering ways that God might be leading you to change? As you read God’s word, He is speaking to you. Are you taking time to listen?
WEDNESDAY, January 15, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
READ DANIEL 9:13. The deportation of the Jews from the Promised Land to Babylon, which had taken Daniel from his people and his place, was a consequence foretold hundreds of years prior to happening (see Deuteronomy 28:36-37). Are there circumstances in your life that are the result of sin in the past? Or patterns of behavior that were poor choices?
These circumstances do not have to define you. Daniel had learned from his reading and studying God’s word that the exile would last seventy years (see Daniel 9:1-2). God has a present and future for you that is marked by His forgiveness and His presence. Live this day in that confidence.
THURSDAY, January 16, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
READ DANIEL 9:17. As you pray today reflect on what brings God glory? Does your life reflect the fullness of His presence or do your attitudes and actions often obscure the reality of God’s presence? What about our church brings God glory? As we think about our church ministry, are we involved in peoples lives to an extent that they see or perceive the glory of God?
FRIDAY, January 17, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming our World
VISION:We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers.
Read Daniel 9:3-19. How many times do you see the word ‘righteousness?’ If you have a Bible Dictionary look up the word ‘righteousness.’ What does it mean? How do we attain righteousness (see Romans 3:21-26). Are you living in a right relationship with Jesus? IF not, what steps can you take to find yourself in a right relationship? (See Romans 10:9-10).
SATURDAY, January 18, 2025
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus, and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers. Read Daniel 9:19 Pray for Pastor Steve, Cindy Schenewerk, Christa Shigley, Bob Shigley, Mac McAllister, Pat Gerharter, Linda Walls as they prepare to lead in worship and Bible Study tomorrow. Ask God to use them to proclaim boldly the year.
January Prayer Journey
Week Three: January 19 – 25, 2025
Strengthening Faith Together
THIS WEEK: FAST FROM SOCIAL MEDIA FOR 24 hours. Try an entire day of only using your phone as a phone, ignoring social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and other sources. Try and memorize Ephesians 1:15-23 (as much of it as you can!)
SUNDAY, January 19, 2025
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17, HCSB)
More than any other subject God’s desire is that we come to know Him – as He is made known in and through the life of Jesus, and as the Holy Spirit inhabits our lives. What steps are you taking to ensure that you are becoming more knowledgeable about God? As you read the Bible ask yourself…what does this passage reveal about God? How can I learn more about the characteristic of God revealed in this passage?
MONDAY, January 20, 2025
TODAY IS inauguration day. “First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior,” (1 Timothy 2:1–3, HCSB)
Pray for President Trump, Vice-President J.D. Vance, the nominee’s for Cabinet positions, and other government officials. Pray that all in government – the federal, state, county, and city officials – would work to enable all of the citizens to live a ‘tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity.
TUESDAY, January 21, 2025
“I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints,” (Ephesians 1:18, HCSB)
As you pray today seek to lay hold of the hope that is ours because of God’s promises. Thank God for how He has gifted you. Thank God for the ways He has provided for you in recent days. Pray for fellow believers here at Community Baptist and ask God how you can become better acquainted with them. Pray and ask God how you can better serve one another.
WEDNESDAY, January 22, 2025
“I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know … the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.” (Ephesians 1:18–19, HCSB) Pray today and ask God to remind you of His unlimited power. Review some of the Bible stories you remember. Notice how God’s unlimited power worked to provide protection and provision – even when circumstances seemed to be stacked against individuals. Since God’s power is ‘immeasurable’ pause for a moment and ask, What big things am I asking God for? Are my prayers too small? Are there challenges in your life, your family, your community that you think are too big for God to handle?
THURSDAY, January 23, 2025
“I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner man through His Spirit, and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith…,” (Ephesians 3:16–17, HCSB)
Today take some time and evaluate your regular daily schedule. Are you building time into your daily schedule to spend time with God? Can you find another block of 15 or 30 minutes each day to spend in prayer, Bible study, other spiritual disciplines? What changes can be made so that you can experience the fullness of the Messiah indwelling us?
FRIDAY, Janaury 24, 2025
“I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,” (Ephesians 3:17–18, HCSB)
How much does God love you? Have you ever tried to list the many ways God has expressed His love for you? Try that today. Your list may be quite long, but it will never be complete! We can only begin to scratch the surface of His love for us. Since He loves us in such detail, what ways can we express our love to Him?
SATURDAY, January 25, 2025
I pray that you [might] know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:19–21, HCSB)
What might a life filled with all the fullness of God look like? Can you list some actions and practices that a person ‘filled’ with all God’s fullness might do? Are these regular practices in your own life? Are there new ways you can find to express your love for Him? Are there ways your life can more accurately portray the fullness of His presence?
January Prayer Journey: Strengthening Our Faith Together’
FAST THIS WEEK – What is your favorite TV program? Turn it off – each night, or once during the week. Read the Bible and pray!
FAST – what is your favorite evening snack? Instead of eating this week, drink a glass of water and read your Bible!
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
SUNDAY, January 26, 2025
“…Praise Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting.” Praise Your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are Yahweh. You created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and the heavenly host worships You. You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and changed his name to Abraham. You found his heart faithful in Your sight, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Jebusites, and Girgashites— to give it to his descendants. You have kept Your promise, for You are righteous.” (Nehemiah 9:5–8, HCSB)
Praise God for His blessing in your life. The world and everything in it is His. This week it is possible to see four planets in our solar system with the naked eye. Look tonight, after sunset: Venus and Saturn in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead, and Mars in the east. Praise God for the beauty of His creation!
MONDAY, January 27, 2025
Think of one person who attends our church. Pray this for them today:
“I pray that He may grant [insert their name], according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power in the inner [person] through His Spirit,” (Ephesians 3:16, HCSB)
How well do you know this person? If you don’t know them, call them and invite them to meet you for a meal, or just a cup of coffee or a soda at a local restaurant.
TUESDAY, January 28, 2025
Who sits two or three rows behind you almost every Sunday? Do you know their name? Make it a point this next Sunday to ask them their name. Pray this for them today:
“… that the Messiah may dwell in[their] heart through faith…
Ephesians 3:17
Can they see Jesus in you? Are you exhibiting the presence of God as you worship every Sunday?
Can you think of a reason you cannot attend Pastor’s Bible Class tomorrow morning at 10:00 am at the church? JOIN US AS WE STUDY GOD’S WORD TOGETHER!
WEDNESDAY, January 29, 2025
“. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17–19, HCSB)
When you last attended worship, did you notice how many empty seats there were? Ask God to deepen your love to the point you are willing to invite family and friends to join you in worship that they too might come to know the love of God!
THURSDAY, January 30, 2025
Dwell on this verse for a moment or two:
“Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us— to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21, HCSB)
What in your life has God done that only God can do? Are there circumstances you can remember when God did miraculous things? What is your life is glorifying God? Is our church bringing glory to God? If so, in what ways? If not, ask God to reveal to you why not. Confess any known sin and plead with God that we would be a people through whom God is glorified.
FRIDAY, January 31, 2025
PRAY this verse for a) yourself; b) Christa Shigley as she prepares to teach this Sunday; and c) Pastor Steve as he prepares to lead in worship –
“I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Ephesians 1:17, HCSB)
Are you learning anything new about God? Are you learning anything new about yourself? Are you learning anything about our church?
SATURDAY, February 1, 2025
Turn off your TV and all screens about an hour prior to your bedtime. Instead of going straight to bed, review the past few weeks of our prayer journey. Jot down any thoughts and/or questions you might have.
Tomorrow, February 2, 2025 during our worship service we will be taking time to let people share from their experiences using the prayer journey. We will be observing the Lord’s Supper together. Pastor Steve is planning on sharing a message focusing on the future of Community Baptist Church. Make plans now to attend tomorrow’s Bible Study at 9:30am and worship at 11:00am.
Before you end your day/night, review the mission and vision of our church:
OUR MISSION: God’s Word Transforming Our World
VISION: We are seeking to become fully formed followers of Jesus, who live intentionally, seeking to share Jesus and invite others to join us in becoming fully formed followers of Jesus.
Jot down any notes and/or questions that have come to mind. Bring this with you tomorrow – and your journal and your Bible!
Let’s glorify God together!