Please use the resources below that correspond to the date you’ve signed up for, along with today’s Pray First journal entry, to guide your prayers during your designated prayer slot. You can also download the document as a .pdf file to your device.
Day 1 (January 5th) – Our Father in Heaven
Prompt: At the beginning of the Lord’s prayer Jesus uses two words next to each other to give us both a familiar concept and one that is foreign. Father is a term we all know, even if we didn’t know our own fathers. But, Heaven (or in the Greek it’s actually plural) is a place that is foreign to us – outside of our knowledge. These two contrasts allow us to lean into the familiar and also recognize that He is unlike anyone we have ever known. He is above, beyond, and outside of all human constraints. He is all powerful, knowledgeable, and present!
Prayer: Let this two word contrast lead you into prayer thanking him for ways He has been like a father to you or others, and for how He is so much more than we could ever hope for in earthly relationships.
Extra Resources: Read the Story of the Prodigal son from Luke 15:11-32. What do you notice about the character of the Father in the story (who represents God)? Respond to this story in prayer talking to God about whatever comes up.
Day 2 (January 6th) – Hallowed Be Thy Name
Prompt: ”What’s in a name?” When it comes to the Bible and ancient Judaism, the name of a person was extremely important. It represented their character, their values, their very identity. The name of God is commonly referred to as the tetragrammaton (the holy four letters), usually spelled YHWH or Yahweh. This is the name God reveals in His first conversation with Moses, but we have since lost the true pronunciation of the name because it was considered too holy to utter. As this was the practice at the time of Jesus, we can assume from the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus respected this custom of not uttering the sacred Name. Since a name is so much more than a label, to honor God’s name is to honor God who is so set apart, so other, that we must approach speaking about Him and to Him with extreme care and consideration.
Here is what we can count on: God will always act in the best interest of His Name. The question we need to ask is, do we ache and long for God’s name to be lifted higher than any other name? Do we desire it enough to pray for it?
Prayer: Think through your day. Where do you go regularly? Who do you interact regularly with? Pray for God’s name to be hallowed in that place and person. Pray for Gateway, that God would display His holiness through us in the sight of our neighbors and city (see Ezekiel 39:27-28) that others may know that YHWH is our God. Lastly, pray for God to grow a desire in your heart for this to be true more and more.
Extra Resources: Read Ezekiel 36:22 and 39:27-28 and contemplate how God acts to honor His name, a common theme in the prophets.
Day 3 (January 7th) – Your Kingdom Come your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven
Prompt: The people in Jesus day thought of a kingdom in many of the same ways that we do today. It was a place ruled by a king and anyone who stood in opposition was destroyed. The Jewish people had longed for a day when the Messiah, the promised king, would come and deliver them from the hand of the oppressor. Jesus was the opposite of who they were looking for. His kingdom is one where we are called to turn the other cheek, show mercy, pray for those who persecute us, and pursue peacemaking. God’s kingdom is completely upside down from the way we seek to build kingdoms in our world.
Prayer: Ask God to give you his eyes to see the world as He does. Ask God to bring to mind ways that you have lived that are contrary to the kingdom He is building. Whatever He brings to mind, ask for His forgiveness.
Extra Resources: Read Mathew 5:43-48. Spend time praying for those you think of as enemies (If you don’t have anyone you think of as enemies, think of who you have tension with or avoid seeing).
Day 4 (January 8th) – Give us this Day our Daily Bread
Prompt: While the phrase “daily bread” may be somewhat ambiguous, especially in light of the other practical needs mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer, we can reasonably interpret it as referring to the literal sustenance necessary for survival. Another way to phrase this request might be: “Give us today the bread we will need for tomorrow.”
For the people Jesus was teaching, bread wasn’t just a side dish or an appetizer—it was often the main course of every meal. They didn’t have the luxury of a pantry stocked with a variety of food options. Instead, they worked hard each day to bake enough bread for that day’s needs, never knowing if tomorrow’s bread would be ready. For many of us today, the question of where our next meal will come from is not a daily concern, but for others, it remains a constant anxiety. In this context, Jesus invites us to ask God for our provision—both for today and for the days ahead.
This idea of trust in God’s provision echoes the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness, as described in Exodus 16:1-21. As they journeyed through the desert, learning to rely on God, He miraculously provided them with manna from heaven. Each person was instructed to gather only as much as they needed for that day, and any excess would spoil by morning. Yet, despite this clear instruction, some tried to hoard more, and by the next day, their leftovers were spoiled with worms. In this way, God taught them to trust Him for their daily needs, reminding them that they did not need to worry about tomorrow.
Similarly, we are encouraged to trust God to provide for us each day and to avoid the anxiety of trying to control what’s ahead. And yet, Jesus still calls us to ask for tomorrow’s provision. Why? Because asking acknowledges our dependence on God and affirms His role as the ultimate provider. It is an act of faith that honors God’s care for us, reminding us that He is the source of all that we need.
Prayer: As you have already brought your own daily needs before the Lord, take a moment now to pray for those who are uncertain where their next meal will come from. Ask God to bring to mind specific people in your life who may be in need, and consider how you might be the answer to their prayer for daily bread.
Day 5 (January 9th) – Forgive us our Debts, as we forgive our debtors
Prompt: Why did Jesus have to die? When was the last time you asked yourself that question? According to the bible it is because we are sinners (those who have missed the mark of what God says is good and right) and that sin has separated us from God. But have you thought about the fact that YOUR sin is what Jesus went to the cross for? He died for you – willingly (But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8). Without Jesus taking on the debt we owed for our sin we would be eternally separated from God. (Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death (spiritual), but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”)
Prayer: Let yourself recall your sin and struggles to follow God’s best (it’s ok for this to be uncomfortable). Now let this truth fill your heart with gratitude, despite everything you have done—or failed to do—Jesus has forgiven you!
Day 6 (January 10th) – And do not lead us into Temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
Prompt: Jesus’s words, “and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,” are a prayer asking God to keep us faithful in the face of temptation and trial. The reality is that, as we’ve worked through this prayer, we’ve seen that for those who follow Jesus and have invited God’s Kingdom into their lives, opposition, trials, and temptation are to be expected on a regular basis. Jesus understood this acutely and this prayer He gives us comes from a place of first-hand experience. In fact, He was led into temptation both at the beginning of His ministry in the wilderness and He would face it again at the end of His ministry in the Garden of Gethsemane. The temptation He faced was to abandon God’s Kingdom—His Kingdom, which involved sacrifice and death— in favor of a kingdom that could be gained through power and violence. But He remained faithful to God.
We, too, have the ability, with God’s help, to resist temptation and remain faithful during times of trial.
In Jesus’s experience, we also see that He prayed for deliverance in the Garden. He asked for the cup to pass from Him, but God said “no.” However, God provided what He needed to resist the evil one and to complete the task that would rescue all of humanity. Jesus’s example gives us permission to plead for deliverance in times of testing and temptation, asking God to keep us from those trials. But even when God’s will is for us to go through those trials, we can trust that He will give us the strength to remain steadfast.
So, when you’re going through difficult times and are tempted to question God’s goodness, His love for you, or even His presence with you, remember Jesus and what He experienced. Just as God was with Him, He is also with you.
Prayer: Read 1 Corinthians 10:13 and contemplate what trials and temptations you are facing. Are you tempted to question God’s goodness, love, or presence? Pray for God to deliver you, but if it’s not His will, ask Him for the courage and strength to resist the enemy and remain faithful to God.
Remember that this prayer is a communal prayer, so while we can certainly pray this prayer for ourselves, we are instructed to pray it with and for the church. Pray for Gateway and the Church universal, that we would “be alert and sober-minded” because we have a real enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8). Pray that God would keep us from temptation and trial, that we might remain faithful to Him in every way.
Day 7 (January 11th) – For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever
Prompt: God is the creator of all things. Said another way, God is the source of everything that exists. True power, authority, goodness, fun, love, all come from Him. In an act of undeserved kindness God chose to send His son Jesus to earth to live the perfect life – following all God’s ways and then take on the consequences of OUR failures, so that we could have the opportunity to be put back into right standing with the perfect heavenly Father. Through His death, Jesus overcame sin and death and now we have been given the same authority (Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:5). Have you put your trust in Jesus? Have you surrendered your version of life and are you learning to see and walk in the life Jesus offers?
Prayer: Talk with God about how you are surrendering your life to Him.
- If you haven’t, do that today (just tell him: I’m sorry for how I’ve chosen what is good and bad on my own. I need Jesus’ forgiveness. I surrender my life to you and want to learn to follow you.)
- If you have before, but see areas of your life where you’ve taken back control and aren’t living surrendered to His good ways – confess that and ask Him to show you the path forward.
- If you are surrendered, but need a breakthrough or God’s overcoming power to show up in areas of your life, ask Him to move in and through you now.
Day 8 (January 12th) – Thanksgiving & Praise
Prompt: Read and ponder Psalm 100. Reflect on each stanza and respond.
Vs. 1-2:
The first two verses exhort us to “make a joyful noise” and enter God’s presence with literally, a “ringing cry” in the Hebrew. If you are able, sing out your praise to God or play your favorite worship song of thanksgiving and sing it out to Him.
Vs. 3-4:
Worship is a declaration that the LORD (YHWH) is God, the only God. In Israel’s world, such a declaration was a visceral rejection of any claims that the title “god” could be applied to any other. Israel’s proclamation that God made them does not refer to initial creation, but to their salvation history. They are calling to mind their miraculous history of God rescuing them from slavery in Egypt and making them His very own, treasured, covenant people. In the same way, if we have been saved by Jesus, we rejoice in our new creation as those who have been rescued once and for all by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Vs. 5-6
The Psalm continues to overflow with exuberance for we worship a God who is WITH us! Praise God for His condescension, that He stoops down to meet with us and welcome us into His own joyful presence.
Vs. 7-8
God’s presence is good. His loyal love is unending. This is not just what God does; it is who He is. Set your heart fully on the goodness and loving-kindness of God and abide in His presence now, and throughout your day.
Day 9 (January 13th) – The Cross of Jesus
Prompt: Christian meditation is a type of prayer that focuses on God’s word and reflects on its meaning. Today let yourself focus on scriptures that tell you the story of God Jesus has done for you.
- Romans 3:23-24″For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”
- Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”
- Romans 8:31-32 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
- Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
- Ephesians 2:4-9 “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.”
Prayer: Read, reflect, and meditate on the verses above. End your prayer with gratitude or adoration (praising God for who He is).
Day 10 (January 14th) – Cleansing and Preparing
Prompt: Confession and repentance are not just essential practices for the individual, but for the whole community of faith. Throughout church history, corporate confession has held a significant place as a central part of worship where the congregation publicly confesses sins and asks forgiveness from God. Use this traditional prayer as a guide for confessing with and for the Church.
Prayer: Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Day 11 (January 15th) – The Holy Spirit
Prompt: At Christmas we celebrated Emmanuel, God with us. One thing that we see consistently throughout all of scripture is God choosing to make Himself available to humans. In the Garden of Eden at the beginning, he walked with Adam and Eve. In the Old Testament, he had the people make a tent where they could come and meet with Him and they carried that with them everywhere they went. In the New Testament Jesus comes down and as John 1:14 says, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”. Even in the end God will remake heaven and earth and those who choose to follow Him will be with Him forever! So, if you ask, God will be with you – it’s what He has demonstrated throughout all of the scriptures.
Prayer: There is an ancient prayer in the church that is very simple and yet, wonderfully powerful because it invites God’s Spirit to be present.
The prayer goes like this: Come Holy Spirit, come!
If you are a Christfollower you have the Holy Spirit with you all the time, but we don’t always recognize or welcome God with us. This prayer is you telling God, I welcome you – come and be with me – move in my life (uproot, convict, direct, heal, breakthrough, fill me up, encourage me). Take 10 minutes (set a timer) and pray this prayer 2-4 times slowly and then sit in silence and wait. You may not feel anything big or specific. You may not hear anything. But know that in this 10 minute prayer you are sitting with and open to the God of the universe who has demonstrated over and over that He WANTS to be with those who seek Him!
Day 12 (January 16th) – The Word of God
Prompt: In Psalm 119, the psalmist exclaims, “Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” The word “delight” is repeated ten times, and almost every time, it refers to the law of the Lord. The entire psalm is dedicated to the goodness and joy of God’s law—that is, His instruction. Is this how you approach Scripture when you read it? Do you regularly delight in it?
Prayer: Take time to read slowly through Psalm 119 and make it your prayer, as well as a prayer for Gateway—that we would be a community that knows, loves, and lives by God’s instruction joyfully and wholeheartedly.
Day 13 (January 17th) – Prayer and Worship
Prompt: The stories we tell ourselves are powerful. They convince us of what is true, even if that thing isn’t true at all! When we take time to tell God His attributes and thank Him for the ways we’ve experienced those traits it realigns our hearts to see Him, ourselves, and the world we live in rightly.
Prayer: Thank God for who he is. Make a list of all His attributes you’ve experienced in the past few months and then go down the list and thank Him! Here is a list to help get you started:
- Good
- Kind
- Faithful
- Available
- True
- Merciful
- Mighty
- Powerful
- Present
- Wise
- Provider
- Just
Day 14 (January 18th) – Intercession
Prompt: The book of Hebrews connects the tabernacle themes we have been exploring and reveals how each of them is fulfilled in Jesus, who is both our great High Priest and our perfect sacrifice.
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently because He continues forever. Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. – Hebrews 7:23-25.
Prayer: As you stand in the gap for others, consider this promise that we can draw near to the presence of God through Jesus. And how, at this very moment, Christ Himself is as the right hand of the Father, constantly interceding on our behalf. He is praying with you and for you. Can you imagine a more powerful or effective prayer partner?
Day 15 (January 19th) – Intercede for the World
Prompt: God is at work in our world, and at Gateway, we believe God desires for us to partner with Him in His work by helping meet the physical, relational and spiritual needs that we encounter. As a church, we have worked to develop strategic partnerships with people and organizations around the world that align with our Global Values. We are currently partnered with global organizations in Haiti, Burundi, India, and with numerous local organizations in Austin. We also support individuals serving on a mid to long-term basis as Missionaries. Spend extended time praying for them and the work they are doing to share the love of Jesus.
Prayer: Go to: https://www.gatewaychurch.com/partners/#global and scroll down to read more about each of our ministry partners and spend time praying for them.
Day 16 (January 20th) – Intercede for the Persecuted Church Around the World
Prompt: Use the prayer guide from Voice of the Martyrs here. Once you have prayed for those around the world facing persecution for their faith, pray for those you know who are facing difficulty as a result of following Jesus, whether that be in their work place, with their families, neighbors, etc. Use the following scriptures as a prayer guide.
- Matthew 5:10-11 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
- 1 Peter 4:12-18 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in as much as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
- 2 Cor. 4:16-17 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Day 17 (January 21st) – Intercede for the Leaders in our Country and State
Prompt: When we think about leaders, we often think about political leaders and mainly focus our attention on national leaders. There are many leaders in our communities that have a greater impact on our day to day lives than those that lead from the national capital. Today, commit to praying for local leaders in your city.
Prayer: Look up the names of those on your local school board, or city council and pray for them. Here are 3 local, in the Austin area, sites you can use to pray for our city leaders by name. Pray for them to be wise, of good character, and to make decisions for the well being of the people in the city.
Austin City Council: https://www.austintexas.gov/austin-city-council
Austin ISD School Board: https://www.austinisd.org/board/members
Round City Council: https://www.roundrocktexas.gov/city-about-round-rock/city-council/
Round Rock ISD School Board: https://roundrockisd.org/about-rrisd/board-of-trustees/
Cedar Park City Council: https://www.cedarparktexas.gov/338/Mayor-City-Council
Leander ISD School Board: https://www.leanderisd.org/boardoftrustees/
Day 18 (January 22nd) – Intercede for Spiritual Awakening in our Country
Prompt: Spiritual awakening starts with us! Today, practice a prayer of relinquishment. This is a prayer where you practice setting aside your will and desires and praying that above all else, God’s good will and ways be done in and through your life. Use the prayer tool from 24/7 Prayer below to learn about a prayer of Relinquishment and then pray something like, “Not my will, but yours be done” or “God, above all else in my life I want you to have your way” or like Mary said in response to the Angels announcement of how she would carry Jesus, ‘Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)
Prayer: Once you have prayed these words sit in silence with God and notice what comes up in your mind or emotions and talk with God about it.
Extra Resources: 24/7 Prayer of Relinquishment
Day 19 (January 23rd) – Intercede for those who don’t know Jesus
Prompt: We are God’s ambassadors in the world to tell others about the best news – that God wants a relationship with us! Today’s Pray First journal entry has you praying for those you know by name that God would bring them to faith. There are no extra resources needed today. Just spend extended time praying for your friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family who don’t know Jesus. Pray for God to open their eyes to see their need for Him. Pray also for opportunities for you to share your faith with them!
Day 20 (January 24th) – Intercede for the local Church
Prompt: God’s plan was that through the people in the church loving each other and those around them, the world would see God’s love! Gateway church isn’t a building, you are Gateway! You are the local church Jesus planned to be a light to the world. Today pray for how God might want to use you this year to build up the church and show His love to those around us in the city.
Prayer:
- Ask God to bring to mind ways you can get involved at Gateway (or in the online community) and see what comes to mind. What are you passionate about? What needs does your campus have?
- Pray for the different areas in our church: Kids, Students, Worship & Production, Grow, Heal, & Serve.
- Ask God for opportunities to invite those you know who don’t know Jesus to come to something at church with you this year.
Day 21 (January 25th) – Petition God to guide and direct you
Prompt: It’s a New Year and most of us have areas of our lives that we would like to see growth or change in. A great spiritual prayer practice to help you think through what has been and what could be is to practice a prayer of Examen. Use the 5 steps below to pray:
Step One: Become aware of God’s presence.
One way of doing this is to ask the Holy Spirit to help you review the year with a holy perspective—with wisdom, grace, and faith. Sit and breathe deeply and let yourself become aware that God is with you and ask Him to give you His eyes to see your life clearly.
Ask for the grace to tear yourself away from your own patterns of thinking and seeing so that you can see your life more as God sees it. Of course you will see your failings—but God sees you as a beloved daughter or son who has a future and a hope. Of course you will see your accomplishments—but God sees your deeper self, the person behind all the activity, a person made in God’s image.
Step Two: Review the year with gratitude.
As you use this holy perspective to review the year, pay attention to the good gifts from 2024. Name specifically those that come to memory now, and thank God for them.
Step Three: Pay attention to your emotions.
Think over the year again, and notice your emotional reactions. What memories speak most loudly to you? What events, conversations, relationships, or activities bring up the most emotion now, as you remember them? Ask God to help you linger with these emotions, whether they are pleasant or disturbing. Ask for help in understanding why you feel as you do. What can you learn about yourself or about your situation as you dwell in your emotional responses?
Step Four: Choose one feature of the year and pray from it.
While you are lingering with your memories and emotions, settle on one feature. Perhaps it is a single event, or maybe it’s a pattern of your own behavior that has come to mind as you reviewed the year. Whatever it is that has emerged, allow it to fuel your prayer. Don’t worry about the many other aspects of the year that you could think about right now; stay with the one thing that has come to you with the most power and pray from those thoughts and emotions. What might God be saying to you about this one thing – what is His perspective?
Step Five: Look toward the new year.
Imagine what challenges and blessings might await you in the coming year! What thoughts, emotions, points of gratefulness have come up for you as you have prayed that might point to something God wants to do in or through you this year? Make a simple list and sit quietly with God asking Him to bring clarity on any next steps. Ask for the grace, perseverance, courage, and equipping you will need to take any of these next steps.
End your time in silence knowing that you are in God’s presence and He loves you. Just soak in that truth.