“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Today’s Thought
As we have prayed over these past six days, we’ve asked God to prepare hearts, strengthen faith, unite our teams, open doors, give boldness, and provide protection. Each of those prayers is important.
But today we pray for the reason behind them all.
We are praying for changed lives.
Everything our teams are preparing to do points to this one purpose. We don’t send a missions team simply to complete projects. We don’t send students to camp simply to have fun. We don’t pray merely for safe travel or a smooth schedule. Our greatest desire is that people would encounter Jesus Christ and leave forever changed. That has always been God’s mission. Throughout the Gospels, people came to Jesus carrying burdens they could not overcome. The blind received sight. The lame walked. The outcasts found acceptance. The guilty received forgiveness. The hopeless discovered hope. But perhaps the greatest miracle wasn’t physical healing—it was the transformation of the heart. Jesus didn’t simply improve people’s lives. He made them new. That same transforming power is still at work today.
Somewhere in Costa Rica, there may be a child who has never truly understood the love of God. There may be a parent carrying guilt and hopelessness. There may be someone who has heard about Jesus but has never trusted Him as Savior.
At camp, there will likely be students wrestling with questions they have never voiced aloud.
Some may wonder if God could ever forgive them. Some may feel trapped by fear, anxiety, or shame. Some may be trying to find their identity in acceptance, popularity, or success. Others may know Christ but have grown spiritually complacent and need revival. Only Jesus can meet every one of those needs. Programs cannot change hearts. Music cannot save souls. A well-planned lesson cannot produce spiritual life. Only the Holy Spirit can bring conviction, repentance, faith, and lasting transformation.
That’s why we pray.
Prayer acknowledges that what we desire most cannot be manufactured by human effort. We can prepare lessons. We can organize schedules. We can plan activities. But only God can breathe spiritual life into a soul. Jesus explained this truth in John 15 when He described Himself as the Vine and His followers as the branches.
He declared,
“Without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
Those words aren’t discouraging. They’re freeing. They remind us that the responsibility for changing lives doesn’t rest on our shoulders. It rests in the hands of our Savior. Our responsibility is simply to remain faithful.
To pray. To serve. To love. To speak the truth. To trust God with the results. And what wonderful results He can accomplish! Imagine the joy if one student surrendered to God’s call for ministry. Imagine a marriage strengthened because someone encountered Christ through the Costa Rica outreach. Imagine a child hearing the Gospel for the very first time. Imagine someone laying down years of bitterness and discovering God’s forgiveness. Imagine a believer returning home with a renewed passion for God’s Word.
Those are the kinds of miracles we are asking God to perform. But today’s prayer reaches beyond Costa Rica and camp.
Life change isn’t only for “them.”
It’s for us.
As we’ve spent these days praying together, perhaps God has been speaking to your own heart.
Maybe He’s calling you to deeper obedience. Maybe He’s inviting you to forgive someone. Maybe He’s drawing you into a closer relationship with Him. The greatest evidence that God is at work in a church isn’t simply a growing attendance or a full calendar. It’s transformed lives. Lives that increasingly reflect the character of Christ. Homes where grace replaces bitterness. Students who boldly live for Jesus. Families committed to serving together. Believers who love God’s Word. People who genuinely look more like Christ than they did yesterday. That’s the work we’re praying for today.
As Friends Baptist Church joins together, let’s ask God to do what only He can do.
May people not simply enjoy the experience. May they encounter the living Christ. May hearts be softened. May sins be confessed. May faith be strengthened. May lives be transformed.
And may eternity be forever different because God’s people prayed.
Pray for Our Costa Rica Team
Today, ask God to…
- Draw many people to faith in Jesus Christ.
- Give the team opportunities to clearly present the Gospel.
- Bring conviction through the work of the Holy Spirit.
- Strengthen local believers through encouragement and fellowship.
- Help children and families understand God’s love and grace.
- Use every act of kindness to point people to Christ.
- Produce fruit that will continue long after the team returns home.
- Encourage the local church as they continue the work after the mission team leaves.
Pray for Our Camp Team
Pray that God would…
- Save students who have never trusted Christ as Savior.
- Restore students who have drifted from the Lord.
- Give students a greater love for God’s Word.
- Call young men and women into ministry and missions.
- Help students surrender areas of their lives to Christ.
- Give counselors wisdom as they guide spiritual conversations.
- Build lifelong friendships centered on faith.
- Allow the decisions made at camp to continue producing fruit throughout the year.
Today’s Challenge
Pray by name for someone you know who needs Jesus.
It may be a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a coworker.
Ask God to soften their heart and give you an opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel with them.
Then take one practical step today: send them a message, invite them to church, or simply let them know you’re praying for them.
As you pray for life change in Costa Rica and at camp, remember that God also wants to transform lives right where you live.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Today we ask You to do what only You can do.
Thank You for the power of the Gospel that changes hearts, forgives sins, restores hope, and gives new life through Jesus Christ.
We pray for our Costa Rica Missions Team. Go before them and prepare hearts to receive Your truth. Give them wisdom, compassion, and boldness as they share the Gospel. May many come to know Christ as Savior, and may believers be encouraged to continue growing in their faith.
We pray for every student and leader heading to camp. Let this be more than a memorable week. Let it become a life-changing encounter with You. Save those who are lost. Restore those who have wandered. Strengthen those who are growing. Call young people to lives of faithful obedience and service.
We also ask You to continue changing us.
Search our hearts. Draw us closer to You. Help us become more like Christ each day.
May Friends Baptist Church always be a place where lives are transformed by the truth of Your Word and the power of Your Spirit.
We give You all the praise for what You are going to do.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Reflect & Respond
How has Jesus changed your life?
Take a few moments to thank God for His work in your own heart. Then ask Him to use your story to encourage someone else who needs the hope of Christ.
Family Discussion
Ask together:
“What does it mean to be a ‘new creature’ in Christ?”
Share ways you’ve seen God change your own lives and discuss how only Jesus can transform a heart from the inside out.
Then pray together for people in Costa Rica, students at camp, and friends or family members who need to know Christ personally.
Children’s Prayer Prompt
Dear Jesus,
Thank You for loving people so much that You came to save us. Please help the people in Costa Rica and the students at camp learn about You. Help them trust You, love You, and follow You every day. Thank You for changing our hearts and making us part of Your family.
Amen.
Memory Verse
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
Tomorrow’s Focus
Day 8: Sustain the Work
“The mission isn’t finished after the first day of ministry or the first worship service. Tomorrow we’ll pray that God would renew the strength of our teams, sustain their joy, and help them remain faithful until the work He has given them is complete.”