Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 1 Chronicles 4:1-23
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 1
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Matthew 7:13-29, 22:34-40 & 1 Peter 2:21-25
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
It’s a New Year. Another “end” of one road, and the beginning of another. Another year full of possibilities… and choices. Perhaps you’re happy with what you set out to do and where the choices you made in life took you in 2024. Others, perhaps less so. There’s one thing that unites us all, and we’re reminded of this sobering reality every time the clock turns midnight on a new year. Try as we might, none of us can do everything. We can’t take every path. We all have to choose one, and not all of them lead to the same destination. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus describes the narrow gate that leads to life, contrasting it with the wide gate that leads to destruction. Choosing the narrow path isn’t always easy—it often means going against the flow, loving when it’s hard, and sacrificing our own desires for God’s will. But Jesus assures us that this path is worth it. It’s the way of life, peace, and fulfillment. It’s also a narrow, less walked path. So, how do we know it? Jesus gave us a rough map in Matthew 22:37-40, when He simplifies the complexities of life into two clear commands: love God and love others - the foundation of walking the narrow path. But more than a vague map outlining the way, God gives us a person to show us - the Way himself. The Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus. Early Christians were called “Followers of the Way.” So, as you stand at the beginning of another year, another fork in the path… you’re invited to walk the narrow path that leads to life. To walk this way of love, as followers of the Way Himself. Walking the narrow path means living with Jesus as our foundation, not just hearing His words but building our lives on them. It’s not always the easiest way, but it’s the way of full, abundant, eternal life. Let’s take a moment today to ask ourselves: Am I walking in the way of love, trusting Jesus to guide me through the narrow gate? What step can you take to follow the Way of Jesus in 2025? - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, anxious, or burdened?
Rejoice = Give thanks to God for the small and the significant things from the day.
Repent = Ask God for forgiveness where you need. Receive His forgiveness afresh.
Refocus = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ Practice hearing from God by asking questions like, “Father, what do you want me to know about you?” or “Father, what do you want to say about your love for me?” Simply be still and listen, or journal anything that comes to mind. Learn more about hearing from God using the Tending Your Heart guide.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!