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 6:31-38
+ 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 5
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 Acts 10:23-33
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…
We rarely see walls and barriers until we find ourselves on the outside of them. I never thought much about food allergies until my son had them. I didn’t have them, so it wasn’t really something I needed to think about. But when you walk with someone through life… you start to notice their barriers. The places they need to stop, and how it affects them. And when you care about that person, those barriers have a way of becoming yours. My son takes most of his barriers like a champ. But there are times when I’ll see a look of disappointment in his eye. Or the caution he approaches most things with that I take for granted. There are many times when we’ll bring a snack he loves when we’re going out, or we all choose to go without. I also get to see the times when he is considered and included - and the joy that comes with simply being able to participate without barriers. It’s deeply moving. It’s a reminder of how beautiful things can be when barriers come down and inclusion takes root. In Acts 10:23-33, Peter experiences something similar—but on a spiritual level. God gave him a vision that shattered his preconceived notions about who could belong to His family. When Peter stepped into Cornelius’s home—a Gentile’s —he embraced a radical truth: God’s salvation is available to everyone, no exceptions. Peter’s obedience opened the door to transformation, not just for himself, but for the church. This isn’t simply a truth to believe, though. Inclusion is a call. It’s a radical transformation of our perspective because we walk with and care for people who may have barriers to faith that we don’t have or realize. Like Peter, we’re called to examine the walls we build—whether intentionally or unknowingly. Are there people or situations we view as outside the reach of God’s love? Are there practices within our church, language that we use, or ways people might even experience us that create barriers to faith for people God cares deeply about? Today, God is inviting us to embrace His bigger plan and build bridges where barriers once stood. Who might God be asking you to welcome today? What barrier might God be asking you to make yours in love and, in doing so, tear it down for someone else? - 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!
