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 21:1-26
+ 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 15
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 15:6-18
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’ve all seen this movie scene:
Our hero is kneeling over an impressive looking explosive in an equally impressive case. She knows that she needs to do something to disarm this weapon or hundreds will die, but what wire should she cut? Snip the correct one and the day is saved, but severing the wrong one will trigger disaster. Oh, and of course, the timer is nearing “0:00”. What to do??? Fear not. For in her earpiece is the expert to talk her through. They have experience in this area and/or a manual that instructs them on the best course.
In today’s OT and NT readings we see leaders, Biblical heroes, with tough choices to make. In each case, counsel is sought, but very different results unfold depending on whether the advice is headed.
For King David, we read that he had Satan in one ear and Joab in the other. He set Joab’s wise counsel aside and the results were horrific for not just David, but the people he was leading.
The apostles and elders of the early church faced a tough question about whether Gentiles who come to faith in Jesus should be circumcised. They sought the counsel of Paul and Barnabas who had been the leaders in the evangelism efforts among the Gentiles. Thankfully in this case, God’s wisdom prevailed.
In Proverbs 1:7 Solomon writes: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (I wonder if some of David’s (his dad’s) bad decisions are what led Solomon to famously ask God for wisdom.) In this wise quote the first part is very important. A healthy fear (respect) for the Lord is the place to start in making our choices. A good simple question to ask before considering whatever dilemma we face is: What does God want? Not regarding our immediate issue, but in general. He wants as many people as possible to be in a loving relationship with him, trusting his leadership and provision. So as we ponder our question at hand, we should seek wise counsel to the end of finding the best solution that is in line with God’s purposes.
Not all our choices are a ticking bombs. Sometimes the stakes are smaller, but the process for all our choices can be the same. The Holy Spirit is willing to speak into all decisions, and he will do it through God’s Word, his still small voice, and the counsel of others. Practice the art of listening to the Holy Spirit in your earpiece through the lower stakes choices so that when you kneel over that metaphorical timebomb you will cut the right wire. - Mike Nank
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!
