Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.
WEEKLY 40 FOR 40 FOCUS | Antioch International Prayer & Fast (Genesis 12:1-3)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, The Antioch movement of churches around the world are joining up for an international prayer and fast from February 26-28. During this prayer & fast, we will be asking God to bless us to be a blessing to people of all nations. (Genesis 12:1-3). Here are two lists you can use for how we’ll be praying together:
Have questions about fasting?
See this resource: Encounter God Through Fasting
Want to pray for our international church planting teams year-round?
Go to Nationsprayer.org
DAILY PRAYER FOCUS | Use the PRAY acronym each morning.
P = Pause. As you start your time of prayer, begin by pausing and being still before the Lord.
R = Read. Read the Scripture Focus slowly and focus on words/phrases the Holy Spirit highlights as you read.
A = Ask. Ask God to come and speak to you. Open up your heart to Him as your heavenly Father.
Y = Yield. We want to yield our lives to the words we have prayed and commit to follow Jesus’s way.
Begin your prayer with “Father, I remember your faithfulness to…” and respond with, “Give me faith to…”
SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 7
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
S = Say. What is the main point? What does it teach about God (Jesus) & yourself?
O = Obey. What can you apply (practice) from this passage today?
S = Share. Who can you share what you’re learning with today?
A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
You know, every time I read the Old Testament I feel a couple things…the first that God feels so intensely, and extremely, and the second being that the intensity I read about in these scriptures is a picture of the immense and intense love he has for his people! His love is unrelenting and that is depicted so well in Old Testament scripture. As I read this chapter it was tempting at first to focus on the violence that God was instructing them to perform but then verse 4 really struck a chord in my heart “for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.“
I feel the heart of the Father in this verse. His instructions feel a bit over the top but it’s because his heart and his intentions are that his people would not turn their hearts away from him! He loves them too much to allow them to be deceived by others to follow and worship other gods. He instructs them on what to do and then makes a promise to them stating that if they follow his instructions and laws that he has given them then he will keep his covenant of love with them. Wow. We usually talk a lot about a relationship with God and reference the New Testament but there’s so much to learn from these scriptures about having a relationship with God. It takes both parties, you and God, to unfold all that God has for you on this side of heaven. God is looking for and longing for our obedience to him because he LOVES us and knows that his ways lead to life, and life everlasting. Maybe there’s an invitation God keeps bringing up in your prayer time with him that might feel a little scary or seem totally out of the blue but when we are obedient to take that step of faith with him he is faithful to meet us and do the rest. Take some time to ask God where he’s leading and inviting you in your relationship with him and how you can take the next step with him remembering the covenant of love he has promised to you! - Cecelia Thapa
REMEMBERING PRACTICE | (Optional) Practice remembering with a Daily Examen each evening.
The Examen prayer was made popular by Ignatius of Loyola (1491 – 1556). It has helped Christians for centuries to re-center themselves on Jesus as they come to the end of long days. We are using a variation creat-ed by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us remember Jesus at the close of our days.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy or joyful? What made you 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.
Reboot = Commit to walk with Jesus tomorrow. Ask for grace to see His presence more clearly.
*For help or an audio prayer version, use the Lectio 365 app.
SHARE THE FOCUS | 1-5 Minutes
1. Text someone a prayer/encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
2. Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!
