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: Ezra 1-2
+ 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 31:10-20
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 27:21-38
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…
Our reading in Psalm 31:10-20 hit me like a ton of bricks! David is so honest before God that it’s shocking sometimes. I used to think it might be, at worst, disrespectful to God and, at best, dramatic… Recently, I read something in a book on prayer to the effect of: “pray whatever is on your mind.” The argument was that we don’t pray because we don’t think we can pray about what’s REALLY on our mind (our worries, temptations, strife, and relationships). You can probably see how David is a pretty clear biblical example of this. He starts with a plea for protection and his feelings of fear and grief. Somewhere in his prayer (verse 14), we see him pivot from his INTERNAL state and EXTERNAL situation to the ETERNAL sovereignty of our God. David followed God with his whole heart; he didn’t feel the need to put on a show, pray a certain way, or pray for things he “should” pray for. He started where he was at, and we should, too. My encouragement for you today is to pray from your current perspective. To be clear, what I’m not saying is to stay there! If you are angry, pray angry.
If you are happy, pray happy.
If you are depressed, pray depressed.
If you are filled with joy, pray filled with joy. The key is that, while we are in whatever state we find ourselves, we let God’s eternal light shine in on us to give us perspective we didn’t have before. Even if that perspective is simply that He is still worthy of our praise! - Matteo McGill
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!
