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: Proverbs 11
+ 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 66:1-7
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 1 Corinthians 15:17-28
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…
The Bible is an incredible book that we often refer to as “The Word of God,” because that’s just what it is! It is God’s words given to help us, teach us, and to tell us about Himself and how we can restore our broken relationship with Him. We read Proverbs 11, part of an incredible book of wisdom from God that STILL shows us how to be good, godly and successful in our everyday lives. The book of Psalms helps us to express the ups and downs of our human experience while recognizing how God is “awesome in His deeds toward the children of man” (Psalm 66:5). Our New Testament verses from 1 Cor. 15:17-28 connect our earthly lives to the heavenly and Almighty God as well. We all fear a lot of things in this world, but people’s greatest fear is death. It’s the great unknown for many, and many try to blow it off with “It is what it is. You live, you die, just make the most of it!” But we know that when faced with death, people instinctively flee from it in fear. We as believers did as well once, until we realized that Jesus, God the Son, had truly conquered the power and fear of death over us! We believe that Jesus, while living here as both God and man experienced actual death on the cross, and three days later took up His life again. That’s the resurrection of Easter! Now if that was just an inspirational but fictional story, it wouldn’t really mean much in that hour when we will all face death. But it was and IS real - and paid the full price for our sins that separated us from God! And so, by faith we believe in His resurrection from His death, and also in OUR resurrection from our death. Jesus’ sacrificial death in our place is why we don’t fear it anymore! More than that, our death and resurrection give our lives here on earth purpose and meaning! It’s why we love the “hard to love” and help the down-trodden and weak, it’s why we give and tithe of our limited finances and give our time in worship and service to God and others… We make the most of our lives here on earth because there IS a resurrection! So cast off fear and take up faith and love, and go and make this and every day, a Resurrection Day!! - Frank Taubitz
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!
