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: Song of Sol 5 & 6
+ 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 77:16-20
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 Galatians 2:1-14
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…
I’m writing this on Father’s Day and recalling a favorite mantra of some dads: “Do as I say, not as I do.” What a dumb phrase! How could any reasonable parent expect their kids to see them live something our one way, and then live that same thing out a better way on their own, just because you tell them they should? Obviously that is silly. Yet for many of us today, and even some working with Paul in preaching the gospel back in the day, this seems to be something in practice. Paul mentions that some of the Jewish apostles were trying to convince Gentiles they were reaching to embrace Jewish customs, even circumcision. Some of these same apostles were not keeping all the customs themselves. Here’s the thing… people can smell hypocrisy a mile away. Whether it was the people of Galatia, or those in our communities here today, people can tell when Christians are not fully following the way of Jesus, and they are not willing to “do what we say and not what we do”. Our pleas for them to repent from sinful behavior and turn to God will fall on deaf ears if those pleas are coming from people who say one thing and do another.
So what should we do? We can’t be perfect, so should we give up and not try to reach people? By no means!
There are three things we can and should do:
1) Admit our shortcomings. Instead of speaking down to those outside the faith or new to it we should admit that we don’t have it all together and share with them that we too struggle to forgo selfish desire and ambition to live a more selfless life like Jesus. By this we will in effect say: “Do as I say and as I am trying myself to also do.”
2) Have realistic expectations for others. If you are hanging out with non-Christians and you think that telling them God is displeased with their sexual choices or language or spending habits will lead to them changing these things, you are delusional. Why would they?! The goal should not be to tell them how God would have them live, but introduce them to God so his Spirit can guide them.
3) Be better! We can’t be perfect, but are there areas in our lives that we could be more like Jesus, such that we can then more confidently say: “Do as I do.”
Let’s strive to be great ambassadors for Jesus! - 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!
