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: Isaiah 6 & 7
+ 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 the “Lectio Divina” steps below to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 78:40-55
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 4:17-27
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 had 2 takeaways from today’s passage in Galatians. This symbolic figurative language that Paul uses pulls from the Old Testament and God’s story through Abraham to bring us hope and freedom in the person of Jesus. The first was a reminder to me on my identity being one of freedom and grace, not of the law and of works. This covenant that I have with the Lord is not based on my own good and can’t be earned and I’m not a slave to sin any longer. The other reminder I needed is that God’s way of fulfilling His divine promises is and will always be better than me trying to force or pull of His word I my own strength, flesh or power. It’s hard to wait on Him sometimes to fulfill His Word especially when the circumstances look pretty bleak or even impossible in our natural mind. But that’s exactly when God loves to show up and show out. If God has given you a divine promise, my encouragement to you would be to not try to see it come to pass on your own terms, your own fleshly desires and in your own timeline. Allow Him to make good on His Word in His timing and plan and the fruit of it will be worth the wait! (2 Peter 3:9) - Jessica Glenn
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?
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.
That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!
