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.
GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.
MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Choose one of the Names of God using this guide. Take time to Thank God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in the past, Worship Him for it today, and Intercede (pray for) that truth for yourself and others.
SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Acts 15:1–35; Romans 2:17–24; Galatians 5:1
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Today’s reading reminds me of how easily we can add things to what God has said and weigh ourselves (and others) down by them. How we are all in constant need of wisdom from Holy Spirit, as well as input from leaders in the faith. Gentiles have started following The Way (the way of Jesus), and the Jews in the church (also following The Way) start telling all of the Gentiles that they need to be circumcised in order to follow the law of Moses. This wasn’t the apostles or elders telling them this- but some men who were going around. This was probably really confusing, and caused a lot of disruption for the new believers, as they were being told that if they were not circumcised, they could not be saved. Circumcision was what God gave Jews to show the covenant He made with them - to show that they belong to him.) Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to meet with the elders and apostles to discuss all of this. Peter pointed out that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was a sign of the new covenant, and that the Gentiles’ faith in that was how God cleansed their hearts - and that to demand that Gentiles be circumcised was “placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples.” After they all discussed and sought wisdom from Holy Spirit, they sent two men to the Gentiles with a letter to give clarity. The apostles and elders only put on the Gentiles what God had commanded when they said “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.”
The verses in Romans remind all of us that before we put something on others, we need to make sure we are living the way God had called us to. It’s easy to tell others what they should/should not be doing, but not quite as easy to follow it for ourselves. I love that the Lord has made it simple (not necessarily easy, but simple!) to follow him and His ways. The final verse (in Galatians) in our reading today is the reminder of how easy it is for us to add other things to what God has said. “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
Let’s ask Holy Spirit two things today-
1 | Is there one way you are inviting me to stand firm in you today? (Perhaps being rooted in scripture, prayer, Christian community, or something else?)
2 | Is there anything I am putting on myself or others in following Jesus that is actually a yoke of slavery (could be things like guilt/shame from previous sin, pressures from the world, negative patterns like believing lies, destructive relationships, addiction, or something else the Lord brings to mind that has been weighing you, or others, down.) - Gwyn Kubiak
EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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!
