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 as little of this guide as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does.
+ Practice gratitude while playing or sing some worship music, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on today’s Old Testament scripture: 2 Samuel 22:26-23:17

+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.” Take time to Thank God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in the past, Worship Him for it, and Intercede (pray for) that truth for yourself and others.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the prayer Jesus taught his followers: the Lord’s Prayer, or pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use the PRAY acronym to guide your prayer through this morning’s Psalm:  Psalm 119:129-136.

P = Pause. As you start your time of prayer, begin by pausing and being still before the Lord.
R = Read. Read the Scripture Focus slowly and focus on words/phrases the Holy Spirit highlights as you read.
A = Ask. Ask God to come and speak to you. Open up your heart to Him as your heavenly Father.
Y = Yield. We want to yield our lives to the words we have prayed and commit to follow Jesus’s way.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Pray a simple prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from John 11:17-30
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? (see Focus on Others)

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

This passage really stuck out to me in today’s reading. I felt like Martha was conflicted; she had all this grief from losing her brother and maybe was a little frustrated with Jesus. She had faith that he could have saved Lazarus but wasn’t yet convinced he had the power to change her current situation. When Jesus says to her, “Your brother will rise again,” she responds, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” There was definitely hope that she would see Lazarus again one day, but she didn’t think she would see him again on this Earth. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

I think Jesus was asking Martha to evaluate if she really trusted Him. I connected with Martha. How many times have I been faced with a situation where I could easily trust God and believe He not only had control over my situation but could blow my mind with what He was capable of doing? But instead, I put His power in a box and formed it into what I am capable of comprehending.

What if I chose to give Him control of my heart and mind instead and allowed myself to believe He was capable of radically changing my situation? - Liz Holland

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying an Examen & Tending Your Heart 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.
+ 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.

FOCUS ON OTHERS |
+ Pray through a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations and those serving them.
+ Text someone a prayer/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.

That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!