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: 1 Kings 8:54-9:19
+ 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 125.
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 14:15-24
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…
Have you ever had days where you felt so completely alone? I have, somewhat, especially in these past seven months. You see, I have lived with family in one way or another since I was born - except for a couple of years before I met my husband Chuck. I know that I am never, and let me repeat that, NEVER ALONE! I know for a fact that the Holy Spirit lives in me and with me. As we dive into this passage in John, I pray that you will come to realize that you too, are never alone.
John tells us about Jesus addressing the disciples, explaining to them that He is going to be leaving them physically, very soon. But He also informs them that He will never leave them alone. In John 14:15-17 He tells them, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world can not receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” I am certain that the disciples were a little confused by this, but soon enough they would understand completely.
Just as Jesus’ promised to never leave the disciples alone, He promises that for us as well. For those of us who love Him and follow Him, He has sent us a “helper”, the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit dwells in each of us - as a friend, comforter, and a guide. Because the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and the Father are all one, God dwells within us. Pretty amazing! God loves us so much that He wants to live with us, He wants to have a relationship with us. He longs for us to recognize Him and to live as His children, Jesus goes on to explain this very thing to the disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you…Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in Me, and I in you…He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and Manifest myself to him…If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” from John 14: 18-23.
What a huge blessing we have received from our Heavenly Father! He has given us the Holy Spirit so that we will never be alone, and through the Spirit we are given power to overcome evil and to spread the Word to a hungry world. So let us follow Jesus and keep His commandments, by loving one another, and blessing others, in His name. - Dawn Custer
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!
