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.
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.
SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Acts 19; Luke 3:16; Ephesians 6:12
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…
There was so much to absorb in these passages, it took a bit of time to settle on what stood out for me. Did you have that same feeling? Did you give Holy Spirit time to whisper the nugget for you this morning? I hope so. If not, stop a moment to hear.
Glad you’re back!
Have you witnessed a really excited, loud conversation? It draws you in. “What are they talking about? What is so exciting?!” You almost can’t help yourself. You just gotta know and before you know, you get caught up in the loud exchange of opinions and personal offenses. This is what happened in our reading today in Ephesus. The thoughts of one silversmith worried about his income with this message of Jesus coming to town spread into a riotous group ready to bring harm to the men sharing the message.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we don’t fight against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers and principalities. That crowd seemed to be started by men but in reality the idol makers and craftsmen had been incited by the demons in the city who didn’t want the message of Jesus to interfere with their agenda. What is the agenda of Satan and his demons? His agenda is to elevate himself above God and keep God’s creation from him.
Friends, there is much happening in our cities, country, and world right now. These are important things we need to be aware of and prayerfully consider. But beware of the crowds and wild conversations that incite confusion, anger, and even violence. Satan wants to distract each of us from the message of Jesus and prevent that message of hope, peace, and salvation from spreading.
Ahh…but there was another message we read about too that I couldn’t let go of, and it was the people Paul had met that hadn’t received Holy Spirit. They had been baptized by John waiting for the Messiah but hadn’t taken the next step of receiving the Messiah’s salvation. They too got caught up in the crowd of Jesus’s followers. They watched the wonders of His works and the power of His messages but didn’t receive it for themselves. Sometimes our hearts are being prepared for accepting Jesus’s salvation but then we get caught up in church and the amazing church fellowship and activities and miss the invitation of salvation. Some experience excitement and fun but leave confused about the source of the joy and love.
Friends, don’t get caught up in the excitement of the crowd without knowing the message. Don’t let Satan distract you from the message of Jesus’s salvation, love, and forgiveness. - Renee Richter
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!
