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: Jeremiah 31:10-11, 31-34
+ 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 “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 141:5-10
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 Ephesians 2, Romans 5:6-11, & Colossians 1:21-23
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…
As I was reading through our scriptures for today, I started thinking about dating apps. No, I do not frequently think about dating apps. I am happily married and April and I met before apps were invented, so I have never even been on one. So why did they come to mind? It’s a weird thought actually: who would God select on a dating app? Typically the app is used to narrow the field and connect to the one person who best fits the searcher’s criteria of who they want to be with. We humans when setting our criteria would want to avoid connecting with anyone who is clearly unstable, broken, or needy. Thankfully, God is not like us. Most of today’s readings start by talking about how we are: “alienated and hostile”, “helpless”, “dead in our sins”. This doesn’t sound like a very attractive profile. Yet God’s criteria for selecting us to connect with has nothing to do with how good we are, but how good HE is. In his crazy love for us God sees past the brokenness. He sent Jesus to “make us alive”, “redeem us”, and “forgive our iniquity…never remembering our sins”. It feels good to be chosen. It is humbling to know that God sees us, warts and all, and says with his actions: ‘you are beautiful, and I have literally moved from heaven to earth to be with you.’
At all times, but especially this Christmas season, let us strive to be like Jesus in how we view one another. Let’s embrace the messy. Let’s see past the warts in one another and show each other love, as we ourselves have been so loved by God.  - Mike Nank

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.

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?

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