Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 18, 2026

 October 18 -- John 12: 24-30 "'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serve me, he must follow me; and where I am, there wil my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.' 'Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.' Then a voice came from heaven: 'I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.' The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, 'An angel has spoken to him.' Jesus answered, 'This voice has come for your sake, not mine.'"

Prayer focus for today:  Wow!  There is a LOT in today's Scriptures. It's very difficult to make the prayer focus compact, but I'll try. Because I know that most of you who are with us each day are either aware of or actively involved in farming on some level, let's focus on the grain of wheat Jesus mentions early in the passage. If you take a grain of wheat (or any grain seed) and set it on a shelf, nothing will happen -- it cannot do what it was created to do. However, when you put that grain in the ground, cover it, and nourish it, it flourishes and produces the crop it contains inside. Most of us think about the coming harvest (the potential within) when we look at a grain seed, but how many of us see that potential in the lives of those around us?  

Pray today for eyes to see your life and the lives of those around you as having great potential. Pray, especially, for those who are young or those who are lost -- anyone who has not yet accepted Christ. Pray for wisdom to let Christ speak through your actions and words that they would choose to follow Jesus. Pray that they would see the potential of the seed of Jesus you are planting in their lives.  

Finally, pray that you would see life through the lens of Jesus, asking God to help you see each human around you as having great potential. Pray that we would all live, without hesitation, to the full potential God has put inside us. Don't stay sitting on the shelf, plant your roots deep.  Let's go change the world for Jesus.....plant your seed today that the harvest may be bountiful and beautiful. Praying for us all!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 17, 2026

 October 17 -- John 12: 16-23 "His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, 'You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.' Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galiee, and asked him, 'Sir, we wish to see Jesus.' Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.'"

Prayer focus for today:  The key in today's Scriptures is that those who witnessed Jesus raise Lazarus from death continued to bear witness to what they had experienced and seen Jesus do. Pray today that you will never overlook all the amazing things Jesus is doing in your own life - that you will faithfully bear witness of Him in your life. Pray for those around you to hear, see, and choose to believe that Jesus is Lord of your life and wants them to choose Him, as well. 

Pray for those who have lost their faith to trust that God has never left them. Pray that you can bear witness of Jesus in your life today that they may be encouraged. Here's praying each of us can see Jesus in every area of our lives and constantly bear witness, whether we are enjoying the moment or not. Even in the ashes, find Christ's plan. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 16, 2026

October 16 -- John 12: 9-15 "When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, 'Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!' And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 'Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!'"

Prayer focus for today:  Pray today to be true to your beliefs. Let nothing around you sway you from what you believe. Pray for deeper wisdom to know God's Word, study it more completely, and memorize it. Pray for strength to know to respond to those who try to sway you from what you believe and know is true to the Word of God. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 15, 2026

October 15 -- John 12: 1-8 "Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was fillled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 'Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?' He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said, 'Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.'"

Prayer focus for today: I wonder how Mary felt having her sacrifice and time of worshipping and honoring Jesus interrupted with these harsh words from Judas Iscariot. Mary was giving her all in her actions and her gifts, and Judas publicly tried to shame her. His words were quickly subdued by Jesus. 

Pray today that you would be willing to give your ALL to Jesus in honor and worship, without holding back. Pray that you will KNOW how to honor Christ in all things and learn to give freely to Him from whom ALL you have has come. Pray for wisdom to know how to lead others around you to give of their time, talent, and treasure to serve Christ alone.  Nothing given to Jesus is ever wasted. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 14, 2026

 October 14 -- John 11: 53-57 "So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, 'What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?' Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him."

Prayer focus for today: When you first read today's Scriptures, were you thinking to yourself, "Man, if Jesus is God, why is he afraid of the Jewish leaders?  I think all of us think that at first; that Jesus seems to be cowering or hiding from the threats. What we have to remember is that Scripture is NEVER out of line with itself. If something seems to not line up with what you think you understand about a passage of God's Word, you need to pray and spend time studying until you see it more clearly, as God intended. What we need to remember is that Jesus KNEW it was not yet his time to be arrested and/or put to death. He was living his life on earth exactly as God planned it.

Pray today for clearer understanding each time you read God's Word. Pray for self-discipline to study God's Word and make it a priority in your life. Taking care of your spiritual life is just as important as taking care of your physical life. If you discipline yourself to work out, drink enough water, or get quality sleep, don't you think it's equally important to make sure you discipline yourself to study God's Word faithfully to grow in your relationship with Jesus?  Pray today for all of us to become better disciplined in this area and to more clearly understand all God has to say to us. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 13, 2026

October 13 -- John 11: 45-52 "Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, 'What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.' But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, 'You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.' He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad."

Prayer focus for today: As humans, we are always planning, trying to figure out what to do before the consequences turn ugly. We observe that our pantry is getting low, so we plan food and go buy it. We observe that our fuel tank is closing in on "E", so we plan to go to the fueling station. We see there is not enough money to get us through, so we plan things we could sell or try to find ways to earn the money we need. We see the children in our care or others in our home or workplace having disagreements, and we work to resolve that conflict. We are always wanting peace and comfort. Most of these decisions are made as reactions, rather than really thinking about what we're doing.

 The Pharisees and other Jews KNEW what would happen if Jesus were proclaimed as the Messiah. Their leadership and 'comfort' would be gone and the Romans would take over completely. Notice how their reaction -- their only words and probably their only thoughts were about self-preservation and NOT about truth or eternal salvation. 

If you are a Christian, pray today for complete trust in Christ alone -- laying aside the stress of trying to figure things out. (None of it is ever REALLY in our hands; we just fool ourselves into beleiving it is.)  Pray for courage and strength to completely trust God's plan, and not feel like you have to have your own 'backup' plan.  (Believe me, I'm praying this, too. You're not alone in your mindset.) 

If you're not a Christian, pray today, repenting of your sins, and asking Jesus to be your all in all. It will truly be the best decision you ever make!