Scripture and Prayer focus for September 16, 2026

 September 16 -- John 8: 3-11 "The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, 'Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?' This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.'"

Prayer focus for today: The story of the woman caught in adultery has many twists and turns, possibly even mimicking your own life or your favorite streaming show. However, it shows each one of us the personal side of Jesus -- the only one that matters. The woman was brought to him for condemnation by the religious leaders, yet Jesus, in His own special way, pointed out to the leaders that ALL of us are sinful beings in need of forgiveness and hope. While we don't know what He wrote in the ground, some speculate it was the sins of the religious leaders. Others suspect it might have been specific scriptures addressing their sins. Whatever it was, THAT wasn't the focus (if it was, God would have had His words written down). What was important were his final words to the woman brought before Him, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."  These are His words to each of us still today. He doesn't condemn, He teaches. He calls us to Himself. He loves. He forgives. Yet we are also commanded - from now on sin no more. 

Pray today that each of us will take time away from the "usual" of our day and truly ask Jesus to reveal to us the sin in our lives. Pray for that 'next layer' to be peeled back where we would clearly see sin as sin and ask Jesus to forgive us and guide us on the path that would never let us return there. Pray for honest hearts to seek forgiveness from those we have wronged and the strength to 'go and sin no more'. 

Scripture and Prayer focus for September 15, 2026

 September 15 -- John 7:50 - 8:2

"Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 'Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?' They replied, 'Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.' They went each to his own  house, but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them."

Prayer focus for today: Despite the repeated criticism, judgment, and conflict, Jesus kept on doing what He was sent to Earth to do -- show and tell God's truth. Pray today that we can each be more like Jesus and press on in the midst of the struggles each day. Pray for wisdom to know how to respond to each situation; trusting God to give you the words to say in response to conflict. Pray for confidence to humbly and lovingly guide (correct) those who speak falsely to you or about you. Pray for discernment to know God's will - whether you are to respond or be silent and let Him fight your battles. When you trust in the Lord to guide you, directing every step, you will NEVER go wrong!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 14, 2026

 eptember 14 -- John 7: 43-49 "So there was a division among the people over him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, 'Why did you not bring him?' The officers answered, 'No one ever spoke like this man!' The Pharisees answered them, 'Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.'"

Prayer focus for today:  Christianity is one of those ironic things where we have to make the individual decision to believe in and follow Jesus, but we are called to then live in fellowship with other believers.  Pray today for faith to stand alone, knowing confidently what you believe and why. Pray that we will not neglect fellowship with believers, but that we will not be drawn to simply belong to a 'glory club' where truth is compromised by 'going along with the crowd'. 

Scripture and Prayer focus for September 13, 2026

 September 13 - John 7: 35-42 "The Jews said to one another, 'Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?  What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and 'Where I am you cannot come'?' On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'' Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spiriti had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. When they heard these words, some of the people said, 'This really is the Prophet.' Others said, 'This is the Christ.' But some said, 'Is the Christ to come from Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?'"

Prayer focus for today: Pray today for discerning ears, hearts, and minds. Whether you have already been to church today, have yet to go, or will be listening/watching online, don't just be an attender, be a participant. Pray for active ears to listen and discern truth. Pray for hearts and minds willing to not just hear words, shake your head in agreement, or mutter and 'Amen!' -- actually pray that you will better understand who Jesus is and what He is asking of you as a Christian than you ever did before.  Pray for minds to accurately reason what the Scripture says with what your pastor says today. And lastly, but certainly not least, pray for each pastor around the globe who is laboring diligently over God's word, that he may stand worthy of bringing accurate messages that encourage and equip his flock. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 12, 2026

 September 12 -- John 7: 28-34 "So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, 'You know me, and you know where I come from. But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me.' So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, 'When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?' The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about him, and the chief priests and pharisees sent officers to arrest him. Jesus then said, 'I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come.' "

Prayer focus for today: The people Jesus interacted with THOUGHT they knew what they were looking for when the Messiah came. They THOUGHT they understood the scriptures, but they were simply interpretting what they had been taught through the lens of what they had previously experienced - what they knew. We do the same thing today. No matter which continent you live on, you interpret God's word through the lens of what you know; what you have experienced. 

Pray today for God to help you more clearly understand the truth of His Word. Pray for understanding outside of yourself and what you know, to put on the new lens of clearer understanding into how to live for Jesus. Pray that you will no longer limit yourself by thinking you know and understand it all just because you can read the Bible -- if you really dive into the original culture and languages of the Bible, you'll see there is so much more to learn than just what we read on the surface. Pray for all of our Family Legacy staff to teach the truth with clear understanding to each child placed in our care - that each one would choose to believe and follow Jesus. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 11, 2026

 September 11 -- John 7: 21-27 "Jesus answered them, 'I did one work, and you all marvel at it. Moses gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fahters), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. If on the Sabbath a man receives circumcision, so that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because on the Sabbath I made a man's whole body well? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.' Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, 'Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.'"

Prayer focus for today: Double-standards are something we all seem fine living out, yet can't STAND seeing in other people. Jesus was quick to point this out, and it ruffled feathers, to say the least. Pray today for a strong mind and heart to tackle the double-standards you allow in your life. Pray for eyes wide open to see the truth of following Jesus's ways, and let go of the rest. Pray for opportunities to reconcile with those whom you may have offended through the double-standards you allow in your life.

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 10, 2026

 September 10 -- John 7: 14-20 "About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, 'How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?' So Jesus answered them, 'My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?' The crowd answered, 'You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?'"

Prayer focus for today: How many times have you heard someone speak and it becomes evident that they are just speaking so you will marvel at their knowledge?  Sadly, today there are even pastors, just as there were religious leaders in Jesus' day, who speak to try to bring glory to themselves, rather than simply be used of God to speak His truth ... that HE may be glorified. Pray today that we would all be humbled to speak ONLY for Jesus. Pray for wisdom, discernment, and humility to know Him more clearly and speak His truth in love, as Scripture commands. Pray that we would each take time to not just speak words in prayer, but truly sit and wait on Jesus ... listen to His voice ... don't rush on after YOU speak and miss the most important voice of all.