Scripture and Prayer Focus for November 2, 2026

 November 2 -- John 15: 15-21 "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. 'If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.'"

Prayer focus for today:  As I was watching the children at our mission post yesterday, I was struck by something that I hadn't thought about for many years, "These young people are working so hard to try to impress people they probably won't ever see again once they leave our facility."  Oh, they might still have a few friends from the same community, but the likelihood is most of these will never be lifelong friends. But you know what?  We adults are often the same way. We "shape" our social media to project a version of us that we are comfortable sharing. (Often it's filled with so many filters we wouldn't recognize you if we met on the street. ) We post what we think will impress people or bring them to send messages of encouragement so we don't feel alone, hoping they are in support of us. All the while, many of us are hating ourselves ... or hating others, because we believe their social media shows their truth -- a perfect life. Pray today to move beyond what impresses people and seems like the norm in society. Pray for changes that will make you more like Christ. Pray simply to be hated by the world because they hated Christ first. After all, that's the best crowd to follow!  Praying for each one of us today, as we walk this walk ... unashamed of Jesus!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for November 1, 2026

 November 1 -- John 15: 8-14 "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandements and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. 'This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.'"

Prayer focus for today: If Jesus stood in front of you today and asked you to describe His love, what would you say?  This is something most of us would THINK we could do, but if actually pressed to do it, we would fail to even come close. Yet, notice how in today's Scriptures, Jesus says, "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."  Now, not being able to fully grasp Jesus's love doesn't give us an excuse to not do our best to aim for perfection in this area. We have to study Jesus's Words in the Bible to see all the ways Jesus loved in word AND in deed ... then copy that. We have to pray for wisdom to better understand the love of God every day so that we might live it out exactly as Scripture says. And remember, scripture addresses what love IS and what it is NOT. Be sure to keep learning -- here's praying with you for growth and love ... Jesus style!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 31, 2026

 October 31 -- John 15: 1-7 "'I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.'"

Prayer focus for today: Today's final verse is one that a LOT of people who say they are Christians claim over their lives. On the surface - all alone -- it sounds perfect!  What most ignore is the true meaning of what Jesus is saying. He's NOT saying, 'If you tell people you are a Christian and act pretty good, your every wish is my command.'  Yet, many people act as if that's exactly what Jesus is saying. Why? Because we often treat the Bible like a buffet where we can pick and choose what we want and leave the rest behind. However, if you look at the definition of the word ABIDE, there is nothing that implies a loose, casual relationship. It means to remain stable or fixed. In otherwords, GROUNDED and FIRM. In order to have that type of a relationship, we all have to know ALL of God's Word. We have to pursue truth of all Scripture and not just a few that we like. Jesus is reminding all of us, that in order to be assured that whatever we ask for will be granted, we have to let God change our hearts first. We have to be content following Christ and not seeking after the world, praying Jesus will let us have all we want. Pray for a heart to never want anything outside of God's Will.... when that happens you will always have your needs met, just as God promises.  As you grow to know more and more God's ways and His design, you will notice what you WISH for will change ... just as Jesus intended!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 29, 2026

 October 29 -- John 14: 15-22 "'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 cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 'I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. 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. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.' Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, 'Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?'"

Prayer focus for today: Today's scripture may seem like just another passage of dialogue, but look deeper. Jesus is laying out the plan of the Trinity. God's perfect design to allow us to worship Him as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all in ONE Holy God. As I was praying over today's Scripture reading and prayer time, it struck me that many of you reading this are being pulled in many different directions. Often we take time to read things like emails, text in a social media post, texts and messages from friends and work, yet we really don't take time to let anything soak in. It seems to me we have become a society living like a pinball machine being knocked around by the latest "incoming assault", yet most of us never stop to realize it's happening. 

Take, for example, those of you who have been faithfully reading Scripture and praying with us since July when we began sharing these daily posts. How often do we get pulled into reading the words, agreeing with the prayer requests, but then quickly swiping or scrolling on to the 'next thing' without really giving time to pray - both speaking and listening. We all say we want that personal relationship with Jesus, yet many of us are using Him like a genie in a bottle -- we want to make a request then hope if we 'rub Him the right way', the genie will pop out and grant all our wishes. God is not like that. Pray today -- ok, I mean truly stop all other things going through your brain and pray. Ask God to forgive you for being distracted from your relationship with Him and ask Him to give you the strength to develop a new, better habit in rejecting the pull of social media habits. I truly believe if we would pray and commit to fixing our relationship with Jesus, all other relationships would fall into place as our habits become Christ focused, and not world focused. I love you all and am praying with you today. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 28, 2026

 October 28 -- John 14: 8-14 "Philip said to him, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.' Jesus said to him, 'Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. 'Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.'"

Prayer focus for today: Despite all the time the disciples had been with Jesus, they still couldn't fully grasp who He was ... and WHOSE He was. Scripture tells us, we are the same. No human can fully grasp all there is to know about the God who created us. Jesus knew this, and tried to present it simply, yet fully, to everyone He spoke to. Pray today that, no matter how long you have followed Jesus, that you will never grow tired of learning more. Pray for a heart to seek after Jesus -- pursue Him like a new love!  Pray that you will grow each day with a new understanding of who God is and who He created you to be. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 27, 2026

 October 27 -- John 14: 1-7 "'Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.' Thomas said to him, 'Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?' Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.'"

Prayer focus for today: Have you ever been lost?  I mean REALLY lost - where you didn't even know which way to attempt to go?  This happens to all of us from time to time. We THINK we know where we are going and all of sudden we realize we have no idea where we are nor where to go. Isn't it comforting to know that if we are a Christ-follower we will always know where to go? We can always go to Jesus. Even if you have never truly chosen to follow Jesus, it's not too late. Pray today that you can trust in Jesus to show you the way. He wants to be your leader, your guide through all the ups and downs. Pray that you will no longer allow Satan to distract you with pride thinking you either HAVE it all figured out and know exactly what to do all the time or you THINK you have it all figured out. Jesus is there waiting on you to trust in Him and His ways alone. Pray that you can teach your children or those over whom you have influence the way of Jesus.  Jesus IS the way, the truth, and the life. He is the ONLY way to the Father and eternal peace with God. Trust Him today.