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. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 26, 2026

 October 26 -- John 13: 31-38 "When he had gone out, Jesus said, 'Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Simon Peter said to him, 'Lord, where are you going?' Jesus answered him, 'Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.' Peter said to him, 'Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.' Jesus answered, 'Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times."

Prayer focus for today: "Say what you mean and mean what you say."  It's a phrase I grew up hearing from parents and teachers, a LOT. It was the constant reminder that we don't lie and we should always check ourselves before we speak to assure that we are saying words we have thought about, not just flying off the cuff.  Jesus was questioning Peter, not because He didn't know what Peter would do, but because He DID know exactly what Peter would do when his faith was challenged. 

How about you?  When your faith is challenged by people or circumstances that push you to the edge, do you remain faithful to Christ or do you crumble into doubt, disbelief, or rebellion?  Pray today that Christ would transform you into a faithful follower of His - one who would ALWAYS speak truth and ALWAYS build up instead of tear down. This may sound simple, but God still has a LOT of work to do ... in all of us. Pray today that you'll be able and willing to withstand the 'makeover'. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 25, 2026

 October 25 -- John 13: 23-30 "One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at the table at Jesus' side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, 'Lord, who is it?' Jesus answered, 'It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.' So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, 'What you are going to do, do quickly.' Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, 'Buy what we need for the feast,' or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night."

Prayer focus for today:  Have you ever TRULY stopped to think about the fact that none of us is ever truly alone. No matter what deep, dark truth we hold, the one true God knows it all. He knows our thoughts, actions, every little detail of every situation in our lives --- and He knows it before we ever start down that path. Jesus knew Judas - his heart, his plans, his future. Pray today for humility to stop and seek God's face. Ask forgiveness for those sins you are so comfortable with you don't even ask forgiveness anymore, because they are such a part of you you don't even recognize them as sin anymore. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 24, 2026

 October 24 -- John 13: 16-22 "'Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.' After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.' The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke."

Prayer focus for today:  Today is a day very dear to our hearts - Zambia's 62nd Independence Day!  Please join us in praying for the nation of Zambia and all who live here. Pray that each Zambian will choose to receive Christ, not just claiming Christianity because they are Zambian, but truly choose to repent of their sins, turn from selfish choices, and choose Christ alone - no matter what it costs them. Pray that our leaders in Zambia will not seek worldly fame, power, or money, but serve humbly and be used by the God who created them to make lasting change for the good of all Zambians. Pray that God would choose to bless the land with rain and abundant crops, but most importantly that all would depend on Him alone for provision. Pray for all the children we serve at the Tree of Life as we enter the time of our national examinations - that God would bless them with recall of all they've learned so they can continue on the path God has planned for them. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 23, 2026

 October 23 -- John 13: 9-15 "Simon Peter said to him, 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!' Jesus said to him, 'The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.' For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, 'Not all of you are clean.' When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, 'Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you."

Prayer focus for today: Have you ever tried to teach someone to do something new?  Maybe you taught something to your child to help him gain more independence or were tasked with training a co-worker so you both could perform your jobs better. Jesus was leading by example. He was teaching without making a big lecture about it. He taught humbly, yet thoroughly. Showing and telling about the process as he went along. 

Pray today for a heart to teach others. Of course, the most important teaching is to train up the next generation of Christians, but unless you live completely alone, there is SOMEONE around you who needs to learn something today. Pray that you will recognize the gifts and talents God has poured into you that make you unique, that you would be willing to pour it out onto others who will follow after you. Pray that we will each loose the mentality that we can't teach all we know to someone else, or they might take our position. No, Jesus made it clear that we are all to train those coming after us. Scripture teaches this over and over again. Pray today that YOU will make a difference in someone so the next generation after you will know Christ and serve like Him. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 22, 2026

 October 22 -- John 13: 1-8 "Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, 'Lord, do you wash my feet?' Jesus answered him, 'What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.' Peter said to him, 'You shall never wash my feet.'  Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.'"

Prayer focus for today: Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet is probably one of the most copied practices for team building or servanthood in the modern church today. If you have never participated in a foot washing ceremony, I would highly encourage it. At least for me, it was one of the most humbling experiences I've ever been through. 

Pray today for  a truly repentant heart. Pray for those around you who THINK they are saved, but are far from Jesus. Pray that we would all be firm in our faith, but willing to be humble and "do the dirty work" that being a servant of the One True God takes. Pray that you will be an example of Christ's love to others -- many around you need to know HIM. Perhaps it's YOU!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for October 21, 2026

 October 21 -- John 12: 44-50 "And Jesus cried out and said, 'Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment -- what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.'"

Prayer focus for today: How would our lives be different if we made sure that every word we spoke was "as the Father has told (us)"? Stop reading and let that soak in for a minute. How often do we allow ourselves to get pulled into Satan's lies that we have to respond IMMEDIATELY to situation without thinking or praying?  How often do we ask God to help us hold our temper but forget to ask Him to help us hold our tongue when gossip is REALLY JUICY??  Pray today to have the heart and mind of Jesus. Pray that you will know with confidence that what you say is what the Father would have you say. Pray for His words to flow from you ... and nothing else.