Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 27, 2026

 September 27 -- John 9: 26-34 "They said to him, 'What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?' He answered them, 'I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?' And they reviled him, saying, 'You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.' The man answered, 'Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.' They answered him, 'You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?' And they cast him out."

Prayer focus for today: When our 'eyes' are opened to the truth about something, it changes our perspective. This can be something we learn that opens our 'mind's eyes', something we observe with our physical eyes that helps us view things differently, or something we experience through a growing faith in Jesus Christ that opens our 'spiritual eyes'. After Jesus healed the man who had been born blind, his physical eyes had been opened, but so had his spiritual eyes. Not only could he now see all the things around him that he had never seen before, but he saw Jesus. He knew what Jesus had done and He believed that He was of God. He 'saw' that this man, Jesus, was able to do things no man had ever done before, and he believed. Faith healed him. 

How about you, today? What do you believe as truth? What have you 'seen' or experienced that has grown your faith?  Pray today for strength to trust in Christ alone for all the healing you need. Many of us have issues that keep us living in the dark where we cannot see; let Jesus 'slap a little mud on that blindness' in your life as you learn to see through the new lens of God's Word and truth in Jesus. Pray also for those trapped in blindness - that they may see, believe, and experience the beautiful life He created them to live!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 26, 2026

 September 26, 2026 -- John 9: 18-25 "The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, 'Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?' His parents answered, 'We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.' (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) Therefore his parents said, 'He is of age; ask him.' So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, 'Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.' He answered, 'Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.'" 

Prayer focus for today: Irony is a funny thing. As we continue seeing the story of the man born blind unfold, we see Jesus heal him through his obedience to just do whatever Jesus asked him to do. The irony comes in when we continue to see the Jews confronting this man, all the while missing the fact that they themselves were blind -- blind to the truth of God's word. They didn't believe Jesus was the promised Messiah. They didn't believe He could possibly be doing this out of the goodness of God, but thought He was of the Devil. 

Pray today that where you have spiritual blindness, you would be given sight by Christ alone. Pray for those who need to know Jesus and be set free of whatever is blinding them to His truth to SEE! Pray that where you and I might have judgment against things God has done that we simply don't understand or have trouble believing (as long as it isn't out of line with Scripture) that we would believe our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 25, 2026

 September 25 -- John 9: 10-17 "So they said to him, 'Then how were your eyes opened?' He answered, 'The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed and received my sight.' They said to him, 'Where is he?' He said, "I do not know.' They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, 'He put mud on my eeys, and I washed, and I see.' Some of the Pharisees said, 'This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.' But others said, 'How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?' And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, 'What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?' He said, 'He is a prophet.'"

Prayer focus for today: No matter how you might be pressed to change your story -- be like the man who was formerly blind and tell the truth!  Over and over he was questioned as the Jews tried to trap him (and Jesus), but his story never changed. Pray for strength to always tell the truth of what Jesus has done in your life. Never cower or be afraid -- His truth will always set you free!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 24, 2026

 September 24 -- John 9: 1-9 "As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with mud and said to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, 'Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?' Some said, 'It is he.' Others said, 'No, but he is like him.' He kept saying, 'I am the man.'"

Prayer focus for today: Sin is sin. No matter how good we try to be, Scripture tells us the truth that we are each born with a sinful nature. We cannot ever get rid of that nature, but we can choose to follow Jesus and be forgiven of our sins.  Jesus is the only human who has ever and who will ever walk this earth who has never been sinful. Pray today that you and each person around you would recognize and be humble enough to repent from the sin inside. Pray for healing for those whose sin runs deep inside addictions of all types. Pray for eyes to see others as Jesus sees them, that you would not come at them in 'righteous' judgment, but in love and peace. Pray for words of wisdom to show each person around you the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 23, 2026

 September 23 -- John 8: 55-59 "But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.' So the Jews said to him, 'You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?' Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.' So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple."

Prayer focus for today: We probably all grew up being taught to tell the truth. We've addressed truth many times since beginning this daily prayer walk through God's Word. Often, the truth is comfortable to us. We don't get upset when we hear the truth, because it aligns with what we know. But what happens when someone confronts another with the truth ... and it hurts?  Jesus was confronting the Jews in today's Scripture reading with the truth, but they didn't like it one bit. They were ready to stone him for telling the truth. Why?  Because it cut to the heart of sin in their lives. Pray today for courage to confront lies with truth where needed in your life -- to yourself or to others. Pray for discernment to let God lead with words of wisdom - speaking the truth in love. Pray for Christ to reign in your life so you no longer have any reason to live behind the lies. Jesus loves YOU and created you for a life to truth!  

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 22, 2026

 September 22 -- John 8: 48-54 "The Jews answered him, 'Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?' Jesus answered, 'I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.' The Jews said to him, 'Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.' Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?' Jesus answered, 'If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'"

Prayer focus for today: It's becoming more and more difficult these days to distinguish lies from the truth. Social media allows us to present ourselves any way we wish. Filters or no filters, the way we present our lives is often showing only what we want to reveal -- in the way we want to portray it. Jesus was presenting the truth to the Jews; the truth about Himself, and the truth about their lives. They didn't like it one bit. Pray today for courage to present your life truthfully. Where you have not been truthful, pray for strength to correct that. Pray for the truth of Jesus Christ, and eternal life through Him alone to be portrayed and glorified through your life - in person and in social media. The freeing power of Jesus will amaze you (and those who know you)!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 21, 2026

 September 21 -- John 8: 41-47 "'You are doing the works your father did.'  They said to him, 'We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father -- even God.' Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.'"

Prayer focus for today:  I remember the first time I heard someone say, "If you're not following God, you're following Satan."  It struck me like a ton of bricks. I was hit with the reality of that statement that in any sin, I'm CHOOSING to follow Satan. Let that sink in for a minute. We all get comfortable living our lives the way we want, and we don't often think about sin, because it's the "little things" we get comfortable allowing into our lives. ANYTHING that goes against God's ways is sin. (Not just the big, ugly, socially known things.) I don't know about you, but I know I have things that are sin that I have to stop, acknowledge, and SHED today!  Pray for strength for each of us to repent and turn away from those comfortable sins. It's the only way to experience true freedom in Christ.