Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 19, 2026

 September 19 -- John 8: 27-33 "They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, 'When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him,' As he was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had beleived him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.' They answered him, 'We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?"

Prayer focus for today:  How many times have you found yourself being questioned about what you believe?  Some of us have experienced this often in our lives, but some have rarely been challenged. (In fact, some of you have probably prayed that you would NEVER be challenged to explain your faith.)  Pray today for God to bring people into your lives who will question your faith in ways that cause you to truly examine what you believe ... and why. Pray for wisdom to know the Truth of Jesus Christ and be able to explain it to those who don't know what truth really is. Pray for each Christian to have the confidence to know what they believe and stand on that truth alone. Don't worry, I'm praying we will also know we're not alone!  (And remember, this doesn't have to be a deep theological explanation, just the truth of God's Word and what Jesus has done to CHANGE YOUR LIFE!!

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 18, 2026

 September 18 -- John 8: 20-26 "These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.   So he said to them again, 'I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.' So the Jews said, 'Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?' He said to them, 'You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.' So they said to him, 'Who are you?' Jesus said to them, 'Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world that I have heard from him.'"

Prayer focus for today: Just as Jesus never changed his story, pray today that each of us would be faithful to speak only God's truth. Pray for strength to NOT be swayed by the world. Sure, the conversation topics may change, and the people you talk with will change, but pray for wisdom and courage to always speak the truth. This is so lacking in our world today. Work to be IN the world, but not OF the world. Pray for true wisdom to understand what this means. So many of us are forwarding social media posts that look "good", but are lacking or twisting Scriptural truth. Pray today that each of us would bear Christ in every choice we make today. 

Scripture and Prayer Focus for September 17, 2026

 September 17 -- John 8: 12-19 "Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' So the Pharisees said to him, 'You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.' Jesus answered, 'Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.'  They said to him therefore, 'Where is your Father?' Jesus answered, 'You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.'"

Prayer focus for today:  How many people would you say you really know?  I mean, REALLY know? Often we call someone a friend or say "someone I know" when we really just know them in passing or from what they choose to reveal on social media. Often, there is the presented "truth" that we see and then there is the truth. It's one thing to know about Jesus, but it's a totally different thing to truly KNOW Jesus. Today, join us in truly praying that each of us would KNOW Jesus. Ask Him to reveal to you the areas where you are just following what you've heard or seen on social media, so that you may truly know where to dig in to the Scriptures for the true truth. Pray for the truth to penetrate years of 'surface religion' in you and those you love that we may all be free in Christ to know, follow, believe, and share. 

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.