The Morning Focus Daily Devotional with Rick and McKenna

Have you ever walked away from God before? Whether we recognize it or not, God pursued us long before we pursued him. God Made us, Marked us, and wooed us long before we came to him. If you need that reminder this morning, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.   John 10:28  

Do you feel stuck? The worst part of feeling stuck is the helplessness that comes with it. This morning, if you feel stuck, join Rick and McKenna for The Morning Focus, they'll be talking about how God has not left us helpless. " Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would...

Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good; his love endures forever.   Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—   those he redeemed from the hand of the foe." Psalm 107:1-2

"Praise be the the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19

'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us,who can be against us?" Romans 8:31

I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." Exodus 34:6   

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Do things with God feel complicated? It's okay if they are- I mean we're in relationship with literally God - we are incapable of fully understanding Him. Questions come with the territory. While it is good to lean into those questions, sometimes we need to be reminded of the simple things we can hold onto. For a simple reminder, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. And...

This verse is a Christmas classic. But it does beg the question, if you are a believer, are you living like you know THE good news that brings great joy? Often that verse has been used as a guilt trip. This morning, we don't bring this up to bring you any sort of guilt or chastisement. Rather, we bring it up as a reminder, and a challenge to the excuses we make for ourselves that change the way we...

You've heard the phrase before, "putting salt in the wound." It's the idea that sometimes when things are hard, instead of getting better and simplifying, more gets added to the situation. If you've been struggling through this season, then you understand. You understand how the holidays can feel like taking the pain you already experience and putting a magnifying glass right over it. However, God...

When an angel popped up in front of Mary and described the whole Immaculate Conception plan to her- she had to be feeling so much. Shocked, afraid, worried, honored, excited, humbled, nervous. Maybe you're life has change pretty drastically. Maybe you sought out those changes, or maybe they came completely unexpectedly. Whatever kind of change it is, how we respond matters. Join Rick and McKenna f...

What has your attention this morning? We all love the idea of a serene, calm, cozy morning. But how often does that actually happen? Even though the enemy works to compound and complicate life, God gives us a simple but powerful response. For a reminder, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"   John 1:29  

New Christian Music Artist Megan Woods joins us to share about her own story. We dig into the lies she used to believe and the process of swapping those lies for truth. Hear about her song, The Truth, and how it relates to what God says about you.

When you don't like where you are, the only thing you want is to be somewhere else. But what happens when that feels impossible? What happens when you feel absolutely stuck and hopeless? What if having a "new song in your mouth" feels terribly far away? If these questions sound like your own, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned...

How often do you think God says, "Alright, I'm tired of this."? I mean there is so much injustice in the world. Honestly, you could probably find enough in your own life to point out that would give Him reason to say that. Maybe you've felt that before, not necessarily that God is fed up with the world, but that He is fed up with you. You've messed up so many times. You've gone back on your word s...

Sometimes the enemy uses lies. Sometimes the enemy uses loud temptations. But, often the enemy recognizes when to let a sleeping dog lie. It's easy to get distracted, the course of life does that pretty naturally to us on its own. We can forget the reality of our own situation, and the enemy has no interest in reminding us. If you want a reminder of the Good News this morning, join Rick and McKenn...

Do you ever hear something one way, and then you can't hear it any other way? There are some verses in the Bible that I think are this way too. John 14:6 is typically used when sharing the gospel. But it can also stand for a believer who is struggling in their walk. If you're curious about how this verse could encourage you, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus. Jesus ans...

It's just what I'm supposed to do. Have you ever said that before? Maybe you've felt that way when you've thought about your obedience to God or the way you trust Him. While that isn't a sinful indset, it can be one that hurts you in the long one. It can change your view of God so that you see Him more as a strict teacher waiting on you to submit your homework, rather than a loving Father and Frie...

Have you ever had someone hype you up? They got you all excited and pumped- helped you believe that no matter what happened, you could do it! Having a friend like that is super valuable, but can be a little deceiving. Because the truth is that there is only so much we can do on our own. We have limited strength, bravery, and patience. But God doesn't! Join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of t...

It seems to be that many of us have a pretty selective memory; holding onto the worst and most painful or shame inducing moments of our lives, and forgetting the rest. If you struggle to see yourself outside of the limits of your own past, join Rick and McKenna for today's episode of The Morning Focus.  He said to them: "You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or...

"We live life in the utterly mundane. We exist in the bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, and hallways of life. This is where the character of our life is set. This is where we live the life of faith. There simply are not many grand moments of life, and we surely don't live life in those moments. " - Gloria Furman For a reminder of God's presence in the mundane, join Rick and McKenna for today's ep...

He trains my hands for battle;      my arms can bend a bow of bronze. Psalm 18:34