Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

WEEKLY 40 FOR 40 FOCUS | Developing Leaders (Genesis 12:1-3 & 2 Kings 13)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
Pray that we would raise up the next generation to impact the nations and expand God's kingdom. Pray for 40+ "Missional Arrows" from Paradox in 2024 and an additional $40,000 in our budget to fund them.
How have I been blessed to “be a blessing” and build God’s kingdom through serving & giving?

DAILY PRAYER FOCUS | Use the PRAY acronym each morning. 
P = Pause. As you start your time of prayer, begin by pausing and being still before the Lord.
R = Read. Read the Scripture Focus slowly and focus on words/phrases the Holy Spirit highlights as you read.
A = Ask. Ask God to come and speak to you. Open up your heart to Him as your heavenly Father.
Y = Yield. We want to yield our lives to the words we have prayed and commit to follow Jesus’s way.
Begin your prayer with “Father, I remember your faithfulness to…” and respond with, “Give me faith to…”

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 18
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
S = Say. What is the main point? What does it teach about God (Jesus) & yourself?
O = Obey. What can you apply (practice) from this passage today?
S = Share. Who can you share what you’re learning with today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
When seeking out information, it is always VERY important to consider the source. We wouldn’t, I hope, trust information that some random person posts on FB or IG without vetting it against more reputable news outlets (if those even still exist). Chances are the person posting news has an agenda. Maybe their agenda is altruistic and they just want to share life-giving information with the world. Or…not.
Since the dawn of time man has sought useful information and/or connection to beings OUTSIDE of our perceivable universe, with the belief that they must have some insight from a “higher” viewpoint. In today’s reading, God warns his people to STAY AWAY from these practices! Do not seek communication to “the other side” through mediums, fortune tellers, etc. He calls it an abomination! Why?
Consider the source. We have DIRECT connection to God through his Holy Spirit, and God invites us to speak directly to him. He also sends prophets to speak for him, speaks through his Word (the Bible), and uses other believers in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to help speak through his Word. So, if you are seeking answers in the “spiritual plane” outside of the Holy Spirit’s involvement it begs the question: who are you hearing from? And the corresponding question: what is their agenda? If God’s agenda is life-giving, and they are not with him, and Jesus said “whoever is not with us is against us”…then I would conclude other beings’ agendas are not life-giving.
Hang up that call immediately! Give God a ring. - Mike Nank

REMEMBERING PRACTICE | (Optional) Practice remembering with a Daily Examen each evening.
The Examen prayer was made popular by Ignatius of Loyola (1491 – 1556). It has helped Christians for centuries to re-center themselves on Jesus as they come to the end of long days. We are using a variation creat-ed by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us remember Jesus at the close of our days.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy or joyful? What made you anxious or burdened?
Rejoice = Give thanks to God for the small and the significant things from the day.
Repent = Ask God for forgiveness where you need. Receive His forgiveness afresh.
Reboot = Commit to walk with Jesus tomorrow. Ask for grace to see His presence more clearly.
*For help or an audio prayer version, use the Lectio 365 app.

SHARE THE FOCUS | 1-5 Minutes
1. Text someone a prayer/encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
2. Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.

That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!