Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
Pick a song from one of our Spotify Playlists & let it play in the background.
FOCUS. Our memorization & meditation focus for this study is Amos 5:24.
Breathe in & out slowly. Pray, Jesus, you are just & righteous. Flow through me.
THANK. Write down or say out loud 3-5 things you’re thankful for from the last 24 hours.
WORSHIP. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-19. Focus on one truth about who God is & thank Him for it.
PRAY. Pray the Lord’s Prayer, a Ripple Prayer, or find more at paradoxchurch.com/pray.
READ. Today’s reading is from Amos 2:4-16 & James 2:1-13
ASK. After reading, ask the following SOS Questions & journal your thoughts.
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?
THINK. A Thought from Pastor Mike
Is favoritism a sin? I mean, it isn’t one of the 10 commandments, so no, right? Well God, speaking through Amos, lists it among the transgressions that he is punishing the nation of Judah for. “They trample the heads of the poor on the dust of the ground and obstruct the path of the needy.” Basically those with wealth were taking advantage of those without it for their own gain. God calls us to care for the widows, orphans, and needy of our world, not use, abuse, or ignore them. James, brother of Jesus, says it very plainly: “If, however, you show favoritism, you commit sin…” I love that James also points out that: “God choose the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.” Or as the sorcerer Wong from the Marvel movies would say, “Attachment to the material is detachment from the spiritual.” So my personal takeaways are:
1) Don’t give more of my attention to those around that are higher on the socio-economic ladder. (Notice I didn’t say “give no attention to…just not more attention.”)
2) Considering what Pastor Dave said yesterday, if there are things I can do to help those in need and I don’t do them, I am sinning.
3) If what James says about the poor is true, I want to be poorer in this world in order to be richer in faith.
Do you agree? What are your takeaways? Comment in the forum (see link below).
TALK. That was our take - what’s yours? Share thoughts & ask questions in the forum.
SHARE. Stay focused with a friend! Invite them to text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.

Stay focused on Jesus today, and make it a great one!