Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.

WORSHIP | 5-15 Minutes
Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
Start by playing some worship music you love, or choose from one of our Spotify Playlists.
Journal or say out loud 3-5 things you’re thankful for in the last 24 hours.
Going Deeper: Pray Amos 5:14-15. Focus on one truth about who God is & thank Him for it.

PRAYER | 5-15 Minutes
Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Start praying for yourself using the Lord’s Prayer or pray for others using a Ripple Prayer.
Going Deeper: Learn more about prayer & try out a practice at paradoxchurch.com/pray.

SCRIPTURE | 5-25 Minutes
Our scripture focus for this study is Romans 3:23-24. Try memorizing it!
Today’s reading is from Romans 13
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?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING
In today’s politically charged, bipartisan climate it is hard for most people to believe that God is comfortable with certain people in leadership. But if God’s word is to be believed, then God wanted Donald Trump to be our 45th president. God wants Joe Biden in the oval office right now. Whomever is next will be the one God wants. “How is that possible?”, you might ask. Remember, God works all things together for good for those who love him. God knows better than we do what type of leader we need in place in order to create the environment needed for us to grow. God used Pharaoh’s harshness to prepare his people for deliverance. God used Pontius Pilate’s weakness to execute Jesus so that we all might be delivered. He sees the bigger picture. While we may not like a leader’s ideology or trust their judgement, God can be trusted.
So what is our part? Respect and obey those in authority, and love our neighbor as ourself. Let’s focus on what we can control and leave the rest for the one who is in authority over all.- Mike Nank

SHARE | 1-5 Minutes
Text someone a prayer/encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
Going Deeper: 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!