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.
Further Focus: Read Psalm 122. 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.
If you’re just starting out, simply pray the prayer Jesus taught his followers: the Lord’s Prayer.
Further Focus: Pray through the Lord’s Prayer using this Lord’s Prayer guide.

SCRIPTURE | 5-25 Minutes
Our scripture focus for this study is Ezra 3:11. Try memorizing it!
Today’s reading is from Ezra 1
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?
Further Focus: One of the best ways to learn more about the Bible is by discussing it with others.
Work through this week’s Lifegroup Discussion Guide and meet up with a Paradox Lifegroup. *Coming Soon!

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING
Did you know? Ezra, Nehemiah & Chronicles are actually the last three books of the Hebrew Bible. The book of Ezra begins when the King of Persia, Cyrus, conquers Babylon in 539 BC. Many of the Israelites were living in exile after the temple was destroyed in 586 BC. When Cyrus issued his decree in 538 BC, the Jewish people were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. As the people returned and faced opposition to building, Ezra wrote to reorient the hearts of the people to God. As you read, look for themes of God’s larger redemptive story (God is often working when we don’t see it), holiness & worship (God was rebuilding not just a place of worship, but a people who would worship Him and stand out from other nations culturally), and repentance (it wasn’t just returning home, but a return to living in a good & right relationship with God.) Ask God how He might be inviting you to return to Him, repent, realign your heart, and restore your relationship throughout this study. - Dave Kubiak

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!