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.

MORNING 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.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Luke 22:7-23, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, Hebrews 9:3-26 & Hebrews 10:11-12
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…
The Last Supper, found in Luke 22:7-23, is a pivotal moment where Jesus gathers with his disciples to share a final meal before his crucifixion. Far from the end, though, this Supper marks a beginning. Passover was when the Jewish people would look back on and remember how they were “passed over” - their firstborn saved from death by their act of faith in putting the blood of a lamb over their door and their consequent deliverance from Egypt. Jesus repurposes this ritual, inviting his followers to remember how he - God’s firstborn and only Son - would be sacrificed, the blood of this “Lamb of God” would be shed to save us and deliver us. Jesus instructs us to remember him through the bread and wine, symbolizing his body and blood. Jesus’ sacrifice is the “once and for all” kind. It isn’t that communion forgives our sin - in it we remember who Jesus is, what Jesus accomplished, and who we are as we return to this table to remember. The Lord's Supper serves as a tangible reminder of Christ's redemptive work, inviting believers to partake in communion (relationship!) with him and with one another. It's a sacred moment where we remember, celebrate, and proclaim the victory won for us through the cross. Today, respond to Jesus’ invitation be celebrating Communion on your own or with your family. Then, make plans to join us at Paradox to pray the Stations of the Cross from 12-5pm or at our 7pm Evening Service. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Pray the 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 created by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us re-focus on 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!

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.

MORNING 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.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 34
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…
God allowed Moses who he considered his friend to see the promised land, however; he didn’t allow him to step into it.  Just before Moses died he climbed Mount Nebo and God showed him the promised land from the top of the mountain.  Disobedience kept him from entering into the promised land. Moses died at 120 years old and scripture records that at the time of his death his eyesight was not weak, neither was his strength gone. Although he didn’t set foot in the promised land, he was undoubtedly with God. Even though God disciplined Moses, he still referred to him as a friend. Moses was a great example of God’s handiwork. Although he was a man of slow speech, God used him greatly.  Moses was delivered from being a stuttering shepherd into a national leader.  Moses had great respect and honor for God, who he met face to face.  Moses was aware that all his power had come from God. The Lord used Moses mightily to perform signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. Moses was victorious over Pharoah’s wicked plots over the Israelites. We can glean from Moses' response to the Lord’s discipline.  He did not turn away from God in anger, or shrink with embarrassment.  Instead he turned to God with reverence, openness, love and a desire to do better.  He may have not made it into the desired promised land, but he has eternal life with the Father.  Likewise, we may not complete everything we aspire to do in this life, but eternal life with God outweighs anything we could ever imagine. - Colleen Payton

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Pray the 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 created by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us re-focus on 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!

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.

MORNING 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.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 32:48-52 & 33
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…
Whenever I read Deuteronomy, I think of the value of these words, the last words of Moses. What we have read today are the final recorded words of Moses to the people of Israel. Some of the people will cherish these words, just as I cherish my father's final words. Almost all of the tribes received a blessing in these final words, but it’s verse 33:26 that captured my attention.

“There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to help, through the skies in his majesty.”

This large group of wanderers had come to the end of their journey, and Moses was sending them off to conquer the Promised Land. He reminds them once again that they weren’t facing the battle alone. The majestic God of Israel rode through the heavens to help them. This is beyond encouraging! Yet, did you catch the name Moses uses for Israel - Jeshurun? Jeshurun means dear upright people. If you ‘ve read about the people of Israel rescued by God from Egypt, you’d know they didn’t always exhibit faith and uprightness, yet Moses, their blessed leader, gave them this title. This is how he saw them at that moment. It is my belief God saw them in this way as well (2 Timothy 3:16). There are times when I am facing difficulty, I look at my unworthiness to come to God. But, here God is telling me and each of you that even though He is aware of those times of weakened faith, He sees a person He is deeply in love with and a person He either longs to call child or through faith in Jesus, is a child in His family. The same child He promised to never leave or abandon. (Hebrews 13:5) Like the Israelites facing the coming battles in the Promised land, He will be with me and you during the difficulty times. - Renee Richter

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Pray the 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 created by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us re-focus on 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!

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.

MORNING 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.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 32:1-47
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…
This one phrase from verse 4 really struck me today: “all his ways are justice”. Does this mean that God always does the right thing? No, because that would mean there was some other scale, external to God, that his actions are measured by. Moses didn’t say “all his ways are just”, he said “all his ways are justice”. Therefore, God doesn’t always do the right thing, but rather everything God does is right. He is the standard. He IS the scales. Why? Simply said…no one is powerful enough to tell him otherwise. God can do whatever he wants, and it’s the right thing because whomever holds the power holds the scales. And while this sounds ominous and a little scary, let’s look at what God has done with his infinite power and unrivaled supremacy. He gives us life. He gives us choice. He gives us purpose. He gives us himself. He gives us grace. I for one am VERY glad that the supreme being in the universe is God, as revealed to us in the person of Jesus, and not some sadistic, self-centered monster.
Moses calls God a Rock several times in this passage. A rock is a rock, and it doesn’t change. You can either build on rock and have a steady foundation, or be crushed by one. I choose to happily accept God’s sovereignty. I will trust and follow him. - Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Pray the 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 created by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us re-focus on 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!

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.

MORNING 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.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 31:14-30
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…
They say when the going gets tough, the tough get going. But what about when the going gets easy? It feels counter-intuitive, but there are times when it can almost be tougher to keep going than it is to get going. And the “easy” times can actually be the “tough” ones. Today’s question isn’t what you start doing when things are tough - but what you keep doing when they get easy, or comfortable. As the Israelites prepared to enter the Promised Land, the struggles of wilderness life were on the verge of being forgotten. They would no longer rely on God for daily provisions like quail and manna; food would be abundant. This newfound abundance posed a risk of self-reliance and idolatry, leading to dire consequences. It's natural to turn to God during hardships, but it's crucial to maintain dependence on Him in times of ease. When life seems manageable, there's a tendency to rely on our own strength rather than God's. To stay focused on Jesus, we must actively engage in practices like daily reading of Scripture to fill our minds with truth, expressing gratitude, dependance and reliance on Jesus through prayer, and finding ways to serve others - which keeps life in perspective and prevents us from idolizing blessings instead of God Himself. Yesterday, we remembered Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. On that day, following Jesus was easy. Comfortable. Good. Just days later around a comfortable table, Peter confidently denied Jesus’ prediction that he would deny him. And yet, when things got hard, that’s exactly what he would do. Three times. As we enter into this “Holy Week,” you may feel a sense of ease or “coasting,” especially if you’ve given something up for Lent. I’d encourage you to press in even more this week. Keep going. Stay focused on Jesus in it. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Pray the 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 created by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us re-focus on 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!

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 | Diligent Teaching (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
Pray for our generation. Pray that we would be a generation that loves God, holds His commands in our heart, & teaches the next generation to follow Him. Is there a step of obedience God is inviting me to take?

Note: This past weekend at Paradox, we created reminders of the choices we’re making to remember God’s faithfulness and respond in faith. If you missed it, watch the message and learn how we’re responding.

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 31:1-13
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…
The Israelites are now standing at the edge of the Promised Land, after wandering in the wilderness for the past 40 years. Moses addresses them, explaining that he will not be crossing over into the Promised Land, that Joshua will be leading them across the Jordan. The Israelites may have believed that it was Moses who had been leading them all these years, when in reality they were being led by God. Moses understood this completely, and in verse 6 he tells them, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Moses is referring to the Israelites being in fear of the people that were occupying the Promised Land. The Lord promises to go before them and to remove or subdue these people. These words of encouragement and reassurance are repeated throughout this passage - it is reiterated in the next passage - “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

The words are for us in these uncertain times as well. We need to remember the the Lord our God is with us always - He goes before us and makes a way in the “desert moments” of our life. He has our best interest at heart, to provide our needs and to keep us safe. We need to remind ourselves especially in times of stress and troubles, the He is with us and that He will never leave us or forsake us. We need to stand strong in our faith and not become afraid or discouraged. Remember to pray, asking for His guidance and clarity. He will surprise you with what He has in store for you. I am thankful for our Lord’s guidance and support my whole life, even when I didn’t realize He was working all things for my good at the time, I can look back over my life and say with confidence, “Thank You Lord, I see your hand in it all.” Amen - Dawn Custer

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!

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 | Diligent Teaching (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
Pray for our generation. Pray that we would be a generation that loves God, holds His commands in our heart, & teaches the next generation to follow Him. Is there a step of obedience God is inviting me to take?

Note: This past weekend at Paradox, we created reminders of the choices we’re making to remember God’s faithfulness and respond in faith. If you missed it, watch the message and learn how we’re responding.

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 30
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…
The Lord’s call in this chapter reverberates through the generations, reminding us of the power of choice with the equivalent consequences, the hope of repentance, and the eternal faithfulness of God. Even in our current struggles the wisdom from these biblical principles guide us, encouraging us to choose the path of life and blessing through our obedience and love. Moses told the Israelites that when they were ready to return to God, He would be ready to receive them. God’s mercy is beyond our comprehension and imagination. Even if His people deliberately walked away from Him and ruined their lives God would still take them back, forgive them, and give them spiritual renewal when they would repent. God will bring His people back from the most distant locations and lands and “circumcise their hearts” meaning they would genuinely love  and commit to Him. Why do you think God places such a strong emphasis on “choice” in this chapter? How can you actively “choose life” in your day-to-day decisions? The Lord created us with a free will to choose or to reject life, death, prosperity, disaster, good, evil, blessings, or curses. In verse 19a, the Lord through Moses said, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would CHOOSE LIFE.” (NLT). The people of God were challenged to choose life, to obey God, and to continue to experience His blessings. God doesn’t force His will on anyone. He allows us to decide whether to follow Him or reject Him. This decision is a life-or-death matter and daily in each new situation, we must affirm and reinforce this commitment to the Lord our God. - Lawrence Payton

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!

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 | Diligent Teaching (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
Pray for our generation. Pray that we would be a generation that loves God, holds His commands in our heart, & teaches the next generation to follow Him. Is there a step of obedience God is inviting me to take?

Note: This past weekend at Paradox, we created reminders of the choices we’re making to remember God’s faithfulness and respond in faith. If you missed it, watch the message and learn how we’re responding.

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 29
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…
Today’s reading is both a reflection on how things have gone when people have chosen not to follow and obey the Lord, and also vision for the future - of how things could be based on whether we choose to follow Him or not. On one hand, we remember the faithfulness of God, we remember what he brought the Israelites through and out of, and the miracles he has done for them. We also see how others had chosen to live- others they witnessed on their way to the promised land. I’m sure that it was hard for them to stay with what God said (& we know that they did it imperfectly) when they witnessed others going their own way. This chapter is a reminder to stay on the narrow path. Follow the Lord. Don’t go in a different direction. I think this entire chapter can be summed up with verse 9- I love how it was written in the Message translation. ”Diligently keep the words of this Covenant. Do what they say so that you will live well and wisely in every detail.“ I was intrigued by verse 19, where it talks of stubbornness in our hearts- how we can think that we are exempt from following his commands because of _____ {insert excuses we will make}. Perhaps there are ways we are following Him, but other ways we are choosing to go our own way- that is stubbornness in our heart. Let’s go before Jesus today and ask him to show us if there is a way our hearts are stubborn and ways we are choosing other gods or to go our own way. Then , instead of living in shame- turn to him! Ask him for help! Share it with someone in your life group and ask them to walk with you in this, as you seek to follow Jesus in all you do. - Gwyn Kubiak

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!

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 | Diligent Teaching (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
Pray for our generation. Pray that we would be a generation that loves God, holds His commands in our heart, & teaches the next generation to follow Him. Is there a step of obedience God is inviting me to take?

Note: This past weekend at Paradox, we created reminders of the choices we’re making to remember God’s faithfulness and respond in faith. If you missed it, watch the message and learn how we’re responding.

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 28
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…
The choice that God laid out for his people, Israel, could not be more clear. Follow his commands and have God’s complete protection and generous provision, such that you will be the envy of the world. Or…ignore his commands and you are totally on your own, now the easy target of the ravenous world around you and horrible things will happen. Looking back, we saw both of these play out at different times for Israel. Periods of legendary prosperity when they followed the Lord, and horrific devastation when they forgot his commands.
Have you experienced a similar pattern? Have you had times when you are intentionally following God’s commands and you have experienced his protection and provision? Maybe in those seasons you felt the presence of the Holy Spirit, filling you with peace, joy, and love that overflowed to those around you.
Have you experienced the opposite? Times when everything seemed like a battle that you couldn’t win, and you were overrun by feelings of fear, sadness, and worry? Maybe you are in such a season right now. Ask yourself: am I intentionally following God’s commands? Am I loving Him with all me heart, and loving my neighbor as myself? Or am I worshipping false gods, focused on myself, and/or engaging in destructive behavior that he has forbade for our own good.
Bottom line…we, like Israel, have a clear choice. Follow God’s commands and experience his boundless blessings. Or, ignore his commands and feel the curse that is going through this difficult life alone.
As we continue as a church through these 40 days of intentional and additional prayer, maybe take some time today to ask the Lord to show you what commands you have struggled to follow. Then ask him to give you the strength to make a change.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” -Jesus
If you would like someone from Paradox’s prayer team to reach out to you and help you pray through anything, just email your request to: prayer@paradoxchurch.com.
- 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!

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 | Diligent Teaching (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
Pray for our generation. Pray that we would be a generation that loves God, holds His commands in our heart, & teaches the next generation to follow Him. Is there a step of obedience God is inviting me to take?

Note: This past weekend at Paradox, we created reminders of the choices we’re making to remember God’s faithfulness and respond in faith. If you missed it, watch the message and learn how we’re responding.

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 27
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…
We all need a reminder sometimes. What do you do to remind yourself of something important? Set a reminder to pop up on your phone? Write it on a calendar?Put something where you can see it? Ask a friend to remind you? Reminders are important thoughts and ideas that become physical, tangible, and real by creating a symbol of its importance. God instructed the Israelites to build monuments as reminders of His mercy, grace, and justice. In today’s reading, that took the form of an altar. This altar, though requiring hard work, served as a visual reminder for both present and future generations. After hearing and reciting God's laws, they were to inscribe them onto the altar, embodying a timeless memory technique - writing it down. Through this process, the Lord was teaching His people to internalize His word. By faithfully adhering to His teachings, they would discover ever-deepening joys in their relationship with Him. In Jesus, our life becomes an altar, and God’s Word can be written on our heart. Do you have any “right now” Scripture? Try this - each day or each week, find one verse that you’re going to Focus on. Write it down somewhere - in a journal, on your mirror, on a reminder that will pop up throughout the day. Every time you see it, pause to read it, remember it, reflect on it, pray it, and live it. Let this physical reminder of God’s Word be a means by which God’s Word becomes written on your heart.   - Dave Kubiak

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!

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 26
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…
Sometimes the smallest thing can make a big difference. Like taking one step that changes your perspective, or adding a single word that changes a meaning entirely. Today’s reading was about giving… but what if we added just a single word and made it, “giving back” instead? In Deuteronomy 26, as the Israelites are entering the promised land - this place overflowing with all of God’s goodness, provision, and blessing - God gives the them a friendly reminder: He's the reason they're living the good life in this land. So, in response, they were asked to gather some of the first fruits - literally, the first portion of what they had - and take them to the priest at the special spot God chosen where His presence was felt and work was done. It wasn’t so much “giving” as it was “giving back” - like a big thank-you ceremony. Thank God for what? Giving back was a response to God’s provision, it helped them remember God brought them out of Egypt where they were slaves (now they could freely receive and give!), and it was a way they worshipped God by rejoicing in His many blessings. Giving back was a recognition that God is God and they are not, and that God had given them everything they needed. It was a return of these physical goods to God to do His work for His purposes (feeding others, providing for the poor, supporting the work of the priests, etc). Most of all, it was how the Israelites, God’s treasured possession, re-ascribed value and worth to God. By giving up some of their “treasure,” they showed God He was what they valued the most - their true treasure. Imagine if you took a moment to count all the ways God's been awesome in your life before pitching in at church or hitting the “give” button. Start a little gratitude list – maybe stick it on your dashboard or closet door – and see how it changes your perspective. When we remember all the good things, giving back to God feels like the most natural thing in the world. - Dave Kubiak

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!

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 26
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…
A few years ago we drove our family down to Texas. It was a really beautiful experience all around. There was so much excitement, and planning beforehand. I don’t remember much from the drive down there outside of the fun stops we made. The car ride itself was kind of awful with 3 small children, and all of our luggage. I remember some of the frustration, and bickering between the kids in our packed little car. When we arrived our mood completely shifted. We were finally there, and could enjoy all that God had in store for that week.

When reading Deuteronomy 26 I kept thinking of how different it came across then in previous chapters when the Israelites were in the wilderness with all of the frustrations, and problems. All of the lessons, and conditioning God was teaching His people leading up to these next few chapters.

This chapter recants all that God did for them while they journeyed through hard things toward the promised land, and how they should continue to be disciplined. Continuing to bring Him praise once they got there. None of the details from the struggles were really included here. I think because it no longer felt like that’s what mattered. The promised land was actually in sight for them.

This chapter is filled with thankfulness, and praise showing us how to see all of Gods goodness that happened in those hard places. Today I would encourage you to look into difficult things going on in your life, and see how God is working in that on your behalf. Invite Jesus in to show you where, and how He is leading you to His promises. Ask Him how you can continue learning, and growing. I pray you can see those things clearer, and sing praises to His name. - Rachel Hood

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!

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 19-25
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…
Feeling like a law student yet? In today’s reading, God set rules concerning everything from manslaughter, property lines and perjury to warfare, sexual purity, and other various laws. These chapters communicate the value God places on justice and civil order. God establishes boundaries like “safe" cities to limit personal vengeance and protect people. God essentially institutes due process and guidelines for punishment/sentencing. Similarly, God established consequences for dishonesty in court and in the community. Through it all, God’s heart to protect His people is clear. Over and over again, God demonstrates his commitment to creating a nation that is set apart. God calls his people to holiness and godliness. He orients them (and us) towards justice and righteousness, pointing toward what the church will one day look like through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Because God is a God of justice, always seeking to protect the innocent, it stands to reason that His followers should pursue justice and fairness both personally and systemically. In your own life, are you retaliating against someone, even though the harm that person caused was unintentional? How have you laid claim to something that doesn’t belong to you and, in essence, moved the boundaries? Have you led someone to believe something that isn’t true? Justice is neither exclusively individualistic nor systemic. So while it is important to start take personal responsibility in our own life, it’s equally important from that place to ask questions about the larger injustices that are taking place around you. How are you serving and walking with those who are poor, marginalized, and oppressed? How can you stand against those who take advantage of the most vulnerable of our society? Pray that God would open your eyes to both personal and systemic injustice and create ways you can help be the change and bring it. - Dave Kubiak

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!

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!

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 16:18-22 & 17
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…
There is a very clear and overarching theme as I read through these passages: leadership. They are establishing judges, rulers, kings, priests, etc to rule and to care for the people of Israel. It had me thinking about the gift that God has given all of us in the people that he has appointed as leaders over us. Whether that be in the workplace, or the home, or the church. God has given each one of us a leader or elder or person of superiority in our lives. That can bring up a lot of uneasy feelings for some people, especially if you’ve been hurt by someone who was in a place where they were actually supposed to care for you. But I also felt the kindness, the hope, and the intent of God’s heart when I read these passages about leaders and who he appoints over each of us. We are invited to respect, honor, and humbly come under those above us trusting that God is leading them to lead well. People aren’t perfect, they will always screw up, but Jesus is perfect. He is the perfect leader for all of us and we can trust Him when he has invited us to come under someone else’s authority. There community, life, and love that we experience when we do so which all point back to the kingdom of God. If there is someone in your life that God has appointed over you whether it be a boss, a pastor, a leader, etc. let’s thank God for them and pray for them this morning as we humbly and obediently come under their leadership trusting Jesus through it all. - Cecelia Thapa

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!

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 | Life-on-Life Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, pray that we would faithfully be & make disciples of Jesus. We’re praying for 40+ Discipling Relationships at Paradox in 2024
Ask, Who can I ask to disciple me in this season? Who can I invite into a discipling relationship?

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 16:1-17
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…
Some of my best memories are from holidays. Traditions, food, activities, gatherings with family… holidays have a way of creating memories as people get together to remember important or significant events in our story. The people of Israel would gather three times a year - the feast of Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles - to do exactly that. Remember. And in doing so, create memories. But these memories centered around more than the food and the fun, the story they were remembering became etched on their mind and engrained in their heart as they stopped to remember, reflect, and refocus. Failing to reflect on what God has previously done for us can hinder our ability to recognize what He is doing right now. The busyness of life often crowds out time to refocus, examine our priorities, and give God the recognition He deserves. How can you purposefully refocus your attention on God? What specific provision can you thank Him for? How has His love, mercy, grace, or holiness been evident to you this year? Starting right now, make spiritual reflection a regular practice. Then celebrate what God has done and worship Him for Who He is.  - Dave Kubiak

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!

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 | Life-on-Life Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, pray that we would faithfully be & make disciples of Jesus. We’re praying for 40+ Discipling Relationships at Paradox in 2024
Ask, Who can I ask to disciple me in this season? Who can I invite into a discipling relationship?

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 14-15
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…
God chose the Israelites to be his people - recipients of His love, His treasured possession. Because they were his chosen, God held the Israelites as holy in his eyes. “Holy” is a way of saying set apart, or altogether different. But this relationship of closeness was not simply for our own blessing - the privilege of being held as holy in God’s eyes comes with responsibility on our part to reflect God’s goodness, love and holiness to the world through our own through Jesus. We are called to live our lives for the Lord by “separating ourselves” from non-believers. We separate ourselves not physically, socially, or relationally, but in how we conduct ourselves personally and how we interact with others. Jesus’ perfect obedience to God forgives our sin (unholiness) and makes it possible for us to live lives of obedience and holiness. In Deuteronomy 14 & 15, Moses lays out some of the ways God’s chosen, holy people should live markedly different, separate, “holy” lives for our good and His glory.

This chosen holiness had implications for every area of life. From our diet to personal finances, systems of justice and personal responsibility to others. For example, God identifies meats that should be considered unclean. This diet served to separate God’s chosen from surrounding nations, and likely had some health and safety benefits as well. These dietary restrictions served their purpose and were necessary for a time, before they were removed in the New Testament. God also calls His people to tithe - which means to give the first tenth of what you make back to Him. Tithing helps to teach us to put God first in our lives. Deuteronomy 15 speaks about laws regarding the poor. In the time of Moses these laws created a system where no one had to be chronically poor. God also speaks to us about being generous to the poor. Jesus said the two greatest commandments are “ Love God and Love your neighbor.” Sometimes our neighbors are in need and our obedience to being God’s chosen calls us to help them out - who knows, your obedience may just be the reason someone else receive a new identity and way of life as God’s chosen too! So today, ask yourself, “How am I doing in obedience? How am I putting God first in my life?” God loves you and so do I - Scott Rose

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!

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 | Life-on-Life Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, pray that we would faithfully be & make disciples of Jesus. We’re praying for 40+ Discipling Relationships at Paradox in 2024
Ask, Who can I ask to disciple me in this season? Who can I invite into a discipling relationship?

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 13
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…
Yesterday, we read about God warning His people against outsiders and foreign gods instructing them to not be drawn away to serve and worship other gods. Today, God turns their attention inward to 3 areas: prophets from among them who supposedly were speaking the words of God, someone close to them in their inner circle, their own cities. God is so serious about devotion to Him.

A false prophet is anyone who manipulates a person or situation for their own benefit pointing our attention away from God Himself to either ourselves or something/someone else. Even if the prophecy comes true! If the intent of the sign or wonder is to draw our hearts away from the person of Jesus and our relationship with Him, then we should reject it. Paul reiterates this in his letter to the church in Galatia, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." As I read this chapter, the theme I sense is wholeheartedness - a call to not allow anything or anyone that is close to us draw us away from being obedient to Him. Even those closest to us who we love dearly can be a distraction and a deterrent. I was challenged to look at my own life to see if there are things that I need to 'put to death' and remove to not be enticed away from my relationship with God. - Jessica Glenn

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!

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 | Life-on-Life Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, pray that we would faithfully be & make disciples of Jesus. We’re praying for 40+ Discipling Relationships at Paradox in 2024
Ask, Who can I ask to disciple me in this season? Who can I invite into a discipling relationship?

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 12
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…
”Be careful”. These are the first two words from today’s scripture. Upon reading them I instantly felt ill-equipped to provide today’s thought, as I have always been a bit of a risk taker. However, Moses is not warning the people of Israel to avoid harm, but rather calling them to be intentional. God knows that if the people don’t “destroy completely” the places and methods of worshipping other gods, they will be tempted in their weakness to conform to the ways of the people around them. God’s ways, while not necessarily easier for the Israelite people, were better and led to life. The same is true for us today. The world would tell us that the fix to our problems can be found amongst the gods of business, distraction, apathy, striving, denial, and self medication. But God knows these things don’t bring life, they only mask the problems or make them worse. Only when we destroy these false gods completely and give our struggles over to God can we truly find freedom and real help through the trials we face. He has a “resting place” and an “inheritance” for us when we bring our first fruits to him and walk carefully/intentionally/obediently in his commands.
- 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!

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 | Life-on-Life Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, pray that we would faithfully be & make disciples of Jesus. We’re praying for 40+ Discipling Relationships at Paradox in 2024
Ask, Who can I ask to disciple me in this season? Who can I invite into a discipling relationship?

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 11
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…
”Back in my day.” The phrase has become a punchline of sorts - usually ending with something like, “We used to walk to school uphill both ways in the snow.” It’s one generation’s way of telling the next how different things were - but it’s often delivered with a bit of judgement, and received with a bit of sarcasm. But what if it could be encouraging? In today’s reading, Moses highlights the importance of storytelling. He says to remember the next generation hasn’t seen or experienced the things the previous one had. And because they hadn’t, they didn’t (yet) know God the way the older generation did. No matter where you are in your walk with God, you have a story! You’ve experienced things and seen more of His goodness in your life than someone else. And if you have a story, then you have a story to tell. You also have a story to live - to demonstrate for others. Telling the story of God’s faithfulness and what He’s done in your life informs others, but it also transforms us. We hear the story too. We’re reminded. Rehearsing is how stories make their way off of paper and into our mind and heart. So, what is the story you’re living out? What are the stories you’re telling? Don’t take it for granted. Even the smallest details of a life lived with God are more than someone else has heard, seen, known or experienced - and the only way they will is by seeing it in you and hearing it from you. If the uphill, both ways, in the snow path you’ve walked with God is truly better - then help someone else follow in your footsteps as you follow in Jesus’ in every aspect of your life today. Let’s be storytellers. - Dave Kubiak

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!