Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Choose one of the Names of God using this guide. Take time to Thank God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in the past, Worship Him for it today, and Intercede (pray for) that truth for yourself and others.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 2 & Jeremiah 31:12-14
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
This week, we are reading that Jesus is the Living Water. This made me think about what water is in our lives. The list could be extensive, but we need water for our physical bodies, for cleaning, for the plants in nature, and for our crops. Water brings life and cleansing. The wedding in Cana was the first sign of Jesus. These wedding events were not a long evening as we know it now. They lasted seven days and included food, music, dancing, and wine. Let that sit for a bit as you remember weddings you have planned or attended. The wedding in Cana had been going on long enough that the wine had run out. The people probably needed water for their bodies more than wine, but Jesus provided them with wine. Did you catch the comment, “Everyone serves the best wine first…but you have saved the best for last.” Then, we move to the Passover event in the temple. Jesus was with His family and HIs disciples. It was likely having come from the wedding in Cana they needed to purchase their animals for the Passover sacrifice. Jesus saw the corruption happening to the people as they exchanged their money and purchased the sacrificial animals. Jesus witnessed how obedience to honor their Holy God and Holy practices had turned into cheating the people for profit - disgracing God and the Feast set by Him. Jesus then cleansed the temple of the filth. In Jeremiah, we find reassurance for the Jews in their disobedience. They had been scattered and exiled, but it wasn't the end. There is hope with God!! There will come a time when He gathers them together with Him. The crops will be restored, yielding wine, oil, and food. There will be a celebration to include food, music, dancing, and wine. Today, we come to Jesus with a hope of life, cleansing, and restoration. He invites us to do this. It’s what He offers. What do we receive from Him? Not just a refreshing drink of water, a restorative bath, or provision for our needs, but abundance, the best of what He has to offer. We can have abundance and celebration with Him, in Him, and by Him. Come to Jesus and drink His living water. How? By continuing to do what you have already done today. You have praised Him with music and song. You have read His Word. Now, talk to Him in prayer. You have just drunk of His Living Water. - Renee Richter

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Simply pray the prayer Jesus taught his followers: the Lord’s Prayer, or pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 3:1-21 & Romans 8:31-32
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
All scripture is good, but this is one of those days where the content is just so rich with meaning. If you only have time to read my thought below or go back and reread today’s scripture, choose the later.
If you are still here, here is just one thing that stood out to me…
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Why? Because he didn’t want to be seen by the people engaging with Jesus. Why? Because then he would have to “defend” his faith, raw as it was, and ultimately “defend” Jesus to those asking. He would become associated with Jesus. I think many times we feel the same tension that Nicodemus felt. On one hand, we believe, or are coming to believe, that Jesus is who he claimed to be: God. We believe to some degree that he did indeed die for all humanity, and was raised to life that we too might be. “…that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” On the other hand, it is TOO amazing and mysterious and incomprehensible for us to fully understand, so we don’t know how to “defend” it to others who don’t know Jesus. So we tend to keep our faith in the shadows. We come to church on Sunday, praise with loud voices and arms extended, pray with our Christian friends, and read our Bibles in secret.
Let’s heed John’s words in v 19-21. Let’s live BOLDLY by truth and step into the light! “If God is for us, who can be against us?” When we share our faith with others, we do not need to defend ourselves, and we certainly do not need to defend Jesus. He is perfectly capable to do that himself. Our job is just to make the introduction and invite people to meet Jesus for themselves. Who among us who now call Jesus our Lord came to that decision because someone else explained all his ways to us? No one! We know Jesus because his Spirit has done a work in us beyond words.
So be bold. Come into the light! God did not spare his own Son, he will graciously gives us all things, including the words to say that may help bring another soul to their Savior.
- Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Use the PRAY acronym to guide your prayer this 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 John 3:22-36
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
The line we read today in John 3:30 is one of my favorite in all of Scripture - “He must increase, but I must decrease.” It’s also one of the most difficult to live out. When faced with the reality that his ministry was starting to decline (read popularity, influence, success, power, etc), John’s response was to say that is exactly what is supposed to happen. Not only was it inevitable - we’ll all be “past our prime” someday, our moment in the sun will fade, our 15 minutes of fame will be up, seasons will come to an end, and so will our life (John’s was actually about to) - but John said it wasn’t just that his role was complete, his JOY was complete. Translation - the thing that made him happiest in the world was that Jesus would get more glory, fame, recognition - and that the kingdom of God would grow. Not just his ministry. How do you and I feel/respond in light of this same reality? Are there areas of life where the importance of “I” must decrease, so that Jesus might increase? Are there things or people that I hold onto tightly? Remember Jesus’ words about these things being like sand - the more tightly we hold on to them, the more they slip through our fingers. One of our values at Paradox is living “open-handedly.” It is being willing to hold every good gift that Jesus gives us - from relationships to career to finances and health loosely, with open hands, ready and willing to give every one of them back to God that His glory might increase. God gives and takes away. I pray my joy would be like John’s, and that even in decrease I would seek Jesus’ increase and say He is above all. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Pray through a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations and those serving them.
Submit a Prayer Request or pray with others at the House of Prayer at Paradox every Sunday at 9:00am.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 4:1-42
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
In this passage we read about Jesus’ conversation with a lone Samaritan woman who had come to get water from a well (known as Jacob’s well) located about a half mile from the city of Sychar in Samaria. This was a highly unusual encounter, as the Samaritans were a race of people that the Jews completely despised. The Jews claimed that the Samaritan’s had no right to worship their God. On top of that the woman was an outcast among her own people. For, you see, it was customary for the women of the town to all go to the well together - this woman was alone. She was scorned because she was openly living with a man who was not her husband. In fact, she had lived with five other men before him.

This encounter teaches us so many valuable lessons about Jesus and His incredible love for us. First we learn that Jesus will go to great lengths to pursue us. He went out of His way to go through Samaria, just to meet this outcast from her own community. He knew that if anyone would appreciate grace, it was her. Second, we learn that Jesus is the only way we can receive eternal life, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). Next we learn that God values all of us, that Jesus showed compassion and love to those who were considered the enemies of Jews. He desires us to love one another, even our enemies (John 4:7-9). We are also reminded that Jesus is the Messiah, for He tells the woman all about her past and then proceeds to tell her that He is the one who they are waiting for, (John 4:16-18 & 25-26) Finally we learn that our testimony is what brings others to seek out the grace Jesus has to offer, “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, ‘We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world”, (John 4:39-42).

Remember no matter how unworthy you may feel, we are God’s precious children, through Jesus, confession and repentance we can be forgiven and given the gift of “Living Water”, and eternal life. Oh to spend eternity with Jesus, praising God around the throne! - Dawn Custer

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Practice hearing from God by asking questions like, “Father, what do you want me to know about you?” or “Father, what do you want to say about your love for me?” Simply be still and listen, or journal anything that comes to mind. Learn more about hearing from God using the Tending Your Heart guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 4:43-54 & Isaiah 55:1-3
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Today, we will focus on the faith and healing of the royal official who came to Jesus for the healing of his son, who was very sick and near death. The official wanted Jesus to physically accompany him back to Capernaum to heal his son. Jesus said to him, “unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.” Again the official pleaded with Jesus to come with him. “Go”, said Jesus, “your son will live.” The man took Jesus at His word and departed.” (John 4:46-50, BSB). Observe how the official’s faith grew. First, he believed sufficiently to ask Jesus to heal his son. Second, he believed Jesus’s word and acted on it; and third, he and his whole household believed in Jesus. Faith grows when we utilize it and act on it.
The Lord graciously invites us to His salvation in Isaiah 55: 1-3. Physical food costs money, lasts only for a brief moment, and fulfills only physical needs. But God offers us free nourishment and sustenance that feeds our souls. How do we get what is being offered? We come to Him (v 1), we listen to Him (v2), and we incline our ear. (BSB). The thread of coming to the Lord if you are thirsty runs throughout the Scriptures. The Lord gave the Israelites water in the desert enroute to Mount Sinai (Exodus 17), the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), the last day of the feast living water is offered (John 7), and in Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride  say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say “Come” and let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.” (BSB). How does this divine invitation resonate with your current spiritual state? Reflect on a time when you experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness. How did it transform your life? - Lawrence Payton

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Choose one of the Names of God using this guide. Take time to Thank God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in the past, Worship Him for it today, and Intercede (pray for) that truth for yourself and others.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 5:1-30
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Todays passage goes into a lot of things, but it can be summed up with Jesus’s words in verse 19- “So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” As disciples of Jesus, we are to imitate him. I know sometimes I look at Jesus and think “well, he’s God- so of course he knew and did the right things.” But when I look at scripture, I see that Jesus came to show us how to live as followers of the King. He had all of the human limitations that we have, and he came humbly - so he is easy for us to relate to! In this verse, he said that he wasn’t running things - he simply lives his life doing what He saw the Father doing. We won’t get it perfect every time, but when we look to Jesus and do the things he did… and rely on Holy Spirit to guide us and show us what the Father is doing, and then step into those things- we are living as disciples of Jesus. So let’s look to Jesus today and do what we see Him doing, remembering that it’s our role to trust and follow. - Gwyn Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Simply pray the prayer Jesus taught his followers: the Lord’s Prayer, or pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Leviticus 26:3-13, Hosea 14:4-8 & Galatians 5:22-23
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
We read in Leviticus that God is willing and able to do pretty much ANYTHING for his people. Control the weather? No problem. Reroute dangerous animals? Easy peasy. Make crops flourish? All day!
Did he ask for anything in return? Nope…but he did make a requirement up front: “follow my statutes and faithfully observe my commands”.
A-ha! So God is looking to get something out of it?
Not really, as the statutes and commands he gave were for the benefit of the people and their society. He wants them to follow them for their own good, and he wants to be walking along side them in the process to bless them.
The promises made to his people Israel are available to us as well. We can enjoy his blessing when we walk in his will by following his commands.
And what exactly are these commands?
Jesus simplified them to this: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Easier said than done.
The good news is that Jesus sacrifice and resurrection has opened the way for the Holy Spirit to help and guide us. The fruit of walking with him: “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
Lord God, I will do my best to follow your commands. I know they are good and good for me. I accept your help through the power and wisdom and care of the Holy Spirit. Amen. - Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Use the PRAY acronym to guide your prayer this 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 John 15:1-17
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
You’ve probably heard the well-known phrase, “It’s better to give than receive” plenty of times throughout your life. (By the way, that’s a Jesus original. See Acts 20:35) But here’s one you likely haven’t heard before - “It’s easier to give than receive.” (That one is a Dave Kubiak original.) Most of us would say we have a hard time receiving. Sure, we’ll let someone give us a gift on our birthday or for Christmas - but there is likely a point where we say something is “too much,” we make sure to say, “you didn’t have to,” or get into a fist fight over the bill at a restaurant. The truth is, most people are uncomfortable receiving. But in John 15, Jesus says receiving is the most essential thing we can do in this life. That’s what it means to “abide” - to receive everything we need from Jesus as our life-giving and sustaining Source. And that’s not simply material provision, although depending on Him for those things is part of “abiding” too. Abiding in Jesus means receiving our identity, worth, wisdom, strength, guidance, love, and defense and anything else we need to survive and thrive as human “branches” from our Source, the Vine, Jesus. So, stop. Rest. Breathe in deep like you’re smelling a delicious soup and out through your lips like you’re trying to cool it down. (Go ahead. It’s ok to do that a few times!) Now, ask God, the Master Gardener, to show you what you need to receive from Him today. Quietly listen. Then, try breathing in and saying, “Jesus, you are my Vine” and out saying, “I receive ___ from you.” Now, go “produce” today, my fruity friends! - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Pray through a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations and those serving them.
Submit a Prayer Request or pray with others at the House of Prayer at Paradox every Sunday at 9:00am.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 5:31-47
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
I’m all about a good victory celebration. I love the theatrical displays in major league dugouts after a home run is hit. Heck, I even love a little good, old-fashioned arrogance and trash-talking. But recently, it seems like all this “I’m the man”-ing can get a little… self-important. If there was one person in all of history that could have gone around beating his chest, literally shouting “I am The Man,” it would have been Jesus (or maybe simply, “I Am” would have been more appropriate?) And yet, that isn’t what Jesus did at all. He didn’t need the fleeting approval of crowds to crown Him the King, and it wasn’t because He “didn’t care what anyone thought.” Jesus did care - He cared what God thought. He cared what God said. And most importantly, Jesus cared about who God said he was and what God said he should do. Can’t you just feel the freedom in it!?! No more people-pleasing. No more anxious, insecure thoughts. No more chasing popularity or striving for recognition. Jesus looked to His Father in Heaven for all of it. The longer I live, the more I’m learning that one of the bits of wisdom that come with maturity is that you just don’t have anything to prove anymore. Today, I invite you to worry less about what the crowds say and rest more in what God says about who you are. Go back and read today’s scripture in the Message version. Let it simply wash over you and free you today. You don’t even have to try and strive to “get something” out of today’s reading or earn God’s approval somehow… remember, these words all point to the Word (Jesus), so let them do it today. Encounter Him today. Turn your eyes and tune the ears of your heart to Jesus. Make Him and His voice the most important one in your life today, and you’ll find the approval and meaning you’ve been searching for. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Practice hearing from God by asking questions like, “Father, what do you want me to know about you?” or “Father, what do you want to say about your love for me?” Simply be still and listen, or journal anything that comes to mind. Learn more about hearing from God using the Tending Your Heart guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 6:1-21
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
When I read the story of the feeding of the five thousand, initially I am kind of baffled. I want to be able to reasonably explain how that actually could have happened first, and then ask questions later. Time and time again, God shows me this is not the best way to learn. I believe Jesus teaches us by leading us to a place where we can stop to hear Him and receive His instruction. In John chapter 6 we read the story of the five thousand who were fed and filled because Jesus multiplied. Five thousand people saw or heard of the miracles and healing that He performed. Then they followed after Him.

When a person is looking for advice, they might seek out someone that they have seen or heard has had success in that area. That’s what draws us in. Results. When we look to Jesus for ways we can see results, He will lead us to a place we can first find comfort and rest. He will provide instruction and sustenance so that the body of Christ can move forward with direction and strength. We can have confidence in our pursuits because we’re going to Him as our compass, allowing Him to teach us and receiving His provision. Then He will multiply through us His life giving power.

It’s a relief to know we have a God that has endless love for His children. There’s no limit to what He can do in and through us. He says that we can do this too. We can choose to look to see what Jesus is doing in our lives or others and follow after Him. Learning the steps needed to confidently run the race set before us with strength and abundant provision.

What is God showing you today? What area of your life is Jesus trying to heal, lead, and provide for you in? Ask Him how to multiply that, and act with boldness because you saw His results in your life or someone else’s. Today my prayer is that you see His work, follow His lead, and joyfully receive His bounty because there is plenty. Know that He will use you, and multiply through you with plenty of bread to spare. - Rachel Hood

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Choose one of the Names of God using this guide. Take time to Thank God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in the past, Worship Him for it today, and Intercede (pray for) that truth for yourself and others.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 6:22-71 & Jeremiah 31:25
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Last week I was in Puerto Rico with training camp for our mission trip. I came down with an awful sickness the night we arrived and spent majority of the week in my room glued to my bed with a fever or extreme exhaustion. I prayed a lot, asked God why this was happening, repented for being upset and only looking to God to heal me instead of looking to the one who gives me life and sustains me. The one who died so I could live.

John 6:68 kept playing through my mind “Lord, to whom shall we (I) go? You have the words of eternal life.”

I marinated on this verse and ironically remembered that it was part of my daily focus to write this week. But I was so comforted all of a sudden…I had a teammate pray over me and I heard God say “this is not a punishment, this is for your protection”. I was not instantly healed or even felt the slightest bit better (physically) but my heart remembered there is no other God on earth or in heaven who knows me like Jesus does, who loves me like Jesus does, who can speak only a few words and leave my world 1000 times better than before. Jesus is so much better than anything else this world has to offer. He truly is the bread of life that sustains us. He’s the best medicine, the greatest counselor and the most loving friend. He doesn’t desire for us to suffer but he promises to meet us in the midst of it and walk with us. Nobody can last a very long time without physical food so neither can our souls last without the true bread of life, Jesus. So, to whom or to where shall we run? Only in to the arms of Jesus. - Cecelia Thapa

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Simply pray the prayer Jesus taught his followers: the Lord’s Prayer, or pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 7:1-52
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Some 2000 years ago, at The Festival of Shelters, somewhere in Judea (probably Jerusalem), a man named Jesus caused a big problem. He showed up and taught in the temple with such great clarity and authority that it was almost as if he had written the scripture he was teaching from. It forced people to formulate an opinion about him. Based on his teaching and the miraculous works of healing that many had witnessed, people needed to make a choice. Was he the Messiah? Was he truly God-made-flesh come to save the people? Or was he just a whack-job from backwater Galilee? The crowd was split, and it caused quite the stir. As it should, because the question on the table was so important. This wasn’t an argument about which fishing hole was best or which vendor had the best olive oil…the answer to this question had huge social, historic, and even eternal ramifications. Those people probably didn’t realize it at the time, but they were amongst the first in human history to wrestle with the most important question ever: who is Jesus? This question has been asked and answered by billions of people since those days and demands an answer from us today. Jesus says he is the Bread of Life, the Way, the Truth, the Life, the Good Shepherd, the Light of the World…GOD. In today’s reading he said “If anyone is thirsty (spiritually), let him come to me and drink. The one who believes in me will have streams of living water flow from deep within them.” Do you believe him? Choose carefully. Your answer has profound, personal, and eternal ramifications. - Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Use the PRAY acronym to guide your prayer this 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 Exodus 16:11-36 & Luke 22:19
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
One of my favorite books of all time is “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” I remember reading it when I was younger and dreaming of how incredible it would be to have food literally fall in your lap! (To be honest, that’s the way I’d prefer my food to this day...) And that’s exactly what happened for the people of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. God provided everything they needed. But people like to make things hard, don’t we? They worked harder than they had to. They gathered more than they needed. The anxiously worried about whether or not they’d have enough. They brought new meaning to the phrase “the early bird gets the worm.” You’ve got to wonder - is a little hard work, preparation, and planning ahead really so bad? No… I love that people still play a part in God’s provision. It needed to be gathered and prepared - even planned for prior to the Sabbath. Trust is at the heart of the matter. As I read today, God whispered a phrase to me that stopped me in my tracks - “When you don’t trust Me (God), you’ll never have enough.” It’s the kind of phrase I want to keep going back to and marinating like slow cooked meat, savoring every bit of the rich flavor. Let me put the opposite way - when you trust God, you find that what you have is enough. Today, take a moment to give thanks to God for everything you have. (Go back to the top if you skipped it!) Then, repent of your worry and lack of trust. Then, meditate on this phrase of the Lord’s prayer , “Give us this day our daily bread,” and let that be enough. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Pray through a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations and those serving them.
Submit a Prayer Request or pray with others at the House of Prayer at Paradox every Sunday at 9:00am.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 7:53-8:30 & 1 John 1:5-7
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Jesus is never as shocked as we are at our own brokenness. Here this woman lies in what I am sure is one of the most shameful moments of her life. She is most likely naked, afraid, in front of a large crowd (probably one of the scariest things you could imagine)… yet not one word Jesus utters here indicates he’s caught off guard. I am always shocked at His composure. Here is this woman who had just been caught in sin and paraded in front of Jesus for him to make an example of - I’m sure the Pharisees had crafted mental pictures of what they wanted Jesus’ judgement of her to look and sound like - only to hear… “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Isn’t that just like Jesus? What a “heart check” of a question. I can shamefully admit that many times in life I have looked down on others when there were areas of my life ruled by sin. What if we took a “Jesus approach” here and came to people with grace along with encouraging them to live into a life that more embodies Christ? Jesus enters into our darkness with the light of his grace and love, then invites us not to walk in it. Honestly, Jesus’ approach has me scratching my head most days - and and today is no different. Today, though, I’m thinking of it like this - even though we walk in darkness, things are never really as dark when you have a confident hope of future light. Jesus even says later in this passage that our earthly, human ways of seeing ourselves, others, and circumstances pale in the light of His divine perspective. Are there some situations in your life today that aren’t making sense? Stop right here for a minute (or five), take a deep breath and ask God to shine light on you and your situation - “What are you saying about this? What are you seeing that I am not?” - Matteo McGill

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Practice hearing from God by asking questions like, “Father, what do you want me to know about you?” or “Father, what do you want to say about your love for me?” Simply be still and listen, or journal anything that comes to mind. Learn more about hearing from God using the Tending Your Heart guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 8:31-59, Romans 6:15-18 & Galatians 5:1
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Until the last few years I don’t think I really grasped what it meant when it is said that God’s grace is a “Costly grace.” I went to church, I tithed, I even confessed my sins. But the part that I always missed was the second part of repentance or “the turn away from sin”. Grace cost Jesus - he made the payment for our sin by dying on the cross to freely give us the gift of life in return. Our “cost” is not to receive this gift, but the sacrifice we make in response by making an actual change in our lives to turn away from our sins. In Galatians 5, Paul refers to our sin as a yoke of slavery that we must shed before we can experience the freedom bought for us when Jesus died on the cross. I think I struggle sometimes with the terminology used when we talk about sin. Slavery is a big one. I had myself convinced I wasn’t a slave to my sins because I thought I could change whenever I wanted to. I am a slave to having control of my life and too often set aside the humility needed to ask for help or guidance. Thinking back, I never used to completely “repent” for my sins, I just added them to the list of things to confess on Sunday and then re-entered the slavery of my disobedience I was trying to ignore. Obviously I have a ways to go but I am slowly removing the disobedience from my life that distorts the image of God I was created to display. I still don’t like words like “slavery,” but I am using my dislike as encouragement to truly repent and live free. Plus, I enjoy the freedom bought by my repentance more than I enjoyed the other mess. This makes our slogan resonate with me so much more… God loves you just the way you are, not the way you should be - but He loves you too much to let you stay that way. - Scott Rose

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Choose one of the Names of God using this guide. Take time to Thank God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in the past, Worship Him for it today, and Intercede (pray for) that truth for yourself and others.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 9 & Romans 1:18-20
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
As I read these passages, the first 3 verses of chapter 9 are what leap out at me. Jesus and His disciples are walking past a man who had been blind since birth and His disciples want to know who is to blame. Who committed a sin that resulted in his blindness? Did he do something wrong or was it his parents? I think we can all relate to this question or feeling when we either observe another person's suffering or we ourselves are going through something difficult. We look for a reason, cause, or explanation - we want to blame ourselves, someone else or even God for why something has happened. We may even feel that we or someone else are being punished for some wrong doing and this has resulted in suffering. Pain and suffering, in general, are a result of the fall, but Jesus is challenging us to look beyond the condition and circumstance to what He is doing in the midst of it. Jesus responds by saying that his blind condition is not a result of sin by him or his parents but that the works of God might be displayed in him. As we continue reading, we see that Jesus fully heals this man, opening his eyes so he can see for the first time in his life. Our challenge is to look to Jesus and expect and hope that in the midst of something unplanned, unexpected, or unwanted that He can and will display His glory and good works in and through us. Praying that He would open our eyes today to see Him at work. - Jessica Glenn

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Simply pray the prayer Jesus taught his followers: the Lord’s Prayer, or pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 10:1-10 & Psalm 23:1-4
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
So much good stuff in here! We could talk about how the good shepherd, Jesus, provides for and protects his sheep. We could talk about what it means that Jesus refers to himself as the gate and the shepherd. (He does it all.) We could talk about who these pesky thieves and robbers are.
But let’s just reflect today on this one half-verse: “He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:3.5) I find it difficult to think of myself as special. Maybe you are like me. Of all the billions of people on this earth I am unlikely to be even in the top 10,000 at anything. And when I look at God’s majestic creation, stretching seemingly without end, I feel even less significant. But then I remember this verse, and others like it throughout God’s Word. He calls me BY NAME. He doesn’t just stand at the gate and yell “Come on guys! Who’s with me?” He is like: “Mike. Yes, you. I knit you together. I know you, and I want YOU to come with me.” The creator looks at me, broken and sinful, a tiny sliver of his creation, and says “he is good, and well worth redeeming”. That makes me feel special. I hope you feel the same way. Let’s listen to our good shepherd’s voice today as he calls us, personally, to walk with him.
- Mike Nank
EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Use the PRAY acronym to guide your prayer this 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 John 10:11-27 & Micah 2:12-13
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
Recently, I had an experience at a large fast food restaurant chain that was, well… underwhelming. You can always tell when a person cares and when they just don’t seem to. Customer service isn’t what it used to be. In today’s reading, I was struck by the line in verse 13, “…he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.” When we don’t have a personal stake in something, our level of concern tends to be diminished. It can be easier to just walk away. Contrast the “customer service” sometimes given by a hired hand at a large corporation to that which might be given by an owner of a small business. Perhaps you’ve experienced it: they know your name, maybe know you’re “usual” order. They might go above and beyond to serve you or make something right. Jesus, the good shepherd, knows you. He’s concerned with you. He’ll go to great lengths to care for you. Why? Because He has a personal stake in you. You belong to Him. As Isaiah 43:1 says, our God created you, formed you, and has called you by name. “You are mine” says the Lord! Today, thank God that Jesus has made you HIS. He knows you, loves you, cares for you, protects you, laid down his life for you, and wants to lead you. Let Him speak identity and love over you today. Listen for His voice. (Try slowly praying through Psalm 23 if you want some help.) Then, follow Him. Trust that your good shepherd will lead you in the way of life today and forever. Amen. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Pray through a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations and those serving them.
Submit a Prayer Request or pray with others at the House of Prayer at Paradox every Sunday at 9:00am.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 10:28-42 & Ezekiel 34:11-24
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
”Attachment” is all the rage these days. And in John 10:28-42, Jesus assures us that we have the most secure attachment imaginable in our relationship with God through Him. Jesus has just said that He is the good shepherd - and with our good shepherd, we can rest secure. Jesus’ voice calls us into this secure relationship - His sheep recognize it. Are drawn to it. And obey it. Why? Security. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, secures our eternity and secures our present. He won’t let anyone “snatch us out of His hand.” What a comforting reminder of the security we have in Christ! His love and protection are unwavering, and He guides us with tender care. Ezekiel 34:11-24 echoes this theme of God's loving care for His people. God Himself promises to search for His sheep, rescue us, and feed us in His good pasture. Talk about security! Our God promises to be our Shepherd, guiding us and caring for us. Know this: you are known, loved, cherished, and protected by your Good Shepherd, Jesus. No matter where we are or what we're going through, He is with us, leading us, guiding us, protecting us… and He’ll never leave us. May you find rest and security in His loving care today. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.

GET FOCUSED | Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He does. (Psalm 100:4)
Spend a few moments in silence, meditating on scripture, or writing/saying 3-5 things you’re thankful for.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
Practice hearing from God by asking questions like, “Father, what do you want me to know about you?” or “Father, what do you want to say about your love for me?” Simply be still and listen, or journal anything that comes to mind. Learn more about hearing from God using the Tending Your Heart guide.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from John 11:1-54 & 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
Pray a simple prayer before reading, asking the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth. (John 14:26)
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…
In today’s devotional we are met with the story of Lazarus’ death as recorded in the book of John. This story reveals Mary, Martha and Lazarus as close friends of Jesus whom he loved.  Yet, Jesus didn’t spare them from experiencing grief.  Jesus foreknew that the Lazarus’ sickness would result in death. He allowed death to occur, so that they may believe and see Jesus’ power and authority over death. Both Mary and Martha couldn’t understand why Jesus took so long to come and see about their sick brother. I can totally relate to their dilemma and would have probably made statements that went something like this… Didn’t we tell Jesus Lazurus is sick?  Why hasn’t he come yet? Does he even care about us? We can learn a valuable lesson here about how we evaluate difficult circumstances in our own lives, when we begin to  question why God delays when we seek him in prayer.  God’s timing is unequivocally the best timing!  Sure we may experience grief or disappointment in the process, but can we trust that we are in God’s perfect will and timing even when our expectations are not met. In John chapter 11 Jesus was showing his friends  that God’s glory can be revealed through even the dead things, in this case Lazarus’ death.  Martha confronts Jesus with if you had been here, my brother would have not died.  Jesus replies to her in John 11: 25-26 “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” What seemingly dead situations are you facing today?  As we think of the bodily resurrection of Lazurus and Jesus as revealed in scripture, we can have total faith that Jesus defeated death and that we too will be resurrected as he promised to those who believe. - Colleen Payton

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by praying a Daily Examen each evening.
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.
Refocus = 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. 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!