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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Nehemiah 5:1-6:14
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 35:19-28
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 4:1-12
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
The best things in life are free. It's hard to believe, especially in today’s economy and with inflation, that anything in life is free. We've been taught that, in life, you get what you earn - and there's some truth to that. That your success, your worth, and your value are directly tied to what you can produce. People will often define you as a good person based on the good things you have done. But in the kingdom of God, things are a bit different. See, God is perfect. His standard of righteousness is without flaw, and no imperfect human being could ever measure to that standard. It's impossible. God is righteous, and he is holy, and the Bible says without holiness, no man shall see God. Which makes you wonder, how can a person get to heaven when they'll never be good enough to actually get in? What must they do to be saved? A person who doesn't truly understand the gospel may try to create a moral high ground by superficially creating a list of moral tasks to be accomplished to earn merit. Like maybe giving to the poor, feeding the hungry, or even clothing the naked to possibly offset some of the bad things they've done in life to rank up the virtue ladder. But Romans 3 says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that there is none good but God himself. This may seem like bad news from the onset, but when you listen to the inspired words of scripture, and this message that we are not justified by the works that we do but by our faith in Christ alone, it's reason for celebration. Which brings us to our passage in Romans 4, which is centered on Abraham and serves as a prime example of "justification by faith alone." This passage specifically shows that Abraham was deemed righteous by God solely due to his unwavering faith, rather than any works he accomplished. This crucial principle extends to all believers, irrespective of their background—Jews or Gentiles alike— pointing to Abraham's role as a spiritual father for everyone who is a true follower and disciple of Jesus Christ. So while I can't necessarily say that the best things in life are free, what I can say is that the greatest gift humanity has ever come across is found in the loving arms of our Creator - eternal life through the incredible sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of cavalry… and it doesn't cost you a dime because Jesus paid it in full. - Jewaun Glenn

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Nehemiah 4
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 35:11-18
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 3:19-31
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
The book of Romans is one of my favorite parts of the gospel. In it, Paul explains so much of what the Lord wants from and for us. In these passages, Paul is trying to explain to his Jewish audience that it is not just “following the law” or simply “having faith” that is going to reconcile us to God - but that we need to actually have both. Let’s face it, most of us are either “this or that” type of people. We like our perceptions and ideas one way or another. You could also say that we want to put everyone and everything into a box and tie it up with a lovely bow. The idea of someone or something being “this and that” is something hard for many of us to comprehend.  Perhaps one of the reasons we struggle sometimes to understand God and His word is because He does not fit in one of our little boxes. It is hard for us to understand that God is both loving and He can be wrathful. We need to understand that on the day of judgment we will be held accountable for both our hearts and our actions. Let’s take a look at what Paul is trying to say when he refers to the law. God’s laws were handed down to Moses - we call them the ten commandments. We are to live under those laws. Through the ten commandments, we all have a personal knowledge of what sin is. Sadly, we have all broken one or two of those laws - and because they exist, we are aware that we’ve broken them. Now, if we want to experience God’s righteousness, Paul tells us in verse 22 “The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ…” (Romans 3:22). This means that through our faith in Jesus, we will gain God’s righteousness. Paul goes on to say that, yes, the ten commandments were handed down to the Jewish people, but that in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles have the opportunity to be reconciled to God. It is by our faith in Jesus, through His sacrifice, that we have atonement for our sins. It is by our faith (our obedience to God), that we are justified rather than following a specific law. In verse 31 Paul sums it all up, “Do we then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all. Rather, we uphold the law.” Paul means by saying this is that we are not disregarding the law by having faith in Jesus, but we are fulfilling the law in a deeper and more meaningful way when our actions are motivated by our love and obedience to God. Remember, Jesus told us in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” So essentially, following the ten commandments or just “having faith” are not a “this or that” situation, but rather it is about us trying to live every day in all ways to become more like Jesus, from the inside out. - Dawn Marie Custer

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Nehemiah 2:11-3:2
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 35:1-10
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 3:3-18
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
There is so much to love about Nehemiah’s story. As Dave mentioned yesterday, Nehemiah took his cares to the Lord in praying and fasting and listened to God on a next step. He then found favor with God who provided the resources and permission to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls using the authority of King Artaxerxes. In short, God gave Nehemiah a passion/cause and when Nehemiah leaned into that cause, God cleared the way for it to happen.
In today’s OT reading, we pick up the story with Nehemiah arriving in Jerusalem. I love Nehemiah’s next steps. He didn’t dive in and try to do all the work himself. Likewise, he did not show up and start bossing people around. What he did was take a little time to count the cost, get a plan, AND THEN share vision with the Israelite people left in Jerusalem. Whatever it is God is calling a people to do, it will always go better when the people involved are fully bought into the vision and clearly directed on what to do.
I’m excited to see what big plans God has for our people, Paradox Church, in this year to come. Let’s all be in tune to what the Spirit is moving within us, and then willing to do the work he sets before us, inviting others into the process.  - Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Nehemiah 1:1-2:10
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 34:19-22
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 2:17-3:2
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
I like to fix problems. If something’s broken, I want to jump in, get it done, and check it off my to-do list. But when I rush ahead of God, I usually just create more messes. Nehemiah gets this. When he heard about the broken walls of Jerusalem, it wrecked him. But instead of diving straight into action, he took his sorrow to God first—fasting, praying, and seeking wisdom. He knew that true restoration had to start with God. But what about the messes and brokenness of our life? Psalm 34 says God is near to the brokenhearted and rescues those crushed in spirit.

It’s easy to rely on our own efforts to fix things. In fact, my confidence can be in my own thoughts, plans, strategies and efforts - but Paul warns us in Romans not to put our confidence in knowledge (even “religious” knowledge) - but  true obedience. Nehemiah shows us what real faith looks like—he trusted God, prayed boldly, and stepped forward in faith when the time was right. Maybe you’re carrying a burden today, something that feels too big to handle. Don’t rush ahead on your own—bring it to God first. He is near, and He is faithful to lead you. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 10:7-44
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 34:8-18
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 2:5-16
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Instead of having a “thought” provided, today the thought is yours! We’d love to encourage you to revisit today’s scripture and engage deeply with the questions above. Take time to reflect and let God’s Word speak to you personally.

Identify a Focus verse, phrase, or word. This should be one that presents a truth with special relevance or significance to you. Write it out word for word. Then, write your Feelings or insight: your own explanation of how you see the truth of your Focus relating or speaking to your life. Finally, identify an Invitation from God. If you believe the truth of your insight, what specific action will you take?

Let God guide you through this process, and see how His Word transforms your perspective!

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 8:21-10:6
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 34:1-7
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 1:26-2:4
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Did you ever have a time when you knew God would show up in your situation but you still felt you might need insurance? I have a friend who often says in these situations, "If God doesn't show up, we are sunk!" I wonder if Ezra lived in our time, if he would feel the same way. Outwardly, he boasted to the king about his mighty God. But maybe, under his breath, he would hope this God would show up. Ezra was preparing the Israelites to move to Jerusalem. He gathered 12 men to carry the treasure they had. They were traveling through territory that was dangerous. They could be robbed of everything they had at any moment. Ezra instructed the Israelites to fast and pray so that they would be safe on their journey and protected from bandits. But then, doubt enters his heart. Perhaps he should ask the king for some soldiers to help protect them on their journey? Insurance. But how could he do this? He just told the king," Our loving God who looks after those who seek him and turns away in disgust those who leave Him." He fasted and prayed again, didn’t take soldiers, and went on his way. Fortunately, they arrived safely in Jerusalem. But Ezra found out that many had been unfaithful and married women from outside of the Israelites. He tore his robe and wept bitterly. Many surrounded him and wept as well. In Romans 1:26-2:4, Paul talks about the ways they were living outside of God's plan. Ezra and Paul cautioned the people to not go after their false God's but to repent and seek Jesus alone. I have false gods in my life: chocolate, TV, and games on my phone. They satisfy for a while but in the end, they do not fill me like Jesus can. Fortunately, we have a God who forgives and restores, like He did for the Israelites and for us today. My heart often breaks for Jesus. He gave the ultimate sacrifice, and I still sin, like the folks in Ezra and Paul's day. I am grateful for His unfailing love towards me. I won't be sunk and neither will you if you keep turning to Him. - Mary Spix

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 8:1-20
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 33:12-22
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 1:13-25
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Verse 21 in Romans 1 is really resonating with me from my reading.
“For though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.”
Wow, not much has changed since Paul wrote that 2000 years ago. We all know God but we don’t always honor or thank him as we should. Sports teams, possessions, and celebrities all fill that space in our life that should be set aside for God. I can remember cancelling a Sunday service once at a previous church I was involved with because the heat wasn’t working and it might be chilly in the sanctuary. But I have also had times where I couldn't wait to get to the Big House in the middle of a snow storm to watch a football game. We had seats far up in the end zone that we really couldn’t see the game from. What I am trying to say is, why aren’t we honoring God as we do our favorite celebrities in society? We pay big bucks for tickets to see someone who we probably can’t, doesn’t know us, and probably doesn’t want to know us. Our relationship with God costs us nothing but putting our faith totally in Him. God actually wants to be in a relationship with us. The tighter that relationship is, the happier God is. We just have to put ALL of our faith in who God is. The more we pour into the relationship, the more we get in return. Where do you stand with your relationship with God? What idols do you cherish that stand in the way of nurturing your relationship with God? GLYASDI - Scott Rose

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 6:13-7:28
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 33:6-11
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Romans 1:1-12
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
I found a lot of comfort, peace, and strength in the verses we read today in Psalm 33:11, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.” The election has come and gone, yet things are still very much politically charged as nations meet and decisions are made in our country. We know that our role and responsibility as followers of Jesus is to pray for those in authority - for wisdom and for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done. As I read verses 10 & 11, I was reminded again that the Lord is still ultimately in control, and His plans and counsel will remain forever and ever. As a parent, I can trust that my children can also rest in this truth as His counsel is for future generations. However things may appear, whether going well and in what we believe is in our favor or not, we can always have hope in His goodness and provision for us as His kids. - Jessica Glenn

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 5:1-6:12
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 33:1-5
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 28:17-30
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
“Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.” These are the words of Acts 28:24 describing the reaction by many Roman Jews to Paul’s arguments claiming Jesus was the awaiting Messiah the Jewish people had been waiting for. In one specific room, on one specific day in history, a group of people wrestled with Jesus’ claims to be God and the outcome was mixed. From then till now, billions of people have wrestled with the same truth and the results have been mixed. Some are persuaded. Others don’t believe. As someone who has followed Jesus my entire life, it is hard for me to understand why people wouldn’t embrace the good news of Jesus. No other religion or worldview answers the big questions of life like ‘Who am I?’, ‘Where did I come from?’, and ‘Why am I here?’ in a way that makes as much sense and offers as much hope as Christianity. The strongest argument against belief in Jesus may be: “it sounds too good to be true.” But the reality is something has to be true. Why wouldn’t we choose to believe something good?! Especially when it is not just a good concept we are choosing to put our hope in, but an actual person who proved his claims of deity. Jesus’ death AND resurrection are historical events witnessed by thousands. Add to that the many miraculous signs done in Jesus name. Add to that ALL the stories of life-change throughout history, of people whose lives were dramatically altered when filled with God’s love through his Holy Spirit. With all this in play…why do some still not believe the truth? Let’s go back to that one day in that one room and see what Paul said. He actually quoted the prophet Isaiah who hundreds of years before Paul said: “For the hearts of these people have grown callous, their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise they might see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.” Some hearts are calloused. Some eyes and ears are closed. If you are among the many who have been persuaded, trust in God, and feel his presence there are two things for you to do. 1) Thank him and rejoice! 2) Get busy sharing your testimony with the calloused! God used Paul that day with a room full of Roman Jews, and he can use you. God is desperate for their eyes to be open and for them to hear so that he may heal them. - Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 4
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 32
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 28:7-16
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Following God isn’t always easy - just ask Paul in Acts 28 or the Israelites in Ezra 4. The moment they stepped out in obedience, opposition came. Doesn’t it feel that way sometimes? The Israelites faced resistance, discouragement, and even had their work shut down. Paul went through even more - from prison to shipwrecks, and then, when he finally did reach Rome, he seemed to only face more uncertainty. I’ve struggled with this recently as we’re praying and thinking through some big decisions. I also recently returned from a conference in Seattle, so I’ve got flying on my mind. In this journey of following Jesus, it can honestly feel like every time I unbuckle my seat belt or get a half cup of ginger ale, we hit turbulence. Or every time we’re about to land, the landing gear goes back up and we have to do another circle. Maybe you’ve been there too - trying to follow God’s call, only to hit roadblock after roadblock. It’s frustrating, and it can make you wonder if you’re even on the right path.

But Psalm 32 reminds us that joy is found in walking with God, even when it’s hard. Read that again - joy is found ON the walk! Just because you face resistance doesn’t mean you’re off track - sometimes, it can even be proof that you’re right where you need to be. The Israelites eventually finished the temple, and Paul kept going, no matter what stood in his way. God was there with them, guiding them, carrying them through. The part that can give us hope? He promises to do the same for you. So if today feels like a struggle, remember this: God is with you, leading you every step of the way. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 3
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 31:21-24
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 27:39-28:6
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Instead of having a “thought” provided, today the thought is yours! We’d love to encourage you to revisit today’s scripture and engage deeply with the questions above. Take time to reflect and let God’s Word speak to you personally.

Identify a Focus verse, phrase, or word. This should be one that presents a truth with special relevance or significance to you. Write it out word for word. Then, write your Feelings or insight: your own explanation of how you see the truth of your Focus relating or speaking to your life. Finally, identify an Invitation from God. If you believe the truth of your insight, what specific action will you take?

Let God guide you through this process, and see how His Word transforms your perspective!

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: Ezra 1-2
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 31:10-20
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 27:21-38
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Our reading in Psalm 31:10-20 hit me like a ton of bricks! David is so honest before God that it’s shocking sometimes. I used to think it might be, at worst, disrespectful to God and, at best, dramatic… Recently, I read something in a book on prayer to the effect of: “pray whatever is on your mind.” The argument was that we don’t pray because we don’t think we can pray about what’s REALLY on our mind (our worries, temptations, strife, and relationships). You can probably see how David is a pretty clear biblical example of this. He starts with a plea for protection and his feelings of fear and grief. Somewhere in his prayer (verse 14), we see him pivot from his INTERNAL state and EXTERNAL situation to the ETERNAL sovereignty of our God. David followed God with his whole heart; he didn’t feel the need to put on a show, pray a certain way, or pray for things he “should” pray for. He started where he was at, and we should, too. My encouragement for you today is to pray from your current perspective. To be clear, what I’m not saying is to stay there! If you are angry, pray angry.
If you are happy, pray happy.
If you are depressed, pray depressed.
If you are filled with joy, pray filled with joy. The key is that, while we are in whatever state we find ourselves, we let God’s eternal light shine in on us to give us perspective we didn’t have before. Even if that perspective is simply that He is still worthy of our praise! - Matteo McGill

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 36
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 31:6-9
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 27:9-20
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
As parents, our greatest hope is to equip our children for success in life. For those who follow Jesus, that means teaching them to love and serve Him. But no matter how much we pour into them, they may still choose a different path—one that strays from God’s plan. Just as we long for our children to follow the right path, God, our heavenly Father, also has a plan and a hope for us. Yet, because of our sinful nature, we often turn away from Him. Following God’s way isn’t always easy or comfortable; the desires of the flesh often pull us in the opposite direction. We see this struggle play out in 2 Chronicles 36, where a series of kings—Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah—are given the responsibility to lead God’s people. But instead of walking in wisdom, they follow their own sinful desires, doing evil in the sight of the Lord. Contrast this with Solomon in 2 Chronicles 1. When God gave him the opportunity to ask for anything, he didn’t request wealth, power, or personal gain. Instead, he humbly asked for wisdom to lead God’s people well. Because of his faithfulness, God not only granted him wisdom but also poured out blessings—riches, honor, and a kingdom beyond measure. But the kings that followed him rejected that wisdom. They chased their own desires, which led to slavery, bondage, and ultimately, destruction—even the devastation of God's holy temple. This serves as a sobering reminder: when we follow our own way, it leads to ruin. But when we surrender to God’s way, it leads to life. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths." I want to be the kind of person who surrenders my desires to God, trusting that His way is always better. My way leads to eventual destruction, but His way leads to life. - Liz Holland

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 35
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 31:1-5
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 26:28-27:8
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
There are some parts of the Bible that we read that really fill us with hope and excitement for following Jesus and partnering with him to advance His kingdom. Today’s passages are not those. They are reminders that we face setbacks, tragedy, loss, difficulty, and the unexpected. It can be so hard to understand why we experience these things when we are trying to follow Jesus and do what He has for us to do. We see in our Psalm today a model response for when we inevitably go through these types of things. Instead of turning away from God, we have an invitation to “take refuge” in Him. To pour out our heart to Him and tell Him how we are feeling (even if we are angry!) We can choose whether we will go our own way or trust Him and abandon the outcome to Him. Sometimes, many of us have thought that the Bible is saying that we are supposed to deny our feelings, our disappointment, our anger and pretend like we are okay. Or sometimes we go in the opposite direction and embrace our feelings as everything, and turn away from Jesus. Instead, we are invited to admit our feelings, take them to Jesus, and feel them with Him. When we do that, we actually get to experience Him as a refuge, a comfort, a safe place. It may be hard to imagine, but Jesus actually grieves with us. This is beautifully depicted in an episode of The Chosen that I watched with my family recently. (If you haven’t watched it- download the free app and start!) It’s based on John 11. Jesus and His followers went to Bethany because they received word that their friend Lazarus had died. When He arrived, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. His sisters, Mary & Martha were experiencing much grief, and when He saw their pain, He wept with them (He also felt his own grief, as Lazarus was His friend.) If you know the rest of the story (spoiler ahead) you know that Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. This story is such a beautiful example of Jesus meeting us in sadness- even though He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead, He still stopped and grieved with Mary & Martha. He didn’t tell them to ignore or move past their pain. He felt it with them. He offers that to each of us. Maybe there is an obvious place of grief, loss or pain in your life that you sense Jesus is inviting you to bring to Him. If not, ask Him! Maybe there’s something you experienced in the past that He wants you to allow Him in so that He can comfort you and be your refuge. - Gwyn Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 34:8-33
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 30:6-12
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 26:15-27
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
The word “bold” is used a lot in our culture, especially in advertising. Seems like everything has “bold taste” or “bold style”. Why do advertisers do this? Because it works! Who wants regular boring Doritos when you can have Bold BBQ?! We are intrigued by things that are bold (powerful, confident, remarkable). I believe it is, in part, because our souls were crafted by a powerful, remarkable being, and so a part of us knows there is more than just the mundane that this world has to offer.
In both our OT and NT readings today, we see boldness on display.
OT - King Josiah, upon rediscovering the law of Moses, aka the first 5 books of the Bible, boldly tears his clothes and springs into action. With a healthy fear of the Lord he inquires of the prophets. When he hears that God is merciful to those who are repentant, he immediately summons the leaders of his kingdom and implements changes to realign their culture back to focus on God. He orders that all shrines and monuments to false gods be destroyed. That’s pretty bold!
NT - Paul is brought before the local Roman governor and the current King of the Jewish people to account for his bold history of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus. With his freedom and maybe even his life on the line, Paul is unapologetic. He doesn’t try to downplay or explain away his behavior. Instead he takes this inquisition as an opportunity to share his testimony, and even try to demonstrate to King Agrippa that Jesus is the messiah that their people have been awaiting. Acts 26:25-29 is one of my favorite verbal exchanges in the whole Bible. I would encourage you to go read it if you skipped right to this “thought” or go reread it if you read it quickly. Paul is so clear and confident and, well…BOLD!
I want to be more bold in my words, like Paul. I want to be more decisive in my actions, like Josiah. If you agree with me then let’s do it! Let’s begin our bold journey in prayer…
Lord God, we acknowledge that you are worthy of ALL our praise, ALL our heart, ALL our attention. We want to be more BOLD for you. We want our words and our actions to be pleasing to you, and to point others clearly to Jesus. Holy Spirit, make us brave! Fill us with your powerful presence so that we will stick out in our culture… unashamed that we follow Jesus and ready to boldly proclaim his name in word and deed! Amen.   - Mike Nank

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 33:1-34:7
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 30:1-5
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 26:2-14
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Have you ever felt like you’ve messed up too much for God to redeem your story? Manasseh was one of the worst kings in Judah’s history—he led the people into deep rebellion, built altars to false gods, and completely ignored the Lord. But when he was captured, he humbled himself and cried out to God—and God heard him. In an incredible act of mercy, God restored him, proving that no one is too far gone for His grace.

Paul knew this better than anyone. As he shares his story in Acts 26, he remembers how he once passionately persecuted Christians, but when Jesus met him on the road to Damascus everything changed. God turned his life around when Paul simply turned to Him. In the moments when you’re tempted to doubt God’s love, patience, and grace - turn to the words of Psalm 30: God’s anger lasts for a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning. No matter how far you’ve wandered, God is in the business of redemption. All it takes is turning to Him. - Dave Kubiak

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 32
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 29
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 25:16-26:1
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Instead of having a “thought” provided, today the thought is yours! We’d love to encourage you to revisit today’s scripture and engage deeply with the questions above. Take time to reflect and let God’s Word speak to you personally.

Identify a Focus verse, phrase, or word. This should be one that presents a truth with special relevance or significance to you. Write it out word for word. Then, write your Feelings or insight: your own explanation of how you see the truth of your Focus relating or speaking to your life. Finally, identify an Invitation from God. If you believe the truth of your insight, what specific action will you take?

Let God guide you through this process, and see how His Word transforms your perspective!

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 31
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 28
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 25:1-15
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Do real men cry? That's the question I want everyone to think about today as we read the Psalm 28 passage.

It is often taught in society that real men don't cry, that we are logical and not emotional. And yet, when you look at David - who no one would argue was anything short of a king, a warrior, the full embodiment of masculinity - his prayer is full of weeping and begging for mercy. He is crying to God with what I could only assume would be tears, asking that he would be spared from his righteous judgment. He pleads with God from his anguish, and that can be felt all throughout the psalm. Here's a quick summary of verses 1 through 9:

David earnestly seeks God's mercy, pleading for protection from the consequences destined for those who practice lawlessness. In his heartfelt prayer and crying, he embraces a profound confidence in God's safeguarding and deliverance. In verse 7, David praises God for His faithful responses, and celebrates the answered prayers even before they come to fruition. David draws a compelling contrast between the fates of the righteous and the wicked, boldly asking God to judge the wicked in accordance with their deeds. Finally, in verses 8 and 9, He firmly believes that God will rightfully recompense the wicked for their wrongdoing.

Although this song is written through his tears, nothing about it is weak. If we're not careful, we can feel that crying out to God is desperation or a lack of faith. When we do, we make God out to be cold and unsympathetic. But the Bible says God cares for us, and we can cast our cares before him. The Bible says in Psalm 56 that God takes our tears and He bottles them up. We have a High Priest that we can come to in our most desperate of times. We can boldly come before the throne of grace. God is big enough. He is strong enough to take on our dilemmas and our problems. It doesn't mean you are weak or faithless, it means you are wise to go to the source from where all help comes from - the Lord. - Jewaun Glenn

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 29:20-30:27
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 27:7-14
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 24:17-27
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Things can be different and God is always doing something new. King Hezekiah broke free from generational cycles and transgressions. He saw the bondage his kingdom was in because it had turned its back on God in previous generations. In 2 Chronicles 29, God put something new in motion in Hezekiah’s heart. So he ordered kingdom officials and priests to clean up the temple and get themselves ready for worship and repentance - preparing the temple to make a sacrifice for past sin and burning ashes while singing in worship to God. A fresh start and a new beginning.

When we decide to break away from old cycles, there will be growing pains. It’s not easy to leave things behind that we’ve always relied on. Even harmful things can be deceiving because it’s what we are used to. Psalm 27 brings solace when I consider what it really looks like to follow God’s path and consistently seek the new life He has for me. “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” ‭‭(Psalm‬ ‭27‬:‭14‬) ‭

We can trust God and His process in all things. When we follow in His ways, He  brings about new things, sanctifies us by His grace, and brings about the  fruits of His Spirit in our life. He is building His church to be righteous followers of Christ.

In Acts 24, Paul was being persecuted. Lies were spoken of him. He was hurt, thrown in jail, and was potentially facing death. Paul maintained his obedience and never faltered in his faith. I want to have steadfast faith like Paul through all the pains this life brings. Let’s fix our eyes on the way Jesus is leading us into new places today. What is He putting on your heart and how can you walk in obedience? I’m praying you trust His process and see the fruit that comes. - Rachel Hood

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

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, & use as much or little as you’d like.

GET FOCUSED | Start by simply thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
+ Practice gratitude while singing/playing some worship music from Paradox on Spotify.
+ Spend a few moments meditating on today’s Old Testament Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:9-29:19
+ From your reading, finish the sentence “God, you are ___.”
Take time to thank & worship God for the ways you’ve seen Him be/do that in your life.

MORNING PRAYER FOCUS | Prayer involves both talking and listening to God.
+ Pray the Lord’s Prayer, or slow down to pray it using this Lord’s Prayer guide.
+ Use “Lectio Divina” to listen to God in this morning’s Psalm: Psalm 27:1-6
Reading 1 = Focus. What is one word or phrase that Holy Spirit puts on your heart?
Reading 2 = Feelings. Focus on that word or phrase while you read. What do you feel? What specific situation in your life today relates? Reflect and talk with God about it.
Reading 3 = Invitation. What is God’s personal invitation to you from the Scripture?
Take time to journal anything you feel the Lord might be saying to you.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you into all truth.
Today’s New Testament reading is from Acts 24:4-16
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
Observe. Pay attention to what the text says. Ask who, what, when, where, & why.
Interpret. What’s the main point or meaning? What does it teach about God? Yourself?
Apply. Apply this truth to your own life. What can you put into practice today?

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
I am loving these compilations of being in the Old Testament and the New Testament to see the consistent message of the Bible from the LORD. I am also a history buff and reading about the history of the people of God is always exciting to me. 

The verse that grabbed my attention was verses 9-10 of 2 Chronicles 28: “But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria and said to them, ‘Behold, because the LORD, the God of your fathers, was angry with Judah, He gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. And now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. Have you not sins of your own against the LORD your God?’” (emphasis mine)

In other words, whoa whoa whoa! Back up and hear me! I gave you favor in this battle because of the sins of Judah. DO NOT presume that I don’t see and know of your sin; the same fate could come to you and yours! We serve a God who sees and a God who hears.  God saw the sins of Judah and their dismissal of his warnings, and they were punished. But He also heard their cries from the battlefield and the march of the slaves back to Israel. He is a good and just God.
Jump forward to Paul standing before Felix and his accusers and former colleagues of the religious and legal orders. Paul is a brilliant man, trained under some brilliant and renowned men. He knows his Bible. He has memorized the passages we read from the Old Testament today. With all this notoriety and authority, Paul doesn’t appeal to man but relies on God. He knows he is following the directions of the Spirit and works very hard to have a clear conscience before God and man. Paul knows the scripture we read in Psalms. When adversaries come up against him, he appeals to the God who sees and hears. He is not afraid because the LORD is his stronghold. He doesn’t long for justice but to dwell in the house of the LORD. You may think I am making some bold suppositions, but Paul himself penned the words of the Spirit in 2 Corinthians 5:8: “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.” 

Friends, join me in a prayer that in our times of trouble and even enduring injustices, we turn to the Most High God and remember He sees and hears each of us. We have not forgotten that He is our stronghold to seek shelter. Even if we are not rescued in our time or at all this side of Heaven, He is a good and just God. Don’t forget the message of Revelation, Jesus is the King of kings, ruler over all, and He wins the final battle! - Renee Richter

EVENING PRAYER FOCUS | Re-Focus on Jesus by returning to prayer each evening.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy, joyful, 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 = Ask to see God’s presence more clearly & walk w/ Him more closely tomorrow.
+ 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.

SHARE THE FOCUS |
+ Pray a Ripple Prayer or use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations & those serving them.
+ Text someone an encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
+ Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
+ Who can you share what you’re learning with today personally?

That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!