Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.
Play or sing some worship music you love, or use a playlist from Paradox on Spotify.
If you’re new to the Daily Focus, read this first.
WEEKLY 40 FOR 40 FOCUS | Life-on-Life Discipleship (2 Timothy 2:2)
Over the 40 Days of Lent, add 40 minutes of prayer to your week - either 1x/week or 7 minutes/day.
This week, pray that we would faithfully be & make disciples of Jesus. We’re praying for 40+ Discipling Relationships at Paradox in 2024
Ask, Who can I ask to disciple me in this season? Who can I invite into a discipling relationship?
DAILY PRAYER FOCUS | Use the PRAY acronym each morning.
P = Pause. As you start your time of prayer, begin by pausing and being still before the Lord.
R = Read. Read the Scripture Focus slowly and focus on words/phrases the Holy Spirit highlights as you read.
A = Ask. Ask God to come and speak to you. Open up your heart to Him as your heavenly Father.
Y = Yield. We want to yield our lives to the words we have prayed and commit to follow Jesus’s way.
Begin your prayer with “Father, I remember your faithfulness to…” and respond with, “Give me faith to…”
SCRIPTURE FOCUS | Today’s reading is from Deuteronomy 13
Highlight verses that capture your attention, and ask three simple questions as you read…
S = Say. What is the main point? What does it teach about God (Jesus) & yourself?
O = Obey. What can you apply (practice) from this passage today?
S = Share. Who can you share what you’re learning with today?
A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING…
Yesterday, we read about God warning His people against outsiders and foreign gods instructing them to not be drawn away to serve and worship other gods. Today, God turns their attention inward to 3 areas: prophets from among them who supposedly were speaking the words of God, someone close to them in their inner circle, their own cities. God is so serious about devotion to Him.
A false prophet is anyone who manipulates a person or situation for their own benefit pointing our attention away from God Himself to either ourselves or something/someone else. Even if the prophecy comes true! If the intent of the sign or wonder is to draw our hearts away from the person of Jesus and our relationship with Him, then we should reject it. Paul reiterates this in his letter to the church in Galatia, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed." As I read this chapter, the theme I sense is wholeheartedness - a call to not allow anything or anyone that is close to us draw us away from being obedient to Him. Even those closest to us who we love dearly can be a distraction and a deterrent. I was challenged to look at my own life to see if there are things that I need to 'put to death' and remove to not be enticed away from my relationship with God. - Jessica Glenn
REMEMBERING PRACTICE | (Optional) Practice remembering with a Daily Examen each evening.
The Examen prayer was made popular by Ignatius of Loyola (1491 – 1556). It has helped Christians for centuries to re-center themselves on Jesus as they come to the end of long days. We are using a variation creat-ed by Pete Greig from his book, How to Pray, to help us remember Jesus at the close of our days.
Replay = Replay your day. What made you happy or joyful? What made you anxious or burdened?
Rejoice = Give thanks to God for the small and the significant things from the day.
Repent = Ask God for forgiveness where you need. Receive His forgiveness afresh.
Reboot = Commit to walk with Jesus tomorrow. Ask for grace to see His presence more clearly.
*For help or an audio prayer version, use the Lectio 365 app.
SHARE THE FOCUS | 1-5 Minutes
1. Text someone a prayer/encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
2. Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.
That’s all for today.
Stay focused on Jesus, and make it a great one!
