Good Morning!
Let’s focus our day by spending some time with Jesus before it begins.

WORSHIP | 5-15 Minutes
Worship can be as simple as thanking God for who He is & what He’s done.
Start by playing some worship music you love, or choose from one of our Spotify Playlists.
Journal or say out loud 3-5 things you’re thankful for in the last 24 hours.
Further Focus: Read 1 Peter 2:1-10. Focus on one truth about who God is & thank Him for it.

PRAYER | 5-15 Minutes
Prayer is a conversation that involves both talking and listening to God.
If you’re just starting out, try praying through a Ripple Prayer.
Further Focus: Use Nations Prayer to pray for the nations and those serving them.

SCRIPTURE | 5-25 Minutes
Our scripture focus for this study is Ezra 3:11. Try memorizing it!
Today’s reading is from Ezra 10
Ask the following SOS Questions & journal your thoughts…
S = Say. What is the main point? What does it teach about God (Jesus) & yourself?
O = Obey. What can you apply (practice) from this passage today?
S = Share. Who can you share what you’re learning with today?
Further Focus: One of the best ways to learn more about the Bible is by discussing it with others.
Work through this week’s Lifegroup Discussion Guide and meet up with a Paradox Lifegroup. *Coming Soon!

A THOUGHT FROM TODAY’S READING
The final chapter of Ezra brings the point of rebuilding the temple into full focus. In rebuilding the Temple, God is inviting His people to allow Him to rebuild their heart, their life, and their relationship with Him. God has always desired to build a people that would build their lives on His Word and His kingdom on earth. The Temple was simply an outward, visible representation of what needed to be true in the hearts of God’s people - a sacred place set aside for the worship of the one true God. Making a worship commitment to God in many ways is like a marriage, which is used as another image of the relationship between God and His people elsewhere in Scripture (where believers are referred to as the “Bride of Christ”.) Worship is a portrait of our commitment, faithfulness, and loyalty to God. Our decisions, especially one as important as who we will marry and take on customs, values, and sometimes even gods - reflect that loyalty and commitment. That’s why intermarriage was a big deal here. God didn’t want lip service. God wasn’t after a day of the week or a building. God was after whole hearted devotion from His people as they rebuilt their marriage to Him. There wouldn’t be room for split loyalties. (Sidenote: This is a specific prescription, not a general principle. If you are a believer married to an unbeliever, the New Testament gives specific guidance for you in 1 Corinthians 7:12-16). Today, recommit your whole heart as in marriage to the one true God. Set aside your whole body His temple. Offer Him your whole life as a sacrifice. Rebuild your life on Him. If you’re committing your life to Jesus for the first time or re-committing your life to Jesus, we’d love to talk. Send us a message, or visit paradox church.com/baptism to learn more about your next step: Baptism.- Dave Kubiak

SHARE | 1-5 Minutes
Text someone a prayer/encouragement, or share a thought/question with us in the Forum.
Going Deeper: Invite someone to read the Focus with you. Text “FOCUS” to (586) 200-6277.

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