“Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭21:10-19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.” Are you having conversations now with scoffers of Christ? The atheists in the US mainly think they are doing good for people by not believing the Bible. Please pray that we and our friends speak the truth IN LOVE in these conversations. Please pray for David and Wes’s group.

“When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:15-26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because the nobleman says, “Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’” We’ve all been given certain gifts and talents that God expects us to use according to His purpose. How are you using yours? Have they born fruit? Please pray that we and our friends ask God what His purpose is for us today and do it. Please pray for Ransom and Doug’s group.

“As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:35-43‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Luke says, “They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Is Jesus a good man from Nazareth or is He the Son of David, meaning the Christ to us? Do we transform ourselves or does Jesus transform us? I think Jesus will allow us to keep trying to transform ourselves until we realize our dependence on Him. Please pray that we and our friends ask Jesus today for our true desire and watch what happens. He works in crazy ways. Please pray for Chuck and Darren’s group.

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭18:9-14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Luke says, “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt.” Are we justified by our good works or by Christ crucified? It’s easy to slip into a works based mentality, but that is of the flesh. Works are a product of our gratefulness to Christ for His crucifixion for our sins. Please pray that we and our friends realize how dependent we are on Christ. Please pray for Blake and Bartley’s group.

““One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭16:10-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.” It’s very tempting to care more about what people think of our actions than what God thinks. It seems at the moment as if people may have more control then God, but we know that God will use everything for His purpose(Romans 8:28). God will use our steadfastness and obedience to His glory and we get to enjoy the fruit of the Spirit(Gal 5:22-23). Please pray that we and our friends “Glorify God and enjoy Him forever”. Please pray for Connor and Knox’s group.

““Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭15:25-32‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because the father says, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” Do you have anyone in your life that doesn’t deserve grace? Do we deserve grace? No! Yet God sent Jesus to die for our sins and He is overjoyed when we come to our senses. Please pray that we and our friends will see the enemies of Jesus as victims of the secular worldview and pray they come to their senses. Please pray for Jeff and Brad’s group.

““If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:26-33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Have we counted the cost of being a follower of Jesus? Is there anything in our lives that compete for the most affection or most treasured? Are we willing to love them less? Please pray that we and our friends ask God to reveal those areas and count the cost. Please pray for the Pfohl family.

“When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:15-24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “But they all alike began to make excuses.” In talking to men, I sometimes hear excuses around time. Some people are too busy and miss out on the banquet God offers them now. Please pray that we and our friends accept His invitation to spend time with Him daily all day. Please pray for Jonnell and Devon’s group.

““I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.””
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:49-53‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” I hear “Unity” in the oddest places and often ask, “Unity around what?” My interpretation is that we can have unity as long as we go along with what the world thinks at that moment. There seems to always be division between the biblical worldview and the secular worldview. Are we being true disciples if we take on the secular world view for the sake of “unity”? Please pray that we and our friends seek true “unity” in the everlasting God who doesn’t change with the wind. Please pray for Ransom and Doug’s group.

““Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12:32-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Does anything compete with God in your heart? Jesus knows we are tempted to put certain possessions above Him and He knows how harmful that is to us. He knows they start to posses us. Please pray that we and our friends get rid of any possession that we are tempted to put above God. Please pray for Brad and Jeff’s group.