“Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1:20-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because wisdom says, “If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you.” Do we appreciate God’s reproof or complain? I complain, but eventually I see how God loved me in the reproof. He always knows what is best for us and wants it for us. We just don’t have the ability or wisdom to see it at the moment. Please pray that we and our friends delight when God reproofs us. Please pray for Paul Sturtz in Bella’s kindergarten class who has been diagnosed with cancer.

“And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many 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 said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:46-52‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Bartimaeus says, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” By calling Jesus the son of David, he is acknowledging Jesus to be the Christ. Do we remind ourselves to whom we are praying? I find it helpful to remind myself to whom I’m praying every time. He is the creator of everything. He knows the future. He knows what other parties are thinking in a decision. He died so we can have a relationship with Him. I’m sure you can say 1,000 more. Please pray that we and our friends remember to whom we are speaking. Please pray for the Pfohl family.

“And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:17-22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Mark says, “And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him”. Why did Mark add “loved him”? He seems to emphasize these realistic words because Jesus truly loved him and wanted him to have eternal life. It wouldn’t be loving if Jesus wasn’t truthful. Does Jesus want any of us to not have eternal life? He died for us so we can have eternal life, if we only believe Him. The man seemed to put more faith in his riches than Jesus. Please pray that we and our friends put all our faith in Jesus. Please pray for the mothers that are contemplating abortion today.

““Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.

And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:42-43, 45, 47-48‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell”. Do we have any habits that aren’t sinful themselves, but lead to sin? Paul says certain actions may be lawful, but are they beneficial? Please pray that we and our friends understand this passage and apply it to our lives. Please pray for the Pfohl family.

“And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:22-29‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because the father says, “I believe; help my unbelief!” It’s seems to be a mystery to what part our faith has in Gods miracles. Jesus is challenged again with a lack of faith by the people around Him. Do we need help with our faith? Are we absolutely dependent on Jesus? Please pray that we and our friends ask Jesus to help our unbelief. Please pray for the Pfohl family.

“And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭7:24-30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Jesus says, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” Do you ever have a unsolvable problem and then the solution pops into your head from no where? Do you ever ask God for guidance, give it to God and then the answer is abundantly clear a little later? We may not call those miracles, but I know God’s hand is in those situations and they wouldn’t be if we didn’t beg Him for an answer. I’m not saying that we can say the magic words and He answers us, but at times we get a revelation that otherwise wouldn’t be there. Please pray that we and our friends ask for God’s guidance today. Please pray for the Pfohl family.

“Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. ) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭7:1-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/mrk.7.1-8.esv
All,This stands out because Isaiah says, “in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.“. Religion has a lot of doctrines of man. A relationship with Jesus is not the same as having religion. A relationship with Jesus implies a Biblical worldview. In Matt 7:21, Jesus says He didn’t know these people performing miracles. Does religion create a relationship or rules? Please pray that we and our friends have a relationship with Jesus. Please pray for Ron Pfohl and his family as Ron has moved into hospice.

“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:34-44‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/mrk.6.34-44.esv
All,This stands out because Mark says, “he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.” I love the image of Jesus being a shepherd and me being a sheep(Psalm 23). To be a sheep is not a compliment as sheep cannot really think for themselves. They can be standing beside water and not realize it until the shepherd guides them there. So a sheep to a shepherd is a good visual for me and my need for Jesus. I may have certain knowledge, but He has omniscient knowledge and He wants the best for me. Why would I want to be on my own without His “rod and staff” to guide me? Please pray that we and our friends are thankful for our shepherd. Please pray for the oppressed to seek true freedom in Jesus and not just politics.

“And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And he said to them, “Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:7-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/mrk.6.7-13.esv
All,This stands out because Mark says, “ So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.” It’s interesting how the proclamations always start with repentance. Repentance recognizes sin and also recognizes our inability to defeat sin on our own and our absolute dependence on Jesus. Without repentance, we can be a proud Pharisees, but with repentance we can join all the believers who know Jesus. Please pray that we and our friends repent for our sins today and abide in Jesus. Please pray for the men who need to be in a CLC group.

“And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” And he looked around to see who had done it. But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.””
‭‭Mark‬ ‭5:24-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/mrk.5.24-34.esv
All,This stands out because the woman says, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” Can you imagine her state after years of relying on experts to help her and now she is at the absolute end of her rope? It’s been said that if you want to find Jesus, He can be found at the end of your rope. Have you been at the point of relying on nothing but Jesus? It’s not fun getting there, but it’s peaceful when your finally there. Please pray that we and our friends are absolutely dependent on Jesus today. Please pray for Randy and family.