“As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune-telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she kept doing for many days. Paul, having become greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers. And when they had brought them to the magistrates, they said, “These men are Jews, and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this order, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:16-24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.16.16-24.esv
All,
This is a long one, but it stands out because of how Satan will cause division in a community that is ultimately for someone’s personal gain, but he uses innocent pawns to achieve it. Here the owners didn’t care what Paul and Silas were preaching, or the people to whom they were preaching, until it hit their pocketbook and then they want them humiliated and arrested. Please pray that we and our friends pray for discernment and wisdom to see the true motives behind any “good cause” that stirs people’s emotions. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭16:14-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.16.14-15.esv
All,
This stands out because Luke says, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” In our CLC now, we have been discussing the role the Holy Spirit does in some one becoming a disciple. How we need to follow God’s nudges knowing that the Holy Spirit is the one who actually changes hearts, not us. Remember how important relationships are. People don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care. Please pray that we and our friends follows God’s nudges over Thanksgiving as we are seeing old friends and making new ones. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭15:25-27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.15.25-27.esv
All,
This stands out because Judas and Silas “risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. Anybody risk their lives for Christ this last year? You may have missed a opportunity or you may have been discouraged, but these guys have risked their lives. Are their opportunities that we are not seeing because we don’t want to get “too uncomfortable”? Please pray that we and our friends follow God’s nudges today and know His power will enable us to do His plan. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭14:21-22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.14.21-22.esv
All,
This stands out because I’m always amazed at Paul’s willingness to go to different towns and just start talking about Christ. He would go through torture because of his singular focus to tell people the good news about the Grace of Christ even though many people didn’t want to hear the message. Please pray that we and our friends share the good news of what Christ means to us. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath. And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God. The next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:42-44‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.13.42-44.esv
All,
This stands out because people are drawn to hear genuine truth in grace. It’s easy for “prophets” to tell the king what he wanted to hear or the people what they wanted to hear, but Paul and Barnabas “spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.” Please pray that we and our friends seek the foundation of Christ. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?”‭‭Acts‬ ‭13:6-10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.13.6-10.esv
All,
This stands out because Paul says, “will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?” There are many things Paul could have said, but why did he say, “crooked the straight paths of the Lord”? Just like when Satan tempted Adam and Eve or Jesus, he tries to twist and warp God’s Word in such a way to make us independent of God and essentially our own God. Please pray that we and our friends be so focused on Jesus that we detect the subtle suggestions of evil that make for crooked paths. Please pray for men considering CLC. 

“About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread.
Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood next to him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, “Get up quickly.” And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, “Dress yourself and put on your sandals.” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.” And he went out and followed him. He did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went out and went along one street, and immediately the angel left him. When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.””

‭‭Acts‬ ‭12:1-3, 6-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.12.1-3,6-11.esv
All,
This stands out because you never know how God is going to handle a situation. None of the believers would have thought this was a option, yet God still delivered Peter from Herod for His purpose. However, at the same time, He let James be killed. Please pray that we and our friends remember Romans 8:28, “and we know at in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.” Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party criticized him, saying,
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If then God gave the same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?” When they heard these things they fell silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.””

‭‭Acts‬ ‭11:1-2, 15-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.11.1-2,15-18.esv
All,
This stands out because the apostles and the brothers say, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” “Repentance leads to life” seems to be a common theme in Acts. The world will tell people that there is nothing to repent for and they need to be free of the restraints that Christianity puts on people. Please pray that we and our friends care for ourselves and our friends enough to speak the truth in love so we can live the life God wants for us that comes from repentance. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:34-38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.10.34-38.esv
All,
This stands out because Peter says about Jesus, “He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil”. “Oppressed by the devil”? People think Christianity is oppressive. Is Christianity oppressive or freeing? Jesus wants to free those who hate Him from their oppression. He certainly doesn’t want them to stay in their oppression by not prompting them to repent of sin. Please pray that we and our friends love those that are oppressed even more today and pray they get to know Jesus so they will be freed. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“Now there was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which, translated, means Dorcas. She was full of good works and acts of charity. In those days she became ill and died, and when they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
But Peter put them all outside, and knelt down and prayed; and turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭9:36-37, 40-41‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/act.9.36-37,40-41.esv
All,
This stands out because Peter would have NEVER dreamed he would bring someone back from the dead. When Peter was tired from fishing all night and still obeyed Jesus by casting out a net or when he accepted forgiveness after denying Jesus 3 times, he obeyed out of love for Jesus. Please pray that we and our friends obey Jesus out of love today and not be surprised what miracles we will get to be a part of. Please pray for Robert and Jim’s group.