“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:16-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.19.16-17.esv
All,
This sticks out because when the man asked “what” is good, Jesus turns it into a “who” is good. Jesus knows we can’t ever be good enough and we need Him to transform us into His likeness. Since I’m a type A person, this bothers me because I want to do something, but the only thing I can “do” is yield. Please pray that we and our friends yield to God today. Especially in the area that may be a idol. Please pray for Robert and Jim’s group. 

“He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭19:4-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.19.4-5.esv
All,
This sticks out because Jesus says God “made them male and female”. There is a identity crisis going on right now in many ways. Ron Greer wrote a book years ago named, “If you know who you are…you’ll know what to do”. If we know we are a child of God, we will seek His will in all our decisions. He gave us a Bible to help us discern His will. He also gave us the ability to pray and to seek wise counsel from Godly people. Obviously none of us are the judge and jury on salvation, but we can lead people to a relationship with God and help them discern what God wants them to do. Please pray that we and our friends point people to Christ always. Please pray for Devon, Cedric and Jonnell’s overnight tonight. 

“Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:32-35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.18.32-35.esv
All,
This sticks out because he ends with “from your heart”. I know this is talking about forgiving others. I also assume everyone knows the adage that if we don’t forgive another, it’s like taking poison and hoping the other person dies. I wonder if He also means to forgive ourselves here. We may forgive other people’s mistakes, but then hold ourselves to a impossible line that hurts us. Please pray that we and our friends repent and also forgive from the heart. Please pray for Ryan and Chris’s group. 

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:1-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.18.1-4.esv
All,
This sticks out because the greatest is also the one that sees God as a authority like a child does and yields his will to that Authority. I love to watch well trained dogs. They seem to get much more joy out of life than the free dogs you see roaming around. The well trained dog yields to authority. Please pray that we and our friends yield to God’s authority today and trust him with the outcomes. Please pray for Debra Cooney who is on staff at CLC. 

“And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17:17-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.17.17-20.esv
All,
This sticks out because it seems like Jesus gets upset here and short with the disciples. I always think of Jesus as eternally patient with me, but the Bible says there will be a day of judgement. If you could hear Jesus’s response to your prayer today, would He be asking where your faith is? Please pray that we and our friends put our faith in Christ today and stop messing around. Please pray for Jay Baker on staff at CLC. 

“He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16:15-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.16.15-17.esv
All,
This sticks out because if we really believe Jesus is the Christ, we will not debate or rationalize with Him. I start getting “comfortable” with Jesus and think He laughs at my issues like my friends would. But I’m pretty sure He weeps at my issues and sees the changes that need to be made because of His Holiness and His desire to “give me life to the full” temporally and eternally. Please pray that we and our friends yield to God’s transformation as if ” our life depended on it”, because it does. Please pray for Hank Miles, who is on staff at CLC. 

“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile anyone.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭15:18-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.15.18-20.esv
All,
This sticks out because only we and Jesus know our heart. Anything that is done to impress another person means nothing to God. Ken Boa has a part in his “Morning Affirmations” that prompts us to ask the Holy Spirit to search our heart and reveal any area of unconfessed sins. Please pray that we and our friends ask the Holy Spirit this and obey what He points out. Please pray for Debi Jacobus on CLC staff. 

“but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:24-27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.14.24-27.esv
All,
This sticks out because Jesus has to tell them “Do not be afraid”. How often do we let fear control our choices? Here Jesus is about to “solve” their problem, but they are fearful of Him. Jesus’s answer to a problem may force us to face a fear to finally solve a problem. Please pray that we and our friends trust Jesus in the midst of turmoil as opposed to fearing his answer for the problem. Please pray for Larry Jamieson as he leads CLC in Minnesota. 

“But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:16-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.14.16-18.esv
All,
This sticks out because Jesus says, “Bring them here to Me”. The disciples have a worldly solution to the problem and Jesus suggests they solve the problem, but not in the way they can think of. Jesus wants us and everyone to come to Him. He wants us to bring people to Him. He will not only “solve” the immediate problem, but will give them “Life to the full”. Please pray that we and our friends being our friends to Jesus today for their issues. Please pray for Danny Jeffries as he leads CLC in Nashville. 

“And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:57-58‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.13.57-58.esv
All,
This sticks out because Matthew says Jesus didn’t do many works there because of their unbelief. You would think he would do the opposite, but it’s seems consistent with telling the Disciples to shake the dust off their feet. Jesus had a purpose to glorify God and wanted people to accept it, but doesn’t them if they chose not to. Please pray that we and our friends speak the truth in love, but not be concerned with outcomes beyond that. Please pray for Danny Parker as he leads CLC in Pittsburgh.