“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭127:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.127.1-2.esv

All,

This stands out because the psalmist says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.”  Are you building the house today or God?  If it’s you without God, will it stand?  If it’s God, your part is to do your best and go with His plan. Please pray that we and our friends do our best according to God’s plan today. Please pray Jason McMasters group. 

“And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.””
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭22:4-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.22.4-8.esv

All,

This stands out because the king of Israel says, “ There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.”. Do people ask your advise to reinforce their own thoughts or for you to seek God‘s discernment for them?  One of the best parts of CLC is having men around you who care for you so much that they would hate to advise you in any way but what they think God wants for your life. Sometimes thats tough advise though. Please pray that we and our friends seek the best for our loved ones in God‘s eyes.  Please pray for Gary and Phil’s group.  

“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19:1-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.19.1-6.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of 1 Kings says, “Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba”. It would seem that Elijah would be extremely brave at this point since God just showed Himself against the prophets of Baal, but he was afraid?  Was it Jezebel?  Does he think he got away with one miracle and didn’t want to depend on another?  I’m sure all of us have moments where we forget just who God is. When we know who God is, we aren’t afraid of the things of this world. Please pray that we and our friends the power of God today. Please pray for Brad and Jeff’s group as it’s forming. 

“When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.” So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭18:17-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.18.17-21.esv

All,

This stands out because Elijah says, “ How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.”. Can people be so saturated in the world that they don’t realize they are “limping between two different opinions”?  Can we?  Certainly!  Without daily time with God, it will most certainly happen and God knows this. That’s why He has given us His Word and the Holy Spirit to enable us to stay one with Him. Please pray that we and our friends appreciate the ability to spend time with God. Please pray for Brian, Wes and Brian’s group as they finish their CLC mtgs on Wednesday. 

“Then the word of the Lord came to him, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.” And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, “Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon the earth.'” And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days. The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by Elijah.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭17:8-16‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.17.8-16.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of 1 Kings says, “ Behold, I have commanded a widow there to feed you.”. Have you ever wondered how certain blessings occurred?  We find it difficult to trust God in certain areas, but do we stop and think about how He knows the thoughts of the people involved. He may nudge them or He may know their intentions.  Either way, He knows and He invites us to believe Him and obey Him. Please pray that we and our friends believe God today when a choice to obey arises. Please pray for Doug, Ransom and Brian’s group as it’s forming. 

“Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. And as soon as Jeroboam the son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” He said to them, “Go away for three days, then come again to me.” So the people went away. Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he was yet alive, saying, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.” But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him. And he said to them, “What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?” And the young men who had grown up with him said to him, “Thus shall you speak to this people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you lighten it for us,’ thus shall you say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.'””
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭12:1-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.12.1-11.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of 1 Kings says, “ he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him”. Who is your counsel?  A trusted CLC friend? Your wife?  A trusted friend from youth?  Your parents?  Your pastor?  One of my best friends growing up had a sign that read, “Show me who your friends are and I will show you who you are”. Does your counsel seek first the kingdom of God?  Please pray that we and our friends seek wise counsel today. Please pray for Brad and Jeff’s group as it’s forming. 

“Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭11:1-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.11.1-6.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of 1 Kings says, “So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord”. If anyone should have appreciated their relationship with God, it should be Solomon. Why did he turn to the world for fulfillment?  If this can happen to Solomon, it can happen to us. Are you wholly following the Lord today with your whole heart?  Please pray that we and our friends ask God if we are wholly following the Lord. Please pray for Blake and Bartley’s group. 

“”You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭19:17-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/lev.19.17-18.esv

All,

This stands out because Moses says, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor”.  Do you hate your neighbor?  Probably not, but do you have disdain for a opposite political group?  I often do. Is that loving my neighbor?  No. Now, to love them doesn’t mean I agree with them, but if I don’t see them as neighbors, I will harbor contempt for a child of God because I disagree on some political point. That can’t be what God means by loving my neighbor. Please pray that we and our friends love our neighbor. Please pray for Chuck and Darren’s group. 

“And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all other men, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol, and his fame was in all the surrounding nations. He also spoke 3,000 proverbs, and his songs were 1,005. He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of the wall. He spoke also of beasts, and of birds, and of reptiles, and of fish. And people of all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings of the earth, who had heard of his wisdom.”
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭4:29-34‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.4.29-34.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of 1 Kings says, “And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore”.  How has God gifted you?  Are you using God’s gift to you for His purpose?  Have you asked Him lately how you should apply His gifts?  Please pray that we and our friends enjoy the gifts God has given us by serving other people with them in His Kingdom. Please pray if you should lead men in a CLC group. 

“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?” It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.””
‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭3:9-14‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/1ki.3.9-14.esv

All,

This stands out because God says, “but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right”. What do you ask of God?  Has he given you a purpose in which you need His discernment?  It’s probably tough to see His discernment day to day, but do you see it over the years?  Please pray that we and our friends ask for discernment of what is right today. Please pray for Ransom, Brian and Doug’s group.