“They served their idols, which became a snare to them. They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds. Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭106:36-41‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.106.36-41.esv

All,

This stands out because the psalmist says, “They served their idols, which became a snare to them.”  Do you know more people serving idols or God today?  Does it concern you?  Once people serve idols, they can be easily swayed in any direction. Do you love the people who came to your mind?  Have you been salt and light to them?  Please pray that we and our friends love our neighbor and see them as Jesus sees them and walk with them. Please pray if you should lead men in a CLC group. 

“he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him. The king sent and released him; the ruler of the peoples set him free; he made him lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions, to bind his princes at his pleasure and to teach his elders wisdom. Then Israel came to Egypt; Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭105:17-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.105.17-23.esv

All,

This stands out because the psalmist says, “his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the Lord tested him.”  Joseph, like other people in the Bible, went through intense suffering in order to be a part of God’s plan for redemption later. It seems that God forges resolve in His servants through suffering so they will be ready when it’s their time. Do you see present or past suffering as preparation?  Please pray that we and our friends have a eternal view as opposed to a temporal view during tough times. Please pray for Blake and Bartley’s group. 

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:19-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/heb.10.19-23.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of Hebrews says, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith”. Are you certain of God’s love for you?  Do you carry a weight of imperfection that you can’t shake?  Did Jesus die for you?  Have you repented from known sins?  Please pray that we and our friends walk today in the full assurance of faith in Christ today. Please pray for Brad and Jeff’s group as it’s forming. 

“And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he said, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,” Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” Then Absalom would say, “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. Thus Absalom did to all of Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭15:2-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2sa.15.2-6.esv

All,

This stands out because Absalom says, “but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.”  King David(Absalom’s father) had to know Absalom was saying this, but he didn’t correct lies. Why?  Do we hear lies in today’s world and not correct them?  Why?  Fear? Lack of knowledge of the Bible?  Compassion?  Are we about pleasing man or God?  Please pray that we and our friends be about pleasing God today and correct lies. Please pray for Darren and Chuck’s group as they had their overnight last night. 

“And the Lord sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds, but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. And I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your arms and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah. And if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭12:1-9‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2sa.12.1-9.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “the man who has done this deserves to die, and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”  I’ve heard that the sins we notice the most in other people are the ones in which we are the most guilty. How did David not notice the line of sins in himself but rage with anger when another person?  Do we do the same?  Please pray that we and our friends seek a pure relationship with Jesus. Please pray for Blake and Bartley’s group. 

“In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, “Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?””
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭11:1-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2sa.11.1-3.esv

All,

This stands out because the writer of Samuel says, “In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle…But David remained at Jerusalem.”  Does anything good happen when we are in places outside of God’s purpose?  We may walk down a wrong path thinking we can correct at anytime, when actually we can’t. Jesus says to walk in the light as He is in the light. We typically find ourselves in these situations when we take our eyes off Jesus. Please pray that we and our friends feed the Spirit and starve the flesh today. Please pray for Gary’s group. 

“Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭7:18-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2sa.7.18-21.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?”  How easy is it to become entitled to all that God has given us?  Look around you now. Your family, house, abilities. Did you give them to yourself or are they from God?  Have you thanked Him?  Please pray that we and our friends are ever mindful of how great God is. Please pray for Brad and Jeff’s group. 

“For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭86:10-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.86.10-12.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth”.  How often do we ask this?  What “truth” would we walk by if not God’s?  The world will gladly lead us with the “truth” of the day, but that could lead astray. Please pray that we and our friends seek and follow God’s truth. Please pray for Newt’s group. 

“And the Philistines came up yet again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. And when David inquired of the Lord, he said, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear, and come against them opposite the balsam trees. And when you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then rouse yourself, for then the Lord has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” And David did as the Lord commanded him, and struck down the Philistines from Geba to Gezer.”
‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭5:22-25‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/2sa.5.22-25.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “You shall not go up; go around to their rear”.  Have you prayed and received a totally different answer than expected?  If your like me, you prayed again hoping to get the answer you wanted. Isn’t it great that we worship a God that sees the future like it’s the present moment. He sees into men’s hearts and minds and knows their intentions. Why would we ever doubt Him?  Please pray that we and our friends go to Him with our biggest challenge today and obey the nudge. Please pray for David Aschenbach’s mom as she is enduring chemo for next several months. 

“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭34:29-33‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/exo.34.29-33.esv

All,

This stands out because Moses says, “Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.”  Can you see the difference in people after they have had a true experience with God?  Do they have a peace or strength that you admire?  Are you thinking of that person right now? Remember God created us and loves us and nothing can be better for us than spending time with our creator. Please pray that we and our friends prioritize our time with Him. Please pray for Brian, Ransom and Doug as they form a CLC group.