“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:5-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/psa.42.5-6.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”  Do you ever feel down for no reason?  Or for not a good reason?  Maybe you were hoping in something and didn’t get it or lost something?  David reminds us to Hope in God. Things of this world will pass away, but God promises to be with us and He is eternal. Please pray that we and our friends put our hope in God today. Please pray for Sheronda(Shy) Touchstone as she battles breast cancer. 

“Then they sat down to eat. And looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing gum, balm, and myrrh, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him. Then Midianite traders passed by. And they drew Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. They took Joseph to Egypt.

Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭37:25-28, 36‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.37.25-28,36.esv

All,

This stands out because Moses says, “the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard.”  Have you had a Joseph experience before?  Being thrown into a pit and sold by your brothers seems about as bad as it gets. We know that God uses this to ultimately save Israel though. Are you in a pit right now and need some perspective of God’s plan?  Please pray that we and our friends always remember Romans 8:28. Please pray if YOU should lead a CLC group.  If you don’t, who will? Please call me and we can discuss over lunch or coffee. 

“And as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. And Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel, because there God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭35:5-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.35.5-7.esv

All,

This stands out because Moses says, “as they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities that were around them, so that they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.”  When God has a plan, He causes things to happen to accomplish the plan. I hear many times how people don’t have time to spend with God because they are so busy. However, we all know that the days when we do spend quiet time always seem to have enough time for His priorities. Please pray that we and our friends trust that God has a plan and will enable that plan to fruition. Please pray for the 7 groups that are forming to find the remaining men. 

“And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O Lord who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭32:9-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.32.9-12.esv

All,

This stands out because Jacob says, “But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.'”  Do you remind yourself of the promises God has made to us?  It’s easy to forget unless we are in the Word daily. He doesn’t want us to fear, but yet it’s so easy when we are not immersed in His Word. Please pray that we and our friends seek Him first and recall His promises today. Please pray for Frank’s group. 

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.””
‭‭Judges‬ ‭6:12-16‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/jdg.6.12-16.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”  What has God put on your heart today?  Is there fear involved in the task?  Are you relying on your power or His?  He likes us in a place of needing and realizing His power and not our own. Please pray that we and our friends rely on God today and do the thing we fear if He is nudging you. Please pray for my wife as she makes a speech today. 

“And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭28:12-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.28.12-15.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”  Do you trust the promises of God? Do you rely on them?  Do you need to spend time with Him daily to recall His promises?  What are they?  Please pray that we and our friends rely on His promises in His Word. Please pray for Phil’s group. 

“And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.””
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭22:6-12‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.22.6-12.esv

All,

This stands out because the angel of the Lord says, “for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”  This is a tough one for most of us. What a unimaginable request from God, but Abraham obeyed. We all have a “Isaac” in our lives, but God wants no one above Him. What is your potential Isaac?  Please pray that we and our friends recognize our Isaac and ask God if we have put it above Him. Please pray for Frank and Anil’s group. 

“When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭21:15-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.21.15-20.esv

All,

This stands out because Moses says, “Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water.”  Was the well there before she prayed?  Either way, God opened her eyes so she could see. Do we have the solutions right in front of us and need God to give us eyes to see it?  He will according to His will. Please pray that we and friends speak to God about our troubles along with thanking Him for our many blessings. Please pray for Phil’s group. 

“And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:4-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/gen.15.4-6.esv

All,

This stands out because Moses says, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”  It seems so simple that Abram would believe God, but is it?  Think of all the promises in the Bible about our future and yet we act as if it may not be true. God is certain. Please pray that we and our friends believe the Lord today. Please pray for Phil’s group. 

“But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended,

So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them. At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them.”
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭9:3-4, 14-16‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/bible/59/jos.9.3-4,14-16.esv

All,

This stands out because Joshua says, “but did not ask counsel from the Lord.”  How many times do we size up a situation, make a decision and move on without seeking guidance from God?  There are the extremes of analysis by paralysis or completely care-free. However most decisions do not need to be made within 24 hours. Seek God’s counsel during that time. Please pray that we and our friends seek God’s council throughout the day. Please pray for Jack Keeler’s group as it’s forming.