“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11:33-36‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/59/rom.11.33-36.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!”  Do we understand Who we are rejecting when we decide to take our own counsel?  When we chose to be disobedient, we are going against God’s all surpassing love and wisdom. Please pray that we and our friends seek Him today. Please pray for CLC.  

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭11:17-21‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/59/rom.11.17-21.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.”  Do you ever feel entitled to God’s love?  It can be kind of like the sun in that it’s always there and we start to take it for granted. Now, He doesn’t want us to try to earn it, although He does seem to like effort, but rather to wake every morning with a full appreciation for His love for us. In this appreciation and love for Him, we can’t help but want to be a part of His purpose and obey Him. Please pray that we and our friends fully appreciate God today. Please pray for people to be renewed in their love for Christ. 

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:31-35‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/59/rom.8.31-35.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Do you ever beat yourself up because you did something you didn’t want to do or didn’t do something you wanted to do?  Are you attempting to live in your own power?  Satan is more powerful than us but Christ is more powerful than Satan. “Who can be against us?”  We can abide in the power of Christ!  Please pray that we and our friends live in the power of Christ. Please pray for CLC. 

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:1-8‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/59/rom.8.1-8.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”  Which is better “death” or “life and peace”?  Somehow though we are tempted to follow  the thoughts of the flesh when Christ has given us the option to “set the mind” on the Spirit. Notice how many opportunities you have today to chose between the two. Please pray that we and our friends continually set our minds on the Spirt today. Please pray for CLC. 

“For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭6:20-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/59/rom.6.20-23.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.”  What fruit is being produced in your life?  Whatever we sow, we reap. It’s impossible to sow bad seeds and get good fruit, but it’s tempting. The world will tell you there are no consequences to sin or there isn’t one truth, but those philosophies do not produce good fruit. Please pray that we and our friends seek Christ. Please pray for John and Hunters group. 

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:1-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬
https://www.bible.com/59/rom.5.1-5.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope”.  Do you equate suffering with hope when you are going through it?  I don’t. However, we all get to see the fruit it produces in hindsight.  It does force us to focus on Christ in a more vibrant way. Please pray that we and our friends place our hope in Christ alone. Please pray for Connor’s group. 

“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭2:1-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬
http://bible.com/59/rom.2.1-4.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”  Does God’s kindness lead you to repentance or repetition?  Do you trust God to believe He doesn’t want us to do things that ultimately hurt us or others?  Please pray that we and our friends seek repentance. Please pray for a friend that may want to be introduced to CLC. 

“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:28-32‬ ‭ESV‬‬
http://bible.com/59/rom.1.28-32.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”  I can’t think of a single person I know who would say they belong to this group of people. Do you?  Why would someone follow that life?  I doubt they know the love of Christ or may have fallen victim to what the world values.  Do you have a burden to help them come to know Christ intimately?  Did you have any issues before you knew Christ and now He has transformed you?  Please pray that we and our friends reach out to our friends that need Christ. Please pray for those friends. 

“When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.” He, however, shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. They were waiting for him to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭28:3-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
http://bible.com/59/act.28.3-6.esv

All,

This stands out because Luke says, “But when they had waited a long time and saw no misfortune come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.”  The people judged him very quickly and also praised him just as quickly. Does this sound familiar?  The opinions of people can change like the wind, but God’s affection for us never changes. As it important for us all to seek the approval of One. Please pray that we and our friends seeks Gods approval today above all else. Please pray for your friend who doesn’t have a relationship with Christ. 

“When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors suspected that they were nearing land. So they took a sounding and found twenty fathoms. A little farther on they took a sounding again and found fifteen fathoms. And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, and had lowered the ship’s boat into the sea under pretense of laying out anchors from the bow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭27:27-32‬ ‭ESV‬‬
http://bible.com/59/act.27.27-32.esv

All,

This stands out because Paul says, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”  Why would these soldiers listen to Paul when they were the professional sailors?  Are there times when people are willing to stop relying on themselves and obey God?  I’m sure all of us have been through those, but why don’t we stay in that mindset?  We should. “Life in the Presence of God”, by Ken Boa is a excellent way to grow closer and more dependent on God everyday. Please pray that we and our friends grow closer to God today. Please pray for men that may want to know more about CLC.