“I cry to you, O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.”

Psalms 142:5-7 ESV

http://bible.com/59/psa.142.5-7.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Who or what is your refuge. When in trouble, where do we go? Can money solve the problem? Can a relationship solve the problem? Only God knows the true solution to any issue and it usually takes us getting out of the way and seeing God for who He really is. Please pray that we and our friends “walk humbly with our God” today. Please pray for Brad and Jeff’s group.

“and said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea for mercy before him: If you will remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I relent of the disaster that I did to you. Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you, to save you and to deliver you from his hand. I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy on you and let you remain in your own land. But if you say, ‘We will not remain in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God and saying, ‘No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war or hear the sound of the trumpet or be hungry for bread, and we will dwell there,’

All the men who set their faces to go to Egypt to live there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. They shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I will bring upon them.”

Jeremiah 42:9-14, 17 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jer.42.9-14,17.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “Do not fear the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not fear him, declares the Lord, for I am with you”.  The remnant of the people after Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem are afraid and want to go to Egypt for safety. While this makes common sense, God says to stay. Do you ever have a choice between your rationale and God’s Word?  Which do you trust?  Please pray that we and our friends trust God especially when it seems very difficult. Please pray for men to be stirred to lead CLC groups.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Psalms 139:23-24 ESV

http://bible.com/59/psa.139.23-24.esv

All,

This stands out because the Psalmist says, “lead me in the way everlasting!” Len Sykes suggested I pray this whole verse daily in quiet time with God several years ago. It’s a very powerful verse that convicts me while encouraging me at the same time. Augustine said, “Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” Please pray that we and our friends find true rest in Christ today. Please pray for Darren and Bruce’s group.

“On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”

Psalms 138:3-8 ESV

http://bible.com/59/psa.138.3-8.esv

All,

This stands out because David says, “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.” I had a conversation yesterday about Phil 4:6-7 with someone that is displaying high anxiety. God wants us to go to Him in EVERY situation. He wants us to remember who He is and how grateful we are when we are calling Him. Without knowing Who we are asking, do we really trust in the outcome? Please pray that we and our friends seek God today for the strength that only He can give our soul. Please pray for Jeff and Brad’s group.

“In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the disaster that I intend to do to them, so that every one may turn from his evil way, and that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

As Jehudi read three or four columns, the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the fire pot. Yet neither the king nor any of his servants who heard all these words was afraid, nor did they tear their garments.”

Jeremiah 36:1-3, 23-24 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jer.36.1-3,23-24.esv

All,

This stands out because Jeremiah says, “the king would cut them off with a knife and throw them into the fire in the fire pot”. No one likes to hear bad news. It’s tempting to silence the bearing of bad news so we can continue as usual. Is it the accountants fault when one spends more than they make? The world will continue to try and silence the Word of God or manipulate its texts to say what is pleasing at the moment. Please pray that we and our friends spend time in the Bible and abide in Christ. Please pray for Stacey Kessler.

“”Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.”

Malachi 3:1-4 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mal.3.1-4.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver”. I’ve heard that a silversmith knows exactly when to take the silver out of the heat so that it’s pure and the dross is burned away. He has to watch the silver intently during this time just as God watches us intently while He purifies us. We give our children shots that do not feel good at the time, but protect them from further harm. Please pray that we and our friends thank God when He is purifying us. Please pray for Blake as he is building his group.

“True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

You have wearied the Lord with your words. But you say, “How have we wearied him?” By saying, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” Or by asking, “Where is the God of justice?””

Malachi 2:6-9, 17 ESV

http://bible.com/59/mal.2.6-9,17.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction.” We all know that God loves everyone of us and wants us to be with Him forever. However, God detests evil! BECAUSE He loves us, He doesn’t want us to continue to sin and thus hurt ourselves temporally and eternally. He forgave by the death of Jesus, but we must acknowledge sin as sin, repent and ACCEPT Jesus. Please pray that we and our friends do not hurt our friends by condoning evil. Please pray for Doug as he forms his group.

“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard: “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is his name: Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Jeremiah 33:1-3 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jer.33.1-3.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” When you have a “unsolvable” problem to be solved in business or elsewhere, how do you solve it? After exhausting all worldly measures to solve it, do we go to God or just worry about it? I pray that we and our friends earnestly seek God’s wisdom today on our “unsolvable” problem and see what He says to you. Please pray for Hunter as he is coordinating his group.

“Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.”

Jeremiah 32:37-40 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jer.32.37-40.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “they shall be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way”. When being with other Christians, you feel like you have the same heart and it’s a warm, peaceful feeling. God has given us the way of Jesus and nothing worthwhile can be accomplished without His power in us. Please pray that we and our friends seek to abide in Christ every moment today. Please pray for Doug as he is building his group.

“”For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:10-13 ESV

http://bible.com/59/jer.29.10-13.esv

All,

This stands out because the Lord says, “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11 is pretty well known. But how about 29:13? God wants ALL of our heart for our own good. This also comes when the Israelites are in captivity in Babylon for 70 years. They have a choice to be discouraged about their situation or be encouraged that God has a plan and it comes with seeking Him with our whole heart. Please pray that we and our friends seek God with our WHOLE heart right now. Please pray for Uncle Charles and family tonight at the visitation for Aunt Merle. I think Aunt Merle is telling Billy Graham to comb his hair right now.