Today’s reading is Mark 12:28-44
“And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭12:41-44‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.12.41-44.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.” Does God need money? In the earlier part of this chapter, Jesus says we are to love God with all of our hearts, mind, soul and strength. Does God want us or money. God knows we are tempted constantly to worship money and He knows it is a good tool but a horrible master. Please pray that we and our friends worship God with all of our hearts and use money as a tool. Please pray for Dusty and Forrest as they are building their group. 

Today’s reading is Mark 12:1-27
“And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?” But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭12:13-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.12.13-17.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Are we concerned with what God is concerned or what the world is concerned? God is about having a relationship with all of His children and wants us to be a part of that purpose. Do we prioritize our time around the things of Caesar or of God? Please pray that we and our friends are about God’s purpose for our life today. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 10:32-52
“And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:42-45‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.10.42-45.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant”. Do we equate good leaders with servants? Every leader says they are happy to serve, but are they serving the sheep or other people’s expectations of what a leader does? We are all called in a unique way to be a part of God’s purpose. There are times when we are the sheep and times when we are the shepherd. I think God will be concerned with how we serve the sheep when we were called to be the shepherd. Please pray that we and our friends truly serve those that we have been called to lead. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 10:1-31
“Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:29-31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.10.29-31.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time”. Jesus says now in this time and later says, “and in the age to come eternal life.” What are we receiving a hundredfold now? Jesus tells us we will also suffer in this time and be persecuted, so how are we getting a hundredfold now? He does promise us the Holy Spirit now. Paul speaks about the fruit of the Spirit in Galations 5:22-23(love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control). If we have the fruit of the Spirit, is that a hundredfold? I think so. Please pray that we and our friends seek the fruit of God and not the fruit of this world. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 9:30-50
“”Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:42-43‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.9.42-43.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.” Leaders are held to a higher standard. We must always be about leading people to Christ. We are all human and Jesus knows that so when people ask us questions about Jesus, let’s take that opportunity and walk with that person so they can have a closer relationship with Jesus. Please pray that we and our friends obey the opportunities given to us today. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 9:1-29
“And he asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?” And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” And he answered them, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. And when the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭9:16-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.9.16-20.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” This doesn’t sound like something Jesus would say. However, was it a indictment of the people or of its leaders? The Bible describes Jesus as the good shepherd over the sheep. Leaders are to teach faith in Jesus. Not just faith in faith, but faith in Jesus. How do people learn to exercise their faith muscle? Leaders point them to trust in Jesus Christ. Are you a shepherd or a sheep? Both are good, but Jesus has different expectations for His shepherds. Please pray that we and our friends put our trust in Jesus today. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 8:22-38
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:34-36‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.8.34-36.esv
All,
This stands out because of the order that Jesus says to follow Him. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” You would think He would start with following Him and then to deny self and take up cross. However, Jesus says to deny self first. Self is the biggest impediment to a relationship with Jesus. We can’t serve self and God. We have to choose. Please pray that we and our friends serve God today and pray over His purpose for us today. Please pray for Jeff Nicholson as he is building a group in Buckhead. 

Today’s reading is Mark 7:1-13
“And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”‘ (that is, given to God)— then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭7:5-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.7.5-13.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” God gave us the Bible because He loves us. He gave us His Word because he wants us to have abundant life. It’s imperative that we spend time in the Bible in order to know His Word. If we know the Bible, we can see if a “tradition of men” or “doctrine” is consistent with the Bible and pray over it because if it’s not consistent with the Bible, it will hurt us. Please pray that we and our friends spend time in the Word today. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 6:33-56
“And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:48-52‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.6.48-52.esv
All,
This stands out because Mark says, “he came to them, walking on the sea.” Jesus walked on water! Jesus also rose from the dead! I think we as Christians get so comfortable with our knowledge of Jesus’s miracles that they become commonplace. Do we realize Who we actually worship? Everything else that is worshipped is a object that was created by God. We worship the God who actually created the world, has seen today already happen, knows the outcome of every decision you are pondering now. Please pray that we and our friends step back today and think through who Christ really is and who He is to us. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole. 

Today’s reading is Mark 6:1-32
“But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.””

‭‭Mark‬ ‭6:21-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mrk.6.21-23.esv
All,
This stands out to me because of the pride of King Herod when he says, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” I know Kings have great power, but you can just see the pride on his face when he makes a very bad decision just to show his crowd how great he is. We all want to impress people and are tempted to give them what they want if we can, but do we ask God if this is how He wants us to use HIS resources the He GAVE us? Please pray that we and our friends are thankful for the abilities God has given us today and be good stewards of them. Please pray for Debbie, Makenna and Kole.