“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭10:29-31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.10.29-31.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” God knows us better than we know ourselves and He loves us dearly. He knows how to comfort us in times of trial and discouragement. Please pray that we and our friends seek Him in times of sorrow. Please pray for the Wernowsky family. I have been overwhelmed all weekend with sadness over John and his son. John was the epitome of a man of Christ. He was a true man that answered the call daily in being a leader for the Kingdom of God. 

Today’s reading is Matthew 8.
“When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭8:1-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.8.1-4.esv
All,
This stands out because the leper said, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” We all know this disease was a death sentence physically and socially. His situation was hopeless and there was nothing he could do about it. However, he sought Jesus out and asked Him to do the IMPOSSIBLE. Are we asking Jesus to help us with our IMPOSSIBLE situations today? Are we submitting to His Lordship over our lives or do we want Him to heal us, but not be our Lord? Please pray that we and our friends go to Jesus as our Lord today and give Him our concerns. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

Today’s reading is Matthew 7.
“”Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:24-27‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.7.24-27.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” Everyone’s life will have “rain, floods and wind”, but only the ones that are built on rock will survive. That rock foundation comes from obeying the words of Jesus. Both parties in this story heard the words of Jesus, but only one obeyed them. Is Jesus convicting you of something today? Is there a “small” thing that He wants you to obey? Jesus wants to give you life to the full and obeying Him leads you there. Please pray that we and our friends hear the words of Jesus today and do them. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

Today’s reading is Matthew 6
“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:31-33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.6.31-33.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness”. It’s very hard to just NOT worry. Jesus gives us a way to play offense when anxiety creeps in. He tells us to seek first the Kingdom of God. How will seeking the Kingdom pay our mortgage? How will seeking the Kingdom heal our kid? I can’t give specific answers to those questions, but I can tell you that when I take big and small anxieties to God, SOMETHING happens. Somehow He gives me a thought or a perspective that helps me to understand that He is with me and He has a purpose and then He walks through it with me. Please pray that we and our friends seek first the Kingdom of God all day today. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 

“”You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:27-30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.5.27-30.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. Obviously Jesus doesn’t want every person who has lustful intent to tear their eye out, but He does want us to take the sin seriously and repent of it. Does Jesus understand that people didn’t chose to lust after other people? Does He understand that people were born like this? Did Matthew mean to quote Jesus in a different way to say this meant only a certain kind of lust? Jesus knows we have the flesh in us, but He also knows we have the Spirit in us. He wants us to live in the Spirit and not in the flesh and if we need to deny the flesh to know the Spirit, that’s life giving. Please pray that we and our friends repent of any sin we may be tempted with and live in the Spirit. Please pray for men considering CLC. 
Today’s reading is Matthew 5:27-48. Please consider reading through the New Testament with me over this year. We started the plan on the Holy Bible app days ago, so let me know if you want to get the app and I will send you instructions.

“”Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:17-19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.5.17-19.esv
All,
This stands out because Jesus says, “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven”. Jesus loves us and wants the best for us. He knows that sin can separate us from Him, but He wants us to abide in Him always. I know some Christian leaders are tempted to let their sympathies get in the way of God’s commandments, but that only hurts the person they are trying to help. Only God can give someone peace. Please pray that we and our friends love our loved ones today and get to know Jesus together. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 
Today’s reading is Matthew 5:1-26. Please consider reading through the New Testament with me over this year. We started the plan on the Holy Bible app 4 days ago, so let me know if you want to get the app and I will send you instructions.

“Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭3:4-6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.3.4-6.esv
All,
This stands out because Matthew says, “confessing their sins.” How liberating is it when we finally confess a sin? Before we do, we think it will be the worst outcome in the world and we stay trapped in a self made prison. God has given me so much joy as I try to be more and more transparent with the issues I carry around with me. I’m thankful for CLC and the ability to build friendships that thrive on transparency. Please pray that we and our friends ask God to reveal any areas of unconfessed sins today. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 
Today’s reading is Matthew 3. Please consider reading through the New Testament with me over this year. We started the plan on the Holy Bible app two days ago, so let me know if you want to get the app and I will send you instructions.

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.””‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2:13-15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.2.13-15.esv
All,
This stands out because the Angel says, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you”. Sometimes God’s purpose is for us to stay and fight and sometimes it for us to flee. I’m glad we have a God that loves for us to go to Him with all our decisions. He knows what the future beholds, we do not. Even though a action may be disruptive in the moment, if it’s God’s will, He will give us peace in the process. Please pray that we and our friends seek God and be open to Him guiding us. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 
Today’s reading is Matthew 2. Please consider reading through the New Testament with me over this year. We started the plan on the Holy Bible app yesterday, so let me know if you want to get the app and I will send you instructions.

“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1:21-25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/mat.1.21-25.esv
All,
This stands out because Matthew says, “When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him”. We have all had decisions in front of us where we knew the right thing to do, but thought of the possible consequences and decided to rely on our own understanding. Joseph did as the Angel commanded him. Is there a decision that you are making today that can be rationalized away? Is it possible that by obeying God in this decision, you may be a part of His plan for future generations? Please pray that we and our friends obey those nudges that God gives us today. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 
Please join me in reading the New Testament over the next year. Obviously, you can read from your Bible or you can download a Bible app and this app will prompt you to read exactly what we are reading daily. 

1) Download the Holy Bible app (it’s the first one in the App Store)

2)Hit “menu” on the top left of the screen

3) Hit “plans” on the bottom of the screen

4) Hit “discover” on the top of the screen or it may just ask the type of plan and you want “partial Bible”

5) Scroll down the partial Bible plans until you see “Read Through the New Testament” and hit that

6) Start plan

It is important to hit start plan today because if you wait until tomorrow, we will be off by a day. 
If you chose to follow the plan without downloading the app, we are reading Matt 1 today

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:14-22‬ ‭ESV‬‬

http://bible.com/59/1th.5.14-22.esv
All,
This stands out because Paul says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This is my second favorite verse in the Bible and yesterday’s is my first. This verse is so powerful and convicting and it ends with, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It’s only possible to rejoice always if we put all our hope in Christ. If our hope is in anything else, the always part is not possible. Pray without ceasing enables us to live the exchanged life and rely on His power always. How do we give thanks in every circumstance? No matter the circumstance, we can give thanks for what Christ has done for us. We can chose to be a victim or we can chose to put our hope in Christ. It’s our choice. Please pray that we and our friends see what God would have us to see today. Please pray for the men considering CLC. 
We will start our “New Testament in a year” reading plan tomorrow. Please consider reading along with me. I will have detailed instructions tomorrow.