Hearing God’s Voice from His Word
James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
Take a moment and turn your attention to God. Tell God that you desire to trust and obey Him. Ask God to speak to you from His word.
Psalm 69:13-15 But I pray to you, Lord, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.
Read the entire Psalm
“But I pray to you, Lord” – As you read and pray this morning remember that you are relating with the personal God. He hears you. Look at all the things the writer of this Psalm is asking this personal God to do. He prays for rescue, for deliverance, and for salvation.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Peter 1:1-2 – The Message
1 1-2 I, Peter, am an apostle on assignment by Jesus, the Messiah, writing to exiles scattered to the four winds. Not one is missing, not one forgotten. God the Father has his eye on each of you, and has determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours!
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Express thanksgiving to God.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin to you.
- Confess your sin to Him and receive forgiveness.
(1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins.”) - Bring your personal requests to God.
(Psalm 62:8 “Pour out your heart before God”) - Pray for someone in your small group.
- Join with others from River and pray for Christian Challenge. Ask God to speak to students as they gather tonight at River. Pray that students would be challenged in their faith and encouraged to walk with Jesus.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
If you are a Christian, God has chosen you to make you like Christ in order that you might consistently obey Christ. This fact of ongoing change and ability to obey is much more opportunity that obligation. It is, of course, an obligation, but so too is eating and sleeping and breathing if we are to live. The obligation of eating to the famished person, when offered food, is a wonderful opportunity. The same is true when sleep is offered to the exhausted or air to the drowning person. God offers you the opportunity of obedience. To obey Christ is to experience his life now in growing fashion. Have you turned the opportunity of obedience into nothing more than the obligation of obedience?
Application
Consider an obligation of obedience that is before you right now. (Love a difficult person/serve in a way you don’t look forward to/give something away/ask for forgiveness/forgive.) Mentally reframe that obligation as opportunity right now. Give thanks for his grace that offers you this opportunity to obey.