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 of the Day
Psalm 11:1-3 In the Lord I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
Read the entire Psalm
In the Lord I take refuge. Notice how the writer of the Psalm states clearly his place of refuge. His refuge is in the Lord. The writer is being told by someone else that he should not let God be his refuge. He is told to run because he’s being attacked. It seems his friend thinks that all is hopeless. What should the righteous do when everything seems to be falling apart? Run? Hide? Throw up your hands in despair or take refuge in the Lord? Ask God to help you stay settled on Him as your refuge.
Scripture Reading
1 Peter 1:17-25 – English Standard Version
17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Give thanks to God for His gifts and His goodness.
- 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 FCA. Ask God to use Keith and the ministry of FCA to lead student athletes to saving faith in Christ.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Special revelation is a term used to describe how God has revealed himself to us in the Bible and in the person of the Lord Jesus. Through creation and conscience, we can know some things to be generally true about God. Things like his power, his eternal nature, and that he is a moral being. This general information is not enough for us to be saved; we need more. God has revealed himself to us most fully in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the image of the invisible God. He has revealed his will and his ways through the Scriptures; we don’t have to guess who God is and what he wants from us. So, we have been born again through the living and enduring word of God. Men and their wisdom will fade like summer grass, but God’s word will remain, unchangeable, forever. The written Word of God (The Bible) speaks to us about the incarnate Word of God (Jesus). You do not have to know all the historical facts behind how our Bible came to be. You only need to believe that God is there, and since he is a personal God, we can expect that he would speak to us. Thanks be to God that he has. Believe his word, put it to practice, and thrive in his truth.
Application: Since the Bible is the Word of God, do you think you treat it with the level of respect and authority that is appropriate? By this I mean do you seek to put the truth of the Bible into your heart and mind? Take a single verse from today’s passage, write it out, and keep it before your mind throughout this day.