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 74:12-17 God my King is from ancient times, performing saving acts on the earth.
13 You divided the sea with your strength; you smashed the heads of the sea monsters in the water; 14 you crushed the heads of Leviathan; you fed him to the creatures of the desert.
15 You opened up springs and streams; you dried up ever-flowing rivers. 16 The day is yours, also the night; you established the moon and the sun. 17 You set all the boundaries of the earth; you made summer and winter.
Read the Entire Psalm
God is King. Praise God because He is King of all. He reigns over every creature, great and small. He reigns at all times whether we are sleeping or awake; whether we acknowledge Him or not. Praise Him because He rules the seasons, over the weather, and over all the earth.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Peter 5:1-5 – Christian Standard Bible
I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed: 2 Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.
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 the River Youth team as they go to Thailand tomorrow. Ask God to strengthen their team and use them to plant gospel seeds in Thailand.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Peter concludes this section by saying, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” He describes an atmosphere of humility in the church. This is an atmosphere of humility from the top down. Jesus is the humble, exalted king. Philippians 2 speaks of how Christ was exalted through his humility– through his sacrificial death on the cross. That is how Christ leads his church. Pastors, as under-shepherd of the good shepherd, lead the church imitating Christ’s humility. The flock, likewise, follows clothing themselves with all humility. When there is an atmosphere of humility, everyone flourishes. We value each other’s’ strengths and giftings and we recognize our own weaknesses. This enables us to joyfully partner together in a spirit of cooperation. How can you seek to serve someone today? Such service is for God’s glory, the good of others, and our own joy.