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 27:7-10 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me.
8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger.
You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me,God of my salvation.
10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
Read the Entire Psalm
The Lord Hears. The Lord Cares. It is not too hard for God to hear you and care for you. He created all things. He keeps all things together. He provides and he hears you and cares for you. Take a moment and just be a amazed that God is not too “busy” for you and your cares. He is truly wonderful.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Peter 5:6-14 – The Message
6-7 So be content with who you are, and don’t put on airs. God’s strong hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time. Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you.
8-11 Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.
12 I’m sending this brief letter to you by Silas, a most dependable brother. I have the highest regard for him.
I’ve written as urgently and accurately as I know how. This is God’s generous truth; embrace it with both arms!
13-14 The church in exile here with me—but not for a moment forgotten by God—wants to be remembered to you. Mark, who is like a son to me, says hello. Give holy hugs all around! Peace to you—to all who walk in Christ’s ways.
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 our team serving in Thailand. They will be heading home soon. Ask God to give them strength to finish well and to encourage and bless one another.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Are you waiting for God’s “proper time” when he will exalt, or lift you up? We can feel much like children in the back seat of a car asking, “are we there yet?” We are children and we are prone to become impatient with God’s timing. Part of casting our cares on him includes our concern with his timing. We must trust him with outcomes (what), and we must also trust him with the timing (the when). Peter uses an intentionally vague word here. What exactly does “proper time” even mean? When is the proper time? “When” is the wrong question. It is a normal question, but God will not allow us to test him with clock and calendar. We must trust him with clock and calendar. If we trust God, then we will trust his timing. If we do not trust his timing, we do not trust him. This is hard stuff. This is true stuff. Trust God by trusting his timing in your life.