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 127
1 Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain;
unless the Lord watches over a city, the watchman stays alert in vain.
2 In vain you get up early and stay up late, working hard to have enough food—
yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.
3 Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, offspring, a reward.
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth.
5 Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them. They will never be put to shame
when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.
Acknowledge your dependence on God. You can build a life without Him, but what would the purpose of your life be? You would build and labor in vain without Him. Thank Him that He has revealed Himself. Turn to Him in humble surrender and labor with the strength He provides.
Scripture Reading
2 Peter 1:16-21 – New International Version
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Express thanks 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 Sarah H. Ask God to encourage her and guide her today.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Who do you trust and why do you trust them? What makes someone trustworthy? Do you have to understand everything they do? Do you have to agree with them on everything? Have you thought about this? You do (I hope) trust some people, but do you know why? Do others trust you? I hope so. If so, why do they trust you? It doesn’t take perfection to trust someone, otherwise no one would trust or be trusted. It does take a certain kind of direction. That direction is towards putting the interests of others first. We don’t trust completely self-serving people because they will, even to our harm, put themselves first if it suits their purposes. We trust people who imperfectly, but consistently, consider the interests of others (us) ahead of their own. Read this passage from Philippians 2 and consider why Jesus is worthy of our trust. How does his example help you consider how to become a person more worthy of the trust of others?
presence and power. Commit yourself to walking in Christ today and ask Him to be at work in you.
Philippians 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.