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 52:1:9 Why boast about evil, you hero! God’s faithful love is constant.
2 Like a sharpened razor, your tongue devises destruction, working treachery.
3 You love evil instead of good, lying instead of speaking truthfully.Selah
4 You love any words that destroy, you treacherous tongue!
5 This is why God will bring you down forever. He will take you, ripping you out of your tent;
he will uproot you from the land of the living.Selah
6 The righteous will see and fear, and they will derisively say about that hero,
7 “Here is the man who would not make God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches, taking refuge in his destructive behavior.”
8 But I am like a flourishing olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in God’s faithful love forever and ever.
9 I will praise you forever for what you have done.
In the presence of your faithful people,
I will put my hope in your name, for it is good.
Refuge in God or Refuge in Evil? This Psalm is a reminder that we do not have to make a refuge for ourselves. We don’t need to make a refuge from riches or a refuge by lying or by tearing others down or by boasting. God is glad for us to make Him our refuge. His faithful love is constant and He accepts us if we want to find our refuge in Him. Praise Him for what He has done. He has revealed Himself. He has made Himself accessible by the blood of Jesus.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 John 1:9 – Christian Standard Bible
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 – Christian Standard Bible
10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly grief produces death. 11 For consider how much diligence this very thing—this grieving as God wills—has produced in you: what a desire to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what deep longing, what zeal, what justice! In every way you showed yourselves to be pure in this matter.
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. Ask God for protection as they travel to Worlds of Fun. Pray for a time of fun and growing Christian friendships.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
What can you do to learn to turn 1 John 1:9 into something that is reflexive without becoming merely automatic? We want to train to quickly and consistently “mess up, fess up, move on” without taking God’s grace for granted. Part of this is going to be about training to stay attuned to the Holy Spirit. He stands ready to convict us of sin so that we will repent. As we move through the day, if our minds are not set on things “above,” then we will not be positioned to hear him when he speaks. This doesn’t mean we are not attentive to our jobs and daily tasks, but it means that we are learning to practically stay tuned to the Spirit’s voice in our lives. This takes practice and intentionality. We can learn this, many have. This practice of tuning into the Spirit’s voice is not only important for conviction of sin but also for the comfort of forgiveness. He is called the “Comforter.” He stands ready to convict us so that we will be drawn back to the Father and to comfort us as we live in the grace of forgiveness. What can you do today to remember to stay tuned the Spirit? Think practically and start practicing.