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 64
1 God, hear my voice when I am in anguish. Protect my life from the terror of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the scheming of wicked people, from the mob of evildoers,
3 who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim bitter words like arrows,
4 shooting from concealed places at the blameless. They shoot at him suddenly and are not afraid. 5 They adopt an evil plan; they talk about hiding traps and say, “Who will see them?”
6 They devise crimes and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.”
The inner man and the heart are mysterious.
7 But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly, they will be wounded.
8 They will be made to stumble; their own tongues work against them.
All who see them will shake their heads.
9 Then everyone will fear and will tell about God’s work, for they will understand what he has done.
10 The righteous one rejoices in the Lord and takes refuge in him; all those who are upright in heart will offer praise.
God is a protector to those who take refuge in Him. In this Psalm the attacker is attacking with his words. David prays that God would hide him. God responds in verse 7 on the offensive. He is a refuge and He shoots back with His own arrows. Longing for the downfall of others is not the point here, but trusting in the God who is a refuge and a strong defender. Praise God that the righteous can take refuge in Him. There is nothing to prove.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 John 2:7-14 – New Living Translation
7 Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. 8 Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
9 If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. 10 Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. 11 But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
12 I am writing to you who are God’s children
because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
13 I am writing to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I am writing to you who are young in the faith
because you have won your battle with the evil one.
14 I have written to you who are God’s children
because you know the Father.
I have written to you who are mature in the faith
because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.
I have written to you who are young in the faith
because you are strong.
God’s word lives in your hearts,
and you have won your battle with the evil one.
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 those who do not know God. Ask God to help you see the lost people around you and have compassion for them. Ask God for opportunities to build trust. Ask God to give you opportunity to have gospel conversations.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
What sort of distortion of love do you slip into? Do you demand that people love you or that God shows you love in a certain way? Human love is not perfect. God’s love is perfect. He always loves perfectly. We can ask Him for our desires, but demanding is not a good practice to fall into. What about withholding love? Do you weaponize your affection as a way to get back at people? The silent treatment is a common response when we are displeased with someone but it certainly does not build healthy relationships. Jesus said, love as I have loved you. By this will all people know that you are MY disciples. Our acts of affection are meant to demonstrate to the world that we belong to Jesus. Our love is not meant to be a weapon or meant to be a tool to manipulate. It is meant to be a sign of Christ in our lives. He is our King. Our love is meant to exalt Him. Motives are tricky. We are a mixed bag. Ask God to purify your motives. Ask God to empower you to love like Jesus to the Glory of Jesus our King.