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 95:6-11
Come, let’s worship and bow down;
let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.
7 For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
the sheep under his care.
Today, if you hear his voice:
8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the wilderness
9 where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
10 For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray;
they do not know my ways.”
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.”
Read the Entire Psalm
The Sheep Under His Care. This song reflects on the time when the Hebrew children in the wilderness tested God. The people quarrelled and complained with Moses and Moses and Aaron disobeyed God. It was a tragic turning point. Verse 6 and 7 give us some valuable instructions to keep us from hardening our hearts. The invitation to us is to worship, bow down, kneel and acknowledge that we are dependent sheep under His care. He is our maker. Change your physical posture for a moment. Maybe bow your head, or put out your hands to demonstrate dependence. If God is your God, say it out loud. Acknowledge out loud that He is made you and you are under His care.
Scripture Reading
John 20:19-23 – English Standard Version
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Give thanks to God for His gifts and His goodness.
- 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 Embrace. Ask God to provide for their financial needs and use their work to make the gospel known to mothers in need.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Jesus came to earth and carried out the mission of God physically. We, too, are called to engage with the mission of God physically. We can do this by taking care of our bodies and by being with people.
Robert Murray M’Cheyne, who lived in early 19th century, was one of Scotland’s most powerful preachers in history, but he died at the age of twenty-nine, partly because he did not take care of his body. Overwork, excessive busyness, and chronic fatigue led to failing health. And it is reported that, as he was dying, he said, “The Lord gave me a horse to ride and a message to deliver. Alas, I have killed the horse and cannot deliver the message.”
Are you caring for (but not worshipping) your body? What is a choice you can make today to make sure you are getting what you need with regard to your diet, exercise, and sleep? Ask God to help you connect this choice to worship, to His glory, and to His mission.
In May, the U.S. Surgeon General released a nationwide advisory titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” The advisory stated that about half of US adults experience measurable levels of loneliness and that loneliness “can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.”
Who can you show up for today? A neighbor? A coworker? A classmate? Take a moment to ask God if there is anyone you should intentionally and physically engage with today. If He puts someone on your heart, obey. If no one comes to mind, simply choose someone and take a step of faith to engage with him or her. Show them the love of Christ. Ask how you can pray for them. If appropriate, pray with them.