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 51:10-12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Read the entire Psalm
You have read these verses from this Psalm, now pray this Psalm to God. Ask Him to purify your heart, renew your spirit. Ask Him to draw near to You and fill you anew with the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to restore joy. Ask Him to give you a willing spirit and to sustain you. Yes you can put effort towards all these things that you pray for, but pray to the merciful God. Ask Him to intervene on your behalf.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Luke 2:25-38
The Message
25-32 In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:
God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel.
33-35 Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,
This child marks both the failure and
the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
as God reveals who they really are.
36-38 Anna the prophetess was also there, a daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher. She was by now a very old woman. She had been married seven years and a widow for eighty-four. She never left the Temple area, worshiping night and day with her fastings and prayers. At the very time Simeon was praying, she showed up, broke into an anthem of praise to God, and talked about the child to all who were waiting expectantly for the freeing of Jerusalem.
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 today for two of our overseas friends. Pray for Jason and Lisa. Ask God to encourage them and their children. Also pray for Sarah. Ask God to encourage her and guide her.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
I imagine over the next few weeks you will likely go look at Christmas lights. I’m a romantic at heart, but there is something so peaceful about walking on a cold winter’s night (with no Kansas wind!) and looking at Christmas light displays. I’d encourage you, as you look at Christmas light displays to think about Christ, the Light of the world, who provides hope and salvation for a broken and weary world. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says that Satan, “the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” Many people in the world are blind and wandering in the darkness. Spend time praying for the lost today that God would shine in their hearts “to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor 4:6).