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 103:3-5
He forgives all your iniquity;
he heals all your diseases.
4 He redeems your life from the Pit;
he crowns you with faithful love and compassion.
5 He satisfies you with good things;
your youth is renewed like the eagle.
He heals all your diseases. God is in control of your physical body. He has given you a body to care for and enjoy it. No sickness, physical or mental, is too much for him to heal. One day you will be completely free of disease. The new heaven and new earth will be a place with no disease. Praise Him that he is a God who heals.
Scripture Reading
Psalm 103 – English Standard Version
Of David.
103 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
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 today for Embrace. Ask God to use their ministry to rescue children from abortion and to introduce women to Christ.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
In Psalm 103, David begins by telling himself to “bless the Lord.” He’s telling himself to praise God. But notice that he uses the word “bless.” The word can mean a couple of things. It can mean either to give or receive something or to praise. Here it has the meaning of praise. The Niv and the NLT both translate the word as praise. But I like how the CSB and the ESV use the word “bless.” How do we bless the Lord? How do we give anything to him, what could we do for the creator of all things, including you and me? Nothing really, he needs nothing from us. The only thing we can do is look to him and praise him for all he has done! Dane Ortlund captures this idea of “blessing the Lord” well. He says, “It’s a fundamental posture and joy that every believer should possess… to bless the Lord is to lift one’s eyes to heaven, look to God, celebrate who he is, count on him for all things, and acknowledge life as a gift from him… At its base level, it’s to notice him. To see him and to rejoice in him while doing so.” Now would be a perfect time for you to do that. You can simply start by remembering all his mighty works and deeds that he has done in your own life. As you do, look to him in adoration and praise.