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 satisfies you. Is it your role to seek satisfaction? David says in this Psalm, God is the one who satisfies. Our responsibility is to look to him, to fear him. He is the one who satisfies. Thank him for satisfying you with good things. He does not have to provide satisfaction but he does. Why? Because he is generous. He is good. He is compassionate. Pray that you would find satisfaction in looking to him. Praise him for being the one who satisfies.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Psalm 103 – Christian Standard Bible
Of David.
1 My soul, bless the Lord,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2 My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all his benefits.
3 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.
6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in faithful love.
9 He will not always accuse us
or be angry forever.
10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve
or repaid us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his faithful love
toward those who fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
14 For he knows what we are made of,
remembering that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass—
he blooms like a flower of the field;
16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes,
and its place is no longer known.
17 But from eternity to eternity
the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear him,
and his righteousness toward the grandchildren
18 of those who keep his covenant,
who remember to observe his precepts.
19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord,
all his angels of great strength,
who do his word,
obedient to his command.
21 Bless the Lord, all his armies,
his servants who do his will.
22 Bless the Lord, all his works
in all the places where he rules.
My soul, bless the Lord!
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 in our church who are sick. Ask God to bring healing to their bodies.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Well, it’s Friday, and we’ve spent the last four days remembering all God’s benefits with David! Hopefully, it’s encouraged and strengthened you as we move into 2024. We’re already five days into the new year. Looking ahead, one thing we know for sure is that the new year will be filled with many things we didn’t know would happen. This short exercise of remembering was intended to fill our tank for the journey ahead. But just like any long journey, we’ll need to stop and refill. The best fuel for this journey is to remember! Remember all God has done. And what he has done in your life needs to be shared with others, so make sure you hunt for opportunities to share your story with others. Let your memories of God’s faithfulness over the past year propel you into the new year. Make it your goal to resolutely remember God’s faithful love—his steadfast love that has endured forever towards you over this past year and will follow into eternity. Let this act of remembrance deepen your adoration and worship of God—Honor God as you reflect on his goodness towards you, and let your reflections affect your behavior and actions as you enter 2024 determined to stand firmly planted on the gospel, your only foundational hope.