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 4:6-8
Many are asking, “Who can show us anything good?” Let the light of your face shine on us, Lord.
7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and new wine abound.
8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, Lord, make me live in safety.
Read the entire Psalm
The Psalmist here looks to God for goodness, for joy, for peaceful sleep and for safety. God is the one who makes these things a reality. Ask Him to let his goodness, the light of his face, shine on you so that others would see his goodness.
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 – New International Version
4 This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
Colossians 1:16 – New International Version
16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Proverbs 4:23 – New International Version
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Philippians 4:6-7 – New International Version
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Having God’s Ear through Prayer
- Express thanks 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 Sarah. Ask God to encourage her and guide her as she serves overseas.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Are you hoping for children? Do you have children? Are your children grown? Do you not expect to ever have your own children? Those questions cover all of us. Now to the point, you are responsible for the next generation. You are responsible to make the gospel known to them and to make the gospel look compelling to them. The gospel is compelling, so we are not making anything up. What can happen is that we can make the compelling gospel look less than compelling. How could we do this? We can do this by majoring on what we are against rather than what we are for. If you are against something, it is because you are for something better. Be known for this, especially by the children in and around your life. We can make the gospel look less than compelling by living a “two-story” life. We can communicate and demonstrate that we don’t really believe that the truth of God “works” everywhere, in every single aspect of our lives. The children who are watching us will see this disconnect and be, at the very least, confused by it. At the worst, they will believe that the gospel is not real and relevant. I could end by saying, “no pressure,” but that would be a lie. There is tremendous pressure on us to get this right. There is no room for us to be passive and overly relaxed. We should not fret and worry, but we must step up!