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 96:1-5 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.
Read the Entire Psalm
God created music. He enjoys hearing His people sing. Sing now if you want to, but if not take a moment and declare His glory aloud. Praise Him because as this psalm says, He is great. He is worthy and to be feared. He is the maker of the heavens.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Corinthians 4:1-2 – New Living Translation
4 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. 2 Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.
Colossians 1:16 – New Living Translation
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
Proverbs 4:23 – New Living Translation
23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
Philippians 4:6-7 – New Living Translation
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
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 who do not know God. Ask God to help you see the lost people around you and have compassion for them. Ask God for opportunities to build trust. Ask God to give you opportunities to have gospel conversations.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
What is your purpose? Are you clear on why you exist? Sure, everyone has different gifts and venues for a faithful life, but we don’t have different reasons for being on the planet. “All things were created by him and for him.” That verse, in itself, doesn’t tell us the specific “what” and “how” of our existence, but it does give the fundamental “why.” When you consistently have the “why” answered, you are a long way down the road of getting clarity on the “how.” How we live our lives rests on why we are alive. Everything we do becomes a subset of the foundational “why.” We work our jobs, take care of our bodies, mow grass, and invest in children because all things were created by him and for him. Trouble happens when we insert ourselves into the formula. “All things were created by him, but some things are all about me.” If we insert ourselves into the foundational “why,” then we have a foundation that cannot be sustained. We start building our lives on sand. It’s not that God ought to be the foundation for existence; he actually is. When we attempt to live otherwise, we are trying to breathe water, and we are living outside of reality. Surrender again today to the God who was, and is, and is to come. He is the creator and rightly ruler of all things. This, of course, includes our lives.