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 105:1-6
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
proclaim his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell about all his wondrous works!
3 Boast in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
5 Remember the wondrous works he has done,
his wonders, and the judgments he has pronounced,
6 you offspring of Abraham his servant,
Jacob’s descendants—his chosen ones.
Read the Entire Psalm
Active Remembering. In these six verses, the Psalmist is calling Israel to actively remember. In order to remember we use our minds, but in these verses there is a call to do more than just think or reflect. The people are told to; Give thanks, call on him, proclaim his deeds, sing, boast, seek, and rejoice. All these actions lead to remembering what he has done. Which action will you take up today? You can be satisfied in God as you remember his wondrous acts. Seek his face always.
SCRIPTURE READING:
Galatians 1:10 – Christian Standard Bible
10 For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Ephesians 6:4 – Christian Standard Bible
4 Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
James 1:5-8 – Christian Standard Bible
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.
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.
- Pray for children in foster care. Ask God to provide a home for them. Pray for children who are abused. Ask God to rescue them.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. James 1:5-8
Do you lack wisdom? Do you want, need a bigger “r”? Ask God, he is generous in sharing his wisdom with us. But when you ask be sure you are prepared to act. He does not give his wisdom to satisfy our curiosity; that is not wisdom, that is just information. Wisdom is truth applied. When you ask God for wisdom, you are in fact asking him what you should do. If you do not intend to do it, he will certainly not give it. So, pray for wisdom using wisdom. “God, the answer is ‘yes’ I will do what you want, now please help me know what it is you want.”