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 104:5-9 He (God) established the earth on its foundations;
it will never be shaken.
6 You covered it with the deep
as if it were a garment;
the water stood above the mountains.
7 At your rebuke the water fled;
at the sound of your thunder they hurried away—
8 mountains rose and valleys sank—
to the place you established for them.
9 You set a boundary they cannot cross;
they will never cover the earth again.
Read the Entire Psalm
God is in control of nature. This portion of Psalm 104 is reflecting on the flood. The Lord established the earth and he brought about a flood exercising judgment on the people of the earth. Nature bows to his will. Praise God for his control of nature.
Scripture Reading
John 4:31-54 – English Standard Version
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
43 After the two days he departed for Galilee. 44 (For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) 45 So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast.
Jesus Heals an Official’s Son
46 So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. 47 When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” 49 The official said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.” 50 Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. 51 As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. 52 So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he himself believed, and all his household. 54 This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.
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 for Youth Horizons. Ask God to provide faithful staff for their open positions. Ask God to encourage the staff currently serving at Youth Horizons. Pray for the children in their programs.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Jesus’ guys had been sent to town to get food, and they were shocked to see him talking with a Samaritan woman. Now, when he speaks of some secret food, they wonder who brought it to him. So far in John’s gospel, Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and now the disciples miss the Lord’s larger point because they are overly focused on physical realities. Jesus said that his “food” is to do the will of his Father. What does food do for us? It is enjoyable, or can be if we don’t over indulge. Primarily food sustains us; it energizes us, literally. Food is the fuel that drives our lives. Jesus had to eat physical food, but his point here is that what energized his life was his passion for the mission his Father had given him to complete. He enjoyed life, food, and fellowship. Jesus was not an unhappy and detached person. But again, the engine that drove his life was the will of his Father, not the concerns of everyday life around him. You have many things that concern you. These things are “physical” in nature. You have a job, a family, a body, a bank account, things to buy and care for. In all of this we can easily lose sight of the larger realities of our lives. This stuff of earth is important, but not ultimately so. What matters the most is that we live faithful lives, doing what our Father has given us to do. So work your job, and see where God is at work in your job. Take care of your body, but never forget that it is given to you to worship God. Take care of your things, but never let things rule over you. See the world as Jesus did. Live in the world as Jesus did.