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 15
Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
2 The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; 3 whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; 4 who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; 5 who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
Who may dwell with God? What a great question. Can we live with Him? Not on our own. Jesus is the way to God. He is the way to live the life described here. Give thanks and praise to God that He would want to dwell with us. He wants us to make our home with Him. What a wonderful invitation.
Scripture Reading
Haggai 2:1-9 – New International Version
2 1 on the twenty-first day of the seventh month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 2 “Speak to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, to Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people. Ask them, 3 ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? 4 But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 5 ‘This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.’
6 “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty. 8 ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty. 9 ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
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 Jason and Lisa and their children. Ask God to encourage them, use them, and guide them as they serve overseas.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
The Israelites had gathered for the Feast of Tabernacles, to offer tithes to the Lord after the harvest, but they didn’t have much to offer because of their disobedience. And the place they would typically make their offering, the Temple, was merely a construction site. It wasn’t functional. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t clean. It was a reminder of sin, defeat, Babylon, and exile. Visibly, things were in shambles, and they were discouraged.
Are you discouraged? Maybe you have moved beyond discouragement to depression, or even to despair. Maybe you are struggling with doubts about God’s character and His plan for your life. Have you been honest – really, truly, completely honest – with God about these things? God is more than able to handle your disposition, your honesty, and even your complaint. Lament is a biblical and healthy form of expressing yourself to God. Healing, hope, and faith in your life may start with a lament.
If you need to lament this morning, take some time to do so. You could simply read and pray Psalm 42 back to God. If you don’t feel the need to lament this morning, thank God for His provision in your life.