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 113
1 Hallelujah! Give praise, servants of the Lord; praise the name of the Lord.
2 Let the name of the Lord be blessed both now and forever.
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, let the name of the Lord be praised.
4 The Lord is exalted above all the nations, his glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the Lord our God— the one enthroned on high,
6 who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap
8 in order to seat them with nobles— with the nobles of his people.
9 He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!
Who is like the Lord? Look at what this Psalm says that the Lord does. He looks down on the earth. He raises the poor and lifts the needy. He gives people children. Is there anyone like the Lord? Anyone who can do these things? He does not do these things because He must but because He is good and merciful. Take a moment and praise Him.
Scripture Reading
Haggai 2:10-19 – English Standard Version
Blessings for a Defiled People
10 On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, 11 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Ask the priests about the law: 12 ‘If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches with his fold bread or stew or wine or oil or any kind of food, does it become holy?’” The priests answered and said, “No.” 13 Then Haggai said, “If someone who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?” The priests answered and said, “It does become unclean.” 14 Then Haggai answered and said, “So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, declares the Lord, and so with every work of their hands. And what they offer there is unclean. 15 Now then, consider from this day onward. Before stone was placed upon stone in the temple of the Lord, 16 how did you fare? When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten. When one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. 17 I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and with mildew and with hail, yet you did not turn to me, declares the Lord. 18 Consider from this day onward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid, consider: 19 Is the seed yet in the barn? Indeed, the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have yielded nothing. But from this day on I will bless you.”
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 muslim people living in Wichita. Ask God to open their eyes to see the beauty and truth of the gospel of grace.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
Three times in this prophecy, Haggai commands the Israelites to “consider.” He wants them to consider their past uncleanness and its consequences in the present so as to live differently in future.
Think back to a time in your life when your sin created painful and damaging consequences for you and/or the people around you. How did the consequences of sin taste? How did the grace and forgiveness of Jesus bring you through it?
Remember, sin makes big promises that it never keeps. It may taste good in the moment, but it always turns bitter in the end. It may seem easy in the moment, but it always makes things more difficult in the end.
On the contrary, “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor” (Prov. 21:21). Ask the Holy Spirit to protect you from the folly of sin today and to help you pursue righteousness.