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 123:1-4 I lift my eyes to you, the one enthroned in heaven.
2 Like a servant’s eyes on his master’s hand, like a servant girl’s eyes on her mistress’s hand,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God until he shows us favor.
3 Show us favor, Lord, show us favor, for we’ve had more than enough contempt.
4 We’ve had more than enough scorn from the arrogant and contempt from the proud.
Servant’s Eyes focused on the master’s hand. Why would a servant’s eyes be trained on a Master’s hand? So that the servant can do his bidding or so that the servant can receive care from the Master. Maybe his eye is focused on the master, so that the servant can find protection in the master’s hand. Lord we lift our eyes to you so that you might guide, provide, and protect us as we train our eyes to carefully watch your hand. When you move, we want to move. Please have mercy and show us favor.
Scripture Reading
Titus 2 – English Standard Version
Teach Sound Doctrine
2 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard 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 FCA. Ask God to use Keith and his ministry to challenge student athletes to faithfully walk with Jesus.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
“The grace of God appeared bringing salvation to all people” God has affection for all people. Not all will receive salvation but his affection rests on all he has made. Every person you encounter today is loved by God. The person in the lane next to you on the highway, the child in the back seat of your car, the person working across the hall from you, each of them are loved by God. Are some loved more? No. Are some more deserving? No. None are deserving of God’s affection, but all loved by him. Ask God to help you see people as individuals loved by him. Ask him to help you not put people into categories but to see all people as those he has made and those who need him. Pray for opportunities to make the love and hope of the gospel known.