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 135:1-5 Praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord; praise him, you servants of the Lord, you who minister in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. For the Lord has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession. Read the entire Psalm
Praise the Lord – It is a command and not a suggestion. God knows it is good for us to praise Him. Praise Him with words. Praise Him with singing. He is good. He chose Israel to carry out His plan and to reveal His character. How have you experienced God’s goodness? Praise Him for the ways that you have experienced His goodness.
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Peter 1:3-9 – New Living Translation
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5 And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
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.
- Join with others from River and those who do not know God. Ask God to give you opportunity to have gospel conversations and to build trust with those in your life who do not know God.
Living as God’s People by applying the Bible
Scripture Reflection from the Sermon
What do you look forward to? How does looking forward to that thing or event bring you joy or comfort? Future hope can bring joy into an unpleasant present. At the same time, Proverbs says, “Hope deferred can make the heart sick.” When we hope for something, and that hope is delayed, it can take our joy. What we hope for is what shapes us. Where are your hopes placed? Are they in a secure location? Do you hope for what is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading? Is your hope being guarded by God’s power? I “hope” it is. Lesser hopes are okay, but they must not be made foundational. Practice praising God, make praise reflexive. Make praising God for an imperishable hope a key part of that reflex. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus is revealed. As you choose your hope, you are choosing the very shape of your life. Choose a hope that will shape you into the image of Christ.