John Fisher Introduction:
Psalm 30:
I will extol and praise You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up,
And have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God,I cried to You for help, and You have healed me.
3O Lord, You have brought my life up from Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead);
You have kept me alive, so that I would not go down to the pit (grave).
4Sing to the Lord, O you His godly ones,
And give thanks at the mention of His holy name.
5For His anger is but for a moment,
His favour is for a lifetime.
Weeping may endure for a night,
But a shout of joy comes in the morning.
6As for me, in my prosperity I said,
“I shall never be moved.”
7 By Your favour and grace, O Lord, you have made my mountain stand strong;
You hid Your face, and I was horrified.
8 I called to You, O Lord,
And to the Lord I made supplication (specific request).
9 “What profit is there in my blood (death), if I go down to the pit (grave)?
Will the dust praise You? Will it declare Your faithfulness [to man]?
10“Hear, O Lord, be gracious and show favour to me;
O Lord, be my helper.”
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing for me;
You have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Susan’s Blessing:
Esther 2:12 Now when it was each young woman’s turn to go before King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months under the regulations for the women—for the days of their beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of myrrh and six months with [sweet] spices and perfumes and the beauty preparations for women—
Psalm 92:10 But my horn [my emblem of strength and power] You have exalted like that of a wild ox;
I am anointed with fresh oil [for Your service].
(https://www.visitscotland.com/info/towns-villages/rest-and-be-thankful-p250101)
John’s Message:
Matthew 11: 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.
Ephesians 5: 1 Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; 2 and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.
Ephesians 5: 15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of God. (NKJV)
Matthew 13: 11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I shouldheal them.’ (Isaiah 6:9)
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Matthew 13:22 Now he who received seedamong the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
Jeremiah 22: 21 I spoke to you in your prosperity,
But you said, ‘I will not hear.’
This has been your manner from your youth,
That you did not obey My voice.
Deuteronomy 30:17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
James 4: 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
2 Kings 17: 13 Yet the Lord testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments and My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets.” 14 Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God.
Isaiah 66: 1 Thus says the Lord:
“Heaven is My throne,
And earth is My footstool.
Where is the house that you will build Me?
And where is the place of My rest?
2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word.
Psalm 25:9 The humble He guides in justice,
And the humble He teaches His way.
James 4:6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Matthew 5: 5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth
2 Tim 4:13 Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Micah 6: 8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Homework to mediate & pray on:
What do you think keeps you from hearing from God?
What is God saying to you?