Archive for the ‘wisdom’ Category
Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
Forgiven, May 21
To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: do not be silent to me, lest, if You are silent to me, I become like those who go down to the pit.
Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your Holy sanctuary.
Also do not take to heart everything people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you.
Psalm 28:1-2, Ecclesiastes 7:21, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we cry out, we make requests of You, we seek You in times of trouble. Help us O’God, to develop a balance between asking and praise. We often ask too often and praise too little. Yet, we know You hear all of our words and know all of our thoughts. Such knowledge is too wonderful for us. Where, O’God, would we be without You?
When Solomon said “don’t take to heart everything people say” he was reminding us that people sometimes say too much, more than they truly feel. Help us to speak less and to mean more when we do speak and to never say harmful things when they are better unsaid. And when people do say things that are critical, help us not take it to heart but to return kindness when it is not expected or deserved. That is what You have done for us Jesus. You have extended kindness that exceeds understanding when we were yet in our sin. Can we do less for others? In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: cursing, Father, Forgiven, God, Jesus, Lord, pit, Psalm 28:1-2, Solomon, supplications
Posted in Christianity, Forgiven, Religion, peace, wisdom | No Comments »
Thursday, May 2nd, 2013
God’s Gifts, May 2
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord;…
James 1:5-7, www.solascriptura.com
Father, in the beginning, James, the half-brother of Jesus, doubted who Jesus was in terms of His being the Son of God and so did the other half- brothers of Jesus. We know Peter denied Jesus three times. In all cases, these men brought the same sort of weakness to the table as we do. We were not always committed to receiving Your grace and we have not always loved Jesus and acknowledged Him as our Savior.
But now, we have the opportunity to ask You to lead us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We can, in all humility and contrition, ask You for wisdom, for comfort, for forgiveness and for perfect fidelity to You and those You have placed in our lives.
You offer us a stern warning that we “must believe and not doubt”. Father, please help us with the doubts that sometimes come upon us. We feel so imperfect and at times very uninformed. Help us today to realize that is not our perfection that encompasses us when we approach You. We come to You in the righteousness of Jesus, cleansed by Him, led by Him.
Help our belief in You to lead to higher levels of trust in You. Forgive us when we think You have abandoned one of us. You never leave our side. Help us not to doubt that fact! We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: ask, believe, doubt, fault, generously, gifts, God, Lord, sea, wave, wind, wisdom
Posted in Conscience, God's Gift, faith, wisdom | 4 Comments »
Monday, April 22nd, 2013
Fidelity, April 22
…no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring can yield both salt water and fresh.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.
James 3:8-13, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we know that to be faithful to You, we should not be inconsistent in our approach to others. You have taught us that all people are created in Your image. Help us look upon people as Your potential servants, some of whom are called early in life and some later.
We see, Father, that a fig tree does not bear olives. Are there times, Father, that we claim to be Your children and then openly sin against You and others? Father, we pray for fidelity, for consistency in our daily walk. Help us never be hypocritical, bringing shame to ourselves, when we deeply want to be as You, Jesus.
Help us be an encourager, not saying in one breath that we love You and in the next breath, speak despairingly of men. Give us the gift of fidelity, one in which our love for You isn’t mixed with unloving actions towards others. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: bitter, bless, curse, deadly, evil, Father, fidelity, fig, God, meekness, olive, poison, salt water, spring, tame, tongue, unruly, water, wisdom
Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, Law of God, Perseverance, wisdom | 10 Comments »
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013
God’s Gifts, April 9, 2008
Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 4:9-11, www.solascriptura.com
Father, here Peter points out an important fact; we have received gifts. We sometimes doubt that is true but help us remember the times in our lives when a person said something kind to us or commended us and how we never forgot it! Father, each of us has had someone compliment us or tell us something we really enjoyed hearing.
We know that “flattery” is wrong so help us not offer insincere compliments. Peter says we should speak using the very words of God, words of assurance and comfort. Help us today to lift the spirit of another person by using Your word as a key element of our praise.
Father, You have taught us that if we say, “God has really blessed You with great talent” that it is much better than saying, “You have it all man, You da man!” We are so vulnerable to praise. Remind us today that, we brought nothing into this world and no matter how cool we are, we will take nothing out. Our only hope is in You.
Father, help us today as we praise You for our gifts and exercise them to Your glory. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: comfort, flatter, flattery, hospitality, Spirit
Posted in Flattery, Humility, faith, wisdom | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013
Courage, March 20
… I …, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints,
do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
Ephesians 1:15-21, www.solascriptura.com
Jesus, this is the perfect prayer that we should offer for each other. Paul says he continues in prayer for these children of God. Can we do less? Help us today to focus on praying for each other and to encourage each other in the faith.
Paul says witness of who Jesus was and why He matters in your life. His name is above every name! We pray that His name and our Lord’s Holy name is only spoken in fear and reverence. Forgive those who believe Your name, O’ God, is an exclamation point. How Father did we become so irreverent?
Have mercy on the souls of those who are disobedient, we pray. Amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: Christ, Courage, enlightened, Ephesians 1:15-21, faith, Father, glory, God, Jesus, Lord, love, power, prayers, riches, saints, Spirit, thanks, wisdom
Posted in Christianity, Courage, God's Gift, Hope, Inspirtation, Perseverance, faith, salvation, wisdom | 14 Comments »
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013
Mind of Christ, January 29 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power Ephesians 1:15-19, www.solascriptura.com Father, the words we have just read are now a part of us. Your word has invaded our hearts, whether by a small amount or in a life changing way. Your word is never able to be stamped void. It is alive and active, giving us discernment and hope or convicting us. We truly respect and treasure Your word. Father, we thank You for Paul’s ministry. He taught us how to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ, who he refers to as saints. We do pray for each other, perhaps not as fervently or constantly as we should, but we know that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much. You hear the prayers of those that love You so we never speak in vain when we bring our needs and hopes to You. We pray, this day, that You will reveal to us Your wisdom, Your insight, into situations where we feel incompetent. Help us know that You know our circumstance, that Your thoughts toward us exceed number. What a wonderful truth. Help us respond, we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: Christ, Ephesians 1:15-19, faith, glory, God, Hope, inheritance, Lord, mind, power, saints, Spirit, thanks, wisdom
Posted in Christianity, Inspirtation, Mind of Christ, Providence of God, salvation, wisdom | 210 Comments »
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013
God’s Children, January 23
My son, if your heart is wise, my heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
Yes, my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak right things.
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.
Hear, my son, and be wise; and guide your heart in the way.
Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old.
Buy the truth, and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
Let your father and your mother be glad, and let her who bore you rejoice.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
Proverbs 23:15-19; 22-26
Father, we can identify with Solomon when he says his heart rejoices when his child’s heart is wise and when the child speaks the truth and that you rejoice when our lips speak the right things.
Father, it brings us great joy when our children please You and sorrow when they do not. Is it the same with us Father? Yes, Your heart rejoices when we please you and You have taught us that it grieves You when we willfully sin.
We pray that our children will never envy sinners and we are happy when they honor their mother and father. Help us, today, to set a good example for our children. We are so imperfect as parents that few of us can say, “Do as I do”.
We pray that our children look to You, Jesus, as the Savior, counselor, guide and comforter and that we do the same. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: children, envy, Father, fear, glad, God, heart, Hope, lips, Lord, mother, rejoice, Son, wise
Posted in God's Children, Law of God, Perseverance, wisdom | 104 Comments »
Friday, December 21st, 2012
God’s Children, December 20
…a wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is the grief of his mother.
He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.
“Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.
Proverbs 10:1; 5, Proverbs 8:32-33, www.solascriptura.com
Father, such wisdom seems obvious to us but we do experience both grief and joy as parents. Help us, today, with those circumstances wherein children are alienated from us as parents. We are so tempted to blame the child when they misbehave but it is the heart of the child that has lost focus.
Father, we want to be effective, in our role as parents, to train up our children in the way of the Lord so that they may not depart from Your will when stressful situations come upon them. We surely will be held accountable by You for teaching them Your word.
We pray for wisdom and understanding within our families and for Your hand upon every aspect of our lives and our children’s lives. Bless us this day, in Jesus’ Holy name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O.Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: Father, foolish, God's Children, grief, mother, Proverbs 8:32-33, shame, sleeps, Son, wise
Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, God's Children, Law of God, Perseverance, wisdom | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, November 21st, 2012
God’s Children, November 21
Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.
The rod and rebuke give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
Correct your son, and he will give you rest; yes, he will give delight to your soul.
Proverbs 28:7, Proverbs 29:15, 17, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we all truly want our children to obey your law and to avoid being unduly influenced by kids who do not know You or at least their habits seem to indicate that they do not have a strong relationship with You. We prefer our children be witnesses of Your love, not victims of poor choices, often promulgated by others. Give our children discernment and the courage to be different, we pray.
O’God, our children are under a constant barrage of sinful messages from almost every angle. We try to protect them, to limit their exposure to sin and sinful people but we need Your help in correcting them in a way that brings glory to You.
Help us today to be firm in our convictions and to lovingly relay them to our children. Teach us not to be a bad example to our children but to show them, by our words and actions, how much we love them and You.
When discipline must come Father, help us teach our children that a tree pruned is a tree that will bear more fruit. Jesus, our desire is to be like You as we try to direct our children. We pray in Your Holy name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O.Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: children, companion, Father, gluttons, God, law, mother, Proverbs 28:7, Proverbs 29:15, Son, wisdom
Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, God's Children, wisdom | 4 Comments »
Thursday, October 25th, 2012
Peace, October 25
Then I returned and considered all the oppression that is done under the
sun: and look! The tears of the oppressed, but they have no comforter—on the side of their oppressors there is power, but they have no comforter.
Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
The fool folds his hands and consumes his own flesh.
Better a handful with quietness than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 4:1; 4-6, www.solascriptura.com
Father, Solomon sees the oppressors and the tears of the oppressed, but sees no comforter. Had Solomon been a prophet, as well as the wisest man that ever lived, he would have capitalized Comforter and assured us that You, Jesus, were coming. The Scriptures refer to You, Jesus, in many ways, including Comforter, Counselor, Savior, Redeemer and Son of God. We know there are oppressors and always will be until the day of judgment but thank You God for our Comforter, the Holy Spirit sent, by You, to help us every moment of every day.
Solomon teaches us that admiring the work of others and being envious of them is vanity, a pursuit of what is not, for what might be. Father, You give each of us gifts. Help us never worry about what we do not have, in the way of talent, but to embrace and run forward with that which we do have.
Solomon also helps us understand that idleness leads to consumption of what we have, without replenishment. Yet, if both hands are “full” without quietness and peace, we have achieved vainly and without a good end. You have taught us Jesus, that if we possess all the riches of the world and have not Your love, we have nothing. This day, help us work hard, to value obedience to You and to enjoy Your peace and comfort in every circumstance. You are our Comforter. We praise You for Your presence. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O.Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: Comforter, flesh, fool, oppression, tears, vanity, wind
Posted in Christianity, Religion, wisdom | 249 Comments »