Posts Tagged ‘judgment’

Want to avoid persecution…keep quiet!

Thursday, April 18th, 2013

Prayer, Part I, April 18

Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications! In Your faithfulness answer me, and in Your righteousness.
Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, for in Your sight no one living is righteous.
For the enemy has persecuted my soul; he has crushed my life to the ground; he has made me dwell in darkness, like those who have long been dead.
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me; my heart within me is distressed.
I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.
I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails! Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down into the pit.

Psalm 143:1-7, www.solascriptura.com

Father, we know that King David and others suffered as they sought to fulfill Your expectations. We seldom suffer as we seek to do Your will.  Perhaps we are less overt in our efforts and we are spared suffering because we do not engage in the battle. Help us this day to run the risk of being persecuted as a result of our declared love for You.

We do not seek persecution Father, but if it comes as a result of our efforts to serve You, so be it. Strengthen our resolve to be Your person in the midst of a sinful world and allow Your enemies to become as was always intended, Your children.

Give us love and wisdom in our witness. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, Holy Spirit, Hope, Prayer, faith | 6 Comments »

Noah; why among millions was only one family saved?

Saturday, February 9th, 2013

Temptation, February 9   For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)– then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, ”I know …, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness… 2 Peter 2:4-9, 1 Chronicles 29:17, www.solascriptura.com Father, will the sins of the world once again bring the kind of destruction described here? Yes, You tell us it will happen again. But Father, so few were saved, so few were righteous in Your eyes. Help us O’God to be among the faithful whose souls are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, the ultimate and final sacrifice made for our sins. Father, you have made it clear that judgment awaits the souls that do not love You and obey You. You also have made it clear that in the midst of our being tested, you have pleasure in our uprightness; our obedience to Your Holy Word.   Teach us every day of your expectations and renew a right Spirit within us constantly. Help us bask in the assurance of Your love for Your children, bringing joy and peace to those around us. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, Courage, faith | 27 Comments »

On judgment day will any of us stand boldly before Jesus?

Thursday, January 24th, 2013

Courage, January 24

Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
 
I John 4:17-18, www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, if we were to visualize what it will be like to stand in Your presence on judgment day, will we feel bold? How can we possibly be bold before You, given our sin? We know the answer and the Apostle John affirms it; if we have sincerely and humbly sought to be as You Jesus, in this life, from the moment of rebirth forward, then we stand before You, wrapped in Your righteousness, not ours and that enables us to do so boldly.

Because of Your love for us and our response to that love, we will not experience the torment of fear and trembling nor grinding and gnashing of teeth, which is what You say will be the experience of those who do not love You.

You teach us that fear is a result of separation from You and that our boldness comes from our dependence upon You. How else could it be? Bless us this day, we pray. We pray in Jesus’ Holy name, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, Courage, Hope, peace | 41 Comments »

I stand in awe of God’s creation…how can it get better?

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

Heaven, Part 2, October 17

…The heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:7-10, www.solascriptura.com

Father, these words describe a reality that is catastrophic, the final event that precedes New Jerusalem, a permanent place of security and joy. You have told us that nothing, not one thing, that we now see will survive. As wonderful as Your creation and Your creatures are, this imperfect and sinful world and everything in it will be destroyed. When You speak to us with such certainty, can we do anything but acknowledge You as the One who is in control?

Thank You Father for telling us that it is Your will that none perish. You want to transport us from here to there, safely. We know that Jesus has made it possible for us to take that journey. We are unable to know the day of judgment but we are able to choose to be prepared.

Help us not to be “kind of” ready or saying things like I hope I am doing Your will. Give us certainty, this day, of our eternal destination and help us to help others to seek You while there is still time. In Jesus’ Holy name we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, End Times, Heaven, Perseverance, Religion | 60 Comments »

Where do you get comfort and counsel during chaos?

Monday, August 20th, 2012

Peace, August 20

“… these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

“But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’

“But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

“And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

“of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

“of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

“of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

“He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

“All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

John 16:4-15, www.solascriptura.com

Jesus, for this wonderful set of facts, we are so grateful. You tell us, in the first person, that the Holy Spirit, having been sent, will convict the world of sin. Your crucifixion and resurrection, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to strengthen and teach us, is also a turning point in Your relationship with every person. You have planted the truth in our hearts, You have turned on a Light that either accuses us or excuses us.

We know, as a result of the Holy Spirit being sent, the truth, and if we seek the truth we will be set free. We also know that we are now without excuse before You. Our thoughts and actions are all known to You. The Holy Spirit either lifts us up, assuring us of Your presence, love and confirmation of our faith or the Holy Spirit convicts us, making us know for certain when we are disappointing You.

You tell us, Jesus, that the Holy Spirit will guide and teach us the truth. Your word is truth and it is a light within us. Help us  be what we could never have been without You. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen.

Bruce Caldwell

The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064

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Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Holy Spirit, Religion, peace | 29 Comments »