Posts Tagged ‘Prayer’
Tuesday, May 7th, 2013
Prayer, Part 2, May 8
Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.
I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
Psalm 5:1-3, Psalm 116:1-2, www.solascriptura.com
Father, when we pray, we know that if we seek Your will for our lives, You listen. Help us understand that You desire to lead us and love us and that Your response to prayers for leadership in our lives is positive and our requests are welcomed. You know our needs better than we do!
We are encouraged to pray early, Father, just as Jesus did so many times in the Scriptures. Praying about everything all day is Your stated will, but setting aside time with You each morning gives us an opportunity to start the day right, seeking Your blessings and direction.
Father, we give so much time to activities that do not include You. Help us today to resolve to seek Your will, early each day, and to look up and know You are waiting for us to call to You. To whom else can we turn? In Your Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: God, meditation, Prayer, Psalms 116:1-2, Psalms 5:1-3
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
Prayer, April 30
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
James 5:13-16, www.solascriptura.com
Father, James, the half-brother of Jesus, seems to be one of the more direct persons in proclaiming Your will for us. He speaks clearly and bluntly and always with a sense of urgency concerning our salvation. May we listen intently to the words You gave him.
Here we are reminded of the power of prayer. Father, we sometimes keep our needs, both spiritual and physical, to ourselves. We know that is not recommended although personal and private time with You is still very important.
When we share our concerns and needs with each other You tell us that is good. How Father can we be blessed if we do not ask? Help us, today, to ask for Your intervention and help us ask our family and friends for prayer, especially when there is a specific need. In asking, we declare our hope in You.
We pray that we will be alert to the needs of others, intervening with sincerity and optimism, believing in the power of Your grace and mercy to us all. Heal the sick and broken-hearted and rejoice with those that rejoice, praising You for Your loving care. We pray in Jesus’ Holy name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O.Box 302 Franklin, TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: confess, elders, faith, fervent, healed, Lord, oil, pray, Prayer, sick, sing, suffering, trespasses
Posted in Christianity, Forgiven, Hope, Prayer, Providence of God, faith | 4 Comments »
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
Email This Post
Tags: darkness, dead, distressed, enemy, faithfulness, judgment, Lord, meditate, muse, persecuted, Prayer, Psalm 143:1-7, righteousness, servant, soul, Spirit, supplications, thirsty
Posted in Christianity, Holy Spirit, Hope, Prayer, faith | 6 Comments »
Sunday, April 14th, 2013
Prayer, Part 2, April 14
The LORD has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. You have heard my voice: “Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry for help.”
You drew near on the day I called on You, and said, “Do not fear!”
O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; you have redeemed my life.
Psalm 2:7, Lamentations 3:56-58, www.solascriptura.com
Father, Just as You declared Jesus, as Your only begotten Son, You assure us that we can cry out as Jeremiah did, for Your help. We know Father that Jesus made it possible for us to come into Your presence, cleansed, and prepared to speak to You.
We can stand before You without fear, though we shall surely be overwhelmed when we do so. You have provided a Lamb, a perfect stand-in for our sins and we joyfully accept Your gift of life but at the same time we feel so unworthy. The fact that Jesus “pleads our case” places it all in perspective. He is the perfect Advocate!
Help us today to see that our worthiness is not a result of our works but of our faith in You, Jesus and Your grace and love to us, Father.
Lead us this day to be like You, Jesus, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: begotten, fear, help, hide, Lord, pleaded, Prayer, Psalm 2:7, redeemed, sighing, Son, soul
Posted in Christianity, Hope, Prayer, Providence of God | 14 Comments »
Tuesday, March 26th, 2013
Prayer, Part I, March 26
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You.
Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; in You I take shelter.
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
Revive me, O LORD, for Your name’s sake! For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
In Your mercy cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul; for I am Your servant
Psalm 143:8-12, www.solascriptura.com
Father, if King David, a man after Your own heart, said, “teach me, lead me, revive me”, we surely want to look to his example and do the same. Our lives are so full of decision-making opportunities from very minor things to life-changing things, that we confess we need Your direction, Your counsel.
We are knocked about by evil influence and angry people. Our souls are troubled and our faith is tested by the circumstances of our lives. Help us O’God to know that You are present, every moment and give us peace as we go about Your business this day. We say “Your business” because our lives ultimately have no enduring meaning if we do not seek to do Your will.
Show us today what we can do to draw nearer to You and surely You will draw nearer to us. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: deliver, enemies, Lord, lovingkindness, Prayer, Psalm 143:8-12, shelter, soul, Spirit, teach, trust, uprightness
Posted in Christianity, God's Children, Hope, Inspirtation, Prayer, faith, peace | 192 Comments »
Friday, March 22nd, 2013
Prayer, Part 2, March 22
I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2, www.solascriptura.com
Dear Jesus, our Lord and Savior, we do praise You from the depths of our soul. There is no one or nothing that deserves our praise and our attention like You.
We look to all that You have given us that we are able to use and enjoy. We rejoice in Your omniscience for no one but You could have conceived such a perfect circumstance for us to know You and experience Your presence, constantly.
Jesus, help us take nothing for granted in terms of the gifts You have given us. Help us use those gifts to bring glory to Your Holy name. Such gifts, freely given were paid for by You, Jesus, yet they are absolutely free to us. That news is too wonderful not to share. In Your name we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: heart, Lord, praise, Prayer, rejoice, sing, works
Posted in Christianity, Courage, Fidelity, Hope, Inspirtation, Prayer, Worship, joy | 15 Comments »
Tuesday, February 26th, 2013
Prayer, Part I, Febrary 26
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
”But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.
”And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
”Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
Matthew 6:5-8, www.solascriptura.com
Jesus, we thank You for these specific teachings. We read Your word because it is a lamp unto our feet. You guide us in paths of righteousness. Here You make it clear that prayer is not a performance, to be seen by others, nor a vain repetition of words that are repeated over and over.
Teach us Jesus to be comfortable talking with You all day, privately and in public (Paul tells us to pray unceasingly about every circumstance and to be grateful for every gift, and to see You in all that is created, constantly).
We know that You know our needs but we also see that You want us to express them to You. Help us be open to Your leading and give power to our prayers. What a great thought You express when You tell us that what we pray in private You will reward openly. And when You do answer our prayers, give us a sense of humility and gratitude. Our joy is in Your presence. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: heathen, hypocrites, love, men, openly, pray, Prayer, repetitions, reward, room, secret, seen, shut, streets, synagogues, vain
Posted in Christianity, Humility, Law of God, Prayer, Religion, Worship, faith | 190 Comments »
Thursday, February 21st, 2013
Prayer, Part 2, February 21
Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
O my soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.”
As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god
O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.
Psalm 16:1-6, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we know that our goodness, absent the presence of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, is more than just inadequate. When our fleshly instincts take over, we know we are running away from Your presence. Your word tells us that You delight in your saints, a designation none of us feel able to accept, yet it remains Your expectation. What is a saint, Father, but one whose life reflects Jesus? Help us this day to be more consistent in our walk with You.
You, Father, are not a transitory, undependable, father made of flesh. You are our permanent Heavenly Father, thus we do have a good inheritance. We are, gratefully, Your children. Your love for us exceeds human boundaries. What a wonderful designation….Your child. Amen and Amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: excellent, God, goodness, inheritance, Lord, Prayer, preserve, Psalm 16:1-6, saints, sorrows, soul, trust
Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Hope, Inspirtation, Prayer, Providence of God, faith | 15 Comments »
Wednesday, February 13th, 2013
Prayer, February 13 Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; my ears You have opened; burnt offering and sin offering You did not require. Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.” Psalm 40:5-8, www.solascriptura.com Father, When we look at all You have created, we are overwhelmed with Your omniscience and omnipotence. You are indeed all knowing and all powerful. Here You tell us of Your omnipresence in our lives. Your thoughts towards us exceed number. You are a constant reality. We are truly never alone. You do not desire sacrifice from us. Jesus has atoned for our sins, once and for all. Without our giving You anything, You have given us everything. We sometimes feel we want to “deserve your love” or “to do works to earn Your love”. Forgive us for trying to add something that You do not require. The names of Your children are written in the scroll of the book. We know that to be absent from that scroll we would have to have removed ourselves from Your extended hand of love. We pray that each of us not only reaches for You but that we look to the truth that You have written on our hearts as a source of strength and assurance that Your hope for us is eternal. In Jesus’ Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: God, heart, law, Lord, numbered, offering, Prayer, Psalm 40:5-8, sacrifice, scroll, sin, speak, thoughts, works
Posted in Christianity, God's Gift, Holy Spirit, Prayer, Religion | 77 Comments »
Friday, February 8th, 2013
Obedience, February 8 “Please, let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, Take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances. So shall I keep Your law continually, forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts. Nehemiah 1:6-8; 10-11, www.solascriptura.com Father, our prayer that You listen and be fully observant of us is accompanied by the reality that is exactly what You do. You hear us and see us, constantly. We do not understand how that can be true, given our finite capabilities, but we have faith that You know when a bird falls from the sky or when a hair falls from our head. We “reach” for ways to understand, knowing that every living thing is Yours, including the air we breath and the water we drink. You had a dove descend and say, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased”. You tell us the trees clap their hands, the clouds collide, the earth trembles and the stars are beyond counting. God we simply confess that Your declarations are true and we do not have to explain the phenomena that we observe and experience. We now possess the Living Word, Your Scriptures and we look back on what the Old Testament prophets proclaimed. Your word enriches, encourages and illuminates. What a marvelous resource You have given us. You say, we walk in liberty because we seek Your precepts. Father, is the opposite also true, that if we walk in darkness, there is no true liberty? Father, we want to keep Your law forever and forever. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen Bruce Caldwell The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
Email This Post
Tags: day, ear, forever, law, liberty, mouth, obedience, ordinances, Prayer, precepts, servant, truth
Posted in Christianity, Courage, Providence of God, faith | 54 Comments »