Posts Tagged ‘sin’
Monday, May 13th, 2013
Conscience, May 13
… I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.
For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
2 Corinthians 7:9-11, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You have taught us that humility and contrition precede repentance and now we see that it is accompanied by sorrow, genuine sorrow for our sins. This sorrow is not the sort of sorrow the world feels about having made mistakes but it is sorrow leading to repentance and to the joy of a changed heart.
You teach us that this sorrow leads to joy, a cleansing of the spirit, a clear conscience, a zeal to serve You and a sense of no longer being guilty, having been vindicated by You Jesus. Father, we are not always successful in forgiving ourselves for our sins. We tend to forget how much You suffered for our sins, taking them upon Yourself at the Cross.
Help us, this day, to know that our sin is as separate from us as the east is from the west, never to be remembered against us again. If You can, after much suffering, push our sins from Your sight, surely we can acknowledge and accept that cleansing.
The Scriptures say “east from west” because once you head east you will never be headed west unless you turn around and return to your sin. Not so, if You had said “north from south”, since if you go north long enough you will eventually be headed south, back to your sin. Thank You for the wisdom of Your Holy word. Keep us in it every day we pray. 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: contrition, Father, fear, Humility, Jesus, joy, repentance, sin, sorrow, zeal
Posted in Christianity, Humility, Inspirtation, Perseverance, Religion, peace, salvation | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 9th, 2013
The Narrow Gate, May 9
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,
to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.
Ephesians 1:3-6, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You tell us that You chose us and that You choose to bless us with every spiritual blessing. You have adopted us. We are heirs to Your Kingdom.
Here, Paul teaches us that we were predestined to be adopted as Your sons, by Jesus Christ, and that His will to do so gave Him pleasure. His grace to us brings glory to His name and He has made us acceptable in His sight.
First, Father, we know that You and Jesus are as one and that our election, our predestination was known by You. You would not be omniscient if You did not know that we would respond to Your love for us, personally. You knew we would accept Your invitation, Your grace and Your mercy.
Second, when Jesus came here, His life, His death and His resurrection became a pivotal event in history. Where men had been unable to fulfill the Law of the Old Covenant, You taught us, Jesus, that the New Covenant had replaced the Old. We now stand in the presence of the Father, not based only upon our obedience, but based upon our faith in You and our acceptance of You as savior. Yes, Father the old hymn, Trust and Obey, does sum it up. We can now stand in the presence of the Father, cleansed of our sin, as sons; sons that He knew would choose to have faith in You Jesus. Perfect! Amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: Christ, Ephesians 1:3-6, God, Jesus, Lord, narrow gate, obey, omniscient, predestined, resurrection, sin, trust
Posted in Christianity, Heaven, Holy Spirit, Religion | 16 Comments »
Monday, April 29th, 2013
Forgiven, April 29
Now early in the morning (Jesus) came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
“Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?”
This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.
Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
John 8:2-11, www.solascriptura.com
Jesus, You teach us much in these verses. We pray for wisdom and discernment in understanding. You, again, cite, “early in the morning” as the time You went to the Temple to pray and teach. Prime time with the Father seems to be “early in the morning”.
Then You teach us that the scribes (lawyers) and Pharisees (religious leaders) are in the role of accusers. You did not say they accused falsely, Jesus, You said they too commit sins of various kinds and if any of them thought they were without sin, then step up and cast the first stone in the killing process.
You then teach us that everyone has a conscience that either accuses them or excuses them and that we personally know when we have sinned whether other people know it or not.
Then, in Your mercy, you teach us that adultery is not a sin unto death if one confesses and repents (changes direction). You forgive the woman and you encourage her. O’ God, if we could but have that kind of mercy and hope when we see sin in action. Help us today to be part of the healing process, not one of those who accuse. 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: adultery, condemned, Conscience, convicted, Forgiven, Jesus, law, Moses, pharisees, scribes, sin, stone, stoned, Temple, woman
Posted in Christianity, Conscience, Fidelity, Forgiven, Hope, Providence of God | 8 Comments »
Thursday, April 25th, 2013
April 25, Family Bible Study, from www.solascriptura.com
What I am doing just feels wrong
The Apostle Paul presents a point of view you should consider. He says, “I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to-what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. ROMANS 7:15-16 TLB
Paul is teaching us that we know what we should do and when we do bad things, we knew they were bad. He says our conscience proves to us that what we are doing is wrong.
Then Paul says: So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free. ROMANS 7:23 TLB
What Paul describes as our “deadly lower nature”, is the “default setting” we find ourselves in at birth. You know what a default setting is. For instance, if your new car measures the mileage as miles instead of kilometers, then the factory has preset the odometer to miles. You can take action to change the default setting to kilometers if you want to, but if you do not do so, it will continue to measure the distance you travel in miles.
If you find yourself wanting to change the default setting of your life from dominance by a deadly lower nature, often referred to as the dominance of the flesh, you must take action. You were born in the flesh but God placed in you, a spirit. God wants His Spirit and your spirit to be united, to be as one. When you agree that is what you want as well, you turn to Him ask him to forgive you for all the dumb things (sin) you have done. God promises that He will change the default setting of your heart from one of flesh to one of Spirit, His Spirit in you.
You will still have impulses to revert to your old default setting of “the flesh” but God has promised that he will intervene for you. Listen to His wonderful promise: No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 NKJV
How can you escape? First, understand that temptation does not come from God. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me; “…for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone” JAMES 1:13 NIV. Who is the tempter? Remember when the comedian said “the devil made me do it”. Does blaming the devil let you off the hook?
Can you defeat temptation by your own resolve? In this life will you ever be “not tempted”? Is victory over temptation ever “yours”? Know this: “God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect”.
2 SAMUEL 22:33 NKJV
Do you sometimes feel like there is a tug of war going on inside you? How do you deal with it?
Core Christian value: Our lower nature (flesh) is at war with our spirit. We have a “built-in” knowledge of right and wrong. God wants to unite our spirit and His Spirit. He will strengthen us.
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Tags: Conscience, default, flesh, forgive, sin, slavery, temptation
Posted in Conscience, Family Bible Study, Forgiven, Holy Spirit, Perseverance | 1 Comment »
Thursday, April 4th, 2013
Hope, April 4
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;
but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Hebrews 3:12-15, www.solascriptura.com
Father, at times we behave as though we have the heart of an unbeliever. Is Satan allowed to test our resolve, our level of committment? Since every true believer is saved forever, we need Your help in seeking Your perfect will in every situation. You see the end of every circumstance in our lives and we are standing in the fog of the present, unsure of what may happen the next moment. Father, increase our faith in You and decrease our dependence on our will. Father, help us deal with uncertainty where we wish we could be more certain.
Father, keep us from the blame game wherein we fail to act when we could and fail to be obedient when we should. Help us, today, not to blame You for the sins of mankind and for our personal failures. Give us hope when there appears to be none and courage where we feel weak and impotent. Our hope and our strength to endure lies in You. To whom else can we turn?
Give us the steadfast faith that comes from a closer walk with You. Help us hear Your voice more clearly. How Father, can we improve our hearing? We know the answer. How can we learn but to turn to Your Holy word? This day, teach us Your ways, we pray. In Jesus’ Holy name, Amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project P.O.Box 302 Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: brethren, Christ, deceitfulness, evil, exhort, God, hardened, heart, Hope, rebellion, sin, unbelief
Posted in Christianity, Fidelity, Hope, Perseverance, faith | 14 Comments »
Sunday, March 24th, 2013
Mind of Christ, March 24
… since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,
that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.
They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
1 Peter 4:1-8, www.solascriptura.com
Father, when we read of Peter’s life, prior to the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, he was quite a problem, not in things of faith, but in things of temperament. We too are ill-tempered at times but here we read the words of a Spirit filled Peter, a perfect example of a changed heart and an example of what You can do in the life of a person.
Peter says we need to be armed with the mind of Christ that we should not live the rest of our lives filled with the lust of men but instead we should serve the will of God. We know that when we decide to follow You, some people will think we are foolish if not crazy. Strengthen us to withstand the ridicule, expressed or implied, of our acquaintances.
Peter teaches that You, Jesus, preached to those who died before You were crucified and resurrected, those whose death was a result of judgment as unto a physical man, but that in their resurrection those who have accepted Your Spirit will live forever. Your word tells us the end is near. We know that with You Father, a day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.
Those who are suffering, especially, wait for Your redemption of their tired flesh but in any event, we who are able, must resolve to serve You this day and every day. Strengthen us to do so, we pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: dissipation, drunkenness, flesh, Gentiles, God, idolatries, lewdness, lusts, Mind of Christ, revelries, sin, suffered
Posted in Christianity, Mind of Christ, Perseverance, Religion, Satan | 82 Comments »
Saturday, March 23rd, 2013
Law of God, March 23
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”
then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
and having a High Priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
Hebrews 10:16-22; 26, www.solascriptura.com
Father, the promise You have made to us concerning the law being written upon our hearts is a gift of immeasurable value. We are never far from the truth. All we need to do is to seek You and You will shed Your light on our souls and teach us afresh of that which we have sensed from the beginning.
You say that if we but ask, you will forgive. Such grace and mercy, so undeserved, is an incomparable gift. “Thank You for going to the cross that our sins might be forgiven Jesus” seems like a totally inadequate statement. The suffering You endured is beyond our understanding. Help us this day not to sin intentionally.
It is not a wonder to us Jesus that You would be extremely disappointed if we intentionally sin. It would be like asking You to return to the cross, repeating the sacrifice, for each of us who consciously choose to sin. We need to walk with You, fully aware of Your presence in all matters. Bless us we pray, in Your name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: blood, boldness, brethren, consecrated, covenant, deeds, flesh, God, hearts, Holiest, Jesus, law, lawless, laws, Lord, minds, offering, remember, remission, sin, sins, veil, washed, write
Posted in Christianity, Forgiven, God's Children, Law of God, Providence of God, faith | 13 Comments »
Tuesday, March 19th, 2013
God’s Children, March 19
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.
He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake.
I John 2:1-6; 12, www.solascriptura.com
Father, we come to You, cleansed of our sin because Jesus, our Advocate, has made it all possible. We know there is no other way to be in Your presence except by Your grace and mercy and at the nomination of ourselves by Jesus.
Our Advocate, the One who appeals to You, Himself, paid the price for our sins. This is true of no one else; therefore all judgment has been assigned to Jesus. We can boldly enter into Your presence because our faith is based on the gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of a new heart and a completely new start.
The Apostle John speaks plainly about obedience. “He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Keeping Your commandments is not easy. We know our walk with You is a little “uphill” but each day of obedience makes the next day’s hill, easier. John says, “Walk just as He walked.” That is our prayer today. Help us to be more like You every day. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: advocate, Christ, commandments, Father, God's Children, Jesus, liar, perfected, propitiation, righteous, sin, world
Posted in Christianity, Forgiven, God's Children, Perseverance, faith, peace | 202 Comments »
Sunday, February 17th, 2013
God’s Children, February 17
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.
Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.
Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.
I John 3:2-7, http://www.solascriptura.com
Father, we know You created us in Your own image. You had other choices! Here, the Apostle John, referred to as “the beloved apostle” by Jesus, teaches us that we have not yet seen what will be revealed. He simply tells us to take comfort that we will be as You.
This is the hope that “purifies”, Father. What a wonderful truth. Hope in You, purifies us. We, too often, feel impure. John says, “Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” Help us today to choose righteousness, not sin. Help us look to You. Be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path, we pray. Amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project, P.O. Box 302, Franklin TN 37064
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Tags: children, deceive, God, lawlessness, pure, revealed, righteous, sin
Posted in God's Children, God's Gift, Hope, Providence of God | 24 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
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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 »